We'LL aLwAyS hAvE PaRiS: a StRuCtUrE cLaSS | Sound of Pen

Welcome to the Sound of Pen lecture series. Today’s class revolves around PVRIS. You’ll think about how writers might choose to structure their work and how – even when life is crazy and tough – your life will be filled with moments of light!

We’ll Always Have Pvris

Back in 2014, no band defined the future of music more precisely than the forward-thinking PVRIS. So much so, that if aliens one day descend in search of the most important art on offer during that period of time, I won’t hesitate in sending them home with ‘White Noise’, the debut long-player from Massachusetts’ finest pop/rock/dance hybrid. I’m sure the extra-terrestrials would be delighted.

So, why PVRIS?

Well, let’s see…

First up is the fact that PVRIS – spearheaded by leading lady, Lyndsey Gunnulfsen – did such an insanely brilliant job of leading the charge into a brave new musical world. In 2025, we take boundary-blurring for granted. But, this was NOT the case when PVRIS initially unleashed their first album.

Never before had alternative and mainstream music got along so well. But everything was suddenly all very friendly. In the not too distant past (i.e. a few minutes prior to PVRIS’ arrival), a rock band playing pop songs would have been chased squealing out of town, but Lynn and co. were only being chased by fans in search of autographs. And that alone tells us how much the people needed a band who weren’t one-dimensional. How much they needed a band they could both sing along with and dance to. How much they needed a band who could write a record like ‘White Noise‘ – an album packed with songs that were as heavy and meaningful as they were catchy.

And it’s not just the musical context that’s worthy of consideration when judging Lyndsey Gunnulfsen’s awesomeness. Let’s think about her band’s social context too. Nearly a decade ago, the voice of the LGBTQ+ community was still relatively restricted. And, no, we’re not saying that, right now, everything is easy or equal, but it’s fair to note that Lynn’s position as something of a role model for gay pop/rock/dance fans back then did mean that she faced different pressures, prejudices and more pointed fingers than she might in 2025. Today, it’s true not only that the LGBTQ+ community are more heard within the music industry, but also that women in general occupy a more prominent position on the scene’s frontline. The PVRIS singer/songwriter/guitarist played such an important role in moving us to this improved place.

Just as critical as PVRIS’ ability to change, well, EVERYTHING, is their ability to write a catchy tune. Quite probably the aliens we mentioned earlier are going to be facing an especially long journey home – well, the least we can do is provide them with a soundtrack that will more than stand up to being played on loop. And ‘White Noise’ will absolutely do that. Also worth nothing is the fact that listening to the frantic ‘My House’, the ecstatic ‘St. Patrick’ – or any of the other tracks that make up this immaculate record – will make you feel like you’ve drunk a hundred glasses of orange squash: just the kind of energy boost you’re likely to need when undertaking an intergalactic expedition!

How is this relevant to you?

You don’t need to be E.T. to benefit from the spirit of ‘White Noise’. Our school students will find just as much value in PVRIS’ debut album. We should tell them about the world as it might have looked to Lynn Gunn when she was writing that record: artistically, it must have been hard to see her place in a relatively one-dimensional industry; on a personal level, there would have been difficulties too – Lynn’s sexuality was scutinised in a way it just wouldn’t be now. Not within the music scene, at least.

So, we will talk in class about understanding how the world can shift shape, how the things that look like obstacles might not be obstacles forever. If the future looks dark and difficult, PVRIS send us the message that we can find light if we battle hard enough. Not only that, they also highlight the possibility that the feeling of succeeding in those circumstances might actually be more intense and fabulous than if the path had been free from obstruction in the first place.

Learning About Structure

We absolutely have to bring PVRIS – and all they stand for – into the English classroom. They imbue us with the belief that, when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, we can prevail. Let’s work our way through the one or more of the activities below. Yes, we’ll be learning about why literary texts are structured the way that they are, but we’ll also be reminded that in every dark corner there is a light. And that kind of reminder is never unwelcome!

