Single Review: Twenty One Pilots – ‘Level of Concern’
Amid the borderline dystopia we seem to be living in today, Twenty One Pilots have once again provided an escapism to their fans. However, this time it was not through creating their own new world, (I’m looking at you, Trench), but rather by providing fans with a glimmer of hope during these tough and daunting times.
It all started a number of days ago when front-man, Tyler Joseph, informed the clique over social media that a new song would be dropping on April 9th. To many longtime fans, the announcement of the song came as a bigger shock than the song itself. Leading up to the release of their previous albums, the band has been guilty of leading fans on wild expeditions; sending them to confusing websites, creating mysterious letters and characters, and stripping them of countless hours of sleep as they pieced together the evidence. This was not the case for the new single, ‘Level of Concern’…and for good reason. The straight-forward announcement of this song not only proves the band’s great sense of ‘time and place’, but aims to highlight the track’s at ease and comforting nature. In the state we are living in, there is certainly enough to worry about, and the release date of a song is not one of those things!
As promised, both the song and the video were released over the Twenty One Pilots YouTube channel, as well as premiering on various American radio stations.
As an Australian fan who was eagerly awaiting the arrival of ‘Level of Concern’, the first time I heard it was at 2am in the morning, surrounded by darkness, in the same room I had been trapped in for two weeks already. It was fair to say I was awaiting a feel-good, whole-hearted, exciting track.
After YouTube’s tedious premiere countdown, I was not only met with the pick me up I needed, but was faced with one of the most surprising and sincere releases of 2020.
From the initial notes of Tyler’s “first song written on electric guitar”, I knew this one was different.
Tyler earlier proclaimed that he thought “it’s simple but hopeful”, and that’s precisely what the band has produced. There may not be as many hidden messages as we’re used to, and it may not have been what some fans were expecting, but the pure elation it produces is undeniable and has certainly been longed for. ‘Level of Concern’ crams in nostalgic 80’s vibes to the brim, alongside the famous pilot groove to produce something heartwarming, comforting, and full of hope. The track has certainly had a few spins, and it will continue to be the uplifting anthem that gets me through these painful weeks of isolation.
We may have “panic on the brain”, and yes “the world has gone insane”, but ‘Level of Concern’ has popped up right on time as just the right escapism- and I’m sure many of us are thankful for it.
In fact, this thankfulness extends beyond the fans. A portion of the profits made from this song will go towards ‘Crew Nation’, a charity working to maintain the livelihood of those left without jobs and incomes within the music industry. In the words of Tyler, “no one knows when live music will get back on its feet”, so our help is essential. Let’s give back to those who make our lives all that better!
Get streaming, let us know your thoughts, and remember, “we’re alright…we’re okay”.
