Bleachers: Modern Girl

I’ve been listening to the song “Modern Girl” by Bleachers, and it’s been on a loop. I’m not usually one for songs that are so energetic, but this one really captivated me.

In particular: it’s the opening. And I’ve been listening, over and over, trying to break down the specifics of what’s happening at the start of the song. And why it has fascinated me so much.

The song opens with the electric guitar, strumming the same chord a few times. But it’s syncopated. It’s four eight notes (I think)? And as soon as we get just one pass of the guitar, the saxophone kicks in.

The sax is not an instrument I really think much about. In my brain, there’s just the small, rent-free space that involves Tim Cappello’s performance from The Lost Boys.

But here? In this song? The sax is perfect. And, it turns out, the band has two saxophone players.

The part that throws my ear for a loop: the syncopated guitar chords, combined with the sax melody. I can’t quite square what’s going on – and it feels like the song is a little… off? Unbalanced is too strong a word. In the opening 30 seconds, I love what I hear… but I’m trying to get my bearings on the tempo. The guitar and sax seem to be at odds with one another, and my brain is trying to make sense of it.

When the drums kick in, they land heavy and hard. They apply a very solid and comfortable reminder that the song is in 4/4 time. The sax melody fits in fine, but the guitar chords still provide this slight dissonance, this slight bit of friction.

And when the lyrics come in? The words pair up with the drums, and we are very much, very solidly back in a traditional 4/4 rock song.

Overall, it’s a super catchy song. But the opening has really intrigued me, and the whole timing and pacing of it (I guess the guitar in particular) is what’s drawn me back. I would love to hear an actual musician talk about the intro to this song, as I’m sure there are nuances I’m missing.

How do you not love a band that decides they need two saxophone players in their arsenal? Give this song a listen. And if you happen to, give the intro a listen… and let me know if you think there’s just a lot going on there too.

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