More than clever verses and catchy choruses, truly timeless albums offer listeners the keys to another world; they catapult you into another frame of mind and jostle your soul a little bit along the way. Broken Side of Time, Alberta Cross’ ATO Records debut, is one of those albums.
A cathartic, kaleidoscope of influences, from Depeche Mode to The Band, it’s also the sound of Alberta Cross’ two principals—frontman/guitarist-vocalist Petter Ericson Stakee and bassist Terry Wolfers—going for broke and stumbling across the sound of their dreams in the process.
Broken Side of Time took root in an April 2008 jam session, Stakee and Wolfers’ first with three players they would quickly enlist—guitarist Sam Kearney, drummer Austin Beede and keyboardist Alec Higgins. With the aid of a little drink and a little smoke, the five jammed on a group of Stakee’s then-new songs, giving birth to Alberta Cross’ second incarnation almost immediately: “I remember thinking that night, ‘This is gonna be insane,’” remembers Stakee.
It was a time of upheaval for Stakee and Wolfers, ex-pat Brits living in Brooklyn. They had moved to a new, tough city, lost the major-label record deal they had moved there with, and were in the midst of reinventing both their band and their sound, while sleeping on friends’ couches. Their well-received debut EP, 2007’s The Thief & the Heartbreaker, was a modest, folk-minded, acoustic-based disc that garnered glowing reviews. But, for Stakee and Wolfers, it was a baby step.
Broken Side of Time, meanwhile, is a giant stride ahead, one that marks the band’s official introduction to America. Grand in volume and vast in vision, it’s an inspired set of electric songs that finds the intersection of The Verve, My Morning Jacket and Neil Young (with or without Crazy Horse). Recorded in Austin, produced by the band with Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Dead Confederate, Heartless Bastards) and mixed by John O’Mahoney (Depeche Mode, Coldplay, Kasabian) at Electric Lady Studios, the album melds propulsive, throbbing bass lines and crashing waves of guitar to a haunting, impassioned voice that can sound ancient and Appalachian.
Something of an about-face from The Thief & the Heartbreaker, the album, says Stakee, bears the influence of years of frustration logged in the shadow of Manhattan: “It’s kind of a desperation album, a darker album; it’s definitely angrier. We’ve been in a crazy place during the whole album, and you can hear that.” Appropriately, Stakee was listening to Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, and the grimmer, gospel songs of Depeche Mode while writing the songs of Broken Side of Time. On songs like “Rise From the Shadows” and “Ghost of City Life” he speaks directly of their situation and surroundings.
Despite any struggles, Wolfers and Stakee in many ways have had a charmed career thus far. Born in Sweden—where he spent a childhood on tour and in studios with his musician father before moving to London in his late teens—Stakee and Wolfers—a Brit charmed by everyone from Prince and My Bloody Valentine to Metallica and Ride as a teen—were playing in a guitar-rock band in London’s east end some four years ago, when Stakee brought some new songs and ideas to the band. When all were roundly rejected, Wolfers invited his bandmate to record those humble, acoustic songs on the makeshift equipment in his apartment.
“Right then and there I instantly realized that he was an extremely talented fellow,” Wolfers says. “That’s when I realized I had found someone who I could create some really great music with—after just jamming on a few things.” Those demos would become The Thief & The Heartbreaker—featuring Petter’s brother, John Alexander Ericson, on keyboards—released via Fiction in the U.K. and re-released by popular demand on the bands new U.K. label, Ark Recordings.
Bored with the scene in London and in need of a burst of energy, Stakee and Wolfers moved to New York, where they immediately created a buzz, playing spellbinding acoustic shows at venues like The Living Room, en route to capturing a new deal with ATO Records. Seeking to create more of a band vibe—“and we wanted it to be a family,” says Wolfers—they added Beede, Higgins and Kearney and a louder, grittier sound was born. “We had a show at The Mercury Lounge [in New York] like two days after that first jam,” says Wolfers, “and, without really any real time to rehearse, I remember being onstage that night thinking, ‘This is the best I’ve heard the material.’”
Alberta Cross has toured extensively through the U.K., sharing the stage with Oasis, The Shins, Bat for Lashes and Simian Mobile Disco, among others. “If we weren’t playing for people every night, we would be going mad.” Stakee says. Adds Wolfers, “We do it, because we have to.”
“I remember going to see The Verve on the Storm in Heaven tour, and I stood right in front of [guitarist] Nick McCabe the whole night,” the bassist continues. “I remember walking out of that show feeling like I had just seen a group of people pour their heart and soul out, and I felt it. It changed my life. And that’s what we want to do: We want to give people something honest, and move them, make them feel.”
Echoes Stakee, “We’re trying to give people truly soulful music, which is hopefully inspirational. I want to ease their minds and give them a little break from reality.”
LAY DOWN
Alberta Cross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, it feels like you want it
A taste of living
Oh, just a drop in the water
And I'm trying to will myself against a better path
And I'm finding the way you groove is just another way of trying
Lay down, lay down on me now
Stay down, stay down with me now
Lay down, lay down on me
Tired of living
Oh, it feels like a warning
Instead of giving
Oh, it seems like you want it
And I'm fighting to live my life in a better way
And I'm finding the way you move is just another way of dying
Lay down, lay down on me now
Stay down, stay down with me now
And I'm trying to live my life in a better way
Lay down, lay down on me
Since you're living
Oh, sure you want it?
It's why you're missing
Oh, why you want it?
