Jonathan and Tohm Ifergan’s childhood began in Mexico City before moving to the states as kids. Following the musical footsteps of their father, who played in several bands in France, Jonathan picked up his older brother’s guitar and fell in love. And Tohm wasn’t far behind, experimenting with the guitar, bass and drums before finding his groove with the keys and synthesizer.
After years of trying to play with his older brother, Tohm finally got a chance when Jonathan’s band, Color Radio, was in need of a keyboardist. After two members left, the search began to make Color Radio whole again. Work friend, and classically trained pianist, Matt Thomas added ambient textures and effects while Joel Chasco added progressive bass to an underlying pop backbone. The initial connection of the four required Tohm to switch from keys to drums, and the transition was complete.
Acquiring stardom began when the group released their EP, Be Safe, Beware, in September of 2009 which gained a respective amount of attention in the Chicago music scene. Since then, the quartet has matured their dreamy pop sound by adding atmospheric riffs and psychedelic rhythms in their debut LP, Architects.
Recently, Joel Chasco has mutually left the band to pursue other endeavors. After countless searching, the band found Andrew Manktelow, who was coincidentally at one of their shows and recently moved from North Bay, Ontario Canada. He has joined the ranks since then.
The Chicago outfit has already played all Chicago’s legendary venues (Metro, Schubas, Empty Bottle, Lincoln Hall, Subterranean, Beat Kitchen, etc.) and with national acts such as The Appleseed Cast, Gold Motel, and Lovedrug at regional showcases.
The band plans on touring regionally, hitting the east/west coast, SXSW, and putting out another recording this year.
They have regionally performed at Arlene's Grocery (Manhattan), Southpaw (Brooklyn), Cranky's Manatee Club (Cleveland, OH), Glasslands (Brooklyn), Skully's (Columbus, OH), BBC/The Rave in Milwaukee, The Frequency (WI), Vaudeville Mews (IA), Cowboy Monkey in Champaign, Beer Belly's/Pizza Works (Peoria), The House Cafe (DeKalb), Valparaiso University (IN), and many more.
Miscellaneous:
In the fall of '09, Color Radio's song "The Fixer" was featured on MTV - Paris Hilton's My New BFF. In the summer of '10, "Newest News" was featured on Vh1 - The T.O. Show.
The track "Hangover" from their first EP was a semi finalist in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition and was included in many other compilations.
They also won an opening spot for the MTV Choose or Loose tour with Locksley at the Vaudeville Mews (IA) and were featured on E>N>E: Chicago Rocks Chicago local access TV Show in early '09.
National Acts Color Radio has performed with:
Gold Motel
Sleeping At Last
Longwave (Original Signal)
People in Planes (Wind-up Records)
Lovedrug (The Militia Group)
The Appleseed Cast (The Militia Group)
Carolina Liar (Atlantic Records)
Damiera (Equal Vision)
Dear and the Headlights (Equal Vision)
Now, Now Every Children (Afternoon Records)
Bad Veins (Dangerbird Records)
The Silent Years (Defend Music)
Princeton (Kanine Records)
The Academy Is...(Fueled By Ramen)
We The Kings (S-Curve Records)
Giants (Cavity Records)
The Hymns (Blackland Records)
Locksley
and many more.
Marionette
Color Radio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They'll play the part of your best friend
We are getting nowhere
No matter which side you're on
Your view is ours - so take advantage
Don't let the others destroy your confidence
We are getting nowhere
No matter which side you're on
And i admired your view
The song "Marionette" by Color Radio is an insightful commentary on the dangers of blind conformity and groupthink. The first two lines, "The desperate knock - invite them in, They'll play the part of your best friend," are a warning against letting others in too easily, as they may have ulterior motives and may not have one's best interests at heart. The chorus contains the powerfully poignant lyrics, "We are getting nowhere, No matter which side you're on," which highlights how stagnant and hopeless the situation becomes when people blindly follow the crowd, lacking the ability to innovate or progress. The next lines, "Your view is ours - so take advantage, Don't let the others destroy your confidence," suggest that conformity is alluring because it provides a sense of belonging and safety. However, it's essential to recognize that blindly following the crowd can lead to a loss of autonomy and self-confidence.
The final line, "And I admired your view," can be read from two perspectives. On one hand, it can be interpreted as sincere praise for having a unique perspective or belief system. On the other hand, it could be read as a veiled criticism for blindly adhering to a group's shared beliefs without independent thought. In conclusion, Color Radio's "Marionette" is a thought-provoking song that encourages listeners to think critically and independently, warning against the dangers of groupthink and conformity.
Line by Line Meaning
The desperate knock - invite them in
Don't let loneliness cloud your judgement, welcome those who claim to befriend you
They'll play the part of your best friend
These manipulators will feign intimacy to achieve their own goals
We are getting nowhere
This cycle of deceit and manipulation is leading us nowhere
No matter which side you're on
Regardless of who the perpetrator or victim is, the damage is being done
Your view is ours - so take advantage
We will hijack your perspective and exploit it for our own gain
Don't let the others destroy your confidence
We will isolate you and make you doubt yourself to maintain control
And i admired your view
Initially, I respected and appreciated your unique perspective, but now I realize it was just another tool we could use against you
Contributed by Colin D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Onno Hart
Met First To Know mijn favoriet van het album. En jullie hebben het hier niet eens over de schitterende outro :-)