6/15: Digital Man
Don't let the relaxed pace fool you. The musicianship in this song is bonkers.
He'd love to spend the night in Zion
He's been a long while in Babylon
He'd like a lover's wings to fly on
To a tropic isle of Avalon
“Digital Man” is rather laid-back for an existential crisis. This jam from Signals opens with a killer fill from The Professor—as if to wake you up a little—only to then relax into a chill, reggae-inspired beat that belies the absolute chaos lying just under the surface.
Yes, on casual listen the song sounds relaxed. The kind of song you can kick back and zone out to.
Listen more closely, however, and you’ll hear Neil just going absolutely nuts on the drums, with so many quick hits and individual rhythm pieces you’ll wonder how he has enough limbs to strike them all. Geddy too is going bonkers on his instrument, coaxing whatever the bass guitar equivalent of “face-melting riff” is called. Even Alex’s chirpy solo is a tricky jaunt.
Together, it pairs wonderfully with the lyrics, which tell the narrative of a man grown up and moving too fast to catch his breath. Overworked and exploited, it’s all the Digital Man can do to hold onto his sanity and survive.
“Digital Man” is one of those songs I could listen to on repeat forever—but one to which I feel comparatively little attachment. It doesn’t speak to my soul or anything. It’s just a very good, very listenable song.