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.”
Low Man
Alberta Cross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ocean I've been praying, I've been praying all the way
Woman, I've seen I've seen visions passing away
Ocean I've been trying, I've been trying all the way
Oh, the feeling ain't that strong
And all this fear from carriers along
Oh, low man
How can I be wrong, if the decision's already made
Woman I feel I feel a million miles away
Woman I've been trying, I've been trying all day
How can I be wrong, Oh I feel a million miles away
Oh how feeling ain't that strong
And all this fear from carriers along
Oh, low man
Oh, low man
When this feeling ain't that strong
All this fear from carriers along
Oh, low man
The lyrics to Alberta Cross's song "Low Man" convey a sense of emotional distance and disconnection between the singer and the things he longs for - a woman and the ocean. Despite his efforts to bridge the gap through prayer and trying, he feels a million miles away and unable to make a meaningful connection. He questions whether he can be wrong in his feelings when the decision seems to have already been made. The repeated refrain of "Oh, low man" seems to reflect a sense of inadequacy or resignation in the face of these emotional barriers.
The metaphor of the ocean suggests a sense of vastness and depth that is difficult to penetrate, while the woman represents a more personal, intimate connection that remains out of reach. The singer's emotions seem to be affected by external forces, as he references "fear from carriers along," suggesting that his sense of detachment may be linked to broader societal or cultural anxieties.
Overall, the lyrics to "Low Man" capture a feeling of longing and isolation that many people can relate to. The singer's struggle to overcome emotional barriers and connect with the world around him is a universal theme, making the song a poignant reflection on the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman, I feel I feel a million miles away
The singer feels distant and disconnected from someone he cares about, like they are physically far apart.
Ocean I've been praying, I've been praying all the way
The singer has been pleading for a resolution or answer to a problem he's facing, and has been doing so for a long time.
Woman, I've seen I've seen visions passing away
The person the singer cares about seems to be slipping away, and he's having trouble holding onto the image he has of their relationship.
Ocean I've been trying, I've been trying all the way
The singer has been working hard to hold onto a positive outcome, despite it seeming to slip away.
Oh, the feeling ain't that strong
The emotions the singer is experiencing are not particularly intense, but are still affecting him.
And all this fear from carriers along
The singer is being held back by his fear of an unknown outcome or consequence.
Oh, low man
The singer is feeling beaten down and defeated, and has become a 'low man' as a result.
How can I be wrong, if the decision's already made
The singer is wondering why he should bother with worrying about the outcome, if the decision has already been made and can't be changed.
Woman I feel I feel a million miles away
The singer again expresses his feeling of distance from the person he cares about.
Woman I've been trying, I've been trying all day
The singer has been working hard to fix whatever problems have arisen in the relationship, but to no avail.
How can I be wrong, Oh I feel a million miles away
The singer is still wondering how he could be at fault for the distance he's feeling between himself and the person he cares about.
When this feeling ain't that strong
The emotions the singer is feeling aren't overpowering, but they still affect him nonetheless.
All this fear from carriers along
The singer's fear is continuing to hinder him and weigh him down.
Oh, low man
The singer is once again feeling defeated and powerless.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETTER ERICSON STAKEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iwillbynomeansgiveyoumynam3409
What do I feel
I feel a million miles away
An ocean I've been praying
I have been praying all the way
What have I seen
I have seen fishes passing away
An ocean I've been trying
I have been trying all the way
Oh the feeling ain't that strong
And all this fear from carrying us along
Oh low man
How can I be wrong
If the descision is already made
What do I feel
I feel a million miles away
What have I been trying
I have been trying all day
How can I be wrong
I feel a million miles away
Oh the feeling ain't that strong
And all this fear from carrying us along
Oh low man
@yellowshirting
Longmire!
@ritvickchakranarayan9613
Hank moody Californication anyone?
@TheDukeOfNewYork1
Saw them live in Ireland. Absolutely beautiful voice and band. They even stayed & thanked the people who showed up and sung along 🎶 🔥
@kurtrussell4527
I remember a long time ago they had a residency at this club in Los Angeles. They played 5 nights and n a row, think I went to 4 out of 5 nights and loved every second
@sebastianwacquiez234
Karen kissed Lew
@mathipati
Sebastien Boucher hahah true
@Paragenic
@Colm m jesse's girl?
@ritvickchakranarayan9613
Damn took me back bro 😭
@aresmorgan9566
This song hold broken threads of my soul together. 🌻☘️
@jackdolah2031
CALIFORNICATION ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️