Song Title: Lying Lips
Artist/Band: Petty Humans
Genre: Rock, Soft Rock
Approximate Listening Time: 3 mins 33 secs
@Petty Humans | Spotify
“Lying lips” is a reflective soft rock song by El Paso-based indie rock band known as “Petty Humans.” The song uses a rather mellow and reflective mood while exploring a thought-provoking theme with its simple but reflective lyrics. As the song title suggests, “Lying Lips” talks about truth and lies and how much they’ve been artificially woven into the fabrics of the global society. Perhaps reflecting on the devastating effects of deception? It then questions not just the flaws of humanity but the very essence of it.
“Lying Lips” feels like a search for the ultimate truth, using soft-rock and plain lyrics as a driving force and tool. The mood of the song, although mellow and calm, helps send a rather penetrating and forceful message to the mind. It raises questions and doubts about the actual authenticity of what we as a society have to come to accept as “authentic.” Petty Humans raise questions about information dissemination, mind manipulation by the so-called influential people of society, and the most contemporary medium of disseminating social media information.
The ultimate message of the song is being delivered in just the first few seconds as the lyric is simply direct and straight to the point:
The world keeps lying to me tells me I deserve it all
It turns a blind eye to men out working in the Sun
Confusion all around me don’t know what is right or wrong
O God, please tell me
There is a purpose; there’s a call….
Musically, the band adopts a more subtle and simplistic approach to instrumentation, melody, and harmony. The drums, piano, synth, guitar, and bass are neither overshadowing or too buried as they provide just the appropriate rhythmic and melodic backing and shine to help push forward the simple but mesmerizing lead vocals. The vocals remind me of Taylor Rice from the group Local Natives, an American indie rock band based in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.
The song adopts a relatively slow tempo perfect for the genre and the song’s underlying message. The build-up in the chorus section comes with just the right amount of melodic and rhythmic energy to push forward and lay the backing for the underlying lyrical message of the chorus, which says:
There must be something in the water I don’t see how things won’t change
I hear the sound of many voices that claim somehow there’s a fix
Yet I don’t see the progress promised all
This madness seems so strange
The hope and light all people need just can’t be found with lying lips
Petty Humans began recording new music back in February 2021 in Oscar Alderete’s home studio called Bright Water Recordings. They finally released their first single, titled “Lying Lips,” on April 23rd, 2021. The music video was released on the same day.
