The would-be next album, "Dear Tommy" (2016), was scrapped, and was meant to be re-worked for a subsequent release, however the fate of album is unclear, as on August 10, 2021, Ruth Radelet, Adam Miller and Nat Walker announced the breaking up of Chromatics. Later that day the label, Italians Do It Better, and Johnny Jewel's representative, also confirmed the breakup. Their last album is "Closer to Grey" (2019), which has a companion album, "Faded Now" (2020).
The band originally hailed from Seattle and formed in 2002 as a quartet featuring vocalist Adam Miller, drummer Hannah Blilie, guitarist Devin Welch, and bassist Michelle Nolan. That lineup debuted in 2002 with a Calvin Johnson-produced 7" on Gold Standard Laboratories -- a split with Die Monitr Batss -- and followed with the similarly GSL-issued Chrome Rats vs Basement Ruts LP.
While Chrome Rats was critically hailed, Chromatics couldn't keep it together, and Miller was soon the only member in good standing (Blilie, Welch, and Nolan went on to form the similar-sounding Shoplifting). Unworried, Miller added guitar and drum programming to his vocal duties and tapped bassist Nat Sahlstrom for the 2003 GSL 7" Ice Hatchets. That was followed by the February 2004 full-length Plaster Hounds (which featured the percussion work of Get Hustle's Ron Avila), and a repositioning of the Chromatics axis to greater reflect its dub and no wave influences.
This lineup too dissolved and Adam Miller relocated Chromatics to Portland, teaming up with Glass Candy's Johnny Jewel, Ruth Radelet on lead vocals, and Nat Walker on percussion and saxophone. The new lineup of Chromatics had a more lo-fi electronic sound as opposed to the earlier dub and no-wave sounds.
You're No Good
Chromatics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
I know you're no good, no
But I can't stay away from you
I know you're no good, no
But I can't stay away from you
That's all we ever do
That's all we ever do, ooh ooh
That's all we ever do
That's all we ever do, ooh ooh
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
Ever do
We sleep until the sun goes down
We watch the night fall on the ground
And are we all alone
I know you're no good, no
But I can't stay away from you
I know you're no good, no
But I can't stay away from you
Do
Do
Do
I can't stay away from you
Do
Do
Do
I can't stay away from you
They close their eyes and touch the flame
Wonder why
Seeking shelter from the rain
Don't you cry
And are we all alone
Tears like satin
Felt before
Thirsty vampires
Costing more
And are we all alone
I know you're no good, no
But I can't stay away from you
I know you're no good, no
I can't stay away from you
From you (do)
From you (do)
I can't stay away from you (do)
From you (do)
From you (do)
I can't stay away from you (do)
From you (do)
From you (do)
Ooh
From you (do)
From you (do)
Ooh
From you (stay away, stay away)
From you (stay away)
Ooh (stay away, stay away, stay away)
From you (stay away, stay away)
From you (stay away)
Ooh (stay away, stay away, stay away)
From you (stay away, stay away)
From you (stay away)
Ooh (stay away, stay away, stay away)
From you (do)
Do
Do
Do
Do
Do
The lyrics of Chromatics' song "You're No Good" convey a complicated and tumultuous relationship between the singer and the subject of the song. Though the singer acknowledges that the object of their affection is "no good," and that they "sleep until the sun goes down" and "watch the night fall on the ground" together, they can't seem to stay away. "That's all we ever do," they lament. The singer questions whether they are alone in their relationship, asking "and are we all alone" twice in the song. The second half of the song takes on a more poetic feel, with the lines "tears like satin/felt before/thirsty vampires/costing more" seemingly nonsensical but evocative all the same.
The song captures the confusing and intense nature of a dysfunctional relationship, in which one is drawn to someone they know is not good for them. The repetition of the "Do" and "Ever do" throughout the song conveys the cyclical nature of the relationship, and the fact that despite the singer's reservations, they keep coming back for more.
Line by Line Meaning
Do
Repetition of the word 'Do'.
I know you're no good, no
I am aware that you are not good for me.
But I can't stay away from you
However, I am unable to resist you and stay away from you.
That's all we ever do
This is the only activity we consistently engage in.
Ever do
Repetition of the phrase 'Ever do'.
We sleep until the sun goes down
We sleep during the day and are active at night.
We watch the night fall on the ground
We observe the darkness and arrival of nighttime.
And are we all alone
Do we have each other in this loneliness?
Tears like satin
Crying tears as smooth as the fabric 'satin'.
Felt before
I experienced similar emotions in the past.
Thirsty vampires
Desires that are intense and draining like mythical creatures 'vampires'.
Costing more
It is causing more than expected or intended.
From you (do)
Repetition of the phrase 'From you (do)'.
Stay away
To keep a distance from something or someone.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: John Padgett, Adam Miller, Ruth Radelet
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind