This story is that of singer/songwriter Chrisopher Blue, and his evocative album room tones.
“It’s almost as if these songs were written for where I am now,” says Blue of the rooted sound. “Psychologically I was in a different place than I was physically. I'm home today in my heart and my head, and the songs reflect that process. They're the stories of how I got home.”
Now based in Mendocino, California, after spending several less than successful years in Seattle, Blue’s home, and for that matter, lifestyle, is the very definition of rustic. No mod cons, no cell phone reception for miles... the man lives in a geodesic dome made of trees felled from the spot, for crying out loud. (Actually, it’s a historic dwelling, built in the 60’s by the grandson of Hiram Bingham IV, a diplomat who performed heroic acts during WWII and the brother of the discoverer of Machu Picchu.)
The mental image is a head-shaker, to say the least. Here’s a guy who worked with John Cale and once fronted 10 Minute Warning, a raging band that, among its members, included Duff McKagan — fresh off the ultimate in balls-out rock and roll trips, Guns N’ Roses. McKagan eventually bailed when Geffen started waving wads of cash and a solo career in his face, and Blue did what most guys in his position would have done: he got wasted and tried to put the pieces back together.
What he did put together was Sensation Junkies, which Blue ruefully describes as “a band that didn’t exist.” The recordings were well received, but the label sent him on the road as a solo act. “I toured alone, playing first on bills,” says Blue laughingly, “and it was like Willie Nelson showing up to support Radiohead. I’d walk on stage, and people who came to see Sensation Junkies looked at me like 'who the hell are you?’...Well, I’m that guy! It was a cringeworthy experience the labels like to call ‘Profile Building,’” he chuckles.
Then there was that little incident in Kansas, where Blue landed himself in the clink. “It was just like in the movies,” he says. “The patrolman walked up to the van and called me 'son,' and a few minutes later I was in handcuffs. They don’t like you driving around with a bunch of green stuff in the car. It seemed like a good time to move to Mendocino,” Blue recalls. “I became a vegan, and decided to take responsibility for myself and my health. No one else was going to take care of me — it was as if I had to be my own honey. I had to fall into my own arms.”
Statements like that are what inform room tones with its poetic sense of painful lessons finally learned. Track after track play out like a journey, and each is a story rich with cinematic imagery. Whether Blue is walking down railroad tracks thinking about what was and what could be (“Such Love”), looking for simplicity by “Turning out the lights and letting the wheels spin,” (“Equanimity”), or seeing things in front of his face for the first time (“Alone”), everything he’s saying can be seen as well as heard. Lyrics play out against spare piano, drums, and guitar effects that unfurl gloriously despite their resigned melancholy.
The cinematic quality of room tones is something Blue credits to producer DC Cooper, a lifelong friend with experience in the film industry. “DC heard what I had and asked if I could put it in his hands, because he had a vision of what I needed to become. I said ‘hell yes!’ I was excited to be taken in a new direction, we worked on making the songs sound sexier, which is something I didn't know how to do with lyrics that were so personal. His idea was to simplify rather than complicate. It was recorded in three days, after I’d labored over the course of years. He said, ‘I'll be the captain, and you play boat in the tree house.’”
Rich with musical clarity and a new-found emotional vocabulary, Blue's new work calls to mind artists as diverse as Nick Drake and Joseph Arthur. Spareness provides a subtle backdrop for the thoughts of a man who has finally figured out what he wants, and realizes he has only himself to rely upon to get it. room tones is warm and simple in tone, but entirely complicated in thought and sentiment. Just like home.
Mandrake
Chrisopher Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This town's cellular
Everything here
Goes supersonic
The satellite eyes watching me
I am running for my life
Yeah, the new god's made of silicone
He is the killer of what is real
A manifestation of the human mind
We are sick here with unfeeling
Man, we're reckless and we're numb
Ooh, the future looks so paranoid
It's you watching me, me watching you
I am the color of dragonflies
Through they eyes of surveillance
God damn those police skies
Round the satellites
Watching over me
Watching over you
Watching everything we do
The lyrics of Christopher Blue's song Mandrake paint a picture of a world that is hyperactive, with technology that is all-encompassing and omnipresent. The opening lines indicate a world that is filled with magnetic energy and where everything goes supersonic. This world is constantly monitored by satellite eyes, further amplifying the technology’s far-reaching presence. However, the song also highlights the darker aspects of this technology-driven world in which we live. Through lines like “the new god’s made of silicone” and “he is the killer of what is real”, the lyrics suggest a world that is losing touch with reality.
As the song progresses, it becomes evident that the singer is running for his life from this world of artificiality. The chorus declares that “we are sick here with unfeeling, man we’re reckless and we’re numb” which further emphasizes the darker side of technological advancements. The lyrics suggest that the future is paranoid, with everyone watching everyone, leading to a world of constant surveillance. Even the skies are “police skies”, monitoring everything that people do.
The final lines of the song suggest that the singer is aware of his surroundings, despite the all-encompassing nature of technology. He is the color of dragonflies, witnessing the world through the eyes of surveillance. The satellites watch over him and everyone else, creating a paranoid and tumultuous world.
Line by Line Meaning
This world is magnetic
The world is captivating and alluring, drawing people in.
This town's cellular
The town is full of interconnected systems, like a living organism.
Everything here
All things in this place,
Goes supersonic
Move at breakneck speed, faster than humans can keep up with.
The satellite eyes watching me
The surveillance systems are constantly tracking and monitoring.
I am running for my life
The singer feels in danger and trying to escape.
Yeah, the new god's made of silicone
The powerful entity controlling everything is a product of technology.
Ten million miles of cable lights
The vast network of technology connecting everything is visible and overwhelming.
He is the killer of what is real
The technology-driven society is destroying genuine human experiences.
A manifestation of the human mind
The technological entity is a product of humanity's collective ideas and desires.
We are sick here with unfeeling
The people are emotionally numb and disconnected from reality.
Man, we're reckless and we're numb
The people are living recklessly and without care for consequences.
Ooh, the future looks so paranoid
The future seems uncertain and filled with suspicion and fear.
It's you watching me, me watching you
The surveillance and monitoring systems are mutual and all-encompassing.
I am the color of dragonflies
The singer, in contrast to the technological environment, is free-spirited and colorful.
Through they eyes of surveillance
Even though the artist is different, they are still being watched by the systems.
God damn those police skies
The constant monitoring feels oppressive and stifling.
Round the satellites
The technology is controlling everything and everyone in a pervasive way.
Watching over me
The surveillance systems are monitoring the singer for any deviations.
Watching over you
The surveillance systems are also watching other people.
Watching everything we do
The surveillance systems track all actions and behaviors of everyone in this controlled environment.
Contributed by Connor S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.