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Posts: 123
Apr 15 09 12:57 PM
Glow Worm
Cobalt Blue
Cobalt Blue - in 4/4 time - is a dark and menacing Space Rock song.
Structure
Analysis of Music & Instrumentation
The song fades in with the drums establishing the tempo. Soon after, beats 1 and 3 are accented by a strumming pattern on guitar. The chord progression is based off a tri-tone movement from B minor to F major (flat 5). This is a somewhat jazzy concept as tri-tones are frequently used in jazz music. There's plenty of modulation occurring with a shift in key centre, starting in one key (centre) and then changing to a new one. That is, starting in B minor and shifting to D flat, and so on. The bridge section [2:17] is composed of a chromatic melody - descending in semitones - which creates tension in the music, intensifying the existing darkness (to pitch-black). The guitar solo starts off unaccompanied closely following the chromatic keyboard melody from earlier on; therefore, still following the chromatic movement. A key centre is established again around F, going through a 1, 7, 6 style progression. With regard to scales, the dark sound is created by the use of the Aeolian/natural minor scale and diminished scale with some chromatic movement also present. There are three different progressions all up: verse, bridge and after bridge (solo) progressions. The drum beat is repetitive, mostly well measured but occasionally lags. Overall, the vocals are powerful and on key with some flatness at 2:00. Some interesting sounds throughout the (chromatic) bridge section are made by strumming the strings behind the nut of the guitar (which is the area on the headstock where the strings are going towards the tuning pegs, off the neck), creating a high harmonic sound similar to violin strings being plucked/picked. The bicycle bell is effective too! The guitar solo starts off using a monophonic texture, i.e. a single melody with no melodic accompaniment - just drums. The whammy bar is also used. The guitar solo is mostly pentatonic with some Aeolian at 2:57.
Interpretation of Lyrics
At face level this song is about the isolation and depression felt - whilst on tour - when travelling through, or stopping at, some of the unremarkable, blue and dreary, arid ghost towns in (California) America. Even if your "fortune's up" these places will rob you of your fortune's high (luck) and "lead it down". They're so depressing with their perpetual watchers waiting for the chance to mingle with you at, for instance, a motel bar. Up or down, right through, you want absolutely nothing…nothing…nothing to do with them. You just want to be left alone with your thoughts about your fortune and what not. You turn your head up (at them) and "let it all cocoon".
I can imagine these places would give you a co-bolt of the blues. How depressing. Small and claustrophobic like a telephone box. They're invasive, even incursive, picking you apart and trying to break into the chambers of the outside world that you have the keys to. They are persistent, though. They try to pick your locks, but they should "let it go" as there's nothing there that they could know.
At a deeper level, you say? Bluemin' hell, I don't know!
Dijanaxxxo
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