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Preface: I apologize if this isn't very well-written or accurate, but I did my best! Basically, I absolutely -adore- this album and its poetic lyrics, but I haven't seen any detailed analyses of it (or even loose ones!), so I tried my hand at it myself. I hope you guys enjoy it!
In 2003, A.C.T released Last Epic; a conceptual album whose name proportedly referred to A.C.T's decision to make no more epic tracks after this. Of course, after the Consequences epic of Silence, we see that they've changed their minds. But the purpose of -this- endeavor is to further understand Last Epic's story. I'm not a musicologist, and as such, the musical analysis will be rather light, and the focus will be on the lyrical side. And so we begin!
Characters of note:
The Apartment
Mr. Landlord
Ted
Mr. Grumble
Amber
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We're first given an Intro, an orchestrated string introduction that may at first remind one of Masterpiece Theater, or something similar. However, it soon degenerates into electronic effects, setting the mood, jumping straight into the first song proper: Wailings From A Building.
--
Wailings From A Building is told mostly from the Apartment's perspective, giving an overview of its feelings about its current station in life.
"No, it cannot be the morning light
I open up my eyes, dried out from a worried night
Children, it is enough to drive one round the bend
I'm in need for sleep, is that so hard to comprehend?"
In this passage, the Apartment complains for a need to sleep; its occupants worry the Apartment, and apparently drive it nearly insane with their activities.
"Sneaking round like mice
To conceal those stupid lies
I don't hear the things that you say
But hidden words and thoughts affect my day"
The Apartment either cannot or chooses not to hear the words of the occupants; however, it is clear that it disapproves of their actions, and what they think and feel, the spirit they project, has a profound effect on the Apartment itself.
"I still remember when we were one
All that dedication
And how I love that integration
Why can't you see?
What you are doing, all recoils on me"
The Apartment mourns for a time when the people lived in harmony with the building and each other; apparently this had once been the case. It also cements the idea that the occupants' actions and mood affects it.
"So, I guess your visits paid off pretty well
For you they're all the same, pieces in your own game
Landlord, how nice to see you, tell me what's the score
A character like you, never says a thing that's true"
I'm not sure who says this line; it would make more since if it's a random apartment dweller than if it were the Apartment, but either way, it's our first hint at the Landlord character: branded a control freak and a liar.
"Did you have to freeze out Gardener Ted?
It used to smell good from my flower bed
Stairways dirty, water pipes unclean
It isn't how I'd like to be seen
I cannot stand this,
I'm no longer a teen
A building with that tension
Will finally cave in!"
This may be one of the more powerful verses from the opening track. The Apartment mentions Ted the Gardener, who will soon become a major character in this story. Ted was "frozen out".. how? We shall learn later! But in the same breath, we get the idea that perhaps Ted was more than a gardener; he took care of the apartment building, and without his presence, it's falled into terrible disrepair. The Apartment also suggests that it's rather old. Furthermore, it feels that it may not be able to survive all of the tension inside.
And this concludes the first song! Still with me?
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The next track is a bouncy, upbeat number (aren't they all?) called Mr. Landlord; it takes place in Apartment 121. Its purpose is to illustrate the character of the Landlord, and how the apartment's residents feel about him.
"You better honour him, don't jeopardize your stay
Put on that perfect smile and start sucking up!
Hey! Mr. Landlord, nice to see you again
Always a joy when you're dropping by
We pretend to appreciate wicked games that he's playing"
The mood is immediately established with the upbeat, bouncy chorus. In a single chorus, we're told much information about this Landlord. Not only is he a control freak and a liar, as discussed in Wailings From A Building, but the residents fear him; feeling a need to "put on that perfect smile and start sucking up" in his presence. Is rent not enough? Either way, they try to greet him with a forced kindness, and even "pretend to appreciate wicked games that he's playing."
"This edifice, it rocks because of
Worries are growing large
All its inmates, they fear the one who's
Striking the gavel hard"
I think it's safe to say that "rocks" is not used in a positive sense here, more along the lines of something shaking precariously. Again, the character of the Landlord is further established as being harshly judgemental, to the point of him -being- a literal judge, and the residents classified as inmates.
"All dressed up, tailor-made suit
And a tie from Giorgio Armani, he's striding with a smile
He is overjoyed, swelled with loftiness
As he bites the end of a large Cuban cigar"
The Landlord is rather wealthy, it would seem. Perhaps he's overcharging his tenants? He can afford a tailor-made suit and designer ties, and the expense doesn't bother him a bit, as he can stride with a smile, absorbed in his money and power.
