Failure – “Another Space Song” (From My Playlist)

It was the mid ‘90s saturation of alternative rock bands that allowed this record and this band to really stand out. Poking their way into the lives of the few that understood their artistic vision, Failure had built their sound on mid-tempo hard rock, easily accommodating many metal fans along the way, instigated by their modest hit “Stuck on You”, but like most singles, all it did was bring you in. Just before the single’s appearance on the record, “Another Space Song” gripped right in as the absolutely wonderful textures, and ominous melody that have remained a part of my life.

About 50 minutes after the first notes of the album have already grabbed you in, “Another Space Song” takes your mood to another level, as it slowly builds and sticks to your ears better than most things wish they could. Commencing with a peculiar series of effects that expand into an incredible melody, the softly monotone vocals ride over the busy, yet locked drum pattern while the guitars quietly guide the way, as the song plays itself out over the next five minutes. This song, and this record as a whole, does more than represent the era of over-produced alternative rock bands with glossy singers. This record was released and barely noted because it was none of those things. Great vocals, imaginative guitar work, distorted bass lines (it is no wonder metal fans flocked to this record), are all encompassing this remarkable track. “Another Space Song” moves beyond the line that Failure wanted to create with this record; it captures a mood, a movement, and a memory that is locked in with the quiet and remarkable melody from what was one of the best overall rock records released in the 1990s.