A tongue & cheek tango with the devil.

Truth be told I did not know a tango style song, with hints of western steel guitar and a bizarre synth that I can only describe as a cross between the halloween level from Simpson's Hit and Run soundtrack mixed with the weird vibrating ghost from the early 2000s, was something that was missing in my life...but an answer to a request I didn't submit has been placed into my life.

As someone who grew up in the bible belt of the united states, I did not consume anything blatantly satanic or "witchy" until my mid 20s. There was a guilt that always crept up when playing guitar hero and Shout at the Devil was cranked to drown out the sound of everyone else at the birthday party socializing and I was watching my cool friend play the game behind his head to show off to the three girls he was flirting with at the time. Anyway, that is not even remotely the topic of this post, in fact the genre from which Shout at the Devil resides doesn't even come into play in this post, though the number of the beast is the star of the show.

Going along with the idea of avoiding themes of the devil or anything else related to sin, my nativity and sheltered ability to understand subtext really packed a punch as I grew out of small minded perspective. Specifically when it came to listening to more artists than what was on the radio. Not only have I grown out of that safe bubble, one could argue walking around with a patch of a pizza pentagram on my back I have fully embraced the the devil from the phrase "handsome devil" or "silver tongued devil" or "devils food cake", in fact, if you had told me 4 years ago one of my most played songs on Spotify was titled 666, I would have probably prayed for you.

Not to always mention my Small Time, Big Sounds playlist, but 666 has a home on it. The track is ominous and grooving with a fantastic rhythmic guitar and a haunting melody that feels equal parts eerie and cheeky. jeremy messersmith is based out of Minneapolis, which ironically a lot of my favorite music is coming out of these days, and hasn't been wildly active on releases lately. 666 is jeremy's most recent single, coming out in the fall of 2022. His vocals dance with the intrumentation that just feels right. I imagine the song being used in a Burton Style movie where the montage of prep work before the big climactic scene is whip panned and cut scened a la Wes Anderson. Playful with a dash of dark and a mesh of melancholy.

The first verse also happens to be a really good reminder for me personally in being more present and taking time to center and be mindful with a tongue in cheek twist I tend to put on everything. Intentional and sarcastic. Much like the framed text I have in my office, blending Live Laugh Love and lyrics to Rob Zombie's Dragula , 666 takes on a overly used spiritual cliche of counting yourself into a zen state of mindful empowerment and rolls its eyes at it. Knowing it works but at what cost. It's the same way I feel about journaling to "process my emotions", what a stupid ass concept that works.

If there's any tension, let it go. Feel it from your head down to your toes. Say this mantra after me.

6

6

6

Is the number of the beast.

This song has a ton of things that shouldn't work but it does and frankly I am here for it. If you don't believe me, have a listen for yourself.

ADDITION TO POST AFTER ORIGINAL PUBLISHING:

I am honored and overjoyed that Jeremy took a moment to read this review. It continuously blows me away that artists are so accessible to fans and other artists alike. I feel encouraged and inspired to continue this blog despite gaining almost zero traction "analytics wise". If my writings can reach even one artist and have some sort of impact on them, I can call myself accomplished and thanks to Jeremy, I feel very accomplished.

With positivity, until next time.

-AF