"Screaming, pointing and telling them how
A true tenant should be
Threatening with turning off hot water, cable and power too
Privacy is not possible, it doesn't matter if door's closed
Somehow he is watching you"
Apparently, the apartment dwellers do not live up to the Landlord's standards of "how a true tenant should be", but he feels no problem correcting them rather brusquely. Not only does he threaten them with turning off their heat, cable, and power, but he is apparently spying on them. What a horrible person!
"He's the Landlord, the one with all the strength
It doesn't matter if you don't like what he says to you"
This short bridge offers a look at a grudging respect from the tenants to the landlord; similar to inmates to a warden.
"Then suddenly one of them screamed out loud
Hey neighbours look, I think we're being watched
Who is responsible for this, all agreed on one man
Everybody, now listen to me, let us play along
Greet him when you see him
Let's slowly beat him down"
It seems that the tenants figured out they were being spied upon, and called an informal meeting of sorts, trying to figure out who it was. They came to the conclusion that it was the landlord, and devised a plan to "play along; greet him when you see him... let's slowly beat him down!" It seems that it is not one-sided, then.
"Hey! Mr. Landlord, nice to see you again
It's always a joy when you're dropping by
You better honour him,don't jeopardize your stay
We pretend to be unaware of it all"
The chorus again; with a minor change in the outro, it seems that the tenants are not as clueless as the landlord seems to believe.
--
Torn By A Phrase; Garden is the first major exposition by Ted, our story's only innately -good- human character.
"By myself,
I'm here alone in tears,
Now days and weeks gone by,
Still it feels the same,
I wonder what made it go wrong,"
It should be noted that it doesn't specify exactly who is singing this song, but the title indicated that it takes place in the Garden, which is Ted's favorite place; I therefore inferred that it is Ted singing this song. It's a rather straightforward lament of lost love, but it helps establish Ted's character and mindset. It's been weeks since the heartbreak, but he still hasn't figured exactly why it happened.
"Loneliness and silence and my soul is aching,
Torn inside,
Will great emptiness heal,
Will love cherish me once again,"
He has hopes that one day he may love again, but he's 'torn' inside (this is an alliteration to the title, Torn By A Phrase, and a rather nice one!).
"Everything's so different now,
Even water taste so strange
I close my eyes,
It hurts too much to see,
You came and gave me love,
I thought that it was meant to be,
Somehow it had to end,
I couldn't see that what I treasure had gone,"
Again, more lament on his loss of love. He's aching so badly that even water tastes strange, and that it hurts for him to see; presumably many things remind him of his lost love. Who was his lover? We may find out later. It should be noticed that by him not realizing why it ended, his naivety (and therefore purity, in a sense) is established.
"This is all still news to me,
Engravings cut inside my head,
These are drawings that will not be erased,
Or fade by time,
Thinking of the life we shared,
A smile across my face appears,
All joy we shared it ended,
When you spoke those words,"
To Ted, this was obviously not a simple fling or one-night-stand; he loved her greatly, and they even shared a life together; did they live together? Still, we learn that -she- ended the relationship, not he, "when [she] spoke those words". What 'those words' are is not important, so much as we can conclude the effect of them.
"Trying to be strong although,
I'm weaker than I've ever been,
Longing for you, dreaming of you,
Everything is gone,"
It's easy to sympathise for Ted; he's "trying to be strong", although he's "weaker than [he's] ever been". To him, this relationship was "everything", and now it's gone.
"Since that day it seems like,
Life has lost its spark in me,
I Am Lost In This Chapter,
Tell Me When It Ends."
Ted further establishes how much of a wreck it's made of him, though the last line indicates that he would probably like to move on with his life.
--
Ted's Ballad; Attic. Another song from Ted, this time focused on the other love in his life; the Apartment. He loves it dearly, and in other songs, we learn that the Apartment loves him as well; in fact, Ted is the only person the Apartment things is a kind human being.
"Watching your walls, your cracks and your flaws
They are all beauty marks as far as I see
One drainpipe is loose, like a tile on your roof
But your heart is as great as Camelot's"
I absolutely adore the alliteration in the lyrics to this song, the humanizing of the building's physical traits. Not much to analyze story-wise here, but it's great imagery.