ACTIVITY 1

Read the following review of a PVRIS gig. Even the way Gunnulfsen constructs her band’s set is so crucial: she order the songs in a way that underlines her message about resilience and determination – and how important it is not to buckle at the first sign of trouble.

The review is of PVRIS’ Hammersmith show. The videos don’t show the London performance but each one is cued to start up at an appropriate point; watch 30 seconds or so of each video to exemplify the key points being made.

The gig took place in January 2023 – during a period in England when there were lots of train strikes and lots of teacher strikes. The impact of each song PVRIS play is intensified as a result of its careful positioning within the setlist. The review explores each part of the set in relation to the other parts.

When commenting on structure, we are always looking to explain why a writer chose to position their ideas where they did. We are always asking ourselves: what order are things happening in? Why are they happening in that order? Read the review as a whole first or answer the questions as you go along.

Before starting, make sure you’re familiar with this vocabulary:

indefatigable: always determined and energetic in trying to achieve something and never willing to admit defeat.
atramentous: black like ink.
indomitable: impossible to subdue or defeat.
epiphany: a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.

Okay, let’s go…

PVRIS @ Hammersmith Apollo, January 2023

PVRIS have never been a band to pretend that the darkness doesn’t exist. Against the backdrop of a striking UK, their songs resonate more fiercely than ever. The trains aren’t running, the teachers aren’t teaching and, when ‘Animal’ drops, the wildness of it feels appropriate. Then comes the equally raw and frenetic ‘Monster’. The crowd respond in berserk fashion.

Q1. How does the writer describe the mood of the opening songs? The people watching would have been looking forward to seeing the band come on stage. Why, then, does it make sense for PVRIS to start with songs of this type?

‘Mirrors’, though, is different. It’s a love song, and its brightness makes such an impact precisely because ‘Animal’ and ‘Monster’ are so dark. As is the next number, ‘Dead Weight’: its increased pace reminds us how quickly the world can eat our goodness up. The beauty of ‘Mirrors’ – surrounded as it is, by threat and storminess – will vanish if we don’t keep fighting for a glimpse of it.

Q2. In what way is the song ‘Mirrors’ different to ‘Animal’, ‘Monsters’ and ‘Dead Weight’. Why do PVRIS put ‘Mirrors’ in between these songs? What do we understand about beauty and love that we might not if it wasn’t surrounded by ‘storminess’?

Not that a PVRIS gig is in any way depressing. The dystopian undercurrent might be hard to ignore, but it’s Lyndsey Gunnulfsen’s indefatigable spirit that excites and inspires us. “Gimme a minute,” Lynn sings over and over – and no wonder. The intensity of the show’s opening quarter of an hour underlines how hard it can be to find time to think.

Q3. How is Lyndsey Gunnulfsen’s indefatigable spirit more noticeable and impressive given the large number of songs played so far that focus on the darker, harder side of life? When she sings, “Gimme a minute,” why does that line make more sense at this point of the show than it might have done, for example, at the start of the show?

Next comes ‘What’s Wrong’. “Take the mirror from the wall,” Gunnulfsen sings and we can only understand her distress – and how heartbreaking this request is – because we’ve already listened to ‘Mirrors’. The mirror clearly serves as a symbol of hope, and it’s as if that hope is fragmenting.

Q4. Why does Gunnulfsen make sure to mention the mirror early in the set – and certainly before she plays ‘What’s Wrong’?

The atramentous nature of the set condenses, ‘Fire’ and ‘Old Wounds’ both narrate difficult experiences.

Q5. Why do PVRIS play yet more songs that seem to focus on difficult experiences?

But, then comes ‘My Way,’ which is all the more thrillingly potent as a result of the challenges so far depicted. It’s a declaration that, individually, we can live the life we want to, and the sense of epiphany is invigorating. Open with this confident, fun track and, as a crowd, we would enjoy the opportunity for a singalong. Position it this far into a relatively apocalyptic narrative, however, and each audience member drinks the moment of communion in, much as they would a glass of water in a desert. Situated at this point in proceedings, the song is a pleasure, but it’s also a relief, a respite, a reminder that we are enough.

