Music Review // Tean Dream "Radio"

 

When first listening to "Radio" by Tean Dream, it can sound like this indie pop rock ballad.  It almost feels like it's closer to this garage rock type of sound, like the 1950's / 1960's rock n roll, and so it can feel like one of those blissful bands who plays just such lovely music.  As you listen closer though, you'll hear how piano-driven this song really is and that just puts it into such a genre all its own because not many artists are taking this type of rock music and mixing in the piano in this way.

Though the sound can feel upbeat and have these starts and stops- I think of an early '00's pop artist, someone like Vanessa Carlton- the overall nature of the lyrics can be a bit more sad.  I do enjoy that contrast, though I also feel like the entire message of the song isn't sad.   There is a line that says: "And you say you'd always tow the line / Kind of like how I say I'm fine".  That idea of saying you're fine when you're not is a strong basis to the lyrics and general tone of "Radio".

To dive even deeper into this, there is a music video which has images- some of which are animated- to reflect these feelings of depression.   At one point the weatherman not only says that everything is terrible, but it says that it is also all your fault.  In this world if you don't find something that is terrible you're really not paying close enough attention, though if you simply look at the news in the USA you'll see something bad.

The chorus of this song says: "Dance with me to the radio".  The music video also shows things such as nature, birds and the simple things in life.  When life is going good for you, it can be easy to find that happiness in everything.  But what you need to learn to do as a person is find that happiness within the little things in life when things aren't going so well.  In a lot of ways, "Radio" is just a reminder of those little joys in life and that life is worth living if only to dance along to music.