Pulling from the influences of the blues, outlaw country, roots rock, early American folk, Gypsy and Eastern European music, Brown Bird offers harmonized voices, haunting lyrics and diverse rhythm and instrumentation, which surges in waves that often swell into high-spirited, foot-stomping madness.
Brown Bird began in 2003, as a solo project for David Lamb (guitar/vocals/banjo/percussion), formed in Seattle, Washington and was named after Lamb's dog, who was named "Bird" and was brown. After playing around solo for a few years and moving to Portland, Oregon, the band grew to include Jerusha Robinson (cello/vocals) and her husband, Jeremy Robinson (accordion/banjo), turning the once-solo act into a trio. With the Robinsons, Lamb would go on to record the first two albums: 2006's Tautology and 2007's Such Unrest.
On a solo tour in 2008, promoting The Bottom of the Sea Lamb met MorganEve Swain (fiddle/upright bass/violin/vocals) and Mike Samos (lap steel/dobro) and they were soon added to the lineup.
The Robinsons decided to depart in 2009, choosing to focus on their own project, South China, though they would be featured on some songs for 2009's The Devil Dancing. Samos stuck around for another year but would also depart in 2010, leaving the final lineup for Brown Bird as David Lamb and MorganEve Swain.
The band would tour extensively, as support for fellow folk/bluegrass acts, including Trampled By Turtles, The Devil Makes Three, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Horse Feathers. Lamb and Swain released two albums as a duo, 2011's The Sound of Ghosts EP and full length Salt for Salt and 2013's Fits of Reason.
In early 2013, David Lamb was diagnosed with leukemia, putting the band on hiatus during his recovery. After more than a year of successful recovery and an unfortunate relapse, David Lamb passed away on April 5, 2014.
Past members:
Jeremy Robinson (accordion, banjo)
Jerusha Robinson (cello, vocals)
Mike Samos (lap steel, dobro)
Special guest:
Micah Blue Smaldone (bass)
The Band has released seven albums and one EP to date:
‘Tautology’ (2006)
‘Such Unrest’ (2007)
'The Bottom of the Sea' (2008) (Peapod Recordings)
'The Devil Dancing' (2009) (Peapod Recordings)
'The Sound of Ghosts' (EP; 2011)
'Salt for Salt' (2011)
'Fits of Reason' (2013)
'Axis Mundi' (2015)
Their most recent albums are available for purchase on brownbird.net and Supply&Demand Music.
Such Unrest
Brown Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alone in bed I'm tossing and turning
And in my head my thoughts are whirring
With such unrest what peace can come?
I need my lover's warmth to calm me
It would ease me just to hear her talking
Inside my skull my brains are melting
The sky holds a knife
To throw in darkness
Try as I might
Cannot hold her down
I wake in dreams arout with vision
Poorly end of made decisions
Of the fears I'd slain that now have risen
With such unrest what sleep can come?
With such unrest no sleep can come
With such unrest no sleep will come
Brown Bird's song Such Unrest is a lament about sleeplessness and anxiety. The lyrics illustrate the singer's struggle to find calm and peace in his dreams. His thoughts are restless and his mind is racing, making it difficult to find any peace. He longs for his lover's warmth and the comfort of her voice to ease his fears and soothe his anxieties. He is haunted by the decisions he has made and the fears he has had to overcome, and they torment him in his sleep, making it impossible for him to rest. Despite his efforts to control his thoughts and calm his mind, he cannot prevent the dark thoughts from creeping in and taking over.
The song's lyrics are filled with vivid metaphors and images that create a sense of unease and unrest. The line "Like the death noise on a funeral drone" is particularly striking, suggesting a sense of foreboding and despair. The refrain "with such unrest what peace can come" emphasizes the singer's inability to find any solace or rest.
Overall, Such Unrest is a powerful and evocative song that captures the complexity of human emotions and the struggle to find peace and stability in the midst of turmoil.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight my dreams keep me stirring
My dreams are bothering me and keeping me awake tonight.
Alone in bed I'm tossing and turning
I am unable to sleep and am moving around in bed.
And in my head my thoughts are whirring
My mind is filled with racing thoughts.
With such unrest what peace can come?
It is impossible to find peace and calmness with so much restlessness.
I need my lover's warmth to calm me
I require my partner's physical warmth and presence to find solace.
It would ease me just to hear her talking
Hearing her voice would give me comfort and ease.
Inside my skull my brains are melting
My mind is overheated with anxiety and stress.
Like the death noise on a funeral drone
The intense noise and negative energy is overwhelming like at a funeral.
The sky holds a knife
The surroundings feel threatening and dangerous.
To throw in darkness
The knife intends to hurt during the night time.
Try as I might
Even though I am attempting to hold on and fight through.
Cannot hold her down
I am unable to keep my loved one with me and miss her dearly.
I wake in dreams arout with vision
I wake up dreaming and with intense imagery in my mind.
Poorly end of made decisions
I am plagued with regret for choices I have made leading to a bad outcome.
Of the fears I'd slain that now have risen
My once conquered fears have now reappeared and are haunting me.
With such unrest what sleep can come?
It is impossible to find sleep with so much unrest and turmoil.
With such unrest no sleep can come
It is impossible to find sleep with so much unrest and turmoil.
With such unrest no sleep will come
It is impossible to find sleep with so much unrest and turmoil.
Contributed by Henry B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stephanie Lane
on Bilgewater
I love this song I can't express the way it truly makes me feel.