April’s first release, “All I Did This Summer Was Go to Rehab (2014),” can be self-described as equal parts cringey and genius. It documents her first ever experiments in song writing and sobriety after uprooting her life in New Jersey to start over post-rehab in Lancaster, PA. A short EP of songs, “Things I Never Meant to Tell You” followed in 2015 featuring songs that would later be worked into the full band known as “Apes of the State.” 2016 brought the band’s first recording, “This City Isn’t Big Enough” which was a far leap both instrumentally and quality wise from the lofi solo bedroom recordings. Their second full length album, “Pipe Dream” was released in November of 2019. “Pipe Dream” features a more dynamic sound, with the band introducing the use of percussion and electric guitar on some of the tracks.
Their sound is very lyrical, influenced by storyteller singer/songwriters such as Paul Baribeau and Everyone Except Me. Apes of the State takes the simplicity and straightforward, emotional writing style of these influences and combines it with the drive and power of a full acoustic band. Their sound is under constant evolution but is deeply rooted in punk rock, folk, and bluegrass. As a band, they are driven by DIY ethics with a goal of helping as many people as possible with their music. They sing songs about whatever makes them feel things, like love, heartbreak, student loan debt, regret, and overcoming addiction.
They have performed across the US anywhere and everywhere, from basements, backyards, and living rooms to the Warped Tour and TEDx stages. The members are also heavily involved in activism for people recovering from substance use disorder and promoting harm reduction at their shows. In 2016, April and Dan founded an organization called Second Chance to Play which aims to help individuals in rehabs and in recovery communities participate in the music scene of their hometown Lancaster.
Better Off
Apes of the State Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's been so long since anything has gone as expected that i've learned to stop having any expectations
And if everything went as expected i wouldn't be half the person that I am
So I might be better off, that my better half is dead
Part of me wants to believe that everything is exactly as it seems but I've found so much comfort in complacency And denying my reality
That I don't wanna know who the president is
I fell asleep before the votes were counted
Cause we might be better off, we might be better off, we might be better off without them
If I could find the strength to leave my house I might be reassured that the whole world isn't coming to an end Outside my door
But it might be better off, it might be better off, it might be better off if that were the case
The lyrics of Better Off by Apes of the State provide a contemplative and introspective perspective of the world that is weary and desolate. The song's protagonist acknowledges that the world is going through a difficult phase, and while leaving the comfort of their home might help to reassure them that things aren't as bad as they seem, they have lost any expectation of things going as they should. They have come to terms with the idea that their current situation has shaped them into a person they would never have been otherwise.
The singer then acknowledges that they have found solace in their complacency, and they have become numb to their reality. They don't want to know who the president is or what is happening outside their home. They would rather stay asleep, dreaming of a world where they don't need the leaders and the government. The singer then concludes that perhaps the world would be better off if it were coming to an end because then they won't have to deal with the struggles of everyday life.
Overall, the lyrics of Better Off might seem apathetic, but they highlight the psychological burden of living in a world where everything is going wrong. The singer might not have the answers to the world's problems, but they are honest about their struggles and how they cope with them.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could find the strength to leave my house I might be reassured that the whole world isn't burning to the ground Outside my door
I'm too scared to leave my house and face reality; I fear that the world outside is falling apart.
But it's been so long since anything has gone as expected that i've learned to stop having any expectations
I've been so disappointed in life that I've stopped expecting things to go the way I want them to.
And if everything went as expected i wouldn't be half the person that I am
If nothing ever challenged me, I wouldn't have grown into the person I am today.
So I might be better off, that my better half is dead
I'm considering the idea that I would be better off if my significant other was no longer alive.
Part of me wants to believe that everything is exactly as it seems but I've found so much comfort in complacency And denying my reality
I struggle to accept reality and often find comfort in pretending everything is okay.
That I don't wanna know who the president is
I don't care about politics and prefer not to know who the current president is.
I fell asleep before the votes were counted
I purposely avoided staying up to watch election results because I don't want to face reality.
I'd rather stay asleep and dream of a world where we don't need them
I prefer to live in a fantasy world where we don't need political leaders or systems.
Cause we might be better off, we might be better off, we might be better off without them
Maybe we would be better off without political leaders or systems.
If I could find the strength to leave my house I might be reassured that the whole world isn't coming to an end Outside my door
Once again, I'm too scared to leave my house and face reality, fearing that the world is ending.
But it might be better off, it might be better off, it might be better off if that were the case
I'm considering the idea that maybe the world would be better off if it ended.
Lyrics © DistroKid, APES OF THE STATE
Written by: April Hatman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind