Blurryface

by Twenty One Pilots

Overview

Grappling with the forces of dark and light that rage within, Twenty One Pilots make inner turmoil sound thrilling on their sophomore major-label LP, Blurryface. Named after the menacing character that represents the negative in vocalist Tyler Joseph's life, Blurryface is a genre-blending grab bag of styles that sounds like a soundtrack from multiple artists. Reggae and dub, industrial and drum'n'bass, indie rock and rap. They're all included on Blurryface, where abrupt stylistic changes are exciting without being jarring. In addition to the hit singles "Ride" and "Stressed Out" -- which tackle millennial angst and relatable life struggles -- Blurryface is packed with self-aware lyrics, clever observations, and deep introspection. While its predecessor, Vessel, hinted at the fearless experimental side of the duo -- which also includes drummer Josh Dun -- it was ultimately more precious and innocent. Keeping with the "blurryface" threat, this album is darker and, despite the addictively catchy nature of the music, more serious. Joseph struggles with his demons throughout -- fear and anxiety seep through "The Judge," while the conflict rages on "Doubt" and self-doubt and regret plague "Polarize" -- until catharsis is achieved on "Goner," where Joseph sings "I've got two faces/Blurry's the one I'm not." It's an emotional ride buoyed by a constantly shifting sonic palette. Despite the intensity of some of the lyrics, when one focuses strictly on the music, it's a party. The reggae influences abound (nearly half the album includes some kind of laid-back dub beat) and Joseph strums his ukulele to effective measure on "The Judge" and "We Don't Believe What's on TV." The pair also flirts with electronic dance beats on highlights "Heavydirtysoul" and the New Order-ish ode to Columbus, Ohio, "Hometown." This may sound like a confused mishmash of ideas from two guys who can't seem to focus, but in the 2010s -- when so many genres rubbed elbows in the Top 40 -- it ends up being a natural product of the very environment where it was spawned. Twenty One Pilots tap into both the emotions and musical proclivities of restless youth in 2015, resulting in an effort that sounds both of its time and also completely futuristic. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	05/18/2015
Label:	Fueled By Ramen Records
UPC:	0075678669224

Tracks

1. Heavydirtysoul
2. Stressed Out
3. Ride
4. Fairly Local
5. Tear in My Heart
6. Lane Boy
7. The Judge
8. Doubt
9. Polarize
10. We Don't Believe What's on TV
11. Message Man
12. Hometown
13. Not Today
14. Goner

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Twenty One Pilots   Primary Artist
Tyler Joseph   Vocals (Background),Organ,Piano,Vocals,Ukulele,Keyboards,Co-Producer,Lead Vocals,Synthesizer,Organ (Hammond),Synthesizer Bass
Mike Crossey   Bass,Vocals,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
David Moyer   Flute,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Danny T. Levin   Trumpet,Trombone,Euphonium
Mike Elizondo   Keyboards,Synthesizer,Bass,Organ,Guitar,Vocals,Bass (Upright),Synthesizer Bass,Vocals (Background),Electric Upright Bass
Tim Anderson   Synthesizer
Josh Dun   Drums,Vocals,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Ricky Reed   Bass,Vocals
LunchMoney Lewis   Vocals (Background)
Jonathan Gilmore   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Tyler Joseph   Executive Producer,Composer,Producer,Programming
Mike Crossey   Producer,Programming
Mike Elizondo   Programming,Composer,Producer
Chris Spilfogel   Engineer
Pete Ganbarg   A&R
Neal Avron   Mixing
Adam Hawkins   Engineer
Drew Kapner   Engineer
Tim Anderson   Producer,Programming
Brent Arrowood   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Victor Luevanos   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Chris Woltman   Remix Producer,Executive Producer
Joshua Skubel   Package Production
Brandon Rike   Design,Art Direction
Seth Perez   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Anne Declemente   A&R
Rob Gold   Art Manager
Virgilio Tzaj   Design,Art Direction
Ricky Reed   Producer,Programming,Executive Producer
Scott Skrzynski   Assistant,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Micheal Peterson   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Alex Gruszecki   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Jabari Jacobs   Photography
Chris Gehringer   Mastering
Joe Viers   Engineer
Jonathan Gilmore   Engineer