We’ve seen the ’90s come back through exhausted TV and movie reboots and some controversial fashion trends (looking at you, the fanny pack). But ’90s music is a scene well-received by listeners today. Perhaps because it’s been a while since angsty scream-along tracks were a staple on the mainstream. But for those of you who miss the big, declamatory grunge anthems of bygone days, The Jins deliver on their rock track. “She Said.”
I had nothing to be angry about today, and I still found myself getting riled up listening to the lead singer of the group scratch and scream through its catchy chorus. One complaint about angry punk rock I’ve always had is that it’s not melodic enough for me to want to sing along to, but “She Said” succeeds in this aspect.
And it feels like nothings quite what it seems
Gonna wallow in whatever hole’s in the ground
First things first, the instrumentation on this track is solid.
Every section drives the song forward. Backed by fuel-powered drums and a tight combo of guitar and bass, the song manages to keep a great balance throughout its run time. Just when its volume and speed gets to sounding heavy, the bridge comes around to ease us along into the finale. Not to leave out the edgy, emo vocals that sound with such remarkable pitch accuracy and energy. Grunge is unpolished and imperfect, but that doesn’t mean it should be lazy or unenergized. The Jins’ instrumental work on “She Said” shows how to achieve the too-cool-to-really-care vibe while actually really caring about how they sound. The result? They sound pretty darn good.
And then there are those lyrics.
She said, she said, she said
I was supposed to be in bed
oh no, things don’t feel right in my head
Ambiguous, yes, but also spooky and dark and edgy and totally in line with what a throwback rock song ought to be projecting. Angst music is about giving in to those dark thoughts you might not say in any form but a song. The lyrics here give in to a feeling of confusion and carelessness and worthlessness; we don’t like to admit it, but most of us have been there.
Now I found a rock
was supposed to be a stone
oh no, guess it rolls right anyways
That kind of couldn’t-care-less attitude is at the core of the whole song. When juxtaposed with how much this relationship with “she” clearly meant to the tune’s main character, the real story pops out. When a good thing goes bad or ends, it can be difficult to feel good again–or even to want to feel good. The choruses of “She Said” bring forth the melodrama of the latter. After losing what matters most, “whatever hole’s in the ground” will do just fine.
The finishing touch to the song? The video.
A creative and charming concept, simple but well-executed, that helps tell the story. An overworked janitor calls The Jins’ hotline and is greeted by the riotous outburst of music telling him nothing matters. It’s a clever way to highlight the community people find in being miserable, a feeling closely linked to the message of the song in that it’s the point of punk and grunge rock. These angry songs don’t take themselves too seriously. But they do find ways to relate to emotions people hate having and bring rock music fans together in the process. “She Said” is another example of the therapeutic nature of rock music.
