The Sunset Flip

The Sound of Silence, arguably Simon & Garfunkel's most iconic and enduring song, has remained a cultural touchstone since its release, prompting fans, critics and musicians alike to hear in its cryptic lyrics whatever is reflecting upon the popular mood. Sometime in the 90s, when irony was king, it was a corny mediation on sincerity, ranking in since-deleted "Most Overrated Songs Ever" lists by publications like Spin. After 9/11 (the death of irony!) and, perhaps more importantly, Paul Simon's performance of The Boxer on SNL in late 2001, it was a prayer on the shock of terror and impending horrors of war. Later that decade, it became meme fodder thanks to pointed use on Arrested Development; kids online used it to express the minor tragedies that make life so humiliating.

And now, roughly fifteen years since their most relevant period, nu-metal band Disturbed released a cover of S&G's folk staple, complete with a dreary, lyrics-interpreted-literally music video. And it's...


(I can't believe I am saying this)


...not terrible. Awash with clashing symbols, a delicate piano melody and booming percussion, this bombastic piece plays like the "For Dummies" version of the song, hitting each syllable sung by frontman David Draiman with the exact emotional beats subtly intended by its authors. Make no mistake, it's manipulation so transparent it would make Spielberg blush and the music video's interpretation of the song as taking the lyrics at face value almost undoes any goodwill garnered from the band's intention. But in an age where Bon Iver can amass universal praise for taking inspiration by the unabashedly sincere Bruce Hornsby, is it fair to take Disturbed to task for doing the same?



Ironic cool only has so much tolerance for the truly ugly and aggressive. It's why you can sport a fishing hat and Garfield pin at a Mac DeMarco show but not a Staind tee with a pair of Oakleys rested on your head. It's why Tarantino can use Miserlou to an effect that the Black Eyed Peas cannot.  To reveal yourself as having been an angry, brooding butt-rock enthusiast is the last hurdle and final frontier before a hipster douche can evolve into a sincere, open adult. To not just admit you used to play with Ninja Turtles but that you still stay up till 1AM playing Borderlands and religiously watch Monday Night Raw. Nu-metal acts like Disturbed, Korn, Linkin Park and the like are an embodiment of the awkward and rebellious phases turn-of-the-21st Century teens (and their poor, poor parents) endured. Just as we don't want to admit how we ignored our mothers at the mall, it's hard not to feel shame when going back and listening to every Oooh-Wah-Ah-Ah-Ahh and Yuh-muh-nuh bellowed by Disturbed and company.

Ironically, these Draiman-isms are wisely absent from their Sound of Silence cover and were it not for the raspy and transparent anger in which he yells "Neon God"in the song's fifth verse you'd be forgiven to not realize it was the same band that wrought Down with the Sickness upon the world. The Neon God Simon and Garfunkel sang of was perhaps a response to the Don Drapers of the world exploiting our desires and self-image to sell consumer goods. Over forty years later we no longer need advertisers to tell us what's cool; our Facebook and Twitter friends are doing it for them. Who better for Disturbed, the least cool of bands, to cry out against?