SOUR was the natural course of progress for Ben to take. While half of OGVG is strictly video game tracks, the end half of the album is merely chock-full of video game references. Some of them are just talking shit and recorded hot air, but some of them are songs about love or heartbreak.
Player 2 is one of those tracks. It’s also an absolute banger. When I wrote it, I could tell it was one of those inspirational “how could I possibly replicate this?” kind of tracks. It’s next to impossible for me to write something on that level of clever and catchy, but as a love song it wasn’t hard to write at all.
So, while it felt weird to suddenly switch from songs about video games to love songs, it wasn’t unexpected either. All the songs are super nerdy anyway, just in a different way. Play Games is probably the best song to represent the transition. I was talking about my love life in the nerdiest and most self-deprecating way I could. Which, again, felt pretty natural.
The title just kind of came to me: A Series of Unfortunate Relationships.
Now, OGVG started as a track or two, maybe three or four that were lying around on my computer. It was a particularly devastating and confusing breakup that was the catalyst for the entire mixtape coming together.
I felt useless and unloved when that relationship ended, so I kind of needed to find a way to love myself. Which meant making something else to love: music. I’m sure in a sense there was the typical “look what I accomplished, she doesn’t know what she’s missing” mentality that lit a fire in me as well.
Although, I can’t imagine that news of me writing Pokemon and Dr. Mario raps would have had her running back to me.
So, after another slew of failed relationships, I needed a new mixtape to pick up my spirits. So, not unlike a spirit, I channeled my bad relationships into some music.
Then, of course, I stopped failing at relationships and found myself into a steady and loving relationship with a wonderful partner.
Which is great. Just, you know, not great for Ben. The poor guy. Without unrequited love and a sense of rejection, he just didn’t have the will to keep writing. Not consistently at least.
In my first year of Digital Communications, I made a whole social campaign to go with the yet-to-be-released mixtape. The hashtag #SOUR seemed too good to pass up. That’s pretty much as far as it ever went though.
I mean, I totally have the entire mixtape on my computer and listen to it quite regularly. I’m pretty fond of it, although it’s a little sappy and kind of ridiculous. There’s also some terrible singing for some choruses and refrains in it, so it needs a little bit of work in post-production before it ever gets released.
And keep in mind that this mixtape was already done when I made this late campaign in first year. It’s the last day of third year, so it doesn’t seem like this will be out anytime soon.
Still, one can dream. It’ll come out eventually. Just don’t get heartbroken waiting for it.
Thanks for reading!