A year ago, Pharrell's auspicious blessing was only a dream for D.A. Wallach and Maxwell Drummey, both 21-year old Harvard seniors at the time. But when their demo found its way to Kanye West last December, Chester French quickly became one of the most hotly pursued new artists of the decade, attracting offers from Kanye, Jermaine Dupri, Pharrell and Jimmy Iovine. That same demo has become the basis for what will surely be the most talked about debut record of 2008.
Tentatively titled Love the Future, the album was written, arranged, produced and engineered entirely by D.A. and Max in their dorm's basement. Full of intricately imagined pop songs that fuse lush string arrangements with modern beats, it is the product of lifetimes of music making and listening.
D.A. was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has been a performer for as long as he can remember. His interests have shifted over time from magic to politics, comedy and drumming -- and finally to singing, songwriting and producing. Max is the product of Boston, Massachusetts and a strong musical upbringing, beginning classical piano lessons at three, studying jazz guitar, jazz and classical composition through high school, picking up further instrumental skills, and finally settling on pop music in college. While D.A. sings lead vocals and Max scores and plays the majority of instruments for Chester French, they work collaboratively on every detail from the first note to the final mix.
The two first met in their freshman year dining hall at Harvard. Along with three friends they formed the first incarnation of Chester French and the quintet quickly cut its teeth playing shows around campus and at Boston bars. At the end of the year, they won a local battle of the bands and, with only two days and $300 to spend, cut a five song EP aptly titled Chester French's First Love.
When school let out, D.A. and Max stayed in Cambridge for the summer, selling copies of the EP on the street by day and writing new songs by night. In their free time, they became engineers at the on-campus recording studio and became fascinated by record production. As they began to master the intricacies of recording, their energies solidified around a common goal: to try to create a classic album in the studio.
As a duo, Chester French worked for three years on Love the Future, making money on the side by engineering recording sessions for Boston area instrumentalists, rappers, and other bands. Finally, in May of 2007, D.A. and Max completed their recording and their degrees, in African American Studies and Social Anthropology, respectively.
Now based out of L.A., Chester French is putting the finishing touches on its epic first offering. Get ready to Love the Future.
Sleep
Chester French Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Face to wash, teeth to floss
More coffee down the drain
Concerta in my brain
But got nothing yet to show
I had to read the facts
Back to back
Can’t sleep until I’m done
But at that time the sun
Will come up
And keep my high
You’re never ever gonna find me
I’m worn out, gon’ run away
I need to get some sleep
I’m dying to leave the work behind me
Get inspired, and find my way
I need to get some....
Turn night into the day
Rain to snow
Studio
We’re cold but we’re alive
Another month inside
But got nothing yet to show
That’s just the way it goes
Some do fine
Some do lines
And some just stay awake
No time to take a break
Or escape into a dream
(Chorus)
It’s comin around
It’s comin around
It’s comin around
Round
It’s comin around
It’s comin around
It’s comin around
Round
The lyrics of Chester French's song Sleep depict the fatigue and exhaustion experienced by individuals working hard to achieve their goals, masks their sorrows behind their achievements, and seek solace in sleep. The first verse describes the singer's routine: working throughout the day and night, washing his face, brushing his teeth, consuming coffee to stay awake, and taking Concerta to improve concentration. Despite his efforts, he has nothing to show for his hard work. He ends up reading books all night to gain more knowledge but must stop because he can't be sleep-deprived by the time the sun rises.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's desire to escape from his tiring routine and get some rest. He imagines running away from all his responsibilities and finding solace in sleep, which he desperately needs. The second verse talks about how some people cope with their work, while others can't escape the pressure. They continue to work in the studio, hoping to produce something worth their while but haven't succeeded yet. The chorus is repeated, indicating that the singer's circumstances may change, but the need for rest remains constant.
The song's lyrics resonate with people who work tirelessly to achieve their goals but can't escape the exhaustion that comes with it. It highlights the importance of taking a break to recharge and shows that sometimes the solution to the problem is a good night's sleep.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn day into the night
Going to bed when it's already light outside
Face to wash, teeth to floss
Nightly routine before bed
More coffee down the drain
Wasting away coffee that didn't help keep awake
Concerta in my brain
Taking medication to focus and stay awake
But got nothing yet to show
Working hard but not seeing any tangible results yet
I had to read the facts
Reading important information and details
Back to back
One after the other without interruption
Book to book
From one book to the next with no breaks
Can't sleep until I'm done
Unable to rest until the task is completed
But at that time the sun
At the time of completion, it's already morning
Will come up
The sun will rise
And keep my high
The feeling of accomplishment will keep me motivated
You're never ever gonna find me
I need some alone time to rest and rejuvenate
I'm worn out, gon' run away
Feeling exhausted and needing a break from work
I need to get some sleep
The main priority is getting rest
I'm dying to leave the work behind me
Craving some time away from work and responsibilities
Get inspired, and find my way
Hoping to gain motivation and direction during rest
Turn night into the day
Staying up all night and sleeping during the day
Rain to snow
Weather changing drastically
Studio
Working environment where music is produced
We’re cold but we’re alive
Working hard and feeling a sense of accomplishment
Another month inside
Working in the studio for an extended period of time
That’s just the way it goes
Acknowledging that sometimes things don't go as planned
Some do fine
Some people succeed in their endeavors
Some do lines
Others turn to drugs as a coping mechanism
And some just stay awake
Some people push themselves to work without rest
No time to take a break
No opportunity to rest or relax
Or escape into a dream
Can't even get away from work in sleep
It’s comin around
Time keeps moving forward
Round
In circles and repeated patterns
Contributed by Alexander R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.