“The music we like to put together is dark, but so is the subject matter, so the medium has to be as well,” O’ Brother’s lead singer/guitarist Tanner Merritt spells out the capturing of the Georgia band’s first five written songs.
To break the cimmerian shade of an album based around sleep and its emboss to the natural world a dynamic had to be created, a wall of density given breathe and firm grip around melodies unable to wander. The expected sprawl of soft, then loud, then back to soft was sacrificed projecting a new luminance where the strength was in the tiny twisting light that exhales from the EP as a whole.
The band sought to keep their on stage essence by laying the album down live, forgoing the studio temptation to fill each space. Recorded by Brad Fisher with assistance from Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull the best takes were chosen for keys and effects to be added in later creating the soundscapes tucked beneath each song.
Since the 2009 release the band has shared stages with Thrice, Circa Survive, Manchester Orchestra, Biffy Clyro. Ready to record again the band is in a new dawn; where the sun is rising and a new eclectic output is being embraced.
“I think we are enjoying the writing of our full length more than we did with the EP,” Martens explains the bands next step. “It is more of a shared experience with this one because everyone is writing. The music is coming out better than ever and we are really happy to be coming into our sound.”
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Lo
O'Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lo, my eager eyes may swear to you that I never meant to shut you out
So we could laugh and sit and talk until I wanted to see what sort of knowledge had grown from your forbidden seed
All I wanted was a single thought in my head that was mine
I tried to change what I’d done; you still decided to leave us here to crook the spines of these wretched bodies
Your garden reminds us of our fleeting lives
So why did you leave here, why did you leave here?
My head is but an image of you
So why did you leave here, why did you leave me?
To figure this all out
So I found my side in the absence of a point-of-view, cause our senseless minds couldn’t hope to know
Now I take what’s mine, from the ground that I cultivate
And my mouth runs wild cause I want it all
The song "Lo" by O'Brother is a powerful expression of remorse, longing, and existential questioning. The lyrics are evocative and poetic, using vivid imagery and metaphor to convey meaning. The singer of the song is reflecting on past mistakes and missed opportunities, wondering why things turned out the way they did and struggling to come to terms with their own mortality.
The first verse begins with the phrase "Lo, my eager eyes," which sets an ominous tone. The singer is anticipating a moment when they will no longer be alive, and their deepest truth will finally be revealed. They may have shut someone out in the past, but they never intended to do so. The second verse suggests that this person was someone the singer was close to, someone who had "forbidden" knowledge that they wanted to learn. However, despite their attempts to make amends, the person still left them behind.
The chorus of the song is a plea for answers: "Why did you leave here, why did you leave me? / To figure this all out." The singer is struggling to make sense of their own existence and the choices they have made. They feel trapped in their own mind, unable to find a clear perspective or understanding of the world around them.
The final verse is a declaration of independence and self-discovery. The singer has found their own way, creating something out of the ground they cultivate. Their mouth "runs wild" with desire, eager to experience everything life has to offer. The final image of the song is a garden that reminds the singer of the fleeting nature of life, emphasizing the transience of all things.
Overall, "Lo" is a deeply introspective and haunting song that touches on universal themes of regret, loss, and the search for meaning. Its lyrics are open to interpretation but can resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to understand their place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Lo, my eager eyes will know the truth come the day when it’s pouring from my lifeless mouth
I will eventually reveal the truth to you, even if it only happens at the very end, with my dying breath.
Lo, my eager eyes may swear to you that I never meant to shut you out
If I had closed the door on you, it was not intentional but rather a passive result of events that took place.
So we could laugh and sit and talk until I wanted to see what sort of knowledge had grown from your forbidden seed
We could have spent time together, but I was curious to learn more about something that was previously off-limits.
All I wanted was a single thought in my head that was mine
I desired the freedom to have independent thoughts that were not influenced by external factors.
I tried to change what I’d done; you still decided to leave us here to crook the spines of these wretched bodies
I attempted to make amends for my actions, yet you still abandoned us to face the physical and emotional consequences.
Your garden reminds us of our fleeting lives
The garden serves as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of our existence on this earth.
So why did you leave here, why did you leave here?
I am curious why you departed, and left us with unanswered questions.
My head is but an image of you
My thoughts and actions are heavily influenced by you, to the point where my mind is almost a reflection of yours.
So why did you leave here, why did you leave me?
I cannot help wondering why you chose to leave me specifically, despite my attempts to hold onto you.
To figure this all out
I am on a quest to discover the truth and find closure following your departure.
So I found my side in the absence of a point-of-view, cause our senseless minds couldn’t hope to know
In order to avoid getting bogged down in a pointless argument, I redirected my thoughts and attempted to find my own unique perspective.
Now I take what’s mine, from the ground that I cultivate
I take ownership of what I have created, using the metaphor of the garden and its yields.
And my mouth runs wild cause I want it all
I become overexcited and passionate in expressing my desire for the things I seek and strive for.
Contributed by Aaron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yup
on Oblivion
Reference to the need of Christ