T.S. Eliot

Prufrock and Modernism Movement's themes and ideas in music

Major themes of modernism and 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' exist in modern music today. Modernism was driven by the belief that assurances once provided by religion, politics or society had no longer enough. There was radical experimentation in literary form and expression. Poetry had its rules broken, it wasn't nice rhyming work with a beat, instead it was chaotic and jumped at the authors will. In 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' there were many different themes. The main character, Prufrock wallows at his physical and intellectual faults, lost love opportunities in his life. he has immense feeling of weariness, regret, embarrassment and mental decay. It is a drama of literary anguish that highlights the frustration of the modern individual. the story is told via a stream of consciousness with all the monologue internal.

IN MY ROOM - Walter TV

The first track is from Montreal psychedelic surf pop outfit that call themselves Walter TV. Their experimental lo-fi (low quality/grainy quality) music has what some would call a 'trippy' vibe from it. The genre relates to modernism's experimenting with the rules of poetry. Walter TV breaks rules of music and being chaotic with vocals and instrumentals echoing and altered to be more high-pitched.

Song Lyrics:

IN MY ROOM CLEANING UP
THERES MY DIRTY PANTS
AND MY SPENT WATER CUP

IN WHICH THIS BED IM STUCK
WHOS THAT GUY
WHO GIVES A FUCK

NOBODIES HOME
STRETCHING MY LEGS
ON THE HARDWOOD I ROAM

(CHORUS)

WHERE DO I WANT TO GO
WHO DO I WANT TO KNOW
THE WIND AT THE WINDOW

IN THE WORLD I SEE
A CRACK HEAD FIENDING
HIS HEAVY BREATHING
THE DRUGS HE'S WEENING

CANT GET ENOUGH OF IT
WITHOUT BEING GREEDY
THIS IS MY LIFE IVE BEEN LEADING

IN MY ROOM
TOTALLY FED UP
NOT GONNA GIVE UP
ON MY GOD GIVEN LUCK

SNOW CURLING UP
LIKE SAND DUNES MOVING
MY OLD CLOTHES IM FOLDING

HANDS IN MY POCKETS
MY FEET IN THE AIR
MY LUNGS TOTALLY AWARE

(CHORUS)

COOL IT OFF NOW PIERCE
FIGURE OUT YOUR FEARS
LOOKING AT THE CEILING
THAT STUCKO GETS JUST HOW YOUVE BEEN FEELING

The song goes into detail of the lead vocalist (Peirce) alienating himself from society much like Prufrock. They are both alone in filthy environments, Prufrock in the the run down city and Peirce in his mess of a room., which he is attempting to clean. 'Just in my room, in this bed in which I'm stuck' Being stuck in bed, not wanting to get up and do anything is a sign of depression which is a trait that both characters share. There is a stranger in his room, but he doesn't care. They both share not wanting to interact with others, like how Prufrock didn't want to talk to the women at the party. The chorus goes into detail of Perice's inductiveness and frustration. He doesn't know what direction to take, just like the wind at his window. It then takes a turn into his drug usage and he is trying to be sober, however he cant get enough and is being greedy. Peirce is not proud of the life he's been living much like Prufrock's mentioning his many regrets. He is alone in this room angry. He isn't going to give up on account of his luck. Then he paints a vivid picture of snow drifts piling up like sand dunes moving in the wind, then relates this to the task of folding old clothing. He is saying it takes as much time and energy it to make snow curl in the wind as it does for him to fold his old clothing. Being lethargic and it taking a lot of effort to do small tasks is another sign of depression. He then is lazing around, then after another round of the chorus, the song finishes with him talking to himself, almost like a stream of conciseness the calm down and to figure out what he is so afraid of. Then at the end of the task of cleaning his room, the only thing that understands him is the stucco ceiling. That's pretty alienated.

あなたが何かを言うことができれば -Tidecruz

Tidecruz is a Vaporwave artist. Vaporwave is a new musical genre that emerged recently from other indie genres. Vaporwave is used as a critique or prodigy of consumerist society and is reminiscent of the 80s and new age music with certain aspects of nostalgia. It is created by using music samples from 80's lounge/elevator smooth jazz that are edited in numerous ways such as chopping up, pitching down, layering and slowing down.

This is relates to the modernist movement, because the old would not do to keep the modern person in line. Vaporwave is choatic, chopped up 80's music just like how modernist poems, like 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' are jumping around from though to though and is very free. this music has no boundaries, there are no chorus, no smooth melody, just edited music samples. It's literally music recycled into a new form, just like how the modernist poets recycled traditional poetry into their own.

In this particular track, it starts off with an inaudible female voice slowly melting downwards in pitch then an eerie male voice comes in then suddenly the song melts even further. The pitch is turned down from previously from the song and the jingles sound ominous and the background music sounds impending. The pitch gets tossed around and some beats come in, only twisting the song upwards and back down. The male voice tries to come back but it gets thrown out by the bells returning until the song fades away. The dark atmosphere behind this track matches the feeling the reader gets while reading 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'. The poem sinking in is like the song spiraling down in pitch, the inaudible female vocals at the beginning is like the parts where Prufrock is at the party. He isn't focusing on their conversation then it disappears into his own thoughts. The crazy pitch play is much like Prufrocks thoughts jumping everywhere just for him to be more and more fed up until the song fades out just like the poem.

Only Everyone Can Judge Me - Crywank

Crywank is a two-piece lo-fi DIY anti-folk band from England. If you couldn't tell from their band name, they focus mostly on sad songs and are pioneers in developing modern folk sadcore and loner music. The band started with just James, the vocalist/guitarist, writing songs out of frustration.

Song lyrics:

Hive mind is scary I feel vulnerable and stupid
Waiting for a new embaressment to go and tear right through me
A dependent fruitless animal, watch me brimming with shame.

And this confidence I fake only makes matters worse.
I am not a stallion, I am just perverse.
Hopeless, and docile, and tamed.

Another day I won't remember, another day I wished away.
Tedious days punctuated by dismay,
everyday feels the same.

It's the routine, It's the regret.
That makes me worse yet.

Did I forget your name or make a joke and no-one laughed?
Did I come across as stupid or did I cum too fast?
This isn't a brave face, this is a mask.

Now I remember it doesn't take much to make me feel small.

The genre isn't as experimental or out there as the other tracks, rather simple and gentle, just like Prufrock. The last line the guitar struming gets harder and rough as the song builds up and James builds in frustration and despair, just like the finale of the poem with that last line that could knock down a giant. Jame's voice slowly gradually goes from softly speaking down about him self, to singing mid song. His voice sounds like its decaying and sounds filled with despair. By the end of the song he is yelling the lyrics with a raspy voice, torn with his emotions.

At the beginning of the song, the lyrics state how hive mind, a conglomerate of peoples idea is scary. he is saying how society is scary and he feels intellectually lesser and venerable to society. He is waiting a new embarrassment to rip through I'm much like Prufrock is awaiting to say "That is not what I meant at all; that's not it, at all". He goes on about his self loathing and brought on his insecurities, much like where some of Prufrock's frustrations come from. He goes on to say he is docile and tamed, although he is having all these troubles, which is presumably how Prufrock would act in public. James continues with saying how everyday feels the same, how they are tedious ruined by his own dismay and he hates the routine which goes back how Prufrock's line of measuring out his life with coffee spoons and how his current day is ruined by his dismay. The song goes on with more of Jame's insecurities. then it closes with him remembering how it takes so little for him to feel small, much like coming to a full circle with the first line how he feels 'vulnerable and stupid' because of society, which Prufrock could certainly relate to.