Taking their name from the number of Susans in the line up, Band of Susans released one EP - Blessing and Curse - on Poss's own Trace Elements label before being signed to Mute Records's Blast First imprint for their first album Hope Against Hope. After the release, Rogers, Lyall and Tallman quit to be replaced by Karen Haglof (guitar) and Page Hamilton (guitar). After a second album - Love Agenda - and a Peel Sessions EP the two new members quit (Hamilton to form Helmet) and were replaced by Anne Husick (guitar) and Mark Lonergan (guitar), forming the line up which made three more albums and one EP. On the band's final U.S. and European tours a young Jay Braun filled in for Mark Lonergan. The band's final production was a version of Wire's Ahead for a collection of Wire cover versions called Whore, released in 1996.
Musically, BoS organised their three guitarists into providing an overwhelming wail of feedback and guitar noise layered under more conventional song structures (Poss had worked with guitar enemble composer Rhys Chatham and was a big fan of The Rolling Stones - the latter resulting in covers of Child of the Moon and Paint it Black). Although pretty much unconnected with it, Band of Susans are generally included in the New York No Wave scene that produced Sonic Youth and Glenn Branca.
After the dissolution of the band, Poss and Stenger performed with Bruce Gilbert of Wire as GilbertPossStenger. Poss then concentrated on production and solo work whilst Stenger played live with The Creatures for a period. An open-ended promise to reform under a new name has yet to happen.
Tilt
Band Of Susans Lyrics
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They're watching the road with their searchlights
And the lights burn like frostbite
The lights burn cold
The lyrics of "Tilt" by Band of Susans bring forth a sense of impending doom and danger. The first line "They've mined the road we're on" suggests that there are obstacles and challenges ahead that are difficult to overcome. The use of the word "mined" also implies that someone or something has deliberately placed those obstacles in our path. The next line "They're watching the road with their searchlights" reinforces this sense of surveillance and scrutiny. It's as if our every move is being monitored and any misstep could lead to dire consequences.
The final two lines of the verse, "And the lights burn like frostbite, The lights burn cold" add to the chilling and ominous atmosphere. The use of the simile "burn like frostbite" suggests that the searchlights are not just bright but also have a biting, painful quality, like frostbite itself. The repetition of the phrase "The lights burn" emphasizes the idea that this is not just a passing inconvenience, but rather a serious and ongoing threat.
Overall, "Tilt" is a song that speaks to the unease and uncertainty that many people feel in today's world. It suggests that the road ahead is treacherous and that we must tread carefully if we hope to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
They've mined the road we're on
Our path has been sabotaged and hindered by those who seek to harm and impede us
They're watching the road with their searchlights
We are being surveilled and monitored by those in positions of authority or power
And the lights burn like frostbite
The intensity and severity of the surveillance feels like a physical, painful attack on our senses
The lights burn cold
The surveillance and scrutiny we are undergoing feels detached, unfeeling, and uncaring, like a harsh and unforgiving freeze
Contributed by Jake S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.