Autumn Tears is a neoclassical darkwave band from Billerica, MA, United Sta… Read Full Bio ↴Autumn Tears is a neoclassical darkwave band from Billerica, MA, United States, formed in September 1995 by Erika T. Swinnich (vocals, musical arrangements) and Ted Tringo (keyboards and piano, musical arrangements, vocals). After an intensive period of song writing and rehearsing, they entered West Sound Studios to commit to tape the works they had created. In April of 1996, their first CD, "Love Poems for Dying Children, Act I" was released through Dark Symphonies, their own record label. The music of "Love Poems..." consisted of symphonic arrangements designed to evoke intense emotions of sadness and loneliness in the listener. Influences include ancient chants, classical music, and contemporary artists (Dead Can Dance, Anchorage, Stoa, Enya).

In May 1997, Autumn Tears released their second full-length album, "Love Poems for Dying Children, Act II: The Garden of Crystalline Dreams". Erika left Autumn Tears after the release of "Act II" to pursue writing her novel. New vocalist Jennifer LeeAnna was recruited due to her extensive experience and tremendous talent. The first release of "Act I" was originally supposed to be limited to 2000 copies and sold out quickly, but due to an overwhelming amount of requests it was re-released with a new layout and artwork in 1998. All tracks were remixed and remastered. As a bonus, an additional and exclusive track titled "The Intermission", was also included on the repress, in which Jennifer LeeAnna made her debut appearance.

In December 1999, Erika rejoined Autumn Tears as a full-time member.

In July of 1999, Autumn Tears released a mini-CD titled "Absolution". In June of 2000, The band finished their third full length album and most epic release so far, "Love Poems for Dying Children, Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel".

In 2004, after four years of silence, the band recorded the album "Eclipse", which is described in Autumn Tears' official homepage as "the most epic, conceptual, and fullest neoclassical piece of music they have ever offered. Lush strings, acoustic guitars, and woodwinds accompany soaring orchestral soundscapes, painting the backdrop for a staggering array of vocal performances that range from operatic and classical solos to Baltic choral passages and duets".

In 2007, after a decade evolving, the band has finally shed its shell of neoclassical darkwave and gothic sound, in place of a more traditional classical and chamber music style. Drawing influences from such masters as Bach, Brahms, Hayden, Mahler and a host of others, Autumn Tears boasts rich and diverse musical arrangements based on music theory. In place of the usual keyboards and samples, "The Hallowing" employs fully live, authentic classical instrumentation including a live string section, woodwinds, oboe, french horn and haunting, operatic vocals. The album was originally limited to 1000 copies, but due to very high demand, it sold out within three weeks, and was soon re-released with an improved layout.

Immediately after the release of "The Hallowing", the project has been put on hold.

Members

Current line-up
Ted Tringo - composition, arrangements, original lyrics
Laurie Ann Haus - lead and backing vocals, revised lyrics
Terran Olson - flute, clarinet
Greg Ball - strings, snare drum

Session musicians
Cathleen Torres - French horn
Maya Glovinsky - oboe
Tanya Brody - harp
Angela Hsu - violin
Emily Packard - viola

Past members
Erika - lead and backing vocals, composition and keyboards
Jennifer LeeAnna - lead and backing vocals, vocal arrangements, composition and keyboards

Discography

Albums
1996 - Love Poems for Dying Children, Act I
1997 - Love Poems for Dying Children, Act II: Garden of Crystalline Dreams
2000 - Love Poems for Dying Children, Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel
2004 - Eclipse
2007 - The Hallowing

Mini-CD
1999 - Absolution

The Funeral Bazaar
Autumn Tears Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Emptiness flowing from nothingness
Even now you can see through their guise
Come one, come all to the finest fair
with fire and fanfare...let the show begin
Fly up to the treeline, sparkles in the darkened glades
How now comes the entertainment in the moonlight
Here now the restless...beguiled, disguised in amber perume
Askant grins to mock you

Behind the veiled resentment flees a single dove
The masque removed they emerge at night

Dropping the masque of delusion
Clouds of weak emerge at night

Overall Meaning

The Funeral Bazaar by Autumn Tears is a haunting and surreal song that explores themes of emptiness and deception. The first line of the song, "Emptiness flowing from nothingness" speaks to the sense of futility and meaninglessness that can pervade life. The following lines, "Even now you can see through their guise" suggest that the singer is able to see through the illusions and falsehoods that others perpetrate.

The chorus of the song, "Come one, come all to the finest fair with fire and fanfare...let the show begin" evokes the image of a carnival or circus, where everything may not be as it seems. The lines "Fly up to the treeline, sparkles in the darkened glades / How now comes the entertainment in the moonlight" conjure up a fantastical and whimsical world, but the following lines hint at something darker: "Here now the restless...beguiled, disguised in amber perfume / Askant grins to mock you".

The second half of the song takes a darker turn, with lines like "The masque removed they emerge at night / Dropping the masque of delusion / Clouds of weak emerge at night" suggesting that the masks people wear during the day are taken off at night, revealing their true selves. The Funeral Bazaar is a complex and enigmatic song, but its haunting melodies and evocative lyrics are sure to stay with the listener long after the song is over.

Line by Line Meaning

Emptiness flowing from nothingness
The feeling of emptiness is overwhelming, as if it is flowing from the very void of nothingness itself.

Even now you can see through their guise
Despite the pretense, it is clear that their true intentions are visible even now.

Come one, come all to the finest fair
Everyone is invited to attend this grand event.

with fire and fanfare...let the show begin
The grand spectacle is about to begin with great excitement and celebration.

Fly up to the treeline, sparkles in the darkened glades
Look up to the treetops, for there are sparkles and shimmering lights in the darkness of the glades.

How now comes the entertainment in the moonlight
The entertainment has arrived, revealed by the soft glow of the moonlight.

Here now the restless...beguiled, disguised in amber perfume
Here come the restless ones, who have been beguiled and are wearing a disguise of sweet amber perfume.

Askant grins to mock you
They smile crookedly in order to mock and ridicule you.

Behind the veiled resentment flees a single dove
Hidden behind the resentment and anger, there remains a single symbol of peace, represented by the fleeing dove.

The masque removed they emerge at night
When the mask is finally removed, the true identity of these people is revealed under the cover of darkness.

Dropping the masque of delusion
Finally removing the false mask of illusion and deception.

Clouds of weak emerge at night
As night falls, the clouds of weakness and fragility begin to reveal themselves.

Contributed by Jonathan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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