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
The Song You Hate
A Whisper in the Noise Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We only give a fuck if we don't get paid
We'll suck cock on long walks to the beach
With an Amway sunset
The cute boys, cute girls walk this line
With a real big smile
Stop bringing me back to this place
You're too weak, too strong, too dumb, too blond,
Too old, too young, too right, too wrong,
Too broke to get rich, too rich to give a shit,
Too fucking lazy, a real fucking crazy,
Using all the bad drugs, should be on these drugs,
Not informed to vote, get a 401k
Stop bringing me back to this place
And get that cold smile off of your face...
These are the dark days painted in greys...
Stop bringing me back to this place
And get that cold smile off of your face...
The Song You Hate by A Whisper in the Noise is a cynical and confrontational critique of modern society. The lyrics describe a world painted in greys, where people only care about money and are willing to degrade themselves to attain it. The first lines, "These are the dark days painted in greys, We only give a fuck if we don't get paid," set the tone for the entire song. It suggests that people only care about their own self-interest and that money rules everything around us. This concept is further illustrated in the next line, "we'll suck cock on long walks to the beach with an Amway sunset," which mocks the idea of selling oneself to get ahead. The use of Amway, a direct-selling company, adds to the theme of capitalism and the idea that people will do anything to make money.
The next part of the song, "The cute boys, cute girls walk this line, With a real big smile," speaks to the idea that people put on a happy face to hide their true feelings. It suggests that people conform to societal norms even though it goes against their own beliefs. The following lines, "You're too weak, too strong, too dumb, too blond, Too old, too young, too right, too wrong, Too broke to get rich, too rich to give a shit," shows that the system is flawed and no matter how you look at it, someone is always at a disadvantage. The final lines, "Using all the bad drugs, should be on these drugs, Not informed to vote, get a 401k," speaks to the idea that people are not informed or educated enough to make informed decisions about their lives. It implies that people rely on drugs, both good and bad, to get them through or that they are unaware of important issues like voting or getting a 401k. The chorus, "Stop bringing me back to this place and get that cold smile off of your face," suggests that the singer is tired of the world's corruption and wants to move beyond it.
Line by Line Meaning
These are the dark days painted in greys
The current times are difficult and joyless
We only give a fuck if we don't get paid
Our motivation is purely financial
We'll suck cock on long walks to the beach with an Amway sunset
We're willing to do anything for money, even if it's unpleasant and in a beautiful setting
The cute boys, cute girls walk this line with a real big smile
Many people are caught up in the same cycle of fake happiness and financial-driven motivation
Stop bringing me back to this place and get that cold smile off of your face
I don't want to be a part of this depressing cycle anymore and I don't want to see people pretending to be happy when they're not
You're too weak, too strong, too dumb, too blond, too old, too young, too right, too wrong, too broke to get rich, too rich to give a shit, too fucking lazy, a real fucking crazy, using all the bad drugs, should be on these drugs, not informed to vote, get a 401k
There are endless excuses and barriers that prevent people from supporting positive change, from personal flaws to societal issues
These are the dark days painted in greys...
Reiterating that the current times are difficult and joyless
Stop bringing me back to this place and get that cold smile off of your face...
Reiterating the desire to leave the depressing cycle and stop pretending to be happy
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind