Formed out of the nucleus of a squatter community living in abandoned buildings and greenbelt treehouses in Santa Cruz, CA, in 2004, the members began to learn to play folk instruments from each other and other members of the train-hopping squat culture. The band members had played in anarcho-punk, indie, metal, and ska bands and then, learning traditional music from jams, contradances and festivals, made music in the middle of punk, metal and folk. Their repertoire includes folk songs with Appalachian influenced time signature gymnastics that owe much to crust, hardcore, and metal and slower, drone influenced folk pieces with three, four, and five-part vocal harmony.
Avoiding the retro aesthetic of many other folk punk bands, they write music that addresses abusive police, modern alienation, ecological devastation, creeping ambiguity and vague fear, but also stories of resistance, mythology, a strong sense of community, and a deep love of a natural world constantly on the verge of collapse.
Critics began to take more notice when 2013's "False Weavers" saw the band change their sound. They incorporated more adventurous studio elements, bringing in many more instruments than on previous records. The earlier split with Hail Seizures saw the addition of fiddle and galician pipes, but "False Weavers" brought synthesizer, resophonic baritone guitar, bouzouki, and post-recording manipulation. There were also stylistic changes of Crass-influenced shouting interludes, and traditional folk passages in the style of Irish folk bands like Planxty and American traditional fiddlers like John Salyer.
In 2015, Blackbird Raum's fifth full-length "Destroying" continued to experiment and, after multiple tours of the US and Europe with them, included many contributions from Dublin's Lynched including spoken word passages, uilleann pipes, concertina and large amounts of Irish traditional influence. Later that year, Mars left the band to focus on activism and her side project Pale Robin. After Mars left, the band took a short break before a short tour followed by the release of an EP titled "Nevermind The Ballads" in 2016.
Members:
Caspian (2004 - ): Banjo, Fiddle, Resophonic Baritone Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Zack Religious (2004 - ): Accordion, Piano, Pump Organ, Vocals
David (2005 - ): Washtub Bass, Vocals
Allen D'Generate (2012 - ): Washboard, Percussion, Vocals
Former Members:
Mars Goetia (2005 - 2015): Musical Saw, Resophonic Mandolin, Accordion, Piano, Pump Organ, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
K.C. (2005 - 2011): Washboard, Vocals
Turning Away
Blackbird Raum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
of all these falling lights the brightest ones are scarring up and scars you cannot change
all of us still standing must learn to leap up without landing
and quicken on the wind
when they're calling
lets not follow
then you'll see us
can't hold up this world alone, can't tear down this world alone
never find a fucking home this my skin is what I own
broken glass and broken legs have no cup with which to beg no shelter from the caustic rain sidewalk sleepers gutter lain
and what matters now is not myself its something else
its to hold the candle still
fail to obey. make them pay. one more day.
The opening lines of Blackbird Raum's song Turning Away create a vivid image of desolation and isolation. The reference to a "frozen plain" evokes a landscape that is barren and uninhabitable, while the "dirty cloud" speaks to an impending sense of doom that the "wolves" can only watch from a distance. This imagery sets the tone for the rest of the song, which explores themes of rebellion and resistance in the face of oppression.
The chorus of the song, "when they're calling, let's not follow, then you'll see us turning away," reinforces the idea of rejecting authority and striking out on one's own. The call to action is clear- don't be a follower, don't blindly obey, and turn away from those who seek to control and manipulate you. The verses that follow further explore this theme, with lyrics like "can't hold up this world alone, can't tear down this world alone" suggesting that collective action is necessary to effect real change.
Overall, the song Turning Away is a powerful call to arms for anyone who is feeling disillusioned with the current state of the world. It encourages listeners to reject authority and take a stand against oppression, while also acknowledging the difficulty of that path.
Line by Line Meaning
above a frozen plain a dirty cloud is rearing up and we wolves can only watch
As we stand together and watch a cloud of impending doom approach, we realize that we are like wolves observing our fate from a distance.
of all these falling lights the brightest ones are scarring up and scars you cannot change
The most brilliant things that we witness often leave behind profound and indelible marks that shape who we become, for better or worse.
all of us still standing must learn to leap up without landing
and quicken on the wind
As survivors, we must not just keep standing, but learn to keep moving forward despite our fear of losing our footing, and let the wind carry us towards our destiny.
when they're calling
lets not follow
then you'll see us
turning away
When those in power beckon us to follow them on a path of destruction, we must resist and turn away from their destructive influence.
can't hold up this world alone, can't tear down this world alone
never find a fucking home this my skin is what I own
broken glass and broken legs have no cup with which to beg no shelter from the caustic rain sidewalk sleepers gutter lain
We cannot bear the weight of the entire world on our own, nor can we single-handedly bring down society's barriers.
We may never truly find a place to belong, but we hold dear the only thing that is unequivocally ours: our own skin.
Those who have been cast aside by society and left to fend for themselves have no support system and have to deal with the harshness of reality on their own.
and what matters now is not myself its something else
its to hold the candle still
At this moment, we must recognize that our own interests take a backseat to something bigger than ourselves and focus on preserving it, like holding onto a fragile flame in a time of darkness.
fail to obey. make them pay. one more day.
Rather than mindlessly conforming to the rules set forth by the authorities, we should rebel against their tyranny and fight for our right to exist, no matter how difficult it may be.
Contributed by Emma J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.