1. Algi… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three artists which use the Algiers name:
1. Algiers is a band of musicians born in Atlanta, Georgia, the rotten hub of the Ol’ American South, where W.E.B. Dubois once saw a riot goin’ on, and where the hell and highwater swirls ‘round to the knees.
Holed up in our perches in London, New York, and a small town in France, plague up to our necks, we conjure the dead sound to life.
The click clack of the keyboard brings us to worship. The shrieks of slaves and rebels pummeling through.
Our tongues, twisted in the service of Paul Robeson, Lee Moses, Selda Bağcan, et al, slur a call in the darkness.
Algiers is the experimental gospel noise soul pulp response, slurping Francophilia - Gainsbourg and Dutronc, Saint Just and Fanon, Badiou and Baudrillard - Black Power - Nina Simone, Public Enemy, James Baldwin, Fred Hampton, DJ Premier, and Fela Kuti - and Southern Gothic - William Faulkner, Nick Cave, and Flannery O’Connor - into a stew thicker than bourguignon in the Algerian sun.
Algiers is:
Franklin James Fisher - vocals, backing vocals, guitar, bass, cello, double bass, piano, keys, sampling, wurlitzer, tambourine, percussion, drum programming
Ryan Mahan - bass, synths, baritone guitar, guitar, backing vocals, drum programming, samples
Lee Tesche - guitar, prepared guitar, prepared piano, sax, harmonium, synth, music box, tape loops, electric cymbal, backing vocals
Matt Tong - drums, guitar, glockenspiel, drones, chimes, backing vocals
http://algierstheband.com/
https://twitter.com/algiersmusic
https://www.facebook.com/Algierstheband
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2. Algiers - Not so much a country but a place. Algiers are two, spawned from two groups of more, born in Sheffield with roots which extend to Manchester and Middlesbrough.
Both on hiatus from their older musical ventures, John and William enrolled to study at university in Sheffield. A chance meeting in May 2011 led to one rehearsal which turned into 4 months of collaboration.
It would be churlish to say they’ve cherry picked the best parts of post punk pop from the last ten years. What they’ve amalgamated from their influences is something both heady and visceral. A sound that feels weightless and timeless. Reference points are far and wide with some already likening the wandering guitars and heart on sleeve vocals to everyone from Phoenix to Death Cab.
But there’s much more to these two. The ‘Four Priests’ EP is the culmination of a few months in a rehearsal room which now serves notice for something much more ; Bright futures and even brighter melodies.
www.facebook.com/wearealgiers
www.soundcloud.com/wearealgiers
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3. Algiers - is an avant-drone, experimental noise, tape manipulation, occultronics, tape music project started by Levi Berner of Portland, Oregon - USofA, who began recording as Algiers in 2007 with the release of his "Bleak Village" cassette album and Ground Tissues split release.
Berner also works under his own name as well as in or as the projects Witches, Visible/Invisible Wall and the Ratface "Salton Sea" releases in collaboration with the good folks at Basement Tapes.
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Algiers
And When You Fall
Algiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You changed the frame
Washed it in white
You stripped the message
You changed the frame
Washed it in white
And stole our name
Tried to slip away
Did you pull it off?
You can't be sure
Cause confusion
Hide behind
Misdirection
Lies implied
Hollow out the cultural tie
Replace it with your signifiers
So keep on down your ragged mile
Cause we won't be too far behind
And when you fall
You're gonna really want to know who
Who it really was
Who took you down
And when you fall
We'll be there waiting for you
No there's no exit
You can't turn around
When you got it
You forgot it was never yours
You won't know how
But when it falls down
You'll know exactly who we are
While you're spending yourself
We're saving
While you're playing yourself
We're planning
While you're folding your hand
We're holding
Where you're ending yourself
We begin
While you're sleeping on us
We're stalking
When you jump at the gun
We stand. Still
(We're still standing)
And when you fall
You're gonna really want to know who
Who it really was
Who took you down
And when you fall
We'll be there waiting for you
There's no exit
You can't turn around
When you got it
You forgot it was never yours
You won't know how
But when it falls down
You'll know exactly who we are
The lyrics of Algiers's song And When You Fall describe the act of cultural appropriation - how people in power take something from a culture that isn't theirs, strip it of its meaning and repackage it as their own. In the song, the message is stripped, the frame changed and washed in white, which is symbolic of erasing the origins of the message and replacing it with a Western perspective. And as a result, it results in hollowing out the cultural tie and losing meaning.
