A t… Read Full Bio ↴Bad Books, simply put, is Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra.
A true accident if there ever was one; Bad Books was never an intended nor calculated side project of Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull. Though the two musicians have collaborated and performed together on tour and within the Favorite Gentlemen community of artists for years now, the genesis of Bad Books came from a simple idea to fill space and time off the road by collaborating on a small batch of songs together at the top of the year. With no agenda and no expectations, what was birthed just one week later was Bad Books, a fully realized album encompassing five compositions each from both Devine and Hull, with the members of Manchester Orchestra filling out the sound and the band. The self-titled debut will be released October 19th, 2010 via Favorite Gentlemen Recordings, the record label that was founded and has been run by Manchester Orchestra since 2007.
As songwriters go, Hull and Devine could not be further apart in terms of creative approach. The methodical wordsmith Devine, an English major from Fordham, is known to pine away for great lengths of time just to accurately pin-point one word within a lyric. “I was doing a take of ‘You’re A Mirror I Cannot Avoid’ and stopped myself for fifteen minutes because I was having trouble justifying ending two lines in the same chorus with the word ‘back.’ Just sitting there, staring at the screen, writing different word choices. I asked Andy if he thought it mattered, and he said, ‘Of course it doesn’t.’ Somewhere in that exchange is I think what differentiates us as songwriters. I think Andy trusts his instincts to lead him to the right place in a song, and sometimes I want to outthink my instincts because I’m scared of repeating myself, of resting on my laurels. And I think together, those two approaches meshed really, really well,” Devine said.
Hull echoes that sentiment: “Kevin is very meticulous, where I came in with a few ideas and fleshed them out literally as we were recording. Kevin’s songs were awesome and he was cool enough for me to throw in some ideas to change a part or add a bridge here or there.”
In contrast to previous outputs from Manchester Orchestra and Devine, Bad Books cradles a much more noticeable pop aesthetic and energy than either artist has probably ever showcased before. Nowhere is this more evident than in songs like “You Wouldn’t Have To Ask” and “Holding Down the Laughter”.
Engineered by Robert McDowell (of Manchester Orchestra) with help from drummer Ben Homola, and mixed by Chris Bracco (of Devine’s ‘Goddamn Band’), Bad Books progressed in the most organic and natural way possible. Free from any boundaries or restrictions, Devine and Hull were able to craft a beautiful body of melodies, highlighting arcs of high and low throughout, and utilizing the stark imagery and storytelling for which both of them are known. “There was no governing framework,” Devine says: “No, ‘let’s write these kind of songs and say these kind of things’. We just wrote, arranged and played each song to its end, followed where it led, and I think it brought us both to some pretty unexpected places.”
For Devine, Hull, and the rest of Manchester Orchestra, choosing the direction of the road less travelled resulted in sonic harmonies and woven textures that meshed what these best friends do best. Some accidents were just meant to be.
No Reward
Bad Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I steer the ship towards the future
With my eyes full of sand, I make a myth of the mess
Through desert blinders and cataracts, grab the battle axe
let the faith outfox the fear
Snap off the string, go clear
(No reward)
(No reward)
From the crimson killing floor
No reason, no reward
Thread the rib through the rind, pull the pins from the pillbox
Keep every twist intertwined, each coincidence locked
To the prelude and aftermath, 'til you have to ask
"Are you sure you're sure you're right?
It's such a lonely life!"
(When you're sure)
It's such a lonely life
(When you're sure)
Endless incremental war
So cursed to be so sure
(No reward)
It's such a lonely life
(No reward)
It's such a lonely life
(No reward)
It's such a lonely life
(No reward)
From the crimson killing floor
To the mausoleum door
Off the isolation shore
No reason, no reward.
The first verse of Bad Books's song No Reward is a metaphorical reflection on the act of pushing forward towards the future despite the obstacles and difficulties that may arise. The imagery of the ship symbolizes the journey that we embark on towards our goals, with the sand in the eyes representing the challenges and setbacks that we encounter. The singer retains their faith in their abilities and their mission, relying on their determination to overcome their fears and press on. The last line of the verse - "Snap off the string, go clear" - suggests that the singer is breaking free from something that was holding them back, perhaps a past mistake or bad decision that was weighing them down.
Line by Line Meaning
With my dominant hand,
I steer the ship towards the future
I'm in control of where I'm going and what I'm doing with my life.
With my eyes full of sand, I make a myth of the mess
Through desert blinders and cataracts, grab the battle axe
let the faith outfox the fear
Even in difficult or uncertain situations, I choose to create a narrative that empowers me to face my challenges with confidence and courage.
Snap off the string, go clear
(No reward)
I'm willing to let go of old habits or ways of thinking in order to move forward, even if there's no immediate tangible result or benefit.
From the crimson killing floor
No reason, no reward
Sometimes life feels like a constant struggle or battle, and it can be hard to find meaning or purpose in those moments.
Thread the rib through the rind, pull the pins from the pillbox
Keep every twist intertwined, each coincidence locked
To the prelude and aftermath, 'til you have to ask
"Are you sure you're sure you're right?
It's such a lonely life!"
I'm meticulous and strategic in navigating my life, but even the most well-laid plans can lead to self-doubt or loneliness.
(When you're sure)
It's such a lonely life
(When you're sure)
Endless incremental war
So cursed to be so sure
Even when I'm confident in my decisions or actions, it can feel like a never-ending struggle to constantly prove myself or defend my choices.
From the crimson killing floor
To the mausoleum door
Off the isolation shore
No reason, no reward.
Life is full of trials, struggles, and moments of isolation, but sometimes there doesn't seem to be any reason or reward for going through those experiences.
Contributed by Adeline P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Grubble
Man I was looking for a different song but this is great, maybe even better than the song I was looking for.
Siddharth Sharma
It's a shame people don't know about this band.
narigobrr
let's keep it at that
Lord Pusspuss
wow the elliott smith influence in kevin is huge (but amazing) here
Heidi Sommers
this is cool, I like it.
Afiq Anuary
nice man totally rocking
Caleb Waslewski
get baked as fuck, jam this whole album, I'm set.
Luis A. Gálvez
i like it
UnluckyCharm
I do see a little Elliott Smith influence on the chord voicings and the full, lavish sound of the arrangements in his big-budget albums, but nothing in the singing and lyrics shows any similarity to me. This band sounds great nontheless.
MsMooq
Elliot Smith + dash of Silver Chair