Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas)

This is hands down my favorite track off of the new album. It has a subtle building complexity to it, that with each new listen gives me something more to think about and ponder.

I completely agree with Kaaat and kosmicgirl's interpretations of the lyrics, and really only want to take this moment to elaborate on their interpretations.

As Kaaat stated, "this song is about a guy, his friend, and his friend's girlfriend, who is also his friend. So for identification purposes, let's call them Matt, James and Jen, respectively."

Together, Matt, James, and Jen form a triangle relationship, holding each other up and supporting each other as best friends do. Matt is equal friend and confidant to both and they all spend a lot of time together. Eventually Matt develops a crush on Jen, which Jen reciprocates, these feelings go on unspoken and not acted upon, something eventually happens between Matt and Jen, the relationship dynamics of the three takes a turn, and then it becomes apparent to James that there is a connection somewhat more than friendship there between Matt and Jen. This changes everything, and is the cause for Matt singing the song in the first place after their triangle has a semi falling out.

The point of view is from Matt's perspective, a somewhat melancholy and regretful conversation/recanting towards Jen of thoughts and events and feelings that transpired.

I didn't want to be the one to forget I thought of everything I'd never regret

In the opening of the song Matt expresses that he was forced to try and forget this romantic connection he has with Jen, because Jen choose to stay with James. Matt is left to his own thoughts, longing thoughts of himself with Jen and everything he'd never regret doing if he was with her.

A little time with you is all that I get That's all we need because it's all we can take

Matt hangs out with Jen and James often, and only ever so rarely gets to hangout with just Jen by herself. Which is probably a good thing for their friendship's sake because when they are alone for whatever brief time they have together, this connection they share has a palpable tension to it that if left much longer would end up in them doing one of these things Matt would never regret and ruining their triangle of friendship. This tension and underlying emotional crush is mutual.

One thing I never see the same when your 'round I don't believe in him - his lips on ground

Now that Matt cares more for Jen than just a friend, he points out that James doesn't act the same when Jen is not around. He insinuates that perhaps James isn't as good of a guy as Jen thinks. Matt points this out because he now resents James for this, for not treating Jen as good as Matt likely would, and even more so because Jen is naive to James' less than stellar behavior behind his good guy, lips on the ground, visage.

I wanna take you to that place in the "Roche" But no one gives us any time anymore

It is at this point that Matt is referencing one of the few rare times he had alone with Jen during the summer, one where they were together and had a great time naturally letting their unspoken connection run free and develop and likely where "something" happened between them, in the Roche. He references such a specific place, because it holds specific sentimental importance to them both. He's expressing that he wants to be alone with her again and have something happen again, a chance to explore these feelings, but he cannot, because it is always the three of them hanging out together, and no longer ever just him and Jen.

He asks me once if I'd look in on his dog You made an offer for it then you ran off I got this picture of us kids in my head And all I hear is the last thing that you said

James asks Matt to watch his dog at what I would take as the same time that Jen is offering to do it, and Jen quickly rescinds her offer and runs off out of avoidance of being alone with Matt. Although Jen has feelings for Matt, she is pulling away from him to be with James.

'I listened to your problems Now listen to mine'

Friends confide in and listen to each others' problems, and I took this as Jen however torn she may be in her feelings, pleading and saying, please just be my friend again.

I didn't want to anymore

Followed by Matt making the melancholy statement, I didn't want to anymore. How could he go back to being just friends with her after sharing a moment of something more with her.

And we will never be alone again 'Cause it doesn't happen every day Kinda counted on you being a friend Can I give it up or give it away

The recurring sentiment from Matt, sad at the way things are turning out saying, We'll never be alone again, not like it happens every day anyways. And then Matt coming at Jen for being so distant and shutting him out and not being there for him, "kinda counted on you being a friend," and then wondering to himself "can I give it up or give it away" referring to giving up on the hopeless romance like Jen or taking a chance for more and risking his friendships with Jen and James.

Now I thought about what I wanna say But I never really know where to go

With so much time to himself and his thoughts, he's figured out exactly what he wants to say to Jen, his feelings, his want for more, but then he doesn't know HOW to say them or whats the best approach or timing for it. She isn't openly reciprocating his feelings or likewise a struggle with the situation like he is. He is juggling his friendships, a possible romantic connection, and a potential to ruin everything.

So I chained myself to a friend 'Cause I know it unlocks like a door

And so in light a hard decision, knowing what he wants to say but not how to go about saying it, and in fear of ruining everything that he has with Jen and James, he decides to default back to the easiest and safest approach, and chains himself to a friend. It is easier to not say anything and instead give up on his chances for Jen. He is essentially trapping himself in the friend role. Stuck against his will but of his own design as the friend.

It didn't matter what they wanted to see He thought he saw someone that looked just like me The summer memory that just never dies We worked too long and hard to give it no time

Matt continues to dwell on his feelings for Jen and his long standing connection he's had with her first as friends and later as possibly more and because of this he is beginning to catch the closer scrutiny of James.

He sees right through me it's so easy with lies Cracks in the road that I would try and disguise He runs his scissor at the seem in the wall He cannot break it down or else he would fall

These verses show that James has picked up on the connection between Matt and Jen and that he can tell that something has happened between them. It is important to remember that before all of this they were all best friends. James knows Matt and Jen both very well, and he can tell that something is off. Despite all that Jen is doing to act normal and despite her asking Matt to just be friends again, it is eating Matt up inside, and James can sense this in his friends. Yet ultimately James can't bring it to a head and call Matt and Jen out on it without also ruining the long standing relationship/friendship that they all share and have together.

1000 lonely stars, hiding in the cold Take it, I don't want to sing anymore

By this point in the song, Matt is alone. I can picture him walking by himself at night looking to the sky lost in thought over the situation. His two best friends that he would normally have shared all of this with, he can't talk to about it, and he is ostracized and feeling alone. He then sadly expresses, take it, go, do what you're going to do, take my heart and trample over it, choose James over me and act like nothing has happened, try and act like you don't feel this too, I don't want to talk about it anymore.

I don't understand, don't get upset, I'm not with you... We're swimming around, it's all I do, when I'm with you

I took this as Jen talking to Matt, I don't understand, why are you acting like this, don't get upset, you shouldn't be upset over this. I am not with you, I'm with James and have always been with James and you knew this. When we're together and all around each other, I'll continue to act as if nothings happened, and we'll all know somethings happened, and we'll just swim around in this mess, because that's all I ever do when I am around you and reminded of it all.