On the 4th edition of 3 or 4 BOPS (2022), we select awesome songs that are associated with the HYACINTH in some form or fashion.
A
h, sometimes itโs better to keep things lite on the fat and calories1. serpentwithfeet, โHyacinthโ
DEACON โข
Secretly Canadian โข
2021
serpentwithfeet (Josiah Wise) brings his own distinct style to his music โ sort of an alternative/experimental brand of R&B with electronic cues. Honestly, you must hear it to experience the eclecticism Wise brings to the table. He commences his second studio album,
DEACON, with the perfect floral record,
โHyacinth.โ
From the onset, serpentwithfeet distinguishes himself from everybody else in the game. โHyacinthโ is lush with ear catching production by Wise,
Justus West, and
Batu. Simultaneously, it sounds a bit unorthodox, at least upon a first listen. We get vocals sung with restraint at some points, as well as vocals that are rhythmic and drenched in effects, making for a unique sound and vibe. In the process, Wise tackles a very familiar, almost always successful theme for a song: romance. He asserts, โI think my green thumb has led me to a real one / So glad the soil has yielded something more than bad luck.โ Thatโs gorgeous, and thatโs merely the first two lines of the first verse. He gets more specific about this awesome guy stating on the second verse, โHe never played football / But look at the way he holds me.โ Say that, say that! Of course, the crowning achievement is the chorus:
โDonโt tell me the universe ainโt listening
I went to bed single now Iโm kissing
A man that was once a hyacinth
A man that was once a hyacinth.โ
Serpentwithfeet = one talented, talented musician.
Appears in :
An Engaging, Unorthodox Soundtrack to Spring
2. Krosis, โHyacinth (Rejections of a Holistic Divine)โ
E.V.I.L. โข
Seek & Strike โข
2022
โOne lone purple hyacinth now signifies my consecration / A nihilistic error breathing in the smoke of failure.โ
โHyacinth (Rejections of a Holistic Divine)โ is something else! โEverlasting sorrow with no hope for a tomorrow / Iโll leave this macrocosm once Iโm sure no life will blossom.โ This outlandish record appears as the fifth track on
E.V.I.L., the 2022 studio album by North Carolina prog death metal band,
Krosis. Vocalist
Mac Smith is difficult to decipher without the lyrics in front of you. With those lyrics to reference, what he sings is, again, something else!
โTragedy is upon us / Whatโ
will be done to persecute these visions? / Sinister and pernicious / Rightful rejections of the god of wisdom.โ The lyrics are dark but poetically penned on โHyacinth (Rejections of a Holistic Divine).โ The excerpt is both thought-provoking and damning. It doesnโt end there, with plenty of rich vocabulary such as sacrosanctic, cataleptic, and a personal favorite, nefarious!
โCaught within the fires of frustration with no chance to rebuild
Brutal rejection of sacrosanctic values ever unfulfilled
Premonitions felt among us
What is done to persecute these visions?
Cataleptic and nefarious
Brutal rejection of sacrosanctic values ever unfulfilled.โ
โHyacinth (Rejections of a Holistic Divine)โ is intriguing, no cap. The songwriting may be dark and negative, but itโs brilliant. The music, as to be expected, is harsh โ heavy-hitting to say the least.
Appears in :
Krosis, โHyacinth (Rejections of a Holistic Divine)โ: Outlandish Rock No. 4 (2022)
3. The Doors, โHyacinth Houseโ
L.A. Woman โข
Rhino โข
1971
โWhat are they doing in the Hyacinth House? / To please the lions, yeah / This day.โ Say what
Jim Morrison? The floral song at hand,
โHyacinth Houseโ ,appears on
The Doorsโ iconic 1971 album,
L.A. Woman. From a musical perspective, itโs ear-catching!
Ray Manzarek kills it on the organ, giving The Doors that utterly distinct sound. Furthermore, the listenerโs ears are blessed with bluesy guitar (
Robby Krieger), robust, present bass line (
Jerry Scheff), and a superb drum groove (
John Densmore). Perhaps the biggest talking point regarding โHyacinth Houseโ is frontman Morrison, who died only months after L.A. Woman was released at the age of 27.
Honestly, Morrison sounds a bit, um, un-energetic here to say the least. That said, I believe his low-energy performance is intentional, reflecting the negative connotation of the lyrics. If you think about it from that perspective, his performance is, dare I say, brilliant. Morrison is only moderately aroused throughout, getting a lift from backing vocals and occasionally upping the ante. His lyrics may be more interesting than his pipes, subject to various interpretations. A classic that has been analyzed extensively, โHyacinth Houseโ seems to reference everything from Hyacinthus (Greek mythology), a person literally walking out of the bathroom, the plight of fame, and perhaps most notably, Morrisonโs own depression. A flowery number it is, โHyacinth Houseโ seems to show Jim in decline.
Appears in :
The Doors, โHyacinth Houseโ: Throwback Vibez No. 12 (2022)
Hyacinth: 3 or 4 BOPS No. 4 (2022) [
: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, Rhino, Secretly Canadian, Seek & Strike, Wilson Blanco from Pixabay]