Tag Archives: take to the skies

#1251: Enter Shikari – Sorry, You’re Not a Winner

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Back in the mid-2000s, MTV2 had this show called “Text, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll” where viewers could request what they wanted to see on the channel via their phones and have some banter with the MTV employee/moderator person who went by the name of ‘Moo’, it might have just been ‘Cow’ actually, and had an avatar of the animal next to their messages, all of which appeared on the TV screen. The video for ‘Sorry, You’re Not a Winner’ was showing up on the channel for what felt like every day when it was really popping off, but the chyron that displayed the song name and who it was by was never appearing. Cow admitted one day that the people of MTV2 offices didn’t know what the song was called. So 11-year-old me, with my little cheap mobile, texted in, “It’s called Sorry You’re Not a Winner”. I can’t remember how I even knew that. Must have shown on Kerrang! or something, where they knew the business. Cow said thanks, and I swear from that moment on whenever the video was up, “ENTER SHIKARI – SORRY YOU’RE NOT A WINNER” was popping up on the screen, exactly like in the embedded video above. So you’re welcome, former employees of MTV2.

‘Sorry…’ was the first Enter Shikari track I heard, and I think from the backstory provided in the previous paragraph you can gather that it was because of the music video. The band play in a small, small room amongst a crowd of rabid fans. The energy bounces off band to crowd, the energy’s reciprocated and mayhem breaks loose. It’s quite the classic. The more times the video showed, the more I got into the song. A bit of a Stockholm syndrome thing going on, I guess. But I actually did come to really appreciate it for the great track it was and is. And as 2006 turned into 2007 and more Enter Shikari singles kept on appearing on the TV, it was like “Well, I like all of these.” So I was glad to get that copy of Take to the Skies whenever I did. Probably a birthday or something.

In the almost 20 years I’ve been listening to this song, I’ve never even stopped to think what it could be about. Is that so bad? Guess to some it would be. Just from reading online, some interpretations say it’s a track about gambling addiction. That could very well be the case. But while people are thinking about what the lyrics mean, I’ll be out here headbanging to the riffs and air-drumming. A lot of great moments happen in the track that always scratch the auditory itch. Like the three claps that come in before the verses. The sudden changes between the screams and singing that Rou Reynolds pulls off throughout. The harmonies by bass guitarist Chris Batten, and the back-and-forths between the two vocalists. There’s a reason why it is Enter Shikari’s signature tune. And unlike a lot of similar songs from that era, it’s aged incredibly well.

#674: Enter Shikari – Jonny Sniper

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‘Jonny Sniper’ was the last single to be released from Enter Shikari’s Take to the Skies album in 2007. At that time I was twelve and just about finishing my first year in secondary school. I thought the band were cool and, again, their videos were a usual feature on MTV2. And that’s how I got to know this track right here.

After all these years I never realised that the song has a strong environmental theme to it. It’s really obvious when you read/see them. I’ve always enjoyed it mainly because of its somewhat uplifting tone and the vocals between Rou Reynolds and bassist Chris Batten. Looking at the album’s Wiki page, it is classed as post-hardcore and trance(?). And there are a lot of post-hardcore elements in this track. Those double-bass pedal drums and the chugging guitars in the mix add to it. But generally ‘Sniper’ is one of the more poppier (I guess) sounding songs on here. And I don’t think that’s any detriment to the group’s usual style. It’s cool that they can mix their harder material with the almost light-hearted matter too.

I don’t really follow the group so much anymore. Time goes on and music tastes change or whatever. I’m taken to a time when I was a jumped up teenager who had more energy for things. I’ll check out a new song if it’s out. Skies and Common Dreads are in my library to this day though and won’t leave any time soon.

My iPod #329: Enter Shikari – Enter Shikari

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Enter Shikari were a big thing back around 2006-07. Hadn’t known anything about the band until the video for “Sorry, You’re Not a Winner” was played constantly, and it was clear that even then the group had already gained a few dedicated fans who loved the band enough to join them in a cramped, sweat-filled room and mosh along with the track. The band then released the singles “Anything Can Happen…” and “Jonny Sniper” both of which I enjoyed. So I thought why not just buy the album when it comes out?

Eventually I received “Take to the Skies” as a birthday present; I was very happy to get it. Listening to it, I thought there was a storyline to it. The cover art with the alien and human fighting over the earth set that off, really. If it was to be a concept album, “Enter Shikari” is where it all begins with the aliens invading. Do I sound crazy for suggesting this? Sounds pretty plausible to me.

I mean, the way the song starts with the word “SHIT” yelled twice and sounds of people screaming, threats like “Your life’s about to flash before your eyes…..” Something crazy is happening, and the band add great dramatic effect with Rou’s ever-adapting vocals – singing one second before executing guttural howls the next – and bassist Chris Batten’s vocals which sound quite angelic at times.

This song is hyper.