In my years of reviewing music, believe it or not, there is a safe and proven way to create and arrange music. But to break it down to its core and literally break the rules can be either awesomely good or terribly bad.
Better to Sleep is a prime example of stripping music to its core and hearing the soul of the track. It’s a track that consists of an acoustic guitar, percussion, subtle samples, and, from time to time, a delay/reverb guitar lick.
What made it special is its simplicity, packed with symbolism from start to finish. The phrase on the chorus hook, / Better to love better to sleep / Dreams of you haunting me / is what I call beautiful dissonance. The first phrase alone is a bit confusing, but it was met with the idea of intense passion in the second phrase.
The beautiful dissonance became symbolic every time the guitar lick came in because the note progression on the acoustic guitar doesn’t necessarily match the notes being played in the guitar lick, yet there’s always a resolution in the end.
Tony Lio’s ‘Better to Sleep’ is a clear representation that theory can only get us so far. Playing it safe is good, but getting out of your comfort zone can lead to dissonance that can either make you or break you.
Follow Tony Lio
About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
