Bacchanalia Magazine

by Reb Jordin

Melanie Baker, an indie singer songwriter based in Newcastle, recently released her single ‘Double Decker Death Machine’ on March 5th . Her single which provides the most singalong chorus to date, is the fourth single she has released as part of her EP ‘burnout baby’ which fans will be graced with on April 5 th . ‘Double Decker Death Machine’ explores the hardships of following your dreams in a world built for traditional people. The single conveys the effects this can have on a person’s mental health as they begin to lose their passion for the thing they love most as society doesn’t always support them.

The song begins with the solemn strings of an electric guitar before jumping right into the lyrics, ‘I thought I knew myself; I thought I knew how I felt, now I think I want the help, I thought I knew myself’. These carefully crafted words open a window into an artist’s life whilst they struggle to continue pursuing their desired reality. This harrowing moment as the song starts, explain the change people go through mentally as a side-effect of an unsupportive society. The song continues as the drums grow and the killer guitar expands into a cacophony of comforting sound surrounding the listener as they resonate with the intimate lyrics, ‘I wanted to quit the right race, not fall on my face’. Here Baker paints the evocative picture of struggling to follow your dreams in today’s society as we are bound by the chains of a conventional job and lifestyle. The world will push down those who dare to try, forcing many to quit as are brainwashed into believing their hopes are futile.

The music calms into the pre-chorus, creating a safe and warm space where the listener is left to fully absorb Baker’s wise words, ‘the words of Patti Smith bring me back round. Remind me of myself and why I’m writing it all down. I need to find my way back home. I’ve been riding on this double decker death machine alone’. These lyrics refer to a moment of realisation where you recognise why you are facing these challenges is because your dream is too good and too big to just let go of. The ‘double decker death machine’ refers to the cruelty of life and Baker, and her listeners along with her, now realise that the hardships faced have brought the prize of this beautiful song with them. Baker herself says: “This is the last song I wrote for the EP and the one that inspired the overall EP concept. I hadn’t written anything in months and was feeling unmotivated and lost in my creative process until I was inspired by a Patti Smith interview. It’s meant to be a bit fun and silly but also the weight of the words are still meant to act as a reminder for me to keep going.” The home Baker craves is the stage and the songs she sings to her loyal fans on them, her home is the words she writes as an outlet for her story which support listeners by making them feel less alone as they live out their stories also.

Soon listeners are greeted by the emotional bridge which leads us on to the final chorus. The singles chorus is reminiscent of driving under the moon with your windows down whilst the summer breeze blows your hair wild. The lyrics although sad are accompanied by a strong beat and shredding guitar which make you want to scream the words and dance barefoot just as Patti Smith would advise. The song closes on this powerful note leaving listeners exhilarated in a new sense of hope and freedom.

So go and give ‘Double Decker Death Machine’ a listen now and feel seen by an artist who gets the feeling of being separated from your passion due to life’s harsh realities but will provide for you the promise that soon it will get better, and your dreams will draw closer. Go and watch the wacky accompanying visuals too, as to fully experience the revelry behind the catchy nature of the song.