Lightwork track by track #5 "Heartbreaker"

[@the-method81]

Me and brother absolutely love this song. It's one of our go-to songs everytime we get together. Thank you so much!!!

[@anotherDnightmare]

Steven Wilson has talked a lot about the lure of chasing “the hit”. It’s frustratingly ironic that the best art is born out of struggle. Love the album and insight, Dev.

[@3ngi_n33r]

I really admire Devin Townsend and the seemingly unbreakable passion he has for his craft. Whenever im feeling down or uninspired, his music is usually first in my playlist to help me out. I even find his podcasts helpful, soothing almost. Keep doing what youre doing Devy!!! I want at least another 30 years out of you bud!! 🤘😉

[@neanight222]

I love hearing all these stories behind the songs! ❤️ "Heartbreaker" completely blew me away when I first heard it. And the "...in front of the ocean and you can all fuck off" line is one of my favourites, it makes me smile everytime I hear it! 😊 So I don't think it contradicts the positive vibe and messages of the album at all, it feels super positive to me. Sometimes all you need to be happy is being alone for a while and not care about anybody else's opinion. 😁

[@lexandrosphynx1049]

I really like what Heartbreaker does on this album. It is a sort of thematic disruption, or maybe a bit of an intermission from the main path. Then again, I'm most drawn to the 'wrinkles' in the things I experience. That's where the spice is.

[@jetrexdesign]

I agree. It reminded me a bit of "Hear Me" from Empath in the way that it provides that dip into a harsher emotion before ramping back out of it, albeit much less brutal than Hear Me.

[@guitarslinger16]

All of your songs are hits in my opinion. Absolutely amazing and wonderful and we love all that you do.

[@sixfingr]

It sounds like this was fortunate. I love Heartbreaker. I like the Deviness it adds.

[@mikesolomon5584]

Wow. Great story. Thank you lawyers! This is one of my favorites on the album.

[@Magnum0peth]

So pumped to finally see Devin live in Lisbon this March. This song is simply amazing and hopefully Devin will also squeeze Kingdom in the setlist 😉 See you soon Dev 💪

[@LandOfGold55]

Lightwork is such an incredible album. This track is one of my favorites! Thanks for the commentary!

[@wendyraymond1751]

It's totally wonderful you are sharing these how much hardwork an love thst went into each song ...this is so amazing thanku so much love an God bless always from Cyprus x x x x

[@rainbowgaze]

Incredible how this song barely made it on the album and yet it's my absolute favorite by far. It's like a dividing line in the album to me.

[@nickadams8952]

I am really glad it made it on the album, even at the death, because its IMHO one of its strongest.

[@eniacx64]

My favorite from the album!

[@The_Crooked_Step]

Heartbreaker is a really cool song. Kinda changes the whole trajectory of the record halfway in. But I can't lie and say I'm not disappointed that Honeybunch got booted of the record. The demo that was posted on youtube under the pandemic is one of my favorite Devin pieces of all time. So weird, so groovy. Really hope the Lightwork version will see the light of day someday.

[@johninama585]

This is my favorite track on the album! I can't imagine Lightwork without it.

[@planetsmasherrr]

crazy that this song almost didn't end up on the album because it's absolutely my favorite song off both Lightwork and Nightwork.

[@jamesdunning6300]

Love Heartbreaker, but damnit.... Honeybunch was such a fun banger! Hope it gets a proper release eventually.

[@AztecHusBone]

You're over thinking it dude. Honeybunch is FIRE!

[@LeahsRockReport]

Heartbreaker is just epic and needs to be cranked up in the car!! Love it!! 🤘

[@scout9074]

This is my most favorite song

[@josephiousbrosif]

Great to hear the backstory. Definitely my favorite off the album!

[@d-5037]

Amazing song. Devin's prog stuff is always interesting.

[@susannaheisenbraun6635]

Such an incredible song

[@sixfingr]

I just wrote "I don't mean to be petty, man, but I win!," at the end of Heartbreaker in my art book. Those lyrics weren't in there and I'm so glad he said them.

[@MrChrister123]

Best song easily!! So glad it ended up on the album!

[@dfhellraiser4td]

My second favorite song on the album! I love how progressive it is!

[@dreamthea]

My fav of this album!

[@RubyRoks]

It's a turbobummer that Honeybunch's final version isn't on the album, because i love the demo, but Heartbreaker very much fits with the theme of the record, if not the structure. It's the novelty tie on a well dressed businessperson. It's pink laces on combat boots. It's 2020 after 2019.

[@wolf_skin]

At first, I was very surprised to hear you say that this song almost didn’t make the cut, considering it’s my absolute favorite of the album and probably in my top 5 of all you’ve ever done… But listening to it again in the context of the album, it kinda makes sense. Still, I think it gives a “breather” from the theme, which is always a good way to reaffirm the general pacing. So, thanks Aqua guy number 4 for not giving permission!

