Formed in the final weeks of 2012, Blacktop Mojo began cutting their teeth in the numerous country venues that Texas has to offer, but the guys never quite felt like they belonged. With each song they wrote, the vocals got less twangy and the sound from the amps became more gravelly and distorted until the guys had found their own unique blend of heavy southern rock. Through touring, the band has played with many national acts such as Aaron Lewis, Candlebox, Drowning Pool, Puddle Of Mudd, Smile Empty Soul, Audiotopsy, and Whiskey Myers.
After running the highways for two years in support of their debut album, “I Am” (2014), in July of this year the band loaded their gear in the van and made a trip to Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, as well as FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL to make their sophomore effort entitled, “Burn The Ships.” In addition to the producer of the band’s first record, Philip Mosley, the band brought in co-producer, Jimmy Johnson of the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound studios as well as his long time engineer, Steve Melton (Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seger) to bring a seasoned sonic quality to their brand of raw, grungy rock. “Burn The Ships” is slated for release in early 2017.
Edit to members listed above: Matt James (vocals), Ryan Kiefer (guitar), Chuck Wepfer (guitar), Matt Curtis (bass), and Nathan Gillis (drums).
Burn the Ships (released March 2017) tracklist:
1 Where The Wind Blows
2 End Of Days
3 Burn The Ships
4 Prodigal
5 Shadows On The Wall
6 Sweat
7 Pyromaniac
8 8000 Lines
9 Dog On Leash
10 Make A Difference
11 Chains
12 Dream On
13 Underneath and includes
Under the Sun (released September 2019) tracklist:
1 Lay It On Me
2 Set It Free
3 Come Get Your Coat
4 Keep
5 It Won't Last
6 All Mine Now
7 Can't Sleep
8 The Lashing (Ghost)
9 The Void
10 Under The Sun
Blacktop Mojo's 4th release, Static, is scheduled for May 2020.
Under The Sun
Blacktop Mojo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plant my soul in the sand and nothing ever grows ,
Promised myself yesterday I would till up new rows,
Sit here and wither away for seven days more.
Company I keep is wrong,
Squander light until it's gone,
One more wasted day is done,
Idle wheels rust out in a barren field,
I once cared for the land,
But that lost its appeal.
In sleep she carried me away,
I woke in a cold sweat alone,
I'd been walking in circles,
Through the dust that I've sewn.
Company I keep is wrong,
Squander light until it's gone,
One more wasted day is done,
Nothing new under the sun.
Company I keep is wrong,
Squander light until it's gone,
One more wasted day is done,
Nothing new under the sun.
The lyrics of Blacktop Mojo's song "Under the Sun" paint a picture of a person stuck in a cycle of monotony and disillusionment. The repetition of the phrase "Every day the same as the day before" emphasizes the mundane routine that the singer is trapped in, represented by the metaphor of "plant[ing their] soul in the sand and nothing ever grows." Despite promising themselves they would "till up new rows," they find themselves wasting away instead, feeling as though they are going through the motions and not truly living.
The chorus highlights the feeling of hopelessness and sameness, with the repetition of "Nothing new under the sun." This phrase is an allusion to the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, which explores the vanity of human existence and the cyclical nature of life. The singer of the song seems to be grappling with these same existential questions, feeling as though they are not truly living but simply existing.
The second verse adds to this sense of disconnect with the world around them. The singer used to care for the land and work hard to cultivate it, but now that passion has faded. They feel as though they are walking in circles and going nowhere, illustrated by the image of "walking through the dust that [they've] sewn." The chorus repeats once more, emphasizing the cyclical, unfulfilling nature of their existence.
Overall, "Under the Sun" is a powerful song that captures the feeling of being stuck in a rut and questioning the meaning of life. The use of metaphor and allusion adds depth and complexity to the lyrics, making it a song that rewards multiple listens.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day the same as the day before,
Every day feels like a repeat of the one before it, lacking any novelty or change.
Plant my soul in the sand and nothing ever grows ,
Despite attempting to grow and develop, there is a feeling of stagnation and unproductivity.
Promised myself yesterday I would till up new rows,
There is a desire to break from routine and try new things.
Sit here and wither away for seven days more.
Despite the desire to change, there is a sense of feeling trapped and lacking the motivation to take action.
Company I keep is wrong,
Surrounding oneself with negative or unhelpful influences.
Squander light until it's gone,
Taking opportunities for granted and wasting them until it's too late.
One more wasted day is done,
Regret for not making the most of the time given and feeling like it's a waste.
Nothing new under the sun.
Feeling like everything has been done before and there's nothing new or exciting to experience.
Idle wheels rust out in a barren field,
Lack of movement or progress leads to a state of decay and deterioration.
I once cared for the land,
A sense of responsibility and connection towards something that has been lost.
But that lost its appeal.
Despite the initial care and interest, it now feels unimportant and uninteresting.
In sleep she carried me away,
A dream or fantasy that provided a temporary escape from reality.
I woke in a cold sweat alone,
The realization that it was just a dream and the disappointment and feeling of being isolated and alone.
I'd been walking in circles,
A pattern of repetition and inability to move forward or progress.
Through the dust that I've sewn.
The consequences of one's actions and neglect leading to negative outcomes and creating a difficult situation to escape from.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRISTOPHER RYAN KIEFER, MATTHEW JAMES FRIEDERICH, NATHAN RYAN GILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blacktopmojo
PREORDER OUR SELF-TITLED 4TH ALBUM HERE:
https://www.blacktopmojo.com/album4
@insert-username-mark
Love the sound. More people need to get behind you guys.
@spikz173
Yes im in France and Many people doesn't know Blacktop Mojo
@scoutstepsout
Love this. Reminds me of that 90s rock I used to live on back in the day ...
@paulcerminara3107
Best since Badlands.
It's like shine down and badlands
@jonreeves9307
This! This is the direction this band needs to go! I love this song the groove is outstanding!
@Slejj_Hamma
Rockin' it to the core!! Asteroids are colliding over this track! Shoot it to the moon BM!! 👍
@robertmckeen9617
Dirty and dark the way Rock should be played
@stevenrardin4315
Great Sounds
@spikz173
Looks like style of Alter bridge.... I like it