B-Side Guys

King Crisis, the Brooklyn-based duo of Patrick Westley Hiller and Samir Merchant, delivers a contradictory gem with “Acedia.” This track seamlessly blends upbeat indie rock rhythms with an undercurrent of melancholy, creating a sound that’s as engaging as it is introspective.

The song opens with a restless guitar riff that immediately sets a nervous energy. This jittery melody plays against a backdrop of laid-back drums and a languid bassline, creating a fascinating tension that mirrors the song’s thematic exploration of listlessness and anxiety.

Vocally, King Crisis channels the cool detachment of Interpol’s Paul Banks, with a delivery that’s both emotive and slightly aloof. The repeated refrain of “It’s the big-time letdown” becomes a hypnotic mantra, growing in intensity as the song progresses.

Lyrically, “Acedia” dives deep into feelings of disappointment and disillusionment. Lines like “I don’t feel like I feel I should / If I could then you know I would” capture the essence of acedia – a desire to care coupled with an inability to do so. The nautical imagery of being “lost at sea” and feeling like you’re “gonna drown” adds a visceral quality to the emotional landscape the song paints.

As “Acedia” builds towards its climax, the disparate elements collide in a cathartic explosion of sound. The anxious guitar, once at odds with the relaxed rhythm section, now works in perfect harmony to create a wall of noise that’s both overwhelming and oddly comforting.

King Crisis has crafted a song that perfectly encapsulates its medieval namesake, translating an ancient concept into a thoroughly modern indie rock anthem. “Acedia” stands as a powerful exploration of apathy in an age of overstimulation, offering listeners a chance to dance away their existential dread.