His three solo albums- 1999's 'Black The Sun', 2001's 'Watching Angels Mend', and 2003's 'Distant Light'- have collectively sold more than half a million copies. As well, following the release of each album he has been awarded an ARIA for Best Male Artist (2000, 2001, 2003). 2000 also saw him win an ARIA for Best New Talent. But Lloyd managed to be more than accomplished album artist with a penchant for experimentation and an intuitive gift for melody. His iconic 2001 single "Amazing" was not only voted Song of the Year in the prestigious, listener-voted Triple J Hottest 100 poll in 2001- it also secured an APRA Award (the songwriters awards) in 2002 for Song of the Year'. The track ended up being the played song on Australian radio that same year.
Given such heady success, it's no surprise Lloyd spent most of 2004 out of the spotlight, savouring the time he could now spend with his new-born son, Jake, as well as his wife of three years, Amelia. But as Lloyd conceded, domestic bliss also had its ancillary benefits- especially for a songwriter with a studio out the back who's set to commence recording for his fourth album in a few days time in Seattle's London Bridge Studios.
"I've had plenty of time to write this record which has been a really good luxury compared with my previous albums", he says. "This time I've been writing in my own space instead of writing in hotel rooms. So although I haven't even started recording, already the songs feel more finished".
In many ways, the new album - which at this stage should be released in the fourth quarter of 2005 - marks a new beginning for Lloyd. He has a new record label (SONY BMG), new management and a new family, and says the songs he's penned reflect the changes that have occurred in his life over the past few years. "There's a lot of emotion involved. In a way, I see this album as being about having a new family and losing an old one".
The new album will be produced by Rick Parashar whose production credits include Pearl Jam's Ten, Alice In Chain's Dirt and Blind Melon's debut. On first glance it seems an unlikely pairing but if you strip back those albums you'll find songs full of raw emotion and inventive arrangements. And that sounds like Alex Lloyd.
Parashar was actually classically trained in India, and for Lloyd, the perspective that brings is important. "This is a new beginning for me. I'm after something different and Rick offers me that. I want to work with people who are fresh and have a fresh approach to the whole Alex Lloyd thing. For the first time in my life, I don't have any expectations except to make a great record. I'm not trying to predetermine the style. I'm taking 16 songs with me, I'm in Seattle for two months and hopefully I'll write a lot more".
"So I guess it is pretty important to me but other records I've made I haven't been unhappy with..it's just been a different approach..and I just feel I've come full circle back to the beginning again."
2) Alex Lloyd, an electronica musician from Oxford, England, who is signed to the independent record label Ninja Tune under his alias, PRDCTV.
www.myspace.com/prdctv
FAR AWAY
Alex Lloyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It still feels cold tonight
Your heart's devotion running through your head,
Running through you head tonight
The waves around you, they keep crashing in
It's getting deep now but you still can't swim
It just feels far away, so far away,
This world tonight
It just feels far away, so far away,
Your world tonight
You're feeling lowly 'cause you miss your friends,
You miss your friends tonight
The waves around you, they keep crashing in
It's getting deep now, but you still can't swim
It just feels far away, so far away,
This world tonight
It just feels far away, so far away,
Your world tonight
The opening lines of Alex Lloyd's song Far Away set the tone for the rest of the piece. The lyrics describe a sense of isolation and disconnection, despite being physically present in a particular place. The character in the song is wearing a shirt, suggesting that they are prepared for the evening, but there is something about the atmosphere that is making them feel cold. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for feeling emotionally disconnected from the people and surroundings that should offer comfort.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the feeling of distance and detachment. The phrase "far away" is repeated several times, creating a sense of loneliness and longing. The use of the word "world" suggests that the character is experiencing a sense of alienation from their environment, as well as from the people around them. The lyrics about the waves crashing in and the character's inability to swim imply a sense of being overwhelmed and out of one's depth.
The verses continue to build on this theme of disconnection, with the character missing their friends and feeling low as a result. The repeated references to the waves crashing also suggest a sense of turmoil and unpredictability. Overall, the lyrics to Far Away depict a character struggling to connect with the world around them, despite being physically present.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got your shirt on, but it stills feels cold,
Even though you have put on a shirt, the biting cold still pierces through the fabric and chills you to the bone.
Your heart's devotion running through your head,
You can't stop thinking about your intense feelings and the depth of your devotion that you have for something or someone.
The waves around you, they keep crashing in
As the waves keep hitting you relentlessly, you feel like you are being bombarded with challenges and obstacles that just keep coming.
It's getting deep now but you still can't swim
Despite being overwhelmed and feeling like you are drowning in your difficulties, you still can't find a way to navigate through them and keep yourself afloat.
It just feels far away, so far away,
You have an unshakeable sense of distance and disconnect from the world around you.
This world tonight
In this moment, the world seems vast and impersonal, leaving you feeling isolated and alone.
Your world tonight
Your personal life, your relationships, and your immediate surroundings all seem to be distant, leaving you feeling like an outsider in your own life.
You're feeling lowly 'cause you miss your friends,
You feel down and dejected because you are longing for the company and support of your friends who are not with you now.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEX WASILIEV
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind