Aidan Bissett embraces unrequited love on ‘shut up and love me’
On the surface, ‘shut up and love me’ explores a classic indie-rock sound that Aidan Bissett has played around with throughout his entire discography. Still, he brings something new with somber tracks such as “when i die” and “bloodtype,” which feature acoustic instrumentals and gentle vocals.
Tracks such as “2 much 2 handle” and “are we in love yet?” cement Bissett’s status as the next indie-rock artist you’ll be clamoring to secure concert tickets for. If you’re already a fan, make sure to catch Bissett on his next tour, SHUT UP AND LOVE ME before tickets surely sell out.
shut up and love me Official Album Trailer
With his latest album, Bissett admits to having complex feelings for someone who doesn’t want the same things. There is a constant push and pull throughout the album that reflects the disconnect between the persona he presents to the world and his inner feelings. Upbeat and groovy instrumentals represent the charming and care-free attitude he absorbs when he is around the person he wants to fall in love with, or has already fallen in love with.
However, the majority of lyrics throughout each song, regardless of how energetic and fast-paced the instrumentals and vocals are, reveal the tangled-up emotions he fights against in his head. “reading into it” kicks things off with futuristic instrumentals that swirl through an 80s-sounding mix of drum instrumentals and echoing vocals. The drums build as Bissett’s desire to admit his true feelings almost bubble over before he ultimately chooses to go along with a casual relationship despite wanting something more serious: “Oh God, think you got, you got me/But you want, but you want a weekend affair/So I'll drop you off in the mornin’/Think twice and act like I don't even care.” He pushes his true feelings away because he believes there is a sliver of hope that the situation could change.
Bissett hangs on to the small moments, as many of us do when we aren’t ready to move on. “something in the way you say my name” captures the feeling of over-analyzing every little detail, realizing that we subconsciously always find positives in situations that don’t work out perfectly or align with our feelings as we wish they would: “Say it's over, say it's over/And I'm bleedin' softly in a red October/I wake up sober, like I'm seein' closure/And that's when you call me, is it ever over?” In “are you curious?” Bissett admits to feeling a natural and unexplainable chemistry with someone: “Oh, tell me something, are you curious/‘Bout the shape we'd make with each other?/Tell me something, are you serious?/I know your body's somebody that's callin’.” Raspier vocals cry out in each verse and chorus as clashing drums match Bissett’s energy and the palpable desire in the lyrics.
shut up and love me reaches new heights with “contact high,” my favorite track off the album. Mellow drum instrumentals mix with nostalgic synths, electric guitar sounds, and sparkling electric piano notes, like you are flying through the night sky surrounded by stars. You feel as if you are falling and spinning at the same time, becoming fully entranced by someone and beginning to feel your heart racing faster. The lyrics cut a bit deeper as he sings about wanting to fall in love, despite feeling attached to the physical intimacy that often comes before falling in love: “I don't wanna breathe, wanna sleep, wanna leavе here alone/I wanna feel how it feels to be someone in love/You got me begging for a one-night lie/Make me believe it, oh, make me believe it tonight.”
“are we in love yet?” Official Music Video Directed by @gordydestjeor
From here, the album continues to explore a plethora of complex emotions through varying instrumental tracks paired with a mix of sultry, passionate, and soft vocals. “ricochet” and “2 much 2 handle” are groovy and upbeat with humming drum beats and cheery piano instrumentals. In these songs, Bissett becomes more desperate to express his true feelings, but he continues to hold back, until he reaches a breaking point with “weak end,” where Bissett admits to feeling second-best: “You only call me on the weak end/Just somebody when you need a friend/I’m only picking up the pieces/When you're spinning on the ceiling/You turn me upside down, inside out/Cut me up just to spit me out.”
Despite these feelings, Bissett cannot let go of old habits. In “dance around it,” Bissett admits to realizing there is no happy ending to a situation that feels more like an unsteady roller-coaster ride than it does a relationship: “You got me hookеd on the ups and downs/I think I know where this goes/I’m losin' sleep, baby, hear me out/I know that I can't keep this up/You got that look in your eyes/That keeps me comin' right back every time.” Despite knowing deep down that nothing could make the situation work out, he cannot help but keep coming back for more.
At the heart of the album, Bissett realizes that despite the back and forth he has experienced, there still exists the desire in him to find true love, and that nothing will deter him from pursuing his true emotions. Although there are often fewer ups than downs, Bissett sees love all around him and wants to find it for himself, no matter what. Give shut up and love me a listen, and be sure to grab some tickets for his upcoming tour so you can hear these songs live.
