Their debut album Plan B was the brainchild of the band’s guitarist/original vocalist Michael Franzino, who invited several talented musicians in the Sacramento scene (Including various orchestral instrumentalists and a female vocalist) to perform on the record. They spent their first year of existence diligently perfecting their live set, building their fan base, and most recently, writing their sophomore album as a collaborative effort. Their live set is known for setting deep moods that swing from thoughtful, emotional build-ups to body-moving, epic climaxes.
After signing both deals, they entered Interlace Audio Recording Studio with producer / engineer Kris Crummet (Closure In Moscow, Fear Before, Dance Gavin Dance) to record their second full length, Conversation Piece.
After it's release in the fall of 2011, Conversation Piece received praise and they were called "one of post-hardcore’s most important new bands and one of the few capable of saving the scene." (-MindEqualsBlown.net).
A Lot Like Birds spent all of 2012 on the road, taking their new album and frenzied live antics to the masses. The positive reception to their high energy performances lead to a one month tour of Europe in February 2013. The band's growing fan base fueled powerful performances in London, Paris, Vienna, Budapest and 19 other cities.
ALLB Released their 2nd LP 'No Place' with Equal Vision Records on October 29th, 2013.
ALLB released their 3rd LP 'DIVISI' with Equal Vision Records on May 5th, 2017.
On February 17, 2018, A Lot Like Birds announced their break-up.
Current Members:
Cory Lockwood
Michael Franzino
Ben Wiacek
Joseph Arrington
Matt Coate
Past Members
Kurt Travis
Michael Littlefield
Next to Ungodliness
A Lot Like Birds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And fortune-telling's not my profession but
I can see the crystal ball,
Formed out of the water.
Through it, I can see it all.
When they ask you,
What are you hiding from?
And on this wall
A different reflection,
I can recall it's not the same face.
Quick! Pull this rope.
Wash your hands of this.
It's the dark reflecting.
Images reflecting,
And you're full of it.
When all our thoughts are dirty,
Can we get them clean?
Hold our heads under the water,
Let our eyes roll back and look deep.
Deep into our skulls.
Is there anything worth keeping?
When they ask you,
What are you hiding from:
All of the others in the way!
(The sink is full, the bubbles rise and stare at me like spider eyes.)
And on this wall:
A different reflection,
I can recall it's not the same face.
When nothing else will hold me up,
Broken tiles on the bathroom floor will have to do.
If nothing else can pull me through.
I just can't remember!
Why can't I remember?
When's the first time I looked in the mirror
And said "I hope I die"?
I know you keep pretending.
Let me be the same!
Let me be this way!
I know you keep pretending.
Let me be the same!
Let me be this way!
I know you keep pretending.
Let me be the same!
Let me be this way!
I know you keep pretending.
The lyrics of A Lot Like Birds's "Next to Ungodliness" deals with the theme of self-reflection and the struggle with one's identity. The opening lines of the song speak of the singer's inability to see beyond the present moment, and how he cannot predict the future. However, he can see the bigger picture by means of the "crystal ball," which is made of water. The crystal ball represents clarity and the singer's ability to see the truth about himself.
The song implies that the singer is facing an internal conflict where he must confront his true identity. He mentions "others in the way," which could suggest outside pressures from society or relationships that are affecting his judgment. The different reflection on the wall indicates the internal turmoil the singer is facing, where he cannot recognize himself. The lyrics "When all our thoughts are dirty / Can we get them clean?" suggests that the singer is trying to free himself from negative thoughts and habits.
The second half of the song suggests a degree of self-destructiveness in the singer. The broken tiles on the bathroom floor become the only thing to hold the singer up, and he cannot remember when he started feeling the way he does. The repeated lines, "I know you keep pretending / Let me be the same / Let me be this way" shows that the singer is pleading with someone to understand his struggle and accept him for who he is.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't see far past the present
Although I cannot predict the future, I am aware of the present moment.
And fortune-telling's not my profession but
I am not a fortune-teller by trade or skill.
I can see the crystal ball,
But figuratively speaking, I have the ability to perceive what may come.
Formed out of the water.
This foresight is based on my intuition and perception of reality.
Through it, I can see it all.
With this insight, I have the ability to see everything.
When they ask you,
In the event that somebody asks you,
What are you hiding from?
The question posed is what you are hiding or keeping to yourself.
All of the others in the way!
Other people are standing in the way of the truth or the reality.
And on this wall
In addition, on this wall
A different reflection,
The reflection seen is different from what was seen before.
I can recall it's not the same face.
It is apparent that the face seen is not the same as before.
Quick! Pull this rope.
Hurry and pull this rope.
Wash your hands of this.
Wash your hands of any guilt, blame or responsibility.
It's the dark reflecting.
It's the darkness that reflects our inner demons and fears.
Images reflecting,
These are the images that are reflecting.
And you're full of it.
You are full of these dark reflections that haunt us all.
When all our thoughts are dirty,
In a world where our thoughts are impure
Can we get them clean?
Is it possible to cleanse our mind of these impure thoughts?
Hold our heads under the water,
Submerge our heads into the water
Let our eyes roll back and look deep.
Allow our eyes to roll back in our head to observe and contemplate.
Deep into our skulls.
To delve deep inside our minds.
Is there anything worth keeping?
We must evaluate if there are things inside our minds that are worth keeping.
When nothing else will hold me up,
In the absence of any other support system,
Broken tiles on the bathroom floor will have to do.
I will have to rely on the broken tiles on the bathroom floor for support and stability.
If nothing else can pull me through.
If there is no other option to get me through this hardship.
I just can't remember!
I cannot remember or recall what led me to my current situation.
Why can't I remember?
This is a question that I am struggling with - why can't I recall what happened?
When's the first time I looked in the mirror
When was the initial moment that I gazed upon my own reflection
And said "I hope I die"?
And expressed the desire to die?
I know you keep pretending.
I am aware that you are pretending to be okay or hide something from me.
Let me be the same!
I want you to let me be the same as I have always been.
Let me be this way!
Please allow me to continue being myself.
I know you keep pretending.
I know that you continue to pretend and hide the truth from me.
Let me be the same!
Please let me be the same and not have to change.
Let me be this way!
Allow me to continue being who I am.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Joseph Wesley Arrington, Michael Robert Franzino, Michael Austin Littlefield, Cory Brandon Lockwood, Kurt Travis, Benjamin Jacob Martinez Wiacek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind