I have only discovered this band in the past few months and have been thoroughly impressed with their writing. Musically, they blend rhythm with ambience to create a sense of urgency in the listener.
A few weeks ago we used this song to set the stage for a night that looked at the things that hold us hostage. As the song began with the single guitar line and the chorus of synchronized claps, a single spotlight pierced the blackness to reveal nothing more than a microphone. As the drums entered, a tall figure emerged in to the circle of the spotlight visibly disturbed by its brightness. Suddenly he realized that he was bound from head to toe in ropes that restricted his movement. He tried with everything he could to escape this madness but the more he struggled the tighter the ropes cinched around his wrists and torso. As much as he wanted to leave this spotlight, once inside of it, he could not escape. The hostage went on to sing of trying everything to no avail and holding on to the things that caused him pain – struggling to escape from his situation the whole time. While he poured his heart out, his thoughts and secrets were being broadcast on two giant screens for all to see, “liar, addict, pornography, lust, suicide….” – the bold bright letters harshly contrasted against the blackness which was his life. As the chaos of the drums subsided but for a moment, this character surrendered the struggle and fell in to his Creator’s arms. And the ropes? They suddenly sloughed off his body. Finally unrestrained, the man began to dance in his newfound freedom as the chaos of the music returned.
This song helped to paint a picture of the things that hold us hostage without us even realizing they do. The first step to finding freedom is to bring those things in to the spotlight. When we do, it is difficult and we are often embarrassed and want nothing more than to return to our shadows. But, the spotlight is where we find healing.
Where does my heart need healing? Where is there darkness that I need light? What am I afraid of bringing in to the open?
themuse(ic)ian 