The Project is a series in which I create a desktop wallpaper inspired by a song. The wallpapers will be available for free download! ...check out the bottom of the post for details. This edition of The Project is based on Love Me Forever by The Black Angels.
Oddly enough, I was first introduced to The Black Angels by two commercials: One, for a video game that used their song Young Men Dead. Another, for a clothing line, that featured Entrance Song. By just the brief bits of songs I could hear in both of these instances, I knew I would like this band. I had already fallen in love with the powerful, psychedelic, and droning nature of their style and, ever since, The Black Angels' music has been on heavy rotation in my arsenal.
I decided that their song Love Me Forever would make a fun desktop wallpaper for the month of February since it's the month of love and all. Check out the video below to have a listen for yourself:
Thoughts on the Song and the Band
The song is trippy and rockin' — just what you'd expect from a band whose mantra, according to their label Light In the Attic Records, is "turn on, tune in, drone out." The lyrics are a simple plea for lasting love from a sweetheart.
The band's bio from Light in the Attic Records also explains where their uncannily authentic 60s psychedelic sound originates and how it still manages to feel so fresh. It's because their members are legit with lifestyles reminiscent of those originally associated with psychedelic rock. For example, the band lives communally and each member has a quirky upbringing or, at least, quirky tendencies. As the bio states, "Bassist Ryan was born on a cult compound, guitarist Bland is the real deal son of a Texas preacher man, and drummer Bailey and vocalist Maas believe a little girl in a red linen dress haunts the group’s home."
The Wallpaper | Design Rationale
The song's lyrics present a plea for love, but not in the sweet and pretty sort of way that such pleas are often made. Instead the request is made in the hard and droning style for which The Black Angels are known. When presented in this way, the request could be interpreted as sweet or as slightly creepy. An anatomical heart references love in this hard sort of way. It works in place of a symbolic heart, which would feel too lighthearted and cutesy.
In a reference to the mythological tale of Cupid, arrows brutally pierce the heart. Three arrows, instead of the customary one, emphasize the insistent desire, explained in the lyrics, to attain the sweetheart's love.
The song's title and unrelenting plea, "love me forever," is emblazoned atop the heart in a vintage, handwritten style. The rest of the song's lyrics, also in a handwritten style, cover every surface of the heart — acting as a persistent reminder of just how badly the sweetheart's love is desired. The vintage, handwritten, and quirky lettering references the unconventional qualities of the band and their fresh take on a classic sound.
The background of the wallpaper creates the strongest reference to the band's psychedelic influence. A swirling sunburst, reminiscent of the trippy patterns employed on classic psychedelic posters, radiates from behind the heart. This reference is enhanced by a repeating pattern of wavy lines and concentric, circular lines.
Some Interesting Facts About the Song and the Band
- The band was formed in May of 2004.
- Their name was inspired by the song The Black Angel's Death Song by The Velvet Underground.
- They hail from Austin, Texas.
- Love Me Forever was released in 2013 as part of the album Indigo Meadow.
GRAB THE WALLPAPER!
Widescreen (16:10) :
2560x1600 | 1920x1200 | 1680x1050 | 1440x900 | 1280x800
Full Screen (4:3) :
2048x1536 | 1600x1200 | 1400x1050 | 1280x960 | 1024x768 | 800x600
High Definition (16:9) :
1920x1080 | 1366x768 | 1280x720 | 854x480
Miscellaneous :
1280x1024
Smartphones :
640x960 | 320x480
— check your monitor resolution —
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This wallpaper was designed specifically for the Studio One-Sixteen blog. If you're so inclined, download it, use it to dress up your desktop, and share it with your friends! But, please do not claim it as your own or attempt to make a profit from it.