Following a few scattered independent releases, done mostly on homemade CDs with hand-drawn art, VanGaalen released Infiniheart in 2004 on Canadian independent label Flemish Eye. Being a collection of songs selected from recordings made in his bedroom/makeshift studio, it was picked up in 2005 by indie label Sub Pop. In late 2005, the album was re-released with a bonus six-song EP entitled Green Beans.
On 22 August 2006, VanGaalen's second album, Skelliconnection, was released in the U.S. on Sub Pop and in Canada on Flemish Eye. The album comprised of new songs as well as tracks previously released on his earlier independent recordings and features exclusive artwork and videos made by VanGaalen. The album was named on the shortlist for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize.
VanGaalen's third studio album, Soft Airplane, was released 9 September 2008.
In 2009, VanGaalen released a full-length album "Snow Blindness is Crystal Antz" under the alias Black Mold.
In 2015, VanGaalen collaborated with Seth Smith of the indie rock band Dog Day on the album Seed of Dorzon.
Chad VanGaalen's Light Information, his sixth record on Sub Pop, was released on 8 September 2017.
As a visual artist, VanGaalen is known for his illustration and animation work. He has animated music videos for folks like J Mascis, Guster, and Holy Fuck.
Echo Train
Chad VanGaalen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When everything you've ever done was to be past
Just think about our bodies in this place
And imagine us shooting through the space
Stop dragging us down
With all your tick-tocking clocks that seem to never slow down
Stop dragging us down
Why do you think it's gonna end
When everything that's ever been around on this echo train
Just think about our bodies in this place
And imagine us shooting through the space
Stop dragging us down
With all your tick-tocking clocks that never seem to slow down
Stop dragging us down
Because eventually this future's gonna swallow you
Chad VanGaalen's song "Echo Train" seems to reflect on the fleeting nature of life and how time seems to rush by. The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer is addressing someone who is pessimistic about the future and feels that everything is temporary. The line "What makes you think it's gonna last, when everything you've ever done was to be past" seems to question why some people believe that things are bound to come to an end, despite evidence that things can last. However, the singer then goes on to ask the listener to consider their bodies in space, imagining the feeling of shooting through the emptiness. This image suggests a sense of freedom and weightlessness that transcends mundane concerns like time.
The repeated plea to "stop dragging us down" could be interpreted in different ways. It could be interpreted as a plea to those who are cynical and bring others down with them. Or, it could be interpreted as a plea to those who are obsessed with time and schedules, as the "tick-tocking clocks" suggest. The idea that the future will "swallow" those who don't let go of their fixed ideas and are unable to appreciate the present moment is a sobering one.
Line by Line Meaning
What makes you think it's gonna last
Why are you so confident in the permanence of this situation when everything you've done is about moving on from the past?
When everything you've ever done was to be past
Your habits and behaviors indicate that you are constantly moving forward, never satisfied with the present moment.
Just think about our bodies in this place
Contemplate the physical reality of our existence in this moment and location.
And imagine us shooting through the space
Visualize our physical bodies moving rapidly through the vast empty space around us.
Stop dragging us down
Cease your negative impact on our lives.
With all your tick-tocking clocks that seem to never slow down
Your constant pressure and demands are exhausting and unrelenting.
Because eventually this future's gonna swallow you
Your fixation on the future will consume you, leading to a life of constant striving and dissatisfaction.
Why do you think it's gonna end
Why are you so certain that this will eventually come to a close?
When everything that's ever been around on this echo train
Everything that has happened before and will happen after is all part of the endless cycle that defines our existence.
Because eventually this future's gonna swallow you
Your obsession with what's to come will lead to your downfall, as you neglect the present and constantly yearn for something more.
Lyrics © Fintage House Publishing
Written by: CHAD VANGAALEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind