Indie pop act Big Troubles began working together in 2009, but their music … Read Full Bio ↴Indie pop act Big Troubles began working together in 2009, but their music speaks of their love for the sounds of the '80s and '90s, ranging from shoegaze bands, jangle pop, and the C-86 brigade to lo-fi pop and the first stirrings of grunge. Big Troubles were formed by Alex Craig and Ian Drennan, two friends from Ridgewood, New Jersey who attended high school together. The two shared enthusiasm for the likes of Teenage Fanclub, My Bloody Valentine, the Cleaners from Venus, and Let's Active, and when they both went off to college -- Craig attending New York University and Drennan enrolling at Tufts University in Massachusetts -- they stayed in touch and began writing songs together. In 2009, Craig and Drennan started recording as Big Troubles. Their debut, 2010's Worry, was very much a homemade affair, recorded with four-track cassette decks, a primitive drum machine handling the percussion and Craig and Drennan overdubbing overdriven electric guitars and outdated analog synths into the sound of a full band. On their second album, 2011's Romantic Comedy (recorded with jangle pop hero Mitch Easter), Big Troubles de-emphasized the lo-fi side of their sound and honed in on their pop influences.
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Softer Than Science
Big Troubles Lyrics

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It's like the first time
Feeling guilty for just feeling good
Playing the part of the person I was
Time-travel rollerskating
Fake-flowers decorating
Not so disappointing after all

Softer and softer still

We are
Softer and softer still

It's like the last time
Make the best of what is left
The best of what was slept through
Perfect teeth, never straight
Trying to appreciate
Patience and time will prove

Softer and softer still
We are
Softer and softer still

It's always been easy
Always been easy
It's always been easy
To convince yourself

Always been easy
It's always been easy
It's always been easy
To convince yourself of what's true

Softer and softer still
We are
Softer and softer still

Softer and softer still

We are
Softer and softer still

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Softer Than Science" by Big Troubles are introspective and reflective. The opening lines, "It's like the first time, feeling guilty for just feeling good" suggests that the singer is experiencing something that they haven't experienced before and are struggling with the unfamiliar sensation. The next line, "Playing the part of the person I was" suggests that the singer is attempting to act like their previous self, but is struggling to do so. The line "Time-travel rollerskating, fake-flowers decorating" feels surreal and is likely symbolic of the singer moving through time and trying to find their footing in an unfamiliar reality.

The second verse begins by saying "It's like the last time, make the best of what is left" which suggests that the singer is facing the end of something, perhaps a relationship or a phase of their life. The line "The best of what was slept through, perfect teeth, never straight" implies that the singer is reflecting on what they missed out on and what they should have appreciated more. The line "Trying to appreciate, patience and time will prove" suggests that the singer understands the importance of patience in appreciating what they have.

The chorus repeats the line "softer and softer still" which could be taken in a few different ways. It could be a reference to the singer's emotions becoming gentler, like a softening of a tough exterior. Alternatively, it could be a reference to time moving on and the singer feeling that they are disappearing or becoming less significant as time goes by.

Line by Line Meaning

It's like the first time
Starting something new, without knowing what to expect

Feeling guilty for just feeling good
Being ashamed of one's own happiness

Playing the part of the person I was
Being trapped in one's own identity from the past

Time-travel rollerskating
Finding oneself going back and forth between the past and the present

Fake-flowers decorating
Being surrounded by things that are not genuine or authentic

Not so disappointing after all
Realizing that things are not as bad as one initially thought they were

Softer and softer still
Becoming more gentle and tender

Make the best of what is left
Making the best out of what one has and not dwelling on what's lost

The best of what was slept through
Realizing the value of something only after it's gone

Perfect teeth, never straight
Having a flawlessly appearing exterior that still has imperfections

Trying to appreciate
Struggling to find gratitude and value in things