“Je suis ennui,” which is French for I am bored, is the lyrical refrain that alt-rock band Quiet Tongues chose for their debut single “Ennui.” These newcomers from London aren’t going through the motions, but they do project a sluggishness that comes with apathy. “Ennui” stands beneath a rain cloud of its own making, leaving this track drenched in melancholy.
Throughout “Ennui,” there is a subtle grittiness that brings an ample dose of realism to the sound. There’s no mistaking this track for a boppy, happy-go-lucky jam. It stands staunchly in a black and white world where the only variations in color are shades of gray. By establishing a drab landscape, Quiet Tongues set the table for this artsy track to explore human conditions such as drive and ambition.
“Ever seen the light in someone’s eyes? Fading away,” lead singer Seth Tonkin asks in a dry, matter of fact tone. Right out of the chute, it’s all about what happens when you stop stoking the fire within. Not giving up yet, this ambition is pursued in a “chase every day.” However, this dogged determination produces a tiresome “je suis ennui” from Tonkin. Within the chorus that produces this refrain, there are weeping guitars befitting of the dejected mood that Quiet Tongues strives for here.
“Ennui” is an entire mood unto itself. Quiet Tongues help to propagate a sense of helplessness by saturating the track with despondent melodies and sobering vocals. As a whole, it leaves you with a clear headed sense of reality that leads you back to self-reflection.
Written by Travis Boyer
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