Q6. Why does ‘My Way’ have more impact now than it might have done at the start of the set? Why structure the set in a way that ensures that this anthem of self-confidence is played at this precise point of the show?

And now, for the first time in the set, the indomitable PVRIS allow us longer than a second in the light. ‘Anywhere But Here’ is like the first day of spring after the most brutal of winters and we savour it in a way we wouldn’t if we could take its softness and soothing quality for granted. And as for her desire to go anywhere but here, we understand it in a way we wouldn’t if all the other songs hadn’t come first! ‘You and I’ escalates the feeling of positivity. When Lynn sings: ‘If you and I can make it through the night… we’ll meet in the middle,” the shivers down our spines are swooningly intense. The track could not possibly hit as hard as it does if PVRIS had not already highlighted the colossal amount of effort necessary to reach “the middle”. Fittingly, the crowd dance with abandon to this one. All of our hands are in the air. How can they not be when we feel so thrill by the glimpse of a light in the gloom? From a starting point of almost utter blackness, we are really beginning to believe that we can be saved. As if to underline the point, Lynn tells us, on ‘Use Me’, to “Stay put.” “I’m coming for you,” she promises. Perhaps the extra assurance is particularly necessary given the nervousness we feel as a result of all that darkness.

Q7. When Lynn sings: “Just give it time… if you and I can make it through the night,” and, “Stay put, babe, I’m coming for you,” these lines hit particularly hard because they are delivered at this precise point of the show. What is it about the set so far that means these lines have so much impact at this precise point of the show? Why wouldn’t they have made as much impact earlier in the set? (Although it’s not part of the live show, you might also consider how the video for ‘Anywhere But Here’ – with Lynn running from the dark into the light – would fit with the argument we’re building).

Not that the harsh environment detailed in the earlier parts of the set has evaporated. On ‘Death Of Me’, Lynn sings over and over about danger and death – concepts that might have felt hyperbolic at the start of proceedings but that actually feel so real right now.

Q8. Why does the idea of “danger” and “death” have such impact at this point? What do we feel about “death” and “danger” at this point, given what’s come just previously in the set, and what came even earlier?

Which brings us to the encore – and to ‘Goddess’. The track suits its epilogue-like role. This is the PVRIS singer/guitarist reminding us that she’s still standing. In fact, she’s stronger than ever, which is impressive, given the trials and tribulations detailed throughout the main set. ‘My House’ follows and it’s exhilarating. Again and again, Gunnulfsen stresses that this is her “house” – her space, her world, her life. And, then, finally, we come to ‘Hallucinations’. Lynn tells us: “My imagination’s running wild.” Which is lovely! The world she leaves us with is full of possibilities – and as the show ends and we pour out of the venue and back into London, we understand that life might still be hard, but we’re sure now that the sun will break through intermittently! And we’re equally sure that those moments of luminosity will make everything worthwhile! PVRIS have taught us that much.

Q9. Why are we particularly impressed by the laughter at the start of ‘Goddess’ and by Lynn’s declaration that she is indeed a “goddess”. , at this point in the set, by the fact that Lynn is still standing, that she’s willing to really assert her own sense of power (“this is my house”) and control and ownership? Why do PVRIS finish with these three songs? What mindset are they hoping their listeners will adopt?

Q10. So, how do PVRIS use structure to interest us? Summarise PVRIS’ reason for structuring/ordering/organising the setlist the way they did? (You’ll find my own summary in red further down the page).

ACTIVITY 2

Now, let’s look more closely at one of those closing songs, a track from that debut ‘White Noise’ album: ‘My House’. Read the lyrics and then answer the 7 questions below.

