Posted by Vincent Poag‘s latest album The Unknown is an exploration of life’s great mystery: the unpredictable, uncharted, and often chaotic journey we all must navigate. The Long Island troubadour has always had a knack for spinning yarns that feel pulled from some alternate-universe American songbook, but here Vincent Poag tapped into something deeper and stranger: a funhouse mirror reflection of our collective anxieties about an increasingly unpredictable world.
The lyrics of “The Unknown” aren’t just poetic—they’re absurd, surreal, and, at times, painfully real. Lines like “What’s naughty, nice, happens twice, like the tears, scrapes and burns, as you’re growing,” juxtapose the innocence of childhood with the often painful lessons of life, creating a sense of paradox that runs throughout the song. Poag paints a picture of a world where nothing is as it seems, where even the painful moments are just part of the ride. There’s a dark humor here, too—“Flesh and bone, on your own, into the unknown,” he sings, acknowledging the loneliness of life’s journey, even as we all march forward into the same inevitable destination.
Then, there’s the imagery: “Rusty boots, tummy bone, armpit, nose-pick, strays, a kaleidoscope spinning, arcane,” which feels like a snapshot of the absurdity we encounter as we stumble through life. Poag’s use of random, seemingly insignificant details—armpit nose-picks and rusty boots—creates a sense of the bizarre that feels distinctly human. Life, after all, is often a series of strange, fragmented moments that, when viewed from a distance, make little sense. Yet they are the building blocks of our experience.
The song’s chorus becomes a chant of existential frustration, a desperate cry that rings in the ears of anyone who has ever found themselves lost or questioning their place in the world. “What the hell’s going on? What am I doing? If I can’t relax, what am I doing?” It’s a universal cry of confusion, one that echoes across the human experience. Poag’s repetition of these questions seems to emphasize the sense of being adrift, untethered, and unsure—echoing a sentiment we’ve all felt at one point or another.
But what makes “The Unknown” so powerful is how Poag manages to balance these moments of confusion with flashes of clarity. In the middle of the chaos, there’s a brief respite: “Relaxed on your couch as the sun goes down, shoes off, those you love by your side.” Here, Poag gives us a glimpse of peace—a fleeting moment of calm in the middle of the storm. It’s a reminder that, even when the world seems to be spinning out of control, there are small, serene moments to be cherished. Life, after all, is both a storm and a sanctuary, sometimes all at once.
As the track builds to its conclusion, Poag seems to suggest that there’s no real escape from “The Unknown.” It’s a part of life, inescapable and ever-present. “Hi-ho, away we go, tell us what to do, we won’t,” Poag chants in the latter part of the song, as though mocking the futility of trying to control the uncontrollable. It’s a chaotic, sardonic refrain that drives home the point: we can’t escape life’s unpredictability, no matter how hard we try.
The song’s final lines—“Welcome home to the unknown”—feel like a bittersweet acceptance of this truth. Rather than running from uncertainty, Poag seems to embrace it. The unknown is where we live, whether we like it or not. And perhaps, in the end, it’s the uncertainty of life that gives it meaning.
In an era when so much of life feels uncertain—whether due to personal challenges or the global turbulence we all face—“The Unknown” resonates deeply. It’s a song for anyone who has ever felt lost, confused, or simply out of control. It’s a reminder that life is messy, unpredictable, and sometimes absurd. But, much like Poag himself, we’re all just trying to make sense of it, one chaotic moment at a time. And if there’s anything we can take away from “The Unknown”, it’s this: the ride might be wild, but it’s worth it.