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.
becker
Autolux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every time you're laughing, it's like you're shaking
Something far outside of us connected
But they don't see collision
Left me bruised and hoping
So easy
Your tracks make no sound
You have to get back to being found
I felt alive like a convict out of Becker
Free beneath the gray's teeth
Flipping in the rainfall
Sometimes part of me wakes up collected
Forgetting what's expected of me
I walk right through a bad seam
So easy
To turn the world down
No matter what you dream
You have to get back to being found
That's delirium's way
You know it seems so right
All the entertainment they spray
Atrocities contrite
It brings you back again
It finds you every time
The blackest quote they spit into the tin can of your mind
It's so easy
To turn the world down
No matter what you dream
It's so easy
Your tracks make no sound
No matter what you see
You have to get back to being found
It's always gonna blow your mind
It's always gonna blow your mind
It's always gonna blow her mind
It's always gonna blow your mind
The first verse of Autolux's track "Becker" describes a person who appears to be growing and changing rapidly, but is also fragile and potentially unstable. The imagery of laughter resulting in shaking suggests that the person is barely holding themselves together, perhaps due to the pressures of this rapid growth. The second half of the verse speaks to a connection that this person has with something outside of themselves, but while this connection may seem powerful, it ultimately leaves the singer bruised and hoping for some kind of resolution.
The chorus of the song is an assertion that it's easy to get lost, to retreat from the world and turn away from the dreams that we have for ourselves. The phrase "your tracks make no sound" suggests that this retreat may go unnoticed by those around us, and that the only way we can find ourselves again is to be "found" in some way.
The second verse introduces a new set of ideas, with the singer feeling alive and free like a convict who has escaped from prison. The mention of Becker in this verse is significant – this was a real person, Boris Becker, who was a successful tennis player in the 1980s and 1990s. It's unclear exactly what the reference means, but it's possible that the sense of freedom the singer feels is due to breaking free of some kind of personal limitation, in the same way that a convict might feel free after breaking free of his or her chains. The final lines of the verse suggest that this feeling is fleeting, as though the singer is only partially awake and still caught up in their expectations for themselves.
The final verse of "Becker" returns to the themes of the first, once again touching on the idea that we can easily become disconnected from the world. The line "that's delirium's way" suggests that this disconnection may be due to some kind of mental or emotional illness, rather than a deliberate choice. The rest of the verse paints a grim picture of how external forces can influence us, with "atrocities contrite" being sprayed at us by the media and "the blackest quote" being spat into our minds. The refrain "it's always gonna blow your mind" implies that we will always encounter these forces that threaten to topple us – but the song's final lines suggest that it's still possible to remain grounded and find our way back to ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
You have grown so much and now you're breaking
You've come a long way in life, but now you're crumbling under the pressure.
Every time you're laughing, it's like you're shaking
Even when you try to be happy, you can't escape your worry and anxiety.
Something far outside of us connected
We share a connection that goes beyond our physical selves.
But they don't see collision
Others don't recognize or acknowledge how our lives intersect.
Left me bruised and hoping
Your absence has hurt me, but I still have hope for us and our connection.
So easy
It's effortless.
Your tracks make no sound
You move through life unnoticed, leaving no trace of your existence.
No matter what you see
Despite everything you witness, you remain undetected.
You have to get back to being found
You need to reemerge and make your presence known again.
I felt alive like a convict out of Becker
For a moment, I felt liberated and invigorated like a prisoner escaping from a notorious jail.
Free beneath the gray's teeth
Despite being surrounded by a bleak environment, I found a sense of freedom and liberation.
Flipping in the rainfall
I danced and frolicked in the midst of a downpour.
Sometimes part of me wakes up collected
Occasionally, I experience a sense of clarity and composure.
Forgetting what's expected of me
I let go of societal or personal expectations and obligations.
I walk right through a bad seam
I tread confidently through a difficult or trying situation.
That's delirium's way
This is how madness manifests.
You know it seems so right
Even though it may be irrational or wrong, it feels correct in the moment.
All the entertainment they spray
The media constantly bombards us with superficial distractions and diversions.
Atrocities contrite
Horrifying events and scandals are often framed as apologies or excuses rather than true remorse or accountability.
It brings you back again
It lures you into the cycle again and again.
It finds you every time
It always manages to ensnare you, regardless of how hard you try to resist.
The blackest quote they spit into the tin can of your mind
The most toxic and destructive messages are implanted in your psyche by external forces.
It's always gonna blow your mind
This will always astound and surprise you.
It's always gonna blow her mind
This will always amaze and perplex her.
It's always gonna blow your mind
This will always be awe-inspiring and awe-inducing.
Lyrics © MOTHERSHIP MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: CARLA AZAR, EUGENE GORESHTER, GREG EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind