When The Ballroom Thieves planned out their latest release, the Boston balladeers had all eyes (and ears) on the concept of healthy divergence. Taking a page from an art history book and transforming it into their own creative undertaking, the group has shared their new song “Tenebrist,” a reference to the contrast-oriented art style tenebrism. The inspiration for the tune doesn’t get any less scholarly from there.
“There’s a Nietzsche quote about how artists muddy the water to make it seem deeper than it really is, and as harsh as that sounds, we think it applies directly to our current political situation,” the band explains. “One of the challenges in writing this album was trying to maintain a sense of positivity and hope in such an increasingly negative socio-political climate, especially since we’ve had trouble writing ‘happy’ songs in general. This song asks the listener to see the reality we’re currently facing while remembering that good things tend to emerge out of the worst circumstances.”
Tune in below.