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.”
Money For The Weekend
Alberta Cross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I make jeans for the last supper change now
You'll get your shot to sell what your givin
I'm going to fall in the pit that you made now
You get down when the war comes to livin
I get down when my heart starts forgivin
Yeah there's no money for the weekend
There's no money for the weekend
And there's no heaven for the saints
I get my job to give up forgiven
The kid gives fighting takes some of his sin
It gets some Johnny out of the giving now
We both know that we're here for the sparrow
Money for the high
Pay me on the floor
Hard to stay with it
Don't you know you want more
There's no money for the weekend
I've gotta pocket full of shame
There's no money for the weekend
And there's no heaven for the saints
No there's no honey for the weekend
I've got my levy for my change
There's no money for the weekend
I've got a pocket full of shame
Yeah
I'm waiting for my sanity
You've gotta leave before the time flies
There's no limit to the vanity
I watch it all with some cold eyes
There's no money for the weekend
I've got a pocket full of shame
There's no money for the weekend
And there's no heaven for the saints
No there's no honey for the weekend
I've got my levy for my change
And there's no money for the weekend
I've got a pocket full of shame
The lyrics of Alberta Cross's song "Money For The Weekend" speak to the realities of living a life that is dependent on money to survive. The opening line, "I get mine trading hearts for a living," suggests that the singer is willing to sacrifice his emotions and personal relationships in exchange for financial gain. He also talks about making jeans for "the last supper change," which could be a reference to the idea that people are so preoccupied with money that they are even willing to market products that have religious connotations. The line "I'm going to fall in the pit that you made now" suggests that the singer is aware of the corrupt nature of the world but is still willing to play the game of chasing money.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the line "There's no money for the weekend, and there's no heaven for the saints." This line suggests that even though people may work hard all week for a paycheck, they still cannot afford to live comfortably, and they cannot rely on any higher power to help them. The lyrics also speak to the idea that our society is so focused on money that we no longer prioritize our values, relationships, or spirituality. Overall, "Money For The Weekend" is a commentary on the destructive nature of greed and how it impacts every aspect of our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I get mine trading hearts for a living
I make a living by playing with people's emotions and breaking hearts
I make jeans for the last supper change now
I work hard to barely make enough money to get by
You'll get your shot to sell what your givin
You'll have an opportunity to profit from what you have to offer
I'm going to fall in the pit that you made now
I will accept the consequences of my actions and face the punishment
You get down when the war comes to livin
You become upset when life becomes a struggle
I get down when my heart starts forgivin
I feel saddened when I begin to forgive those who have wronged me
There's no money for the weekend
I don't have enough money to enjoy my free time
I gotta pocket full of shame
I carry around the burden of my past mistakes and the guilt associated with them
And there's no heaven for the saints
Even those who live virtuous lives may not be rewarded in the afterlife
I get my job to give up forgiven
I work in order to absolve myself of past sins
The kid gives fighting takes some of his sin
By fighting and struggling, one can work off some of their past transgressions
We both know that we're here for the sparrow
We understand that life is fleeting and that we are all here for a short time
Money for the high
Wealth can bring temporary pleasure and satisfaction
Pay me on the floor
Compensation for hard work is often not enough to get by on
Hard to stay with it
It's difficult to find the motivation to continue working when the reward is so small
Don't you know you want more
We all have a desire for more than what we currently have
I'm waiting for my sanity
I'm hoping to find or regain my mental stability
You've gotta leave before the time flies
You have to take action or make a change before it's too late
There's no limit to the vanity
People can be incredibly self-centered and egotistical
I watch it all with some cold eyes
I observe the selfishness and vanity of others with detachment and apathy
No there's no honey for the weekend
I don't have any enjoyable or pleasurable activities to look forward to during my free time
I've got my levy for my change
I have a small amount of money saved up for necessary expenses
And there's no money for the weekend
I still don't have enough money to enjoy my free time
I've got a pocket full of shame
I continue to carry around feelings of guilt and regret
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETTER ERICSON STAKEE, MIKE DALEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ThatGuyKhalil
Creating a team in madden 12 with this song playing. Man the memories
Johnny W
Now this is the version I remember! Sounds WAYYY better than the others!
Old Dusty
Damn right I was looking all over for this shit
Shaun Jones Jr
Johnny W exactly!
High School Succ
Man this makes me reminisce about Madden 12 so much =)
Vic
High School Succ same, i used to day dream about the titans being good, and would only see it happen on madden 12 ): now that dream is somewhat true lol
William Smith
I had almost given up hope but I finally found the right song 🥺😭
j_badach_xvi
Whyd they have to change it this sounds great. I hate the other version
Old Dusty
@J Giv exactly like bruh😂
J Giv
It confused me when I heard the other version