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.
Phenomena
Akron/Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things are not what they seem to be. Nor are they otherwise.
Some think rice is white.
Others think it is brown.
Some might think this isn't the right sound.
Phenomena, phenomena, phenomena.
Things are not what they seem to be. Nor are they otherwise.
Some think Christ is white.
Others think he is brown.
Some might think this isn't the right sound.
The song "Phenomena" by Akron/Family is a surrealistic commentary on the subjective nature of reality. The title itself refers to the Greek word for "appearance" or "manifestation," suggesting that the song is an exploration of how things appear versus how they actually are. The repeated refrain of "phenomena, phenomena, phenomena" emphasizes this theme and creates a sense of disorientation and unease.
The song's opening lines, "things are not what they seem to be, nor are they otherwise," set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The reference to rice being either white or brown highlights the way in which our perceptions are influenced by cultural and personal biases. Similarly, the mention of Christ's skin color touches on issues of race and representation in religious iconography.
The final lines of the song, "some might think this isn't the right sound," add another layer of complexity to the meaning of the song. It suggests that even the most basic perceptions, such as what sounds right or wrong, are subjective and open to interpretation.
Overall, "Phenomena" is a complex and thought-provoking meditation on the nature of reality and the limitations of our perceptions.
Line by Line Meaning
Phenomena, phenomena, phenomena.
The world is full of strange and unexpected occurrences.
Things are not what they seem to be. Nor are they otherwise.
Reality is a complex and mysterious concept that cannot be fully grasped.
Some think rice is white.
People have different perceptions and beliefs about even the simplest things in life.
Others think it is brown.
There is often no single right or wrong answer when it comes to interpreting the world around us.
Some might think this isn't the right sound.
Even when something seems out of place or unexpected, it may still have its own unique beauty or value.
Some think Christ is white.
Beliefs and perceptions about important figures or historical events can vary widely among individuals or cultures.
Others think he is brown.
There is often no universal or objective truth, only personal perspectives and interpretations.
Phenomena, phenomena, phenomena.
The world is full of mysteries and wonders that continue to inspire and challenge us.
Contributed by Skyler O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Patrick Lezama
love this song.
Nantene Traore
i love the "tuutututututututut" during the chorus
Saturn
marvelous
Nantene Traore
listen carefuly