Songwriter Jack Tierney just produced a song called ‘Buy The Ticket,’ which expresses such complex observations in such a simple way. He brings such delicate feelings to the forefront in a respectful and powerful manner that really makes us think. Jack expresses himself with a great deal of precision and clarity in his writing. What I particularly liked about the song is that it has an exciting pace. Though the concepts are a little difficult or serious, the musical environment is very unique and sounds engaging.
To elaborate on the arrangement, the tune is predominantly tonally focused on the guitar. Both the drum kit and the bass had tones that I really loved. They truly complemented each other beautifully. The vocal harmonies also give a lot of comfortable textures to the overall soundscape, making the chorus feel full. The way the instruments are utilised in the arrangement is also quite distinct. All of the tones combine to create a lovely listening experience that encourages us to interact and connect with the music. Furthermore, the vocal delivery is really genuine, which fits the song nicely and also gives the impression of a friend signing to us. These would undoubtedly assist to establish a deep connection with the listeners.
Jack Tierney also discusses his creative approach for the song.
1. What’s the backstory to this stunningly penned song?
I’d like to pretend there’s some grand mythology behind this track but it’s just something that I wrote one day when inspiration struck. I had had the arrangement stored away since 2018 but never found a lyric that lent itself to the music. After reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas I immediately knew what to do with it. I wanted to paint a picture of a frenzied singer who’s finding their path in life surrounded by the sometimes surreal imagery of Hunter S. Thompson.
2. Is your songwriting process largely spontaneous, or do you encounter obstacles or mental blocks?
It differs from song to song. The best moments are when everything comes at once but sometimes you have to push yourself to write the next part. In the case of “Buy The Ticket,” the lyrics and music came easily albeit at different times. Sometimes you just need to wait for the right idea to come and other times you have to ring it out of yourself.
3. The lyrics are wonderfully supported by the arrangement. How did you come up with the elements for the song?
Most of it was intuitive but I was somewhat theory-minded for the chorus and main riff. To support the singer’s uneasiness I decided to use borrowed chords to disorient the listener by having the music step out of key every other phrase just to find its way back.
4. Please tell us about your recording experiences. How did you go about preparing?
The whole song was recorded in a day. All the parts had been written beforehand except for the bassline in which I improvised for the recording. The bassline is absurdly simple and revolves around two notes in the verses, primarily filling the role of another percussion instrument to add more of a bouncy rhythm to the arrangement.
5. Is there anything in particular in the song that you’d want to draw attention to?
I guess how overwhelming everything is today. We live in a time of constant stimulation and I know that I’m not the only one it affects negatively. We’re told that a cure for this is to “unplug” but this doesn’t address how ingrained technology is in our lives. For better or worse, you need to be plugged in in today’s world and if you’re not you’re two steps behind. In the middle of this push and pull and constant stimulation we need times of solace in between, I guess this song is supposed to fill that role or at the very least comment on how frantic things have become.
Enjoy Listening to “Buy The Ticket” by Jack Tierney on Spotify!
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Discovered via http://musosoup.com
