Their debut album, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, recorded by Adam Lasus (Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo/the dirt of luck), was self-released in 2005, receiving attention from numerous MP3 blogs and a favorable review from Pitchfork Media, who gave the band a "Best New Music" commendation. The ensuing demand for the album was so great that the band were forced to re-press the CD, as the initial production run was too small. David Bowie and David Byrne were subsequently spotted at some of the band's shows, garnering them even more press. They also received praise from Rolling Stone as the 'Hot New Band' for 2005. On October 3, 2005, they were signed to Wichita Recordings in the UK.
The band released their second album, Some Loud Thunder on January 29, 2007, in the UK, and January 30, 2007, in the United States. On September 18, 2007, Live at Lollapalooza 2007: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was released on iTunes. It features the band's complete live set from Lollapalooza, professionally recorded on August 4, 2007.
May 2011 brought news the third album, reassuring fans that they had not broken up. The band released Hysterical, produced by John Congleton, on September 12 in the UK, Europe, Japan, and Australia, and on September 20 in the United States. It was announced via a post on the band's official website with a video of the band rehearsing a few new songs from the album in the studio. A vinyl reissue of a remastered edition of the first album, released on June 14, 2011, was also announced. A music video for "Maniac" was made by Belgian director Pieter Dirkx. It was released on September 14, 2011.
On August 1, 2013 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah digitally released their EP Little Moments on their Bandcamp page. It consisted of four songs, two of which were to be included in a different form on their forthcoming LP, Only Run. Little Moments featured a new sound for the band that included a heavier reliance on synths and drum machines and fewer guitars. The band recorded the EP in Alec Ounsworth's home studio, mixing and mastering the EP themselves. Additionally, 500 10 inch vinyl EPs were put on sale on the band's Bandcamp page.
On December 31, 2013 the band announced via email the completion of their forthcoming album called Only Run with a release date of June 3, 2014. Its first single, Coming Down, featured vocals from The National's Matt Berninger.
Some Loud Thunder
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Lyrics
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You'd think I'd have something to say
But I'm just talking
Like a siren getting louder and farther away
From the energetic kids in the park
Yes that was me breaking glass and pretending to start
Something big
Some new taste
Did you wander
As my voice went from station to station to state?
Some loud thunder
Sometimes there's no telling if we're ok
There are buildings up for sale
On the other side of town which are falling down for people
To stand in their place; to try to make something great
That's just a part of the story
And it could be maybe something complete someday
At the end of the quarry
Yes that was me digging holes for all the world to see
A cannonball as big as the ocean could come from the sky and slap us all on the teeth
But there's always more unless I'm mistaken
Tell me when tdo mouths close
And people gracefully retreat
New York calling
At the bottom of the ocean city gritting its teeth
But there's no telling
From the telepathic Mrs. Crying on live TV
Whoah the misanthropic topical arrangement that is met with a shark bite by the terminal patient
That's me
Am I late?
That's the state of my story
And it may be one day something complete
At the end of the quarry
I have dug a hole for all the world to see
A cannonball as big as the ocean could come from the sky and slap us all on the feet
But there's always more unless I'm mistaken
Tell me when do mouths close
And people gracefully retreat?
The lyrics to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's "Some Loud Thunder" are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song appears to be about a narrator who is struggling to communicate their thoughts and ideas despite talking continuously. The line "you'd think I'd have something to say, but I'm just talking" suggests a frustration with empty words and a desire for substance. The reference to "a siren getting louder and farther away" implies a sense of urgency and a feeling of being disconnected from others. The energetic kids in the park are part of a world the singer feels distant from, and breaking glass feels like a futile attempt to connect with something greater.
The second verse introduces more abstract imagery, with "buildings up for sale on the other side of town which are falling down for people to stand in their place" suggesting a society in decline. The desire to "try to make something great" is juxtaposed with the sense of inevitable decay represented by the falling buildings. The line "at the end of the quarry, yes that was me digging holes for all the world to see" conjures up images of something unfinished or in the process of being built. The cannonball imagery is repeated, with the suggestion of looming danger and uncertainty.
The final verse is cryptic, with "New York calling at the bottom of the ocean city gritting its teeth" suggesting a struggle or conflict. The telepathic Mrs. crying on live TV adds to the sense of chaos and confusion. The misanthropic topical arrangement that is met with a shark bite by the terminal patient" could relate to social commentary or political issues. The repeated line of "tell me when do mouths close and people gracefully retreat" could suggest a desire for peace and for people to stop talking and start listening, but it remains unresolved.
Line by Line Meaning
All this talking
Despite all the talking that I'm doing, you'd think that I have something meaningful to say.
But I'm just talking
In reality, I'm talking without any real purpose or direction.
Like a siren getting louder and farther away
My talk is becoming more intense but it's leading me further from what I really want to say.
From the energetic kids in the park
It's a contrast to the lively atmosphere of the kids in the park.
Yes that was me breaking glass and pretending to start
I was the one who broke the glass, trying to create something new, but in reality it led to nothing.
Something big
I was trying to create something significant.
Did you wander
I wonder if I lost you in my rambling.
As my voice went from station to station to state?
As I shifted from one topic to another without any real focus.
Some loud thunder
There's a sense of foreboding that something disruptive is coming.
Sometimes there's no telling if we're ok
It's difficult to gauge whether everything is truly okay.
There are buildings up for sale on the other side of town which are falling down for people to stand in their place; to try to make something great
There are opportunities for people to step in and create something new out of what's been left behind.
That's just a part of the story
This is just one aspect of the larger narrative.
And it could be maybe something complete someday
Perhaps this will all come together to form something whole and meaningful.
Yes that was me digging holes for all the world to see
I was the one creating a spectacle for the world to witness.
A cannonball as big as the ocean could come from the sky and slap us all on the teeth
There's always the possibility of something huge and destructive happening.
But there's always more unless I'm mistaken
Despite the potential for destruction, there's always the possibility for growth and creation.
Tell me when tdo mouths close And people gracefully retreat
When is it appropriate to stop speaking and withdraw from a situation?
New York calling
This is a reference to the famous phrase used during the launch of the first satellite transmission.
At the bottom of the ocean city gritting its teeth
There's a sense of tension and discomfort.
From the telepathic Mrs. Crying on live TV
There's a sense that even the media are telepathically connected in their sadness.
Whoah the misanthropic topical arrangement that is met with a shark bite by the terminal patient That's me Am I late?
The artist is feeling misanthropic and out of place, questioning the timing of their actions.
That's the state of my story
This is the current situation of my story.
It may be one day something complete At the end of the quarry I have dug a hole for all the world to see A cannonball as big as the ocean could come from the sky and slap us all on the feet But there's always more unless I'm mistaken
There's a sense of potential for creation, but also for destruction.
Tell me when do mouths close And people gracefully retreat?
When is the right time to stop talking and withdraw from a situation?
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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