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.
He Comes Everybody
Autolux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calling on all downs that you once made home
My apologies to your lost battalion
They still look at you like your loss is so great
Sha la la
Let's go let's go
The air it hangs its head and your cat has passed out
You polished off your thoughts in the banks hydraulics
Soft soft silver bang when the vaults are all shut
Sha la la
Let's go let's go
Down so let down and down again
The doubt it takes you down another step
Down you feel so down that all you think
Sha la la
Here comes everybody from the outside
They all want the same things that you hate
Turn your face back on and crack a smile
Here comes everybody you never cared for
Sha la la
Let's go let's go
Down so let down and down again
The doubt it takes you down another step
Your only alibi comes just like
Sha la la sha la la
Let's go let's go
They won't be happy for you.
The lyrics of Autolux's song "He Comes Everybody" present a sense of disconnection, loss, and loneliness. The opening lines "They still look at you like a lost battalion / Calling on all downs that you once made home" imply a feeling of being lost and forgotten in a world that has moved forward, leaving behind the persona represented in the song. The phrase "lost battalion" may imply a sense of defeat or abandonment in a military context, where one is left isolated and alone. Moreover, the line "My apologies to your lost battalion" indicates a sense of guilt or remorse for not being able to provide comfort or support to the singer.
Furthermore, the lyrics "Soft soft silver bang like a banks hydraulics / The air it hangs its head and your cat has passed out / You polished off your thoughts in the banks hydraulics" present a sort of dissociation between reality and thoughts. The image of the cat passing out and the singer polishing off their thoughts highlight a sense of nonchalance, indifferent to the world around them. The use of "Soft soft silver bang" creates a mystical and dreamy atmosphere that accentuates the theme of disconnectedness.
The phrase "Here comes everybody from the outside / They all want the same things that you hate" describes a feeling of being overwhelmed by outsiders who do not share the same values or perspectives as the singer. The repetition of "Sha la la" adds a sense of irony to the lyrics, as it is used in the chorus to imply a sort of carelessness, while the singer is struggling with feelings of detachment and hopelessness.
In summary, "He Comes Everybody" is a song that explores themes of loneliness, detachment, and the feeling of being left behind. The lyrics convey a sense of dissociation from reality and a lack of direction, which is amplified by the use of dreamy imagery and repetition of specific phrases.
Line by Line Meaning
They still look at you like a lost battalion
People still view you as a participant in a failed or losing situation.
Calling on all downs that you once made home
Remembering your past failures and difficulties that you experienced in your hometown.
My apologies to your lost battalion
Apologizing for the situation that caused you to be viewed as part of a failed group of people.
They still look at you like your loss is so great
The perception of people about your experience of loss is solely related to your present state of affairs.
Soft soft silver bang like a bank's hydraulics
A gentle, sibilant, and quiet sound echoes through the space and time, similar to the sound of a hydraulic bank gate.
The air it hangs its head and your cat has passed out
The ambiance is oppressive, and your feline companion is unconscious and lifeless.
You polished off your thoughts in the bank's hydraulics
Your negative thoughts and feelings were removed or purged much like polishing something to a shine until there is no residue remaining, in a closed chamber of a bank.
Soft soft silver bang when the vaults are all shut
A quiet and continuous metallic sound occurs when all the vaults are locked and secure.
Here comes everybody from the outside
A sense of inclusivity that may not be appreciated or welcome, overwhelming you from the external world.
They all want the same things that you hate
The new people, who are coming into your life, crave or desire things that you despise.
Turn your face back on and crack a smile
Ignore the circumstances, restart again, and pretend that all is well by faking a smile.
Here comes everybody you never cared for
Individuals who do not matter to you or towards whom you do not possess any attachment or interest might emerge in your life.
Your only alibi comes just like, Sha la la sha la la
Your only possible escape from or excuse for this situation is by repeating, 'Sha la la, sha la la'.
They won't be happy for you.
Others are unwilling to share your joy or show any happiness towards your success.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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