Drawn Into Bizarre Love Triangle

Sometimes life gets in the way of art. 

I often feel this way as chores, doctors appointments and grocery shopping choke out my schedule. Day-to-day duties are not my go-to creative catalysts, but maybe they should be.

Monday through Friday I drive my kids to school. This can stall the start of my day, but aside from the benefit of being the only time I see my kids before late afternoon, these drives often fuel my music. A song will burst through my tiny car speakers and suck me in, reminding me how much I love it. Or used to love it.

New Order’s Bizarre Love Triangle was last week’s siren song. I heard it and instantly remembered that refrain; “Every time I see you falling / I get down on my knees and pray”.

I likely came to this song via the stripped-bare cover by exclamation-pointed folk-singer Frente! It was the mid-nineties, alongside Criss Cross and OPP. Frente!’s cover may have played at my grade 9 dance, while I held a girl by the hips at arm’s length and sweat through my red crushed velvet jacket.

Today I’m loyal to New Order’s original. Those layered synths! That soft escalation of heavenly arpeggios before each chorus! 

As soon as this song played I thanked the CBC or CKUA and knew I had to cover it. 

This Monday, I got to play my weekly Facebook Live set on location for the first time (one of my 2018 goals achieved!). The Art of Cake let me use their beautiful space for a three-song-set that doubles as a promo for this Friday’s show at the bakery/cafe. 

My set begins with a stripped-bare version of Bizarre Love Triangle, more Frente! than New Order, but I’m just getting started with this tune. I’d love to try it with my loop pedal and bring some of those layers and nuances back into the groove. 

You can enjoy the whole live set in it’s ‘no longer live’ version below. As for me, I’m off to drive the kids to school and rediscover my new/old favourite song.