To date the band have released three 7-inch singles through local labels and embarked on several east coast tours which have earned them a considerable amount of blog press from publishers such as Vice, Nu Rave Brainwave, and Creative Loafing. The first single featured an instrumental punk jam (C++) with an atmospheric, shoegazer B-side (F3). It was self-released on home-made vinyl. The Balkans got picked up by Double Phantom Records in 2009, an Atlanta boutique record label that also works with The Selmanaires, Carnivores, and the N.E.C. They released two 7-inch singles on Double Phantom, one entitled Zebra Print and the most recent, Georganne. These releases won a variety of critical acclaim from Creative Loafing, one of which was rated the #1 Atlanta Release of 2009 (a list which included bands such as Deerhunter and the Black Lips), alongside a critic vote of Best New Music act for the same year. The Balkans track Violent Girls, along with songs from other up-and-coming Atlanta bands such as Zoroaster and The Coathangers, was also featured on an Atlanta vinyl compilation released in 2009 by Criminal Records and Creative Loafing.
According to their blog and DoublePhantom.com and Balkans plan to release a new single and debut LP in the US and UK in the spring of 2011.
Black Swan
Balkans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For you he tried to do you in
The ruin is too loud
I want to know now
Sometimes I think you'll never end
Don't walk so slow now
I'm glad they're involving you
Are you alright
Are you alive
Are you ever
Stop now, sing another one
Are you, are you ever done
Please stay in the dark so
Don't you
Wonder too long
Please don't be sorry
Oh yes, sing another one
Are you, are you ever done
Please stay in the dark so
Don't you
Wonder too long
Please don't be sorry
Oh
Oh girl are you not having it
I'm put together
Bit by bit
I wanted to know now
You always mean something
And if you tell me once again
It will ruin you
I'm glad they're involving you
Are you alright
Are you alive
Are you ever
Know that they'll, sing another one
Are you, are you ever done
Please stay in the dark don't
Don't you
Wonder too long
Please don't be sorry
And it's not fair
Oh oh oh
The lyrics of Balkan's song Black Swan are cryptic and open to interpretation, but at its heart, the song is about the fear of being ruined and the struggle to maintain strength in the face of it. The song begins with a reference to betrayal and a desire for understanding: "Remember when it happened and/For you, he tried to do you in/The ruin is too loud/I want to know now." The singer is grappling with something painful that has happened to someone they care about, and they're struggling to make sense of it all.
The chorus of the song is both a challenge and a plea for reassurance: "Are you alright/Are you alive/Are you ever/Stop now, sing another one/Are you, are you ever done/Please stay in the dark so/Don't you/Wonder too long/Please don't be sorry/Oh yes, sing another one/Are you, are you ever done/Please stay in the dark so/Don't you/Wonder too long/Please don't be sorry/Oh." The repetition of "are you" is a way of asking if the person is truly okay, while the request to stay in the dark is a way of urging them to avoid the scrutiny that might come with acknowledging their pain.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more forceful in their insistence that their loved one will not be ruined: "Some say it will ruin you/I'm glad they're involving you/Are you alright/Are you alive/Are you ever/Know that they'll, sing another one." The repeated chorus intensifies as the song nears its end, with the final repetition containing an added line: "And it's not fair/Oh oh oh." This adds a new dimension to the song, suggesting that the singer has experienced a personal unfairness that is driving their concern for their loved one.
Overall, Black Swan is a haunting meditation on the fear of being ruined and the desire for reassurance and support in the face of that fear. Its poetic language and repetition create a powerful and emotional listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Remember when it happened and
Reflecting on a past event, perhaps a betrayal or deceitful act
For you he tried to do you in
Someone attempted to harm the listener on another person's behalf
The ruin is too loud
The negative aftermath and consequences of the situation are overwhelming
I want to know now
The artist desires to understand the situation and its impact immediately
Sometimes I think you'll never end
The situation seems never-ending and difficult to escape
Don't walk so slow now
Urging the listener to move forward and not stagnate in the situation
Some say it will ruin you
Others predict that this situation will have a detrimental effect on the listener
I'm glad they're involving you
The artist is relieved that the listener is being included and recognized in the situation
Are you alright
The artist questions the wellbeing of the listener
Are you alive
The artist questions whether the listener is truly living or merely existing
Are you ever
The singer wonders if the listener will ever change or escape the situation
Stop now, sing another one
Encouraging the listener to move on, redirect their focus, and create something new
Please stay in the dark so
Urging the listener to stay in a low-profile, unnoticed state for self-preservation
Don't you Wonder too long
Warning the listener not to excessively ponder or obsess over the situation
Please don't be sorry
Encouraging the listener to not feel guilty or remorseful over the situation
Oh yes, sing another one
Reiterating the earlier encouragement to move on and create something new
Oh girl are you not having it
The artist questions whether the listener is still struggling with the situation
I'm put together
The singer is resilient and has moved on from the situation
Bit by bit
The singer has rebuilt themselves gradually
You always mean something
The listener is valued and important to the artist
And if you tell me once again
Addressing a repeated request or warning from the listener
Know that they'll, sing another one
Assuring the listener that moving on and creating something new is a positive and fulfilling option
Please stay in the dark don't
Reiterating the earlier warning to stay unnoticed and avoid drawing attention
Please don't be sorry
Encouraging the listener to let go of guilt or remorse for leaving the situation behind
And it's not fair
Acknowledging the unfairness and injustice of the situation
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.