The momentum behind those beginnings might have come from the so-called straightjackets that the two Danes cloak themselves in to compose. Rules. For the first album, there was a dire regimen of late-night recordings in the bedroom of a tiny Copenhagen flat lit only by candlelight. Other essentials included improvised percussion instruments and a drinking requirement.
From the smallness of that space the substance of Alcoholic Faith Mission took shape in their first album, Misery Loves Company. Variously encompassed as a self-indulgent, melancholy, acoustic outreach, Misery made a modest splash that fueled a tour of Denmark, and occasioned the band's evolution from a varied collective with a core of two, into the five constituents including Kristine Permild, Gustav Rasmussen and Laurids Smedegaard that make AFM today. It also brought forth PonyRec, the band's European label and management firm.
The second album was the result of a half year immersion in an old factory loft nestled in the heart of Hasidic Brooklyn. For this outing, the dogma confined them to using only the things they found within the four walls of the flat to compose and frame every track. Named for the address, 421 Wythe Avenue was heard by many and written about by a good number of bloggers and journalists. The reviews have ranged from mild intrigue to utter adoration.
Three tours of Europe followed, as did label deals in Japan and the U.S. The proverbial icing on the cake came from Canadian indie film, Point Traverse that put four songs from 421 on its soundtrack. As you read this, the album winds its way around the Americas, Japan, and the U.K. Perhaps it leaves an impression there that has begun to define the band and its sound in a new way. Perhaps, as many of the reviewers reckon, it's even a new sound.
Alcoholic Faith Mission’s third release, cumbersomely titled Let This Be the Last Night We Care, was available for general consumption in March of 2010 and has been recieved with even more adoration from the critics than its predecessors.
Having toured Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, France, Luxemburg, Italy, Wales, England and the US, with a total of more than 75 shows it's safe to say that Alcoholic Faith Mission is slowly undoing the tethering shackles of "up and coming" to being an important voice in mainstream indie rock.
Updated September 2010
Alaska
Alcoholic Faith Mission Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To Barrow
To Barrow
To Barrow
There are no witnesses here
He can come closer
No one really knows me here
Night will come
And I come with it
Asking me to run away with him
To Barrow
To Barrow
It's the thought of letting go
And the hell it will provide
That enables me to stay right here
Choking on these lies
Choking on these lies
To Barrow
To Barrow
To Barrow
To Barrow
There are no witnesses here
Let us go deeper
No one really knows us here
Allowing us INSIDE
Night will come
And we come with it
Asking anyone to run away with us
To Barrow
To Barrow
To Barrow
To Barrow
Night will come
And we come with it
The lyrics to Alcoholic Faith Mission's song Alaska convey a sense of anonymity and detachment from reality. The singer is in a place where no one knows them, and they feel comfortable allowing someone to come close to them. The repeated refrain of "To Barrow" suggests that the song is set in the remote Alaskan town of that same name, where the night is long and the winter is harsh. The singer is torn between wanting to escape and knowing that doing so won't solve their problems. It's the thought of letting go that scares them, and they feel stuck in a cycle of lies.
The song is perhaps about the fear of intimacy or vulnerability, and how it can be easier to connect with others in a place where no one knows your past or your secrets. The repetition of "To Barrow" also suggests a desire to escape or start anew, but ultimately the singer knows that running away won't solve anything. The song captures a feeling of unrest and ambiguity, with the singer unsure of whether to embrace the possibility of something new or stay put in a familiar yet unsatisfying situation.
Line by Line Meaning
To Barrow
Repetition of the phrase sets up the theme of the whole song being about going to Barrow
There are no witnesses here
The place where they are going is a remote place with no one to witness their actions
He can come closer
The singer is opening herself up to someone else who is close to her
No one really knows me here
Since no one knows the singer here, she feels free to act how she wants without any consequences
Allowing him inside of me
The singer is letting herself become vulnerable to another person
Night will come
Nighttime is a symbol of the unknown and the unexpected
And I come with it
The singer is embracing the darkness and whatever comes with it
Asking me to run away with him
The night is tempting the singer to leave with someone else
It's the thought of letting go
The idea of leaving everything behind is what is enticing the singer
And the hell it will provide
The singer knows that there will be negative consequences to leaving, but they are still drawn to it
That enables me to stay right here
Despite the temptation, the singer decides it's better to stay where she is, knowing the unknown could be worse
Choking on these lies
The singer is struggling with the choices she has made, knowing they may not be right
Let us go deeper
The singer is willing to explore her options further, even if it's dangerous
No one really knows us here
Since no one knows the singers here, they feel free to act how they want without any consequences
Allowing us INSIDE
Both singers are opening themselves up to each other
Asking anyone to run away with us
Both singers are open to leaving with anyone who will join them, even if they don't know them
Contributed by Reagan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
RazeAndJadith
You guys have such a terrific sound. Every song is intriguing and beautifully melodic. A treat everytime!
krazycore
This is one of the best songs!
Chip
Alcoholic Faith Mission really has a sound of today's popular indie bands but one thing surprises me is that how come they never got so liked
teuzR89
Endelig! Åh ja... Så længe man har savnet et billede på den fantastiske lyd! Bliv ved til evig tid..
Matt Schmidt
Awesome Video!!!!!
Kenzie -.-
Cool