I’ve been hearing Foster The People’s “The Pumped Up Kicks” on the radio for a few weeks now and recently I’ve found myself humming the rhythm, which is catchy and even a bit peppy. Today, I made an effort to listen to the lyrics, which apparently are about a school shooting. Somehow, this makes me enjoy the song even more.
This reminded me of Sufjan Stevens’s “John Wayne Gacy Jr.,” which is probably the prettiest creepy song just about ever. I remember sitting while Sufjan’s haunting, gentle wail swirled this beautiful song around and thinking “Holy crap.” Walking through B&N during the song’s popularity height, I would hear it all the time. I totally wouldn’t be surprised if someone put the tune on simply because it is catchy and pretty, without even considering its content.
In any case, I dig this style of subtle darkness. The somber playfulness around such a serious and morbid topic is something I enjoy probably far more than one should.
