Spring Offensive - The First Of Many Dreams About Monsters

As someone who doesn’t normally go in for the epics of the pop or rock world (krautrock – different matter), when I saw this song was almost thirteen and a half minutes long, I won’t lie, I was not looking forward to it. And when it opened with a sound bite from a radio show, my feelings didn’t improve. Insofar as pushing yourself to listen to a song, it takes a lot to get around the feel of pretention in the lyrics as well, which are overblown, full of symbolism and hyperbole - but it needs a chance.

It’s not the easiest listen on the first run through. It can sound like something a teenager that really hates his parents but likes eye makeup and MCR would listen to, but don’t let that dissuade you. If you can dig past the pretentiousness, it’s a song dripping in beauty. It swells and sways, it drops and rises (the concept is that it’s based on the five stages of grief, but ignore that because if it puts you off further), and, if you let it, it can be a rewarding listen.

It is a great song. It’s not perfect – it can jar in places and some parts don’t quite work (for example, in the first part, it sounds like the singing has been recorded twice and cut in together), but it’s worth surrendering yourself to a listen. It’s not easy, and it sure isn’t for everyone, but give it a try and it’ll be worth it.