The Devil Wears Prada

Listening to The Devil Wears Prada makes me think of Tom Cruise. Not because Cruise is any kind of hard rock screamer, but because he’s a great actor – just as long as he’s in the exact right role. Allow me to explain. Cruise’s strongest point is intensity. If there’s an action movie with a lot of stressful scenes, this man is something like a human time bomb. Looking at his face, you almost swear you can hear a ticking sound. And you hold your ears waiting for the explosion.

Similarly, The Devil Wears Prada is tension from start to finish during With Roots Above and Branches Below. And such a tactic is perfectly fitting for a song like “Ben Has A Kid”, where eternal truths are discussed: “Beyond this world is what is always breathing/Beyond this world is worth dying for”. Anytime life and death topics are on the table, nothing less then life or death-like emotions, are in order.

But there’s a downside to Tom Cruise, however. While he’s had funny parts in movies, you’d hardly call him a funny man. He’s just not the sort of fellow that can easily do slapstick or tell funny stories or spout off one-liners. Once you take him out of his ‘Oh no, watch out!’ circumstance, he’s like the proverbial fish out of water.

And just as Cruise has a handicap, if you will, so also do the members of The Devil Wears Prada. These guys appear to be attempting funny, yet fail at it. Why would they seemingly name themselves after a chick film, for instance? Furthermore, diehard fans of The Office will recognize “Assistant to the Regional Manager” as being lifted directly from that NBC show. Dwight believes he is Michael’s assistant, and thus the Assistant Regional Manager. But Michael consistently reminds Dwight that he’s merely assistant to the Regional Manager, instead. Yet lyrical lines in the song, like, “Tombstones serve as mirrors and the graves are infinite,” don’t make me think, ‘Must See TV Comedy’ at all. Instead, it appears as though the title of the song has nothing at all to do with the song’s message. And that’s really annoying!

Sure, it’s cute to make up funny sounding song names. And yes, a book shouldn’t always be judged by its cover. Yet titles are important, and all the truly great songwriters make sure their song titles are just as meaningful as the verses and choruses. These guys should leave irreverent to the professionals, like the writers on The Office.

It’s a darn shame The Devil Wears Prada doesn’t take themselves more seriously because vocalists Mike Hranica (the screamer) and Jeremy DePoyster (more of a singer’s singer) are powerful leaders, and the band is tight, particularly drummer Daniel Williams. Additionally, these arrangements are oftentimes far more complex than your typical metal, with keyboard textures that heighten the melodic intensity in ways standard electric guitars cannot achieve all on their own. But with all its misplaced silliness, With Roots Above and Branches Below is sometimes like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, acting out a script written by Woody Allen. And the listener is never sure whether to laugh or cry.

Tagged as: The Devil Wears Prada, With Roots Above And Branches Below

↓ 4 comments

#1 tyler h on June 24th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

i’m not even a fan of this band…but maybe the review could have been more about the music than the song titles

#2 John Wofford on June 26th, 2009 at 12:57 am

Tyler, in this case, I almost agree. Don’t get me wrong – the album blows; it’s not like Dan had a lot to work with. But song titles aren’t the problem here: crappy melodies, shoddy lyricism, and paint-by-numbers musicianship are.

#3 Amity on July 3rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm

“Why would they seemingly name themselves after a chick film, for instance?”

Queue;

“The band derives its name from an anti-materialistic mindset as stated by vocalist Mike Hranica in several interviews upon the subject. The members of the band read the book with the same title only after choosing their band name.”

–

With Roots Above and Branches Below is also the best album they’ve released, its solid from start to finish. It may not be the greatest album of all time or in the genre but its a solid release none the less, well received by most if not all reviews.

Other then this one, which pretty much seems to come across as nothing more then having a dig at the bands name, song titles and the more light hearted approach they take.

And @ John Wofford;

LOL, if you say so.

#4 John Wofford on July 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 pm

I can’t believe you enjoyed this more than Plagues. The tracks on that album are FAR better than anything on Roots Above…

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