[@franlovelsimic8421]

I always thought of Honey Bunch as a lighthearted joke/meme song so I am glad Heartbreaker made the cut. Shame in how it came to be given the long process. So maybe that influenced the delay? In any case, very fascinating to see you communicating with Aqua, never thought that would happen hahaha. Plus I am super eager to hear that version of Honey Bunch but given the situation, think it won't happen. Wonder if you're gonna cover some Nightwork stuff!

[@Kyp031]

That middle part of the song is great. Think it's my favorite honestly on lightwork and it wasn't supposed to originally be there.

[@nathanaelcole8466]

The star of the album imo

[@syl064]

Great album‼️

[@michaelespinosa9168]

Hope dev does nightwork as sober is quite possibly the most beautifully somber redemptive song ever written and the first released quarantine project 1 in March 2020

[@lukemogford6332]

Thank you for clarifying what that lyric was I have powers that equal and surpass! :D

[@ISXOVER]

This really helped me to keep working on my single, its been like 1 year and im still having to re-record stuff cause im not at 100%

[@HeavyDude3000]

Cool song, for me it has a very strong Empath vibe. Could also have been on that record. 🙂

[@Timathus]

So I had seen on Twitter from Dev that this track wasn't the song that was going to be here on the album originally, so I knew to expect something different. I hadn't quite given it the time of day to form a full idea of how I felt about it, but there were a few points that really stood out as cool, musically. The "Some day I'll be on my own...fuck off" section was a great and it brings a smile to my face too, because, you know, you can be as kind and empathetic as you like, but sometimes you need to take the time for yourself and be alone. I love the harmonies on the "we can take it day by day". That's a real stand out sound. Overall it gave me vibes of the DTP album Deconstruction. Partly because of the more complex structure, but maybe mostly because of that fun chromatic guitar solo in the middle 😂 Great stuff. I'm curious what the final line of the song is, as it's not on the lyrics on any of the sites that I've seen. I hear something like "I don't need to keep it. Amen." also just the other layers of lyrics. I'd love to know, since it's fairly dense and tricky to pick out. I'm sure it would be clearer in a 5.1 mix, as I've heard Dev mention he wants to do for a couple of the albums, so I'm happy enough waiting for that, or just not knowing, because what's life without a little bit of mystery and accepting the unknown?

[@mitchfindergeneral]

It's funny how a problem at the time ended up creating one of the best songs on the album. This song is really, truly special. I think the stress in which you finished it probably made it the way it is.

[@jericosha2842]

Best song on the album. Like the album, but this one is special.

[@gavinbuck8130]

Heartbreaker's structure and complexity was all I was hoping for with the release of 'The Puzzle', The Puzzle was actually a let down as I didn't expect it to be so accessible and simplistic, I mean it had its moments but they were few and far between. This on the other hand is perfect for its off-kilter time signatures and beautiful harmonies, loads of small details, I think a whole album of the musicmanship and quality of Heartbreaker would be overwhelming, but in the best way possible. :)

[@jericosha2842]

@@gavinbuck8130 you mean deconstruction? Haha ;)

[@gavinbuck8130]

@@jericosha2842 Haven't listened to that in a long while, should really give it another listen. :)

[@monsieurabsurd1395]

"Some day I'll be on my own In front of the ocean and you can all fuck off" My favorite lyric!

[@wimpynz]

You mention at the end things you'd have done differently if you were in a more present frame of mind. Would be interested in how much you have to detach the normal mundanity of life, or the highs/lows you are experiencing when you go in to record / mix, vs these thoughts & feelings ultimately becoming part of the end product because you can't... not be you?

[@ClaudioRowe]

how do you achieve the wall of sound feature? How do you get that instruments don't clash each other with that wall behind?

[@gavinbuck8130]

Mainly separating frequencies across the stereo field and lots of reverb and delay. :)

[@baplotnik]

Honeybunch was one of my favorites lol but heartbreaker makes much more sense for Lightwork. Both are wonderful lol

[@jedelmer9998]

it did seem out of place a little in the flow on things, I still love it but the tone was not consistent with the previous tracks...

[@Filthnails]

Honeybunch is a fun groovy sounding song, but yeah, I get where you're coming from as it being a gimmick. No shame if it didn't fit the feeling.

[@florianklink2961]

Ever thought about making a real popsong that would be considered as a radio hit, while the rest on the album sounds completely unorthodox? Imagine people who like that hit song and buy the album being in absolute shock 😂. Did any artist do something like that?

[@naynaynay324]

Well, even if the permission wasn't given (which I'm glad it didn't because I hate the barbie song with a deep and true hate) perhaps it was for the better as a more "honest" album is a much prefered album anyhow.