As part of the long build up to the release of Transit Transit, they made available, "Audience No.2", as a 'pay what you will’ track on their website. Soon after, they joined PJ Harvey for a tour of Russia. During this time they also continued to play their own shows, trying out new songs live, and in some cases revisiting the recorded versions to make necessary alterations or, in some cases, total deletions. In the summer of 2009, they collaborated with the painter, Kill Pixie (Mark Whalen) for 'Future Spa', an art exhibition/sound installation in Los Angeles. In more recent months, the band has toured extensively, including an appearance at All Tomorrow's Parties in upstate New York and an opening spot with Thom Yorke's Atoms For Peace.
Now, the much-awaited follow-up, Transit Transit is finally here. It begins no less uniquely than its predecessor, although this time the subtler concussion of rhythm that starts the title track is an announcement of change, and the following mood and vocal-- a metaphysical sorbet. If you have been waiting, somewhat impatiently, for this record, Transit Transit has yielded an unexpected mix of material, but has everything you had hoped for. And if Autolux is a band you are just discovering, here is a deep and profound world of noise and emotion to immerse yourself in.
The band produced Transit Transit themselves with guitarist/vocalist Greg Edwards serving as engineer. The record was recorded - at Space 23, the bands makeshift studio in their rehearsal room near downtown Los Angeles. The title track "Transit Transit" (the last song to be recorded) was started in Denmark by Edwards, using a virtually unplayable upright piano and a sample of a coffin-style freezer found in a nearby basement, and then finished back in Los Angeles. There is a notable sonic progression to Transit Transit: samples, vintage synthesizers, and manipulated ambience glue central song components together. There are a lot more vocal harmonies and piano driven songs, even a bit of trumpet. Vocal duties are shared by all three members throughout the album - their voices strangely similar - but each having a definite emotional character. Bassist/ singer, Eugene Goreshter continues to innovate his bass style, effortlessly modernizing the instrument's melodic role on songs like "Census" and "Supertoys", while still providing an on-edge rawness and groove-filled momentum. Edwards' guitars serve to modulate the moods throughout the record, constantly evoking feelings found in the space between emotions. And Carla Azar's sturdy, creative drumming (a phenomenon to behold on stage) continues on record with plenty of hook beats - ferocious and orchestral, at once.
The majority of the album was mixed by Kennie Takahashi, three of the tracks being mixed by Dave Sardy, and then mastered by Bob Ludwig. Artist Kill Pixie and Carla created the artwork for Transit Transit.
9. Asleep at the Trigger
Autolux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fold up all over town
Stereo-mindset sucking you down
You're dressed up
Look what you've said
But left your insides at home
Hit me with your smile again
Disappear beneath the day
Oh no its still the same
You make it hard to breathe
You make it hard to breathe
You miss everything that's in your way
You miss everything that's good for you
It kinda gets me down
It kinda gets me down
It kinda gets me down
Look you think I'm unglued
But still studying you
You fold up all over town
Stereo-mindset sucking you down
Autolux's song Asleep at the Trigger seems to be addressing someone who is struggling with their own identity and their place in the world. The opening lines "I'm just studying you/Fold up all over town/Stereo-mindset sucking you down" suggest that the person being addressed is conforming to societal expectations, perhaps at the expense of their own individuality. The repeated line "you make it hard to breathe" adds to the sense that this person is suffocating under the weight of their own self-doubt or insecurity.
The chorus is a plea, both to this person specifically and to anyone who might be struggling in a similar way: "Hit me with your smile again/Disappear beneath the day/Oh no it's still the same." The smile is a symbol of hope, a small gesture that can make a world of difference. However, the second line suggests that despite this hope, things are still difficult and the person is still struggling to find their place in the world.
The final verse continues the theme of studying this person in an attempt to understand them better, but also asserts the singer's own sense of self. "Look you think I'm unglued/But still studying you/You fold up all over town/Stereo-mindset sucking you down." The stereo-mindset represents conformity and the pressure to fit in, but the singer refuses to succumb to it. The song ends on this note of determination and resilience, a call to reject conformity and find one's own identity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just studying you
I am observing and analyzing your behavior and thoughts.
Fold up all over town
You are present everywhere just like a folded piece of paper that has been distributed throughout town.
Stereo-mindset sucking you down
Your fixed and limited way of thinking is dragging you down and preventing you from experiencing new things.
You're dressed up
You appear to be put together and presentable on the outside.
Look what you've said
Your words do not match your true feelings or intentions.
But left your insides at home
You are not true to yourself, and have left your genuine self at home.
Hit me with your smile again
You often put on a fake smile to hide your inner turmoil.
Disappear beneath the day
You attempt to avoid the issues in your life by escaping into mundane daily tasks.
Oh no its still the same
Despite your attempts to ignore the problems, they persist.
You make it hard to breathe
Your presence is suffocating and overwhelming.
You miss everything that's in your way
Your fixation on a certain path causes you to miss out on opportunities that come your way.
You miss everything that's good for you
Your inability to see value in new experiences or challenges causes you to overlook potential positive outcomes.
It kinda gets me down
Your behavior is disappointing or depressing me.
Look you think I'm unglued
I know you believe that my perspective is flawed.
But still studying you
Nevertheless, I continue to observe and try to understand you.
You fold up all over town
Your behavior and thoughts are present and visible everywhere, just like a folded piece of paper that is distributed throughout a town.
Stereo-mindset sucking you down
Your limited way of thinking continues to hold you back and limit your experiences.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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