"Count of Unease"
Under the context of The Future Bites, this song it's off, completely, in my opinion. Made to fit into other album like Insurgentes or Raven or even Storm Corrosion. But take it this song out of the context of The Future Bites, let experiment with this though...
It might be me and only me who thinks this song it's odd for this album but let's give it a chance to indulge it as the last song from this album. End it soft and delicate to difference it from others songs, like give it a different tone after so many up tempo and synth base melodies on which The Future Bites is known for.
But what if, after so many times we heard the famous phrase "hear the whole album in the order the artist intend it was made"... what if we take out this song and put it in a isolated environment for our experiment?
Most of the times, if you want to recommend music to someone's you know a new artist you'll choose the most outstanding song from this artist, right?
"Count of Unease" won't be you first choice and there's nothing wrong with that because you can let at the very last of the bottom to present it. Nothing wrong to left it at the last place.
Take the opportunity to place last of the bunch and for a reason. Maybe yeah it isn't a hit or moving and can make you move your head to headbang to it. With this song you won't get that instinct of moving involuntary by the beat.
So, is this the worst song from SW? ...hell no. But it won't be your favorite to listen at your lunch break or at your commute early in the morning to your workplace or at a party to celebrate a birthday. That won't happen for this song.
So let's see and let's find the right context for this song. And what I think this song was made for.
The right place at the right time can make a difference on how you listen to music. Many who has the opportunity to listen to this song over a surround system knows this song it's outstanding and gorgeous.
There aren't many occasions when Steven gives us songs with so many delicates sounds and slow progress, there are song in Steven's catalog that are this intimate and brings us thoughts of calmness and tranquility.
So the right context is for me, is by taking it outside from The Future Bites completely. It doesn't belong there but belongs in an album where Steven didn't make it or produced. We can make that album without Steven knowing. And that album it's gorgeous and enigmatic.
Try to listen to this song in the middle of the night while you are almost going to sleep or hear it when you are all alone in your favorite spot to gain mental strength. Or in the glorious environment of Atmos surround.
This song is skippable only in the context of The Future Bites but outside of it it's a delicate way to treat yourself. To find something you weren't looking for but your mind knew you need it.
Grab it close to you and listen how Steven voice is speaking to you like almost whispering "you'll be alright". Sense the metallic percussive instrument whaling around you that you hear from start to finish from this song.
If I can and probably I would do it, this song will be at my last very moment alive, ain't nothing better to send you to a better place by listen a song that can make you feel you are in a better place.
"Count of Unease" at first was meh and now it's wow, because there's nothing more satisfying to have a change of a mindset about something that you though it was lame to exclaim.
Sometimes you can hear things for the first time after 50 times you heard something over and over. In this case, at the very end of the song there's a "engine" like from a car from the 30's 40's that reminds me of almost the same "engine" that sounds in "Heartattack in a Layby"
Curious facts about "Count of Unease" it has 16 chords and it's in key C. Not sure if there are songs in the realm of SW with that many chords in a single song but I thought it was worth mentioning.
