The band has occasionally performed without the French horn or cello, though these instruments are used heavily on the live recording of their first album, Through the Ides of March.
The band's sound has been noted for fully incorporating the string and other orchestral instrumentation, a step different from similar rock and dark pop projects wherein strings are often added on as an afterthought or not given full room for expression and treated as integral elements within melodic musical structure. Other elements that mark the group's work are the inclusion of barely audible soundscapes of text (often derived from news broadcasts) and the persistence of slowly constructed piano arpeggios onto which other musical layers are added.
The themes dealt with lyrically are distinctly "dark" and keep with the tone of the music. The topics range from poetic reminiscences of lost or abandoned love, rage at cultural injustice, greed, and shallowness, and a kind of drifting melancholy that seems to hover on the edge of violence.
A Whisper in the Noise have performed consistently around the Twin Cities area. Additionally, they have toured the United States, Europe, and England at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival.
Live performances often but not always include still and moving images projected behind the group.
A Whisper in the Noise has typically been well-received by both critics and listeners. SouthSCENE declared them "a dark melee of some of the most innovative and mature musical styles of contemporary rock," and TreasureTunes praised the group's "dramatic, melancholic music."
A Whisper in the Noise played in the Rhâââ Lovely Festival in second quarter 2007 and along with a tour of Europe as well.
The lineup consists of:
West Thordson
Steve Yasgar
Matt Irwin
Hannah Murray
Chris Quinn
Sonja Larson
Nicholas Conner
Rachel Drehmann
Andrew Broste
Chris Rocha
Theodora Wynhoff
http://www.awitn.com
Silence
A Whisper in the Noise Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From when I had last assumed
You could feel the way I do
But that was never true
Don't fret, it was a mistake
Still I feel I'm out of place
So I'll go where I can feel
And daydream away
Well, here I am once again
By me the one undying friend
But I lose the sight of this
I my own fright of this
And daydream away
In "Silence," A Whisper in the Noise depicts the emotional distress of someone who is struggling to connect with a loved one. The opening line describes the feeling of silence in the room, a deafening silence that has been present since the last time the singer made an assumption that the other person could understand and empathize with their emotions. However, the singer understands the truth - the idea that the other person could feel the way they do was never true. This realization leaves the singer feeling out of place, indicating that they may not have a similar connection with anyone around them.
Despite this disconnect with people in their physical surroundings, the singer remains hopeful that they will find a solace in a place of daydreaming, where they can create their own world that suits them better. The singer longs to escape from what they perceive as the "real" world, where they feel misunderstood and disconnected. This escape, this longing for a new and more suitable world, is repeated at the end of the song, as the singer loses sight of what is in front of them and starts to daydream away once again.
Line by Line Meaning
There is this silence in the room
The room is quiet, and there is a sense of unease or tension in the air.
From when I had last assumed
This feeling of silence or tension has been present since the last time the singer made an assumption or expectation that was proven wrong.
You could feel the way I do
The singer had hoped that someone else in the room would understand or empathize with their feelings or perspective.
But that was never true
However, that hope proved to be misguided, and no one else in the room shared the same emotions or point of view as the artist.
Don't fret, it was a mistake
Despite the disappointment, the artist tries to reassure themselves that it was simply a misjudgment or error in understanding the situation.
Still I feel I'm out of place
Regardless, the singer still feels disconnected or isolated from the others in the room.
So I'll go where I can feel
The singer decides to leave the room to find a place where they can experience a sense of connection or belonging.
Something that's far from being real
However, the artist acknowledges that this need for connection may come from a place of fantasy or imagination, rather than actual reality.
And daydream away
Therefore, the artist turns to daydreaming as a means of escaping from the loneliness or disappointment they feel in the present moment.
Well, here I am once again
The artist has returned to a familiar place or state of mind.
By me the one undying friend
The only constant or reliable companion the singer has is themselves.
But I lose the sight of this
However, even this sense of self-reliance or strength can be lost or forgotten in moments of vulnerability or insecurity.
I my own fright of this
The singer is afraid of their own sense of loneliness or disconnection from others.
And daydream away
Once again, the singer turns to daydreaming as a means of escaping from their fears and anxieties.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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