There's a certain level of pain when you hear yourself in a song. Not in an exciting way, but in a subtle, unexpected way. The first time I heard “Part of the Problem,” it did something to me. I did not expect the direct impact that it had.
Rumour Den is a Northern Irish duo, having written together for a long time, and that's reflected in the feeling of this track. Nothing is forced. The music has grown around the words, not over them, and you can hear the choice all the way through. It begins with a sort of push or pressure, as if someone is preparing to say something they have been delaying, and then it becomes quieter and more accepting.
AJ Gilmore's voice carries it all and doesn't exaggerate it. It's like a voice that has seen a little bit of this world, that's not trying to be a part of it. It's a tale of a man who believed he was doing a favour for somebody and gradually realizes that he was not. He was only holding things back. That realization comes to the song, as it comes to life. Gradually, not quite at ease.
I couldn't stop thinking about the song after a couple of listens and how it never lets the narrator off the hook, but it doesn't make him a bad guy either. He meant well. That will not solve any problems. It's a tricky role, and the song does not fall into the trap of condemning or apologizing for it. The musical side is built around that same concept by Steve Simms, who allows the song to sit with the tension rather than moving toward any sort of answer.
This one's been back more times than I'd thought. It's one of those songs that doesn't require much from you at the top level, but it has something more going on. I still don't know what to do with it, but it seems to have hit something.
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