How Mutual Shock combines dark beats with bitter sarcasm
There are songs that leave no room for interpretation – Bore Me by Mutual Shock is one such track for me: direct, biting, uncompromising.
What grabbed me right away was the beat. This slow, stomping EBM-like rhythm strikes me as a mechanical pulse pulsing through the darkness. At the same time, the song remains firmly anchored in the dark wave cosmos without getting lost in retro nostalgia. I think the production hits the sweet spot between reduction and depth. The distorted pads in particular ensure that the almost minimalist structure doesn't feel empty.
The vocals themselves come across as calm, almost resigned, but at the same time so clear and powerful that you can't help but listen. He carries the bitterly ironic lyrics with an almost disturbing calmness. Lines like “You're such a bore / Driving me to misery” speak to me personally – not only as a commentary on social fatigue, but also as an angry outlet against the world's leaders and the media.
I think it's absolutely right that Bore Me ends after 2:31 minutes. That's all it needs. The song says everything it wants to say and disappears before it repeats itself – in stark contrast to the type of person the lyrics so mercilessly dissect.
Listen to "Mutual Shock- Bore Me" on Spotify
Lyrics of "Mutual Shock- Bore Me"
Inert or insipid
I can’t decide what’s worse
Maybe it’s karma
Maybe I’m cursed
With insufferable people
And intolerable words
Of franchised opinions
And milquetoast verbs
Oh, you’re such a bore
You’ve got the wrong psychology
You’re such a bore
Driving me to misery
You’re such a bore
Your self-absorption’s killing me
You’re such a bore
Unceasing, pure monotony
The mass opiate
Older than sin
The one neat trick that can
Solve all your ills
The provocateur’s silver tongue
Whips you into rage
You say, “Fuck all the sheep who go where they’re led”
But can’t see your cage
And the shit that you’re fed
Oh, you’re such a bore
Offended by your arrogance
You’re such a bore
Did you think that you were heaven-sent?
You’re such a bore
You’re a primate like the rest of us
You’re such a bore
Now show me some humility
Show me some humility
Show me some humility
Show me some humility
Show me some humility
