Nick Pipitone of Monster Riff described how the band are "influenced just as much by Dr. John and Mississippi bluesman Junior Kimbrough as they are by Black Sabbath and progressive metal" and that their music can "venture from bluesy riffs and folk tales to spacey neo-psychedelic to punishing doom rock." Similarly, Rob Hughes of Classic Rock Magazine noted how "[All Them Witches are] as likely to create boiling riptides of bluesy psychedelia as they are pools of mystic folk and doomy ambience."
The band consists of Charles Michael Parks, Jr (vocals, bass, guitar), Ben Mcleod (guitar, formerly vocals) and Robby Staebler (drums). Formed in 2012, All Them Witches were quick to release their debut, Our Mother Electricity. It consisted of a heavy blend of stoner rock-y guitars and bass, rhodes and powerful, rhythmic drums. This would set the cornerstone for their sound, soon developing into the more mysterious grooves and atmosphere on 2013's followup Lightning At The Door. This release gained real traction for the band and gave them their likely most well-known track to date, When God Comes Back.
Taking a break from the creative front, the band released a live album in 2015, featuring a bluesy cover of Albert King's Born Under A Bad Sign. Not long after, they announced their third studio release, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker. Much like the rest of their catalogue, this album truly showcased every member's best abilities. From calm opener Call Me Star to emotional ending track Blood And Sand/Milk And Endless Waters, the album won fans' hearts, and gained the band more well deserved attention.
That brings us to their 2016 live release, recorded from a show in Brussels, which contains the band playing older songs as well as another cover, being of Abner Jay's My Middle Name Is The Blues.
Keyboardist/violinist Allan van Cleave left the band around this time, shortly replaced by keyboardist Jonathan Draper.
Not long after, in February 2017, they came out with another amazing record. Sleeping Through The War made quick success, being a unique, spacey album notably produced by Dave Cobb. It added dynamics and, surprisingly, more atmosphere to what was already a steadily evolving sound from such an active, young band.
2018's self-titled ATW was announced to be the band's first release without a keyboard player, after Draper's departure. This album's characteristics include groovy stoner riffs with blues influence, slowing down and speeding up throughout the LP, ending with the haunting Rob's Dream.
Nearly two years later, and after a lot of touring, the band has come out with their latest record, Nothing As The Ideal, recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Harboring a sound akin to that of their single 1X1, this album is by far the group's heaviest--though it does contain softer ballads like Everest and the incredibly emotional Rats in Ruin.
Bulls
All Them Witches Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
down on the disco floor
dreams eat the bitter tea
I'm sleepin through the war
cash in the broken hands
pockets seen better scores
I built a house like this
I'm married to my boredom
no man afraid of gore
I'm drivin round my worry
I'm sleepin through the war
cash in the broken hands
pockets seen better scores
I built a house like this
I'm sleepin through the war
???
hands off the???
Interpretation:
The lyrics of "Bulls" by All Them Witches are quite abstract and leave much up to interpretation. The song opens with "Leaves on the promenade, down on the disco floor, dreams eat the bitter tea - I'm sleeping through the war." The image of leaves on the promenade suggests that the setting is a city or urban environment, and the contrast between the promenade and the disco floor creates a sense of duality or conflict. The idea of "sleeping through the war" suggests a sense of detachment or avoidance in the face of conflict, perhaps a reference to societal or political unrest.
The following lines continue to build on this sense of disillusionment or detachment, with references to "cash in the broken hands" and "pockets seen better scores." These lines suggest a sense of economic struggle, with individuals struggling to make ends meet in a society that values wealth and material success. The singer seems resigned to this state of affairs, stating that "I built a house like this" - perhaps a metaphor for an unfulfilling life or sense of complacency.
The next verse continues to convey a sense of boredom and resignation, with the singer stating that he is "married to my boredom" and "driving round my worry." The final lines of the song are somewhat ambiguous, with the final phrase of "hands off the" trailing off, leaving the listener to interpret its meaning.
Overall, "Bulls" by All Them Witches is a song that conveys a sense of detachment and disillusionment in the face of societal and economic struggles. The lyrics are open to interpretation and offer a sense of ambiguity in their imagery and underlying meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Leaves on the promenade
The streets are empty and quiet, as if everything has stopped moving.
down on the disco floor
Even the typically lively disco floor is quiet and motionless.
dreams eat the bitter tea
The singer's subconscious is consuming something unpleasant, perhaps a reflection of their current state of mind.
I'm sleepin through the war
The artist is mentally checked out and uninvolved with the world around them, even during a time of conflict.
cash in the broken hands
Money cannot buy happiness, and the artist is aware of this given the state of the world around them.
pockets seen better scores
The singer's financial situation is not as prosperous as it once was, as evidenced by the state of their pockets.
I built a house like this
This is the life the singer has created for themselves, perhaps out of necessity rather than choice.
I'm sleepin through the war
Once again, the artist is choosing to disengage from the world and the conflict it is experiencing.
I'm married to my boredom
The artist is stuck in a state of being uninterested and uninspired with their life.
no man afraid of gore
The artist is not intimidated or disturbed by the bloodshed of war, but rather numbed to it.
I'm drivin round my worry
The singer appears to be aimlessly traveling or distracting themselves with something in order to avoid confronting their problems.
I'm sleepin through the war
Once again, the artist is disengaged from the turmoil of the world around them, willfully choosing ignorance.
cash in the broken hands
Once again, money cannot bring happiness or solve the world's problems.
pockets seen better scores
Once again, the singer's financial situation is less than favorable.
I built a house like this
Once again, this is the life the singer has created for themselves.
I'm sleepin through the war
Once again, the artist is choosing to remain isolated and uninvolved with the larger problems of the world.
???
This line is unknown or unclear.
hands off the???
This line is unknown or unclear.
Contributed by Evan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
youngskeletor
Thieves on the promenade
Down on the disco floor
Dreams eat the bitter tea
I'm sleepin through the war
Cash in the broken hands
Pockets seen better scores
I built a house like this
I'm sleepin through the war
I'm married to my boredom
No man afraid of gore
I'm drivin round my worry
I'm sleepin through the war
Cash in the broken hands
Pockets seen better scores
I built a house like this
I'm sleepin through the war
youngskeletor
Thieves on the promenade
Down on the disco floor
Dreams eat the bitter tea
I'm sleepin through the war
Cash in the broken hands
Pockets seen better scores
I built a house like this
I'm sleepin through the war
I'm married to my boredom
No man afraid of gore
I'm drivin round my worry
I'm sleepin through the war
Cash in the broken hands
Pockets seen better scores
I built a house like this
I'm sleepin through the war
Douglas Walendorff
Dreams or Drink* deep the bitter tea?
L. H.
Best psych rock band out there right now. Period.
biscuit
they're a band out there, and it is right now.
shomy woodman
Temples?
BadNasty215
*best stoner rock band out right now
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard hold the title for best psych rock band right now
Jorge Torres
Lucid planet
william brasell
Flulu McLulu The black angels are also a very good psych rock band
MindFuzz
Please keep on making music forever.
biscuit
and if you don't make music forever...
then at least don't ever stop making music.