"Standing here tall, in all your grace
You emanate hope to me
You make me want to live
You give me strength to want to give
I know you feel my love
I can see it in your aisles"
This is good; Ted wants to live again. Perhaps he's getting over his failed relationship, seeking solice in the Apartment's nature? Also... "I can see it in your aisles (eyes)" is one of the best uses of alliteration I've ever seen.
"Your bricks shining red -- Can you all see the irony?
On your fine flowerbed -- They are laughing behind his back
I mend it with deep respect and loving care
Your windows are clean -- All they need is a friend who cares
By the man no one have seen -- He's the man; no one sees a friend
He too can see through your thick concrete walls"
The lines on the left are Ted, the ones on the right are presumably the Apartment making observations. While Ted is singing about how beautiful the apartment is, and making a surprisingly insightful suggestion that the apartment can see through a person's "thick concrete walls", the Apartment is singing about how everyone else sees Ted; laughing behind his back, and even though they're all spiteful and mean, perhaps a caring friend could help. The Apartment suggests that while Ted is sweet and caring, the tenants only see him as a "man", but not a friend.
--
Dance Of Mr. Grumble (instrumental)
Mr. Grumble is introduced with a moody instrumental. Yay!
--
Wake Up; Apartment 122. The Apartment's big song, telling what he sees in his building, and how he feels about it. Sort of a deeper study of the ideas presented in Wailings.
"All these weird folks that I am seeing
Walking through here like zombie beings
Always doing the strangest kind of things
Kicking buttons with Doctor Martins
Doing love acts even with cousins
Can't they see what damage
they are causing me?"
The Apartment considers the tenants to be "weird folks", who walk through like "zombies", doing the "strangest kind of things". From kicking (presumably elevator) buttons with Doc Martens (shoes), to committing incest (!!!), they're hurting him, since they dwell inside of him.
"I can see them all conspiring
Telling each other lies
They can't see me"
It's reiterated that not only are the denizens dishonest, but the Apartment is well aware of it; however, no one (perhaps save Ted, who only suspects) realizes that the building is sentient.
"Search your heart and forgive their souls
Whatever the cost might be?
You know it's all a matter of sympathy
But you don't have to take them
Every dawn brings a brand new day
And slowly works its way to dusk
Will they ever manage
to improve themselves?"
The Apartment tries to forgive the people, displaying very human qualities when you think about it. He does, however, hope that the people improve themselves in the end.
"All these weird things that I am seeing
Glad I'm not like a human being.
Losing temper and problems with PMS"
It's interesting that the Apartment expresses gladness at not being human; he and Ted are perhaps the best humans in the entire production.
"Landlord's lying to all of his clients
Right back at him
they're scheming bad things
Ted is honest,
a fool who just can't see the truth"
Our Apartment seems to be quite omniscient; he might not know the words that the people are saying, but his intuition is quite strong; he's discovered that the Landlord is utterly dishonest, and that the tenants are planning something horrible for him. Furthermore, he can see that Ted is a good person, but quite naive.
--
And so the first portion of the epic, which sets the stage with background, has concluded. On to part 2... the action!
Manipulator; Barbeque. This song is a difficult one; as it's never made clear just who is being held hostage in a relationship, but my best guess is Ted, fresh on the rebound; being used and abused and taken advantage of.
"Can't you see I don't want this?
To see, your eyes must be open
You see your own truth in my kiss
You're feeding me, you're kissing me, you're tasting me
Manipulator!"
The 'captive' in this relationship (who may or may not be physically bound) is clearly unhappy, though it appears he hasn't vocalised it plainly enough for Amber (as we'll later learn) to understand. It appears that the relationship is a very physically demanding one.
"These four walls like a prison
They're closing in every minute
I know my life is your passion
You're mocking me, you're blocking me, you're sucking me
Manipulator!"
Perhaps Amber is overbearing, even smothering with her affection. And our captive can't seem to break free from it, even being in a room with her is "like a prison". And, erm... sucking? VERY physical. LOL
"It is time to wake up
You think you know what I want but you are wrong
You can't hold me forever
Some day Mr. Grumble will set me free
How I long for that day, then I'll be gone"
"It's time to wake up" is a nice allusion to Wake Up; Apartment 122. :) It seems like he's trying to convey his unhappiness, though it seems unsuccessful, as he feels that he'll be trapped here until Mr. Grumble (introduced in an earlier instrumental) sets him free. He longs for this day, and then he'll be gone. Unfortunately, Mr. Grumble is the one who knowingly led him into this situation.