PVRIS, ‘My House’

I feel you in these walls
You’re a cold air creeping in
Chill me to my bones and skin
I heard you down the hall
But it’s vacant when I’m looking in
Who let you in?
You walk around like you own the place
But you never say anything
I caught you walking straight through my walls
Guess it was all my fault
I think I let you in

Never thought that I would feel like this
Such a mess when I’m in your presence
I’ve had enough, I think you’ve been making me sick
Gotta get you out of my system
It’s my house
And I think it’s time to get out
It’s my soul
It isn’t yours anymore
It’s my house
And I think it’s time to get out
Yeah, I think it’s time to get out

You’re at my bedroom door
Heard your footsteps on the floor
Closer than ever before
And now you’re in my room
You’re a cold air creeping through
Under sheets avoiding you
You walk around I can hear you pace
Circling my bed frame
Now we’re face to face
Head on my pillowcase
But darling, you can’t stay

How does the writer use structure to interest you as a reader? That’s the big question. The answers to the smaller questions will get you where you need to go.

The words and phrases in purple are always helpful to have at the ready when trying to write about structure.

At the start of the song, ‘My House’ (lyrics below in green), PVRIS songwriter, Lyndsey Gunnulfsen, focuses on a poltergeist that’s been haunting her house What kind of mood what does she create? How does she want her reader/s/listeners to feel?
In the first 14 stanza, Gunnulfsen keeps her focus on what? Why does this continued focus on the same thing help us understand her situation?
As the song progresses, she repeats: “It’s my house” and “it’s time to get out.” What does the repetition show about how Gunnulfsen is feeling? How do these feelings make more sense given what we’ve read in the opening 1`4 lines?
When Gunnulfsen repeats: “It’s my house” and “it’s time to get out”, what words would you describe her character? How have the opening 14 lines helped you to come up with your answer?
As the song continues, Gunnulfsen says: “You’re at my bedroom door / Heard your footsteps on the floor.” Why do these lines feel more significant given the earlier repetition of, “It’s my house” and “it’s time to get out”? What do we understand about this unwanted visitor that we couldn’t if we hadn’t already read the opening sections? What juxtaposition might you comment on at this moment?
Towards the end, the singer again repeats that: “It’s my house” and “it’s time to get out.” What does this repetition suggest about her character? How is your answer informed by everything that’s come earlier in the song?
Given that it seems to be repeating the content of the second stanza, the fourth stanza suggests some kind of cyclical structure. What might this kind of cyclical cycle be indicative of?

Making Further Links to Student Syllabus

Critical Thinking

Which of the texts that you study are structured in a way that underlines the weight of the darkness/the extreme nature of the challenges/the intense and oppressive mood? How do the writers use structure to establish that darkness/those challenges/that mood? Now look for the moments of light/hope/positivity. How do those moments teach us something about the characters involved that we might not understand if it wasn’t for the presence of so much darkness/so many challenges/such an oppressive mood elsewhere. For example, in ‘Othello’, we only understand quite how courageous Emilia’s is – when she speaks out against Othello and Iago – because we’ve just seen what happens to wives when they are considered to be disrespecting their husbands. The darkness that dominates the text (literally as well as metaphorically: just think about how the play opens at night-time) means Emilia’s light/strength only shines brighter. And, of course, her death would always have been tragic, but isn’t it even more distressing given the significance of her ‘light’ – a significance that could not have been so clear to us if it wasn’t for the lack of ‘light’ elsewhere?

Creative Writing

Write a story that starts in ‘darkness’, flickers with ‘light’ here and there, then ends with the ‘light’ being present in a more pronounced way.

Our answer to Activity 1, Question 10

PVRIS consciously structure their work in a way that helps us understand that, yes, life can be hard, but also that we can overcome the problems we face! Even when sandwiched between times of darkness, the light still finds a way to shine.

And that’s as important a lesson as anything you might have figured out in relation to structure. The Sound of Pen lectures are not focussed on just helping you past your English exams! Art was not created to earn you a qualification!! Its primary goal is to help you understand what it means to be human – and give you some tips that might help you survive the experience 😉

We’LL aLwAyS hAvE PaRiS: a StRuCtUrE cLaSS