Though each member of the band — Miles Seaton, Seth Olinsky, Dana Janssen and formerly Ryan Vanderhoof — can be relegated to loosely defined roles (drummer, guitarist, bassist, vocalist), all of them play several instruments and sing, as evidenced by their shows and recorded material. When playing live, the band makes prominent use of improvisation and vocal harmonies. On their self-titled debut record, field recordings of a creaking chair, thunderclaps and the white noise of a television find their way alongside psychedelic and electronic elements, guitars and a glockenspiel.
In addition to their solo debut in 2005, the band played behind Michael Gira on his Angels of Light project as well as splitting a full length CD with Angels of Light.
In 2006, the band released an EP, “Meek Warrior,” a collaboration with master drummer/hero Hamid Drake which contained both more traditional folk music such as the lovely "Gone Beyond" and a pair of throbbing electric guitar monsters in “The Rider (Dolphin Song)” and the epic “Blessing Force,” which ends with an exploration into free jazz.
Sometime between the completion of [2007 release] Love Is Simple and Akron/Family’s 2007 U.S. tour, Vanderhoof left Akron/Family to live in a Buddhist Dharma center in the Midwest.
The band has also released several tour EPs featuring demos and other recordings. In May of 2009, the trio released Set 'em Wild, Set 'em Free. This album serves as a blend of the previous albums with more acoustic-folk songs like "Set 'em Free," to fusion freak-outs like "Gravelly Mountains of the Moon."
In January of 2011 they released their album, "S/T II: The Cosmic Birth And Journey Of Shinju TNT ."
Akron/Family's sixth studio album, Sub Verses, was released on April 30, 2013 on Dead Oceans. The band toured for the album from January 29 to December 8, 2013. After the tour the band decided to focus on personal projects, leaving the door open for a possible reunion in the future.
Italy
Akron/Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And time comes undone
Standing still's the sun
I'm leaving this evening
But first night must come
Standing still's the sun
I am waiting for my time to come
I'm walking in circles that gradually grow
Still sunlight glows
On bridges
Past churches
Through fields I have roamed
Stillness 'round me glows
I am waiting under the sun
I am waiting for my time to come
Come away now
It's time to begin
Come away now
I'm coming, my friend
Come away now
We've all seen the end
Come away now
Oh, I'm coming, my friend
When is time going to change?
I'm ready
The lyrics to Akron/Family's "Italy" depict a sense of restlessness and anticipation, as the singer awaits their departure from a place they seem to have grown tired of. The opening lines, "The day breaks, it's broken, and time comes undone," sets the tone for the song, suggesting a feeling of disorientation and disorder. Waiting for the night to arrive before being able to leave, the singer is trapped in a state of limbo, as time stands still in the heat of the sun. The repeated line, "Standing still's the sun," emphasizes this sense of stagnation and frustration, as the singer longs for the day to pass so they can finally leave.
As the song progresses, we see the singer wandering aimlessly through various landscapes, including bridges, churches, and fields. The repetition of "I am waiting under the sun, I am waiting for my time to come," suggests that they are still waiting for something, perhaps for a sign that it's time to move on. Eventually, the song ends with a sense of resolve, as the singer declares that they are ready for a change and "the end," and prepares to depart with a friend.
Overall, "Italy" seems to capture the feelings of uncertainty and restlessness that often come with change and transition, as well as the sense of anticipation and excitement that can come with new beginnings.
Line by Line Meaning
The day breaks, it's broken
Morning begins, but it feels shattered and incomplete.
And time comes undone
The passage of time feels disrupted and unclear.
Standing still's the sun
The sun remains fixed in the sky, adding to the feeling of stagnation and stillness.
I'm leaving this evening
The artist plans to depart in the near future.
But first night must come
Before the artist can leave, they must endure more waiting and lingering darkness.
I am waiting under the sun
The singer feels stuck, constantly waiting for change that has yet to come.
I am waiting for my time to come
The singer is searching for their own purpose or destiny, waiting for their chance to shine.
I'm walking in circles that gradually grow
The artist is stuck in a cyclical routine that slowly becomes more overwhelming and suffocating.
Still sunlight glows
Despite everything else feeling stagnant, the sun remains constant and reliable.
On bridges, past churches, through fields I have roamed
The artist has explored the surrounding area, but feels like they are still missing something important.
Stillness 'round me glows
The stillness and emptiness surrounding the singer feels all-encompassing and ever-present.
Come away now, it's time to begin
A new opportunity or journey is about to begin, and the artist is urging themselves and others to leave the past behind and move forward.
Come away now, I'm coming, my friend
The singer is optimistic about the change to come and is eager to share it with others.
We've all seen the end
The singer and those around them have experienced or witnessed hardships and struggles, but acknowledge that there is still hope for a better future.
When is time going to change? I'm ready
The singer is tired of feeling stuck and waiting for something to happen, and is finally ready for change to come.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
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