You're coming with me
Oh, you should be there
We're a part of
Oh, something greater
You're coming with me
You're coming with me
You're coming with me
You're coming with me
Lay down, lay down on me now
Stay down, stay down with me now
Lay down, lay
Oh, lay down, lay
Oh, lay down, lay
Oh, lay down, lay
The first verse of "Lay Down" by Alberta Cross describes a sense of resignation or surrender to some outside force or influence. The singer describes a "beating" which they seem to crave, or at least feel powerless to resist. The world around them is compared to a vast sea, and the singer is trying to resist being pulled under by it. The chorus provides a contrast, as the singer desires a deep connection with someone else, as if seeking solace from the harsh world they inhabit. The second verse shifts the tone somewhat, with the singer expressing tiredness and a feeling of being warned about something. They contrast this with the idea of "giving," which seems to be a positive force in their world, but which is simultaneously elusive. The chorus repeats, further emphasizing the desire for connection and intimacy. The final verse shifts again, this time toward a sense of shared purpose or belonging. The "you" addressed seems to have been hesitant or resistant, but the singer insists that they are "coming with" and that there is something "greater" to be a part of.
Taken as a whole, "Lay Down" seems to be grappling with some of the difficulties of modern life. The image of being "beaten" and feeling powerless is a common one in pop culture, and Alberta Cross seems to be critiquing this dynamic. At the same time, the song suggests that intimacy and connection can be a source of strength and resistance against the pressures of the world. The chorus, with its repeated call to "lay down" and "stay down," suggests a desire for vulnerability and openness that may be hard to achieve in a culture that so prizes individualism and self-sufficiency.
Line by Line Meaning
It's just a beating
Life can feel like a constant struggle
Oh, it feels like you want it
It's easy to feel like the world is working against you
A taste of living
We all crave experiences and adventures
Oh, just a drop in the water
But sometimes it can feel like our lives are insignificant in the grand scheme of things
And I'm trying to will myself against a better path
We can struggle to break free from negative patterns and make positive changes
And I'm finding the way you groove is just another way of trying
Sometimes we can fall into unhealthy habits as a way to cope with life's difficulties
Lay down, lay down on me now
The singer is seeking comfort and support from someone
Stay down, stay down with me now
They want this person to be with them through whatever struggles they are facing
And I'm trying to live my life in a better way
The artist is actively working towards improving their own life
Tired of living
Life can be exhausting and overwhelming
Oh, it feels like a warning
The world can seem like a dangerous and unpredictable place
Instead of giving
People can often be selfish and focused only on themselves
Oh, it seems like you want it
It's easy to get caught up in our own desires and forget about others
And I'm fighting to live my life in a better way
The singer is committed to making positive changes in their life
And I'm finding the way you move is just another way of dying
Unhealthy habits and lifestyles can eventually lead to negative consequences
Since you're living
Because you're alive
Oh, sure you want it?
Are you sure you want what you're chasing after?
It's why you're missing
Focusing too much on one thing can cause you to overlook other important aspects of life
You're coming with me
The singer is inviting someone along on their journey through life
Oh, you should be there
The artist believes that this person would benefit from being on this journey with them
We're a part of
We are all connected to something bigger than ourselves
Oh, something greater
There is a greater purpose or meaning to life
Lay down, lay down on me now
The singer is once again seeking comfort and support from someone
Stay down, stay down with me now
They still want this person to stick by their side through thick and thin
Lay down, lay
The singer is repeating the earlier line, emphasizing their need for comfort and support
Oh, lay down, lay
They are hoping this person will understand and respond to their emotional needs
Oh, lay down, lay
They are repeating once again, their desire for comfort and support from this person
Oh, lay down, lay
The final repetition of the line further drives home the artist's need for support and comfort
Contributed by Samantha L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Genesis Carvajal
It's just a beating
Oh, it feels like you want it
A taste of living
Oh, just a drop in the water
And I'm trying to will myself against a better path
And I'm finding the way you groove is just another way of trying
Lay down, lay down on me now
Stay down, stay down with me now
And I'm trying to live my life in a better way
Lay down, lay down on me
Tired of living
Oh, it feels like a warning
Instead of giving
Oh, it seems like you want it
And I'm fighting to live my life in a better way
And I'm finding the way you move is just another way of dying
Lay down, lay down on me now
Stay down, stay down with me now
And I'm trying to live my life in a better way
Lay down, lay down on me
Since you're living
Oh, sure you want it?
It's why you're missing
Oh, why you want it?
You're coming with me
Oh, you should be there
We're a part of
Oh, something greater
You're coming with me
You're coming with me
You're coming with me
You're coming with me
Lay down, lay down on me now
Stay down, stay down with me now
Lay down, lay
Oh, lay down, lay
Oh, lay down, lay
Oh, lay down, lay
NewtonsWrong3510
can't get enough of this song,another masterpiece
whoareyouvegas
There are no words to describe how much I love this band. Seriously now I really really adore them.
MyousicK T.T
this is timeless sound, his voice, like it was always there, the refrains like loving gospels, found them on newalbumreleases, klicked them and cried from the first song on "Magnolia", cried cause of colourful sadness and gray happiness
TragedyBound27
The best band nobodies heard of!!!!! I have a feeling that will change after this album drops, I'm in love already and it ain't even in stores yet. Just can't get enough great work guys!!!!!!
Malcom490
Awesome song!!
empizzle8
Love it
MyousicK T.T
Amazing, turns to be my summer band maybe longer.
dstu11
Saw them at Casbah last night in SD. Awesome show. Too bad most of the audience left after Everest. Wierd. I loved both. I've seen Alberta Cross 2 times before when I lived back East in DC. Once 4 years ago and once 2 and a half years ago. I was pumped to see them out here!
umbraterra
can't get enough of this song
Hannah Devine
Just heard this , i think it's great !