Social media can be a good and bad thing. On the bright side, the various platforms allow us to stay in touch with friends and family from almost anywhere. They can also be a great way to get important messages out to a large audience. As we all know, too much of a good thing can be harmful. An excessive amount of social media can lead us to create fake versions of ourselves for the sake of getting more “likes” on our profiles. In his gritty pop/rock song, “Nirvana T-Shirt,” Cy Wheeler explores this and the other dangers of social media.
The instrumentation was just one aspect of the song that made it catchy. It consists of a gritty electric guitar and drums. As for the lyrics, I like how they were written, specifically the rhyming lines in the verses and chorus. They made it easy to follow along and were yet another factor in the track’s “catch-iness.” I also enjoyed Wheeler’s voice. His main vocals blended excellently with the gritty instrumentation. The background vocals gave the song a pop feel, and I liked how they matched the melody of the guitar. Lastly, I want to comment on the title of the song. A Nirvana t-shirt is something that a lot of people wear because it looks cool, whether they actually listen to the band’s music or not. By saying, “you’re the Nirvana T-Shirt,” I think Wheeler is trying to tell listeners that the fake version of ourselves we create to be “liked” on social media takes away our unique-ness. With that being said, make sure to embrace the special characteristics that make you who you are in any and all aspects of your life.
Cy Wheeler is a singer from California who started his career by producing music from his bedroom. “Nirvana T-Shirt” is his first release of 2023. If you want to hear more music from him, check out his 2021 album Damascus Road. Wheeler uses music to tell listeners about various experiences in his life. “Home” is a song that has a gritty electric guitar similar to “Nirvana T-Shirt.” The lyrics talk about the exhausting experience of feeling restless. In contrast, “Sunrise” has a brighter sound, but it demonstrates a similar theme of wishing for better days. Regardless of what you choose, all of Wheeler’s songs are very relatable, and they let listeners know that they’re not alone in whatever they may be going through!
Written By Kelli Dixon
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