The song highlights the act of cultural theft and the consequences that come with it. The band warns those who make such appropriations, that they can't slip away, hide behind misdirection, and lies that are implied. And they will eventually fall, and they'll want to know who took them down. Algiers sends a message to their oppressors that they will be there waiting for them when they fall, and there's no escape and no turning back.
Algiers also emphasizes the difference between the group and their oppressors in terms of how they spend their time. While the oppressor spends themselves, plays themselves, and folds their hand, Algiers saves, plans, and holds themselves in readiness. Moreover, they warn their oppressors that when they take from a culture, they forget it was never theirs, and they end up falling, with Algiers standing firmly against their act of cultural appropriation.
Overall, the song's lyrics address appropriation and emphasize its consequences. It also highlights that one must be aware of its actions as one day, they will have to pay for it.
Line by Line Meaning
You stripped the message
You took away the true meaning of the message
You changed the frame
You altered the context in which the message was presented
Washed it in white
You made it clean and innocent-looking, but it was still corrupted underneath
And stole our name
You took credit for our work and ideas without giving us recognition
Tried to slip away
You attempted to escape unnoticed
Out the back door
You left without saying goodbye or taking responsibility
Did you pull it off?
You're not sure if you successfully accomplished what you set out to do
You can't be sure
You're uncertain of the outcome of your actions
Cause confusion
You created chaos and misunderstandings
Hide behind
You used something as a shield or excuse
Misdirection
You intentionally led people astray from the truth
Lies implied
You suggested falsehoods without directly stating them
Hollow out the cultural tie
You removed the connection and significance behind cultural traditions
Replace it with your signifiers
You replaced the original cultural symbols with your own, for self-serving purposes
So keep on down your ragged mile
Continue on your deceitful journey, despite the rough path ahead
Cause we won't be too far behind
We will always be there, watching and catching up to you
When you fall
When your plan fails
You're gonna really want to know who
You will desperately want to know who is responsible for your downfall
Who it really was
Who the true culprits are
Who took you down
Who brought you to ruin
We'll be there waiting for you
We will be there to confront you and hold you accountable
No there's no exit
There is no way out of the situation you created
You can't turn around
You cannot go back and fix what you have done
When you got it
When you acquired something
You forgot it was never yours
You forgot that you obtained it through dishonest means and it rightfully belongs to someone else
You won't know how
You will be clueless as to the reason for your downfall
But when it falls down
When your plan crumbles
You'll know exactly who we are
You will learn that we are the ones you stole from and deceived
While you're spending yourself
While you're wasting your time and resources
We're saving
We're conserving and preserving our own resources
While you're playing yourself
While you're fooling yourself
We're planning
We're strategizing and preparing
While you're folding your hand
While you're giving up or quitting
We're holding
We're persevering and holding steady
Where you're ending yourself
Where you're giving up on yourself
We begin
We start anew and keep going
While you're sleeping on us
While you're disregarding our abilities and potential
We're stalking
We're diligently following and observing
When you jump at the gun
When you act rashly or hastily
We stand. Still
We remain calm and steady
Contributed by Ian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gabriel
This is seriously underrated
DazeOfWar
I feel like dancing like an old black church lady every time I hear this song! I love it!
FreeRadicals
I immediately fell in love with the sound of this band. Incredible vocals and energy. Black music does matter a lot.
kakolykia
stunning. pure masterpiece
Daniel Lane Kimball
Brilliant! Love this song.
Naimah Holmes
I'm loving this so happy to have found you on high voltage magazine!
2mesmaeker
Simply brilliant...
Lisa Taranto
i am enjoying your sound SO MUCH!
DM McArley
So was watching 'the 100' when Remains was used in the soundtrack, I stopped watching to look up Algiers, I'm hooked.
Marco Persichilli
Bellissima! Grazie!