SilentTalkie

We’re going to turn this week’s audible article over to a fan of the magazine. Well, maybe not a fan per say, but a reader at least. Actually, I’m not sure that he’s even read SilentTalkie, but he was aware of its existence (he didn’t look completely confused when I asked him if I could publish his contribution here).

A few months ago, fellow editor Dave Duncan (not to be confused with the St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach or the Canadian fantasy author of the same name) and myself had a bit of a disagreement. He argued that Blown Wide Open was a better song than That Song. In case you don’t remember your late 90′s Canadian prog-rock, both songs were radio hits for the Ian Thornley (of Thornley)-led Big Wreck. Anyways, like most of our disagreements, it was petty, spite-filled and not all that informed. It seems neither of us have actually heard much of the band beyond these two tracks (apparently, they had a second album, who knew?). So we turned it over to none other than Logan Grant, professed fan, recreational guitar shredder and Hungry Hungry Hippos enthusiast.

Bear in mind, this question was posed to him, not which was the band’s best song (he’ll argue that it was The Oaf, I’m hoping that in posting this he’ll eventually write an article about it.), but which was the better of the two. So without further ado, I give you his response.

There is no easy answer to your quandry I’m afraid. Both songs are classic BW. On a commercial level, I’m quite sure “That Song” was the bigger hit of the two. It’s got a sweet hook, it’s a great sing-a-long tune, it’s heavy, dirty and yet a wee bit pop.

“Blown Wide Open” on the other hand also has that memorable riff, but in many ways is a much more stripped down song, the music is rich, darker and has lots of dynamics.

So, to come to some sort of final conclusion, I’m gonna judge by the live performances of each that I’ve heard many a time.

“That Song” will get a crowd jumping after the very first chord – there’s no mistaking it. People will literally ‘scream at the top of their lungs’ throughout. It gets the adrenaline pumping fast and keeps you on that high until the very end. he band always seemed to have fun with it – even in the reincarnation as Thornley. It’s definitely a fan/band favorite. Great, great song.

“Blown Wide Open” is a much different animal. It’s treated with an lot of reverence by both the band and the crowd. Once again, people know what’s in store after the first note is played, but with a lot of expectation. It’s one of those songs that when everything clicks live, can put you in a very particular mood. It captivates people. Looking around at the crowd after hearing it played and you can see that it’s had a real impact. I would say that Ian goes new places with that song when he plays it live, more than any other BW tune. He sometimes seems to get lost in it.

The Verdict: Blown Wide Open

Why: This was a really tough decision, I love both songs. But in the end, I have to vote for the song that says more with less. BWO isn’t all that complicated a tune technically, but it’s so effective in it’s simplicity and leaves room to visit uncharted territory in a live setting.

There you have it…my take.

Cheers,

Logan