Anathallo utilized a wide variety of instruments, including horns, guitars, drums, piano, bells, and even unconventional objects like chains, velcro strips, stomp boxes, and pipes. The band released several recordings through Selah Records, a vinyl release through Potential Getaway Driver, as well as completely independent releases. Their UK distributed release, Four: A Great Wind More Ash, was released by Big Scary Monster (BSM) in 2008
Members:
Matt Joynt - Vocals, Guitar, Auxiliary Percussion, Piano
Andrew Dost - Piano, Flugelhorn, Auxiliary Percussion, Vocals
Bret Wallin - Trombone, Auxiliary Percussion, Vocals
Danny Bracken - Guitar, Auxiliary Percussion, Vocals
Seth Walker - Bass, Vocals
Jeremiah Johnson- Drums, Vocals
Erica Froman - Vocals, Auxiliary Percussion, Clarinet, Autoharp
Joel Thiele - Drums, Percussion
Noni's Field
Anathallo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were lying on our backs.
I dreamt that the ground splits a seam,
…our spirits, floating.
When no longer tied into our bodies,
We left them (wrapping)
Tired and ready to go.
But I don't know what goes on.
I touched my grandfather's face,
He lay fixed in his casket.
He lay sewn shut and folded
So that none could refuse it.
They had posed, they had painted him.
I laughed. I let him go.
His cheeks washed like watercolor sunlight, evening time.
I could never put my hands back to them.
Still, I don't know what goes on.
Will my thoughts burn in unseen patterns?
Form a dim glow in your mind,
Long after you remember who it was that I looked like?
We saw the sky, swarming full with the light that the fireflies made.
An accidental constellation.
You, how will you go?
Out through your mouth in a sigh?
Into a space we don't know.
The song "Noni's Field" by Anathallo offers a deep and intricate reflection on the nature of life, death, and what comes after. The opening lines describe lying in Noni's field with someone, likely a loved one, where the singer has a dream about the ground splitting open and their spirits leaving their bodies, ready to move on from this life. Despite the sense of readiness and tiredness, there is still confusion about what will actually happen and what awaits them beyond the physical realm.
The lyrics then shift to a memory of the singer touching their grandfather's face, wrapped in his casket after his death. The body has been posed and painted, and although the singer laughs, there is a sense of finality and loss that is hard to shake. The image of his "cheeks washed like watercolor sunlight, evening time" is visceral and vivid, evoking the beauty and fragility of life. The final lines contemplate what will happen to the singer's own thoughts and identity after they pass on, wondering if their patterns will still shine on in the minds of others.
Overall, the song grapples with complex themes of mortality, spirituality, and the unknown. The dream-like quality of the song creates a sense of ambiguity and wonder, allowing the listener to draw their own conclusions about what lies beyond this singular existence.
Line by Line Meaning
When I closed my eyes in Noni's field
I lay on my back and shut my eyes in Noni's field
We were lying on our backs.
We were both lying down on our backs
I dreamt that the ground splits a seam,
In my dream, the ground split open
…our spirits, floating.
Our spirits floated out of our bodies
When no longer tied into our bodies,
Once our spirits were no longer connected to our bodies
We left them (wrapping)
Our bodies were left behind (like a wrapping)
As a sign, to slip into the crack.
We left our bodies as a signal to enter the crack in the ground
Tired and ready to go.
We were tired and prepared to leave
But I don't know what goes on.
I don't understand what's happening
I touched my grandfather's face,
I touched my grandfather's face in my dream
He lay fixed in his casket.
He was lying still in his coffin
He lay sewn shut and folded
His body was stitched and folded
So that none could refuse it.
So that no one would reject it
They had posed, they had painted him.
They had dressed him up and put makeup on him
I laughed. I let him go.
I laughed and let go of his image
His cheeks washed like watercolor sunlight, evening time.
His cheeks looked like a painting with colors of sunlight and evening time
I could never put my hands back to them.
I couldn't touch his cheeks again
Still, I don't know what goes on.
I still don't understand what's happening
Will my thoughts burn in unseen patterns?
Will my thoughts create unseen patterns?
Form a dim glow in your mind,
Create a faint light in your mind
Long after you remember who it was that I looked like?
Long after you forget how I looked like?
We saw the sky, swarming full with the light that the fireflies made.
We saw the sky filled with the light of fireflies
An accidental constellation.
A random group of stars
You, how will you go?
How will you leave?
Out through your mouth in a sigh?
Will you leave with a sigh out of your mouth?
Into a space we don't know.
To a place we are unaware of
Contributed by Jasmine M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.