Constant Smiles began near the end of the 2000s, when Jones was living in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The project was shifting and free-form from the beginning, sometimes materializing as experimental noise and other times drawing on the influence of synth pop or chilly goth tendencies. Jones enlisted various friends to help bring Constant Smiles to life and often self-released recordings online. Digital-only releases like 2013's Maya Deren or 2016 releases including Constant Haze and Constant Dream came frequently, arriving with self-referential titles and a series-like presentation. The 2018 album Lost was a more fully formed statement with heightened production and songs that explored noisy synth instrumentation and moody lo-fi rock. 2019's John Waters was similar, with cold and distant instrumentation, but Jones turned more towards shambling bedroom pop on 2020's Control. Constant Smiles teamed up with the Sacred Bones label for the release of their 2021 album, Paragons. Paragons offered up the most immediate version of the project up until that point, stripping away the reverb haze that had been part and parcel of Constant Smiles' sound up until then. Jones' output remained as prolific as it was ever-changing, as he quickly followed up the direct indie folk sounds of Paragons with 2022's far more synthetic Kenneth Anger. Instead of the lo-fi ambient application of earlier work, the album brought together the band's newly clearer production values with layered melodic arrangements and a dynamic swirl of electronic and organic instrumentation.
Biography by Fred Thomas
Floating
Constant Smiles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when will it be coming clear?
It′s been so hard to think.
My mind is always at the brink
Of war. And war has come to me.
Where do you want to go?
I'll take you anywhere you know.
And if I could just believe
Like war. And war has come back to me.
The opening lines of Constant Smiles's song "Floating" capture the emotional struggle of trying to find direction and clarity in life, despite feeling constantly on the brink of chaos. The lyrics give the impression that the singer is lost, unsure of where to turn, but willing to follow someone who has a clear sense of direction. The repeated references to war suggest that this person has been through some kind of intense battle, but is still standing and fighting. Perhaps they are struggling with a personal trauma, or navigating difficult relationships, or simply trying to make sense of a confusing world.
The second stanza of the song seems to offer a glimmer of hope, with the singer expressing a willingness to give their all to this other person ("I'd give you anything you need"). However, the repetition of the phrase "And war has come back to me" suggests that they are still grappling with inner turmoil, and that this battle may be ongoing. There is a sense of exhaustion and despair that pervades the song, but also a sense of resilience and determination to keep fighting.
Overall, "Floating" is a powerful and poignant meditation on the struggles that we all face in trying to find our way in the world, and the ways in which our own personal battles can both hinder and inspire us.
Line by Line Meaning
Where do I go from here?
I'm unsure of what direction to take in life and need guidance.
And when will it be coming clear?
I'm waiting for the fog to clear so that I can see my path clearly.
It's been so hard to think.
I'm struggling to make decisions because my mind is clouded and confused.
My mind is always at the brink
My thoughts are always on the edge of chaos and overwhelm.
Of war. And war has come to me.
I feel like I'm constantly battling my own thoughts and emotions, which is like being in a war.
Where do you want to go?
I'm willing to follow someone else's lead if they have a clear direction in mind.
I'll take you anywhere you know.
I'm willing to be a follower and not the leader in this situation.
And if I could just believe
If I had faith and confidence, I could trust in the journey.
I'd give you anything you need.
I'm willing to sacrifice to support someone else's vision and goals.
Like war. And war has come back to me.
But again, I'm feeling like I'm stuck in this battle with my own mind and emotions.
Writer(s): Ben Jones, Constant Smiles
Contributed by Camden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.