"She won't let you go
No one really knows where I am"
"She won't let you go" is sung in a powerful group harmony, which may lead you to believe it's the voice of the other tenants, but I think it's the omniscient Apartment (who cares much about Ted), rather; the next line, sung by the captive, indicates that no one knows where he is; perhaps she -has- physically restrained him in her apartment.
"Get out of here, you've gone too far
My life's a mess, locked in your jar
Get off my back, this is my life
Get off my track, my soul's still mine"
The chorus: the captive's message to Amber, his captor. Self-explanatory, really.
"Do you think that she bought it?
The message's clear like crystal
I saw a ripple on her eyelid
She is like a tiger, looking at a bloody peace of meat"
He's now asking himself if she understood him, since his message is "clear like a crystal". However, it seems she barely blinked, not taking him seriously. Rather predatory, as well.
"I don't think I can face her
This time I'm king or loser
As true as her name is Amber
She will leave or she will kill me, either way I'm"
We have to wonder if he even said the "Get out of here" message, as he's clearly afraid of her, which might explain his submissive role in the relationship. It's interesting to note that he believes that she might kill him; have the tenants really degenerated to this level of evil?
--
A Loaded Situation; Surveying Room (instrumental)
--
The Observer. Yeah, this song is creepy.
"Things that I see, when weeping so free
Peeking with just one eye, I see when you cry
Snapshots from your bedroom, pleasing them all
No, you're not alone"
This song is told (mostly) from the perspective of The Observer. Who is the Observer? I think everyone suspects that it's the Landlord (see analysis), but I'm not so certain; it may be another tenant with a penchant for voyeurism. The "one eye" is his camera, and it seems that he's got many pictures of someone (maybe Amber) having sex with all sorts of different people. Icky!
"Trapped since I came, you're all in a frame
Feeding me with your time, this must be a crime
Seeking in the stairways, fear to be seen
No, you're not alone"
He's 'trapped' everyone with his incriminating photographs, and he seems to be aware that what he's doing is wrong. He seems a bit proud of himself, proclaiming "No, you're not alone!"
"This isn't a dream, stay as a team
Not an illusion, pictures of you too"
This line could be from the Apartment, encouraging everyone to stick together and survive this travesty of voyeurism; of course, they can't hear him, they don't even know he's sentient. :(
"Time for a break, it's too much to take
Strobing bright in this pile put all in a file
Will someone reveal me please, I am drained
Oh, I'm so alone"
Our observer seems to almost want to be caught; perhaps he's ready to atone for his crimes...
--
The Cause... this is where things get interesting. I think this song is told from the perspective of Mr. Grumble, though I'm reaching at straws here; the lyrical evidence for this is quite vague.
"I tell myself that I wasn't that involved
And put away problems that are not solved
Still I recall what we did that day
It's clear why you ran away
My conscience's gone"
Here, he's lamenting setting Ted up with Amber; and with Ted's recent disappearance, he thinks Ted ran away; though from Manipulator, we all know better. Still, he's trying to absolve himself of this, shifting the blame.
"I get the feeling that I am not alone
A glance at the wall, did I see him frown
I feel he's aware of what we've done
Destroying his favourite son
He read my mind"
Though he said that his conscience was gone previously, we know that to not be true; a guilty glance over at the wall where a portrait of Ted's deceased father stands shows this.
"I will not ever forget a smile that dies
The look on your face when you took our lies
But you were the one to blame
I cannot stand the shame"
Despite how much he tries to say it's Ted's fault for being so naive, he can't escape his guilt. Just desserts?
"I guess he sees me through
Felt him from above
How he's staring from the ceiling"
He's definitely feeling a presence... is it a manifestation of his guilt? The Observer? The Apartment itself? The spirit of Ted's father? Perhaps all of the above. ;)
"Ted, I let her use you too
Nothing she said was true
What have I done to you?"
Finally, he admits his guilt, and apologizes to Ted, even though Ted is not there to receive it. He knew all along that Amber was a horrible, manipulative person, and did nothing to stop it, perhaps having some sort of ulterior motive in setting the two up.
"You sat beside me, we talked about your style
I mentioned the garden, that made you smile
A lie from this house was the latest trend
I said that I was your friend
Please rewind"
Here, he describes his own manipulative "befriending" of Ted, well aware that he had his own motives at heart. "Please rewind", I think, it an indication that he wishes he could take it all back.
