Singled Out: The Brilliance's Must Admit
The Brilliance will be celebrating the release of their sophomore album with two special shows at the Hotel Cafe this week (Jan 30 and 31) and we asked John Arndt to tell us about the song "Must Admit" from the record, "Suite No. 2: World Keeps Spinning: An Antidote to Modern Anxiety," which hit stores back on January 10th/ Here is the story:
The melody of 'Must Admit' came during a period of upheaval in my life. It had been over a year since I last had a permanent mailing address-traveling and performing around the world with my partner of six years. Our relationship was unraveling. We knew it was going to end, but neither of us knew how to end it. The deepest heartbreak I had ever experienced was looming, and the shadow it cast revealed this melody.
At the heart of 'Must Admit' is a grappling with the fleeting nature of all things in life on earth. Even the most solid, seemingly permanent things eventually change. Change is the one constant. And to love anyone or anything is to stand and face it head-on. Loving doesn't shield you from pain, instead, it inevitably opens you to deeper levels of fragility and sorrow.
"People out there talkin bout it, the end of the world must admit I thought about it, when the buildings fell to earth..."
"The end of the world" can be as broad as the apocalypse, sure, but often it's the small, invisible stuff that feels just as significant. Every time I return to my hometown, it becomes more foreign, less familiar. I've changed and in many ways have become a stranger to the place I call 'home'. Many people I knew and loved growing up wouldn't recognize me today.
When I heard the Parisians singing outside the Notre Dame Cathedral as it was in flames, I immediately felt that same feeling at the core of 'Must Admit'.
To my heart and my ear, they fit the song perfectly.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!
Singled Out: The Brilliance's Must Admit
