August 28 - The Wheel

Today's song is all about riffs and crescendos. The opening riff of The Wheel, my personal favorite track from Motorpsycho's Timothy's Monster, starts very dreamlike, with bass, guitar and electric piano (Fender Rhodes, I believe), repeating as if it is a revolving wheel. The vocals come in before the drums, and a secondary guitar riff is added on top of the already existing texture. The Wheel just keeps on rolling, gathering more and more momentum for 5 minutes and 24 seconds before it turns into a monstrous two note riff. By then I am in a trance. The two note riff is so hypnotic and so heavy that it moves my entire body (and that's quite a feat). There is probably my favorite use of tambourine ever, there are dynamics (it quietens down to the opening riff), and, at the end, when the two note riff returns, there is a beautiful melody figure that is being repeated to take it all the way.

The Wheel is a masterful composition. It is a song without a solo, where the entire band is the focus throughout and the buildups and quiet times sound like they are negotiated in real time, as a full band improvisation in structure more than melody. It is so good. Soooo good.