"I think he's coming to get me, can't you see
A whisper at night, You will not be free
Reminding me of what we did that day
It's clear why you left that way
I've lost control"
Now he's afraid of the presence, his guilt manifesting into fear; he clearly knows that not only did he do something awful, but he knew it at the time as well.
"A memory of a smile that died
How do you think that I feel inside?
But you were the one to blame
She won her stupid game"
Again, trying to push his guilt away, he blames Ted and Amber both, hoping to make himself feel better... but that memory of "a smile that died" is too much for him.
--
The Effect... probably the most depressing song on the album, that really hits hard.
"From the stairs, through the door,
with the wind
A sudden atmosphere
Woke her up and made her realize
A dream it wasn't, no that was a call"
The Apartment, acting as narrator, is observing Amber. Someone had called out in horror, and she already knew what it was...
"From a floor, through the wall,
to her room
A desperate cry arrived
Stuck in bed, she could not move at all
She wished the dream
was still inside her head"
Here, she fears she's been caught; later lyrics in this song will reveal that Ted has committed suicide, unable to handle what she's done to him.
"And everyone knew who he was
But no one did a thing
And the building appealed
There's no time to be selfish tonight"
Everyone had an idea of what was happening to Ted, but as selfish as they all were, no one had done a thing. The Apartment, who loved Ted, at least caused him to be found.
"Your question would be why
But now I say goodbye
Figure this out for yourself, let's try
The answer's in the sky"
The beginning of a monologue from Ted's suicide note... and yes, I'm trying to figure it out! :D
"This is my final day
And soon I'll fly away
Something to learn
You might see that soon
What did have to say?"
Ted had realized that no one really cared for him, but he'd known that he was a better person than that; a worthwhile person. Hopefully, in his death, people will understand this.
"Remember me now you will
The memory of me will not fade away"
Here's to hoping, Ted!
"Could he feel what they thought,
had he known
They did not care at all
Was his crying all because of that?
Who is he to bother them at night?"
The other tenants, wondering what caused Ted to kill himself. Was it because no one cared about him? Sadly, they're so awful that instead of sympathizing, they're annoyed that he was crying at night, presumably because no one liked him.
"Morning came, brought no light, to a life
That had begun to fall
He would never walk this earth again
His final words are still inside their minds"
This is what cements Ted's death... morning comes, and he's deceased, never to walk this earth again. However, his 'last words' (suicide note) is on their minds, so perhaps they're not -entirely- heartless.
--
Summary: Not so much a summary, as an aftereffect of the whole ordeal.
"Close your eyes
You're not alone
Remember your size
Can somebody hear your moan?
Like that wall could protect you
Rings on water, close description
Be aware my son,
cause your hate is all around"
The first four lines could be an allusion to Mr. Grumble and Amber having sex after it's all over. They're having kinky, post-causing-death sex (the best kind! ...I kid), worrying about the consequences of Ted's fate. "Rings on water" is an alliteration to a small action causing ripples all over a pond of water. ...and I'm not even going to -ask- why Amber calls Mr. Grumble "my son".
"What you hear
That could be true
That's why I fear
I see what your mind construe"
Again, fear of consequences, Amber basically saying "Some of what you hear might be true, but I'm afraid you'll blow it out of proportion." Horrible woman.
"I do not judge you, I only observe
You're still my soul
But I'm wailing inside
When my spirits try to hide
It's time to wake up, time to make a change"
The Apartment. He doesn't like to judge the tenants, because they're his soul, his spirit. But he's wailing inside from what they do and have done, and he wants to make a change.
"I can't deny
That you make me cry
If I ask you to decide
Would you choose my side?
To be honest, you are no one I can trust"
Amber asking Mr. Grumble if he'll lie for her, presumably when an investigation ensues. However, it's clear that Mr. Grumble (speaker of the 5th line) does not trust her.
"What your mind will radiate
Someone will find
And spirits illuminate
But your thoughts aren't happy
What you're spreading through my organs
Will reverberate
And soon affect you fate"
The Apartment, explaining his nature a bit... and perhaps taking a bit of the blame for what happened to Ted, as all of the bad feelings in the apartment have reverberated to others and magnified (human nature, but he takes the blame).
"What you think, is energy
Remember the link
And how it recoils on me"
An unheard plea by the Apartment, hoping that in the future, people will be more considerate, to avoid further pain.
--
Outro... it's over!
"Now you've heard a tale been told
It's up to you, could this be true"
...could it? :)
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My detailed analysis of Last Epic (A.C.T)
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