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
Black Eunuch
Algiers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the scissors in our hand
We are there when you fall apart
We are all walking in the dark
With the scissors in our hand
We are there when you fall apart
When there's no one in your bed
We are all walking in the dark
We are there when you fall apart
When there's no one in your bed
She said
"Please keep your smile away
So we can still be friends"
I'm standing single file
While sex melts in my hand
Desiring other things
That other eyes
In other rooms desire
They pay her with
Their diamond rings
Then she has me wait outside
Then they come crawling out
So, how dare you smile so sweet?
(We are there
When you're in the dark
When there's no one in your bed)
And how dare you speak so soft?
(We are there
When you fall apart
With no one to hold your head)
No, don't try to undress me
No, nobody else at all
Nobody else at all
Nobody else at all
Nobody else at all
The opening lines of Algiers's "Black Eunuch" speak to the anxieties of daily life, the fear that always follows us, the fear of losing oneself, and the fear of abandonment. The band's use of the scissors is representative of the everyday danger that we face. It's an instrument that we use for mundane tasks, but if put in the wrong hands, it can cause destructive harm. The repetition of "We are there when...," emphasizes the premise that the fear of the unknown is always present, even when we think we are alone.
The heavy R&B and soul influences of Algiers's "Black Eunuch" are present in the lyrics about desire and forbidden love. The imagery of the singer standing "single file" and "sex melting in [their] hand" demonstrate the tension between physical desire and emotional distance. The song's titular phrase has a historical context, referencing the African castrated slave guards who watched over harem women in the Ottoman Empire. Algiers's use of this phrase subverts this history and presents it in the context of the present. The lines "Then they come crawling out / How dare you smile so sweet?" demonstrate the tension between the singer's desire and their discomfort with the circumstances they find themselves in.
Overall, "Black Eunuch" explores themes of fear, anxiety, and desire, set against the backdrop of R&B roots and haunting vocals, creating a unique and powerful listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
We are all walking in the dark
We are all struggling in life, unsure of what is ahead of us.
With the scissors in our hand
We hold the power to make decisions that can be harmful or beneficial to ourselves and others.
We are there when you fall apart
We are willing to provide support and comfort when others are going through tough times.
When there's no one in your bed
When you feel alone and vulnerable, we are still there for you.
She said
"Please keep your smile away
So we can still be friends"
Someone has asked the artist to hide their true emotions in order to maintain their friendship.
I'm standing single file
While sex melts in my hand
The singer feels like they are simply going through the motions of life with no real meaning, despite engaging in intimate activities.
Desiring other things
That other eyes
In other rooms desire
They pay her with
Their diamond rings
The singer desires things that others also seek, which are often related to material possessions and monetary exchange.
Then she has me wait outside
Then they come crawling out
The artist is waiting for someone who is in a sexual encounter with someone else, implying possible infidelity or dishonesty.
So, how dare you smile so sweet?
(We are there
When you're in the dark
When there's no one in your bed)
The artist questions why someone can appear happy despite the struggles everyone faces, yet reminds them that they are not alone when those struggles arise.
And how dare you speak so soft?
(We are there
When you fall apart
With no one to hold your head)
The artist wonders how someone can speak softly and kindly despite the chaos and hardships of life, yet still acknowledges their willingness to offer support during hard times.
No, don't try to undress me
No, nobody else at all
Nobody else at all
Nobody else at all
Nobody else at all
The singer rejects any attempts to become intimate or emotionally attached to anyone else, as they feel disconnected and unsatisfied with their current experiences.
Contributed by Joshua J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
djzenelvis
Can't wait for the record, this is a band that has been needed for sometime. We need powerful and angry voices to cut though the bullshit.
Jay Liquori
very unique sound, powerful and evocative!
Jenee Elise
IT STILL GOES HARD!
Jenee Elise
PUN INTENDED.
Snuff film
so good, so underrated/appreciated.
PTYT Ziegler
late last night Highway driving ...heard them on CBC from the Studio playing "Black Eunuch".....blew-up my radio while I fought to keep the truck on the road !!!! Awesome energy..
paneko1
This is the best I heard in a very long time, wow !!!!
milkiejo
sick band. really fresh sound
Melina Wilde
Love it.
leebeyer3
This track... Actually, the whole damn album absolutely rips.