So, 'Common Knowledge' is basically a sarcastic take on how obsessed we are with self-improvement, success, and everything that’s sold to us online. It also has this fun, snarky tone that pokes fun at the way we chase after all these “get-better-fast” schemes and motivational advice that’s supposed to make us feel amazing but really just leaves us exhausted. It then digs at the pressure to be healthy or successful. You know, like that idea you have to pay for advice or slide into someone’s DMs to figure out how to better yourself. The song’s basically saying that we’re all constantly hustling, always looking for the next tip or shortcut, and it feels as endless as those pandemic lockdowns.
Now, the music here feels chaotic at first, almost random, but if you keep listening, it slowly uncovers a clear direction it's heading in. You do have this unpredictable arrangement, with a composition that goes from being 'modal music' to a mix of swelling beautiful melodies on a chord progression.
Things are structured and tied together by patterns and variations, but overall, pretty much everything you hear can be described as a 'relentless distortion fest' powered by an upbeat punk-like energy. There are these insanely sharp guitars with overdriven, warm and saturated bass. Then there are drums with the strength to hold that stompy beat tightly. Here's where all the compression makes the difference, giving a thumping kick and firing snare to the mix. And yes, those hi-hats and cymbals do hit the shimmering peak. And then, there's synth in the background giving a sort of psychedelic touch when mixed with everything else.
Finally, there are the vocals. They’re all about wise-spoken words, kind of metaphorical but delivered with a ton of aggression. They’re not just lyrics, they feel more like a message being shouted right at you, intense and unapologetic. They are pointing out how disconnected and lonely this hustle can get, especially with everything online these days. You’re constantly networking and working remotely, but in a way, you’re just floating in a virtual world, liking and subscribing your way to success. They continue to describe how it feels when you’re being sold this idea that you can just buy your way into a better life. There are hollow promises that come with all those self-improvement hacks or entrepreneurial pitches.
There's this peculiar line about “selling sign to King Salmon” that metaphorically asks if you are really trying to sell something of value, or is it just empty nonsense to people with power? The chorus is where it really gets ironic, talking about how this feeling is going to last forever. It’s almost mocking the idea that reaching success or checking all the boxes will give you this lasting sense of fulfilment, which, if we’re honest, is never the case. There’s always another goal, another thing to buy or achieve, and the happiness from it never sticks around as long as we hope. There's a jab at all those overly simple motivational catchphrases we see everywhere. Like, yeah, it’s common knowledge, but does anyone really stop and think about how empty and repetitive these things are?
In the end, this song is just calling out the ridiculousness of the whole always-be-improving culture we’re stuck in. We’re chasing all these promises of happiness and success, but it’s like running on a treadmill, never really getting anywhere, just ticking boxes and hoping it’ll all finally add up to something real. In Hauspoints' words - "Riffing on the pseudo-scientific, semi-intellectual nonsense that’s marketed as self help, Common Knowledge begins abruptly, swings sharply around poppy hooks, dashes and stomps through catchy refrains and ends with an unexpected twist".