When the… Read Full Bio ↴What goes around comes around. Especially for Crash Karma.
When they roared to life with their super-powered debut album in 2010, the members of this Can-Rock dream team — singer Edwin (formerly of I Mother Earth), guitarist Mike Turner (ex-Our Lady Peace), drummer Jeff Burrows (The Tea Party) and bassist Amir Epstein (Zygote) — were musical peers with separate but equal pasts. Almost three years later to the day, with their fittingly titled sophomore album Rock Musique Deluxe, they have grown into a band of brothers with a shared musical vision they’re willing to fight for. Even among themselves.
“When we first got together, I didn’t know the guys,” says bassist and main songwriter Epstein, who set up the musical blind date that launched the band in 2008. “I wasn’t friends with them and they weren’t friends with each other — which I actually thought was kind of strange, being that they were in three of the most successful bands ever in Canada. They had crossed paths when they toured, but they weren’t super-tight. So we weren’t very comfortable in the studio. Everybody was on their best behaviour. If someone made a suggestion someone else didn’t like, there wasn’t much criticism. Nobody wanted to offend. “Since then, we’ve played together, we’ve recorded together, we’ve toured together. And we’ve become close, a bunch of buddies. We know everything about each other now — all the dark secrets. So it was a lot different in the studio. We were comfortable with one another, we were honest with one another, we were open with one another. And it was way more opinionated — ‘That sucks! Do it again!’ Instead of everybody doing what they want, we did what was best. And we all ended up making a stronger album because of it.”
That cocktail of camaraderie, confidence and creative conflict is the spark that ignites the high-octane Rock Musique Deluxe. Co-produced by the band and studio veteran Terry Brown (Rush, Max Webster, Voivod) in their Toronto hometown, the lean, muscular album takes up where previous hits like ‘Awake’ and ‘Fight’ left off and heads into new sonic terrain.
“You can tell that there’s a maturity in the band,” Edwin agrees. “It’s a step ahead, not a step back. It’s not remaking the same record. It’s a natural evolution. You could put it up against the first record, but it doesn’t sound like the first record. It sounds like a newer, fresher Crash Karma.” Also a more aggressive and progressive one. The just over 40-minutes Rock Musique Deluxe runs darker, deeper and heavier than its predecessor, thanks to Turner’s wall of serrated buzzsaw riffage and swirling flourishes, Epstein’s nimble, melodic basslines and drummer Burrows’ marriage of octopus dexterity and relentless propulsion. “We unleashed Burrows,” Epstein confirms. “If you listen to the drums, they’re ridiculous, animalistic. We kept encouraging him to give us more.” Once the drums were tracked, the musicians were compelled to follow suit, incorporating different time signatures, exotic percussion, unpredictable arrangements and atmospheric textures — the dividends paid by their newfound openness and drive.
“I always have to step back and take an audio picture of what we accomplish as a band,” Burrows says. “The sonic boom of four individuals from varied musical backgrounds creating something so powerful and to the point is amazing.”
Beneath the album’s brains and brawn, however, beats a sincere, passionate heart. In contrast to the more external perspective of their debut, this time it’s personal for lyricists Epstein and Edwin. The bulk of these 11 songs introduce protagonists standing at life’s crossroads and running emotional gauntlets. Meet the beleaguered star of the funk-flecked modern rocker “Man on Trial”. The self-recriminating anti-hero of the soaring slow-burner “Everything”. The empowering lead of the infectious first single “Tomorrow”. The protective champion of the ominous abuse-themed ‘Leave Her Alone’. All of them (and more) are personified via Edwin’s painstakingly crafted vocals, which move seamlessly from tough to tender in a single couplet.
“The way I see it,” explains Edwin, “the first record had a lot of angst and a little bit of love. This record has a lot of love and a little bit of angst. And from my perspective, the songs are more singable. We put a lot of backing harmonies on this one. On the first record, we tried not to use too many harmonies so it didn’t sound sweet and pretty. But this time, the songs really lent themselves to a diversity of harmonies. But ultimately, it’s not like we’re playing be-bop or anything. It’s still a rock album.” And at a time when real rock is in short supply, Crash Karma are proud to wear the genre on their sleeve. And their album cover.
“We’ve played shows with some bands — and I’m not going to name them — that weren’t rock bands, but were just pretending to be rock bands,” explains Epstein. “It was really irritating to see that. So our album title is just a way of just saying, ‘This is rock music. Take a listen to it, in case you forgot what it’s supposed to sound like.’ ”
Adds Edwin: “I know there’s still a lot of rock fans out there. I don’t think rock is dead. I think it will always make a revival in some form. And if we can have a part in that revival, in making it front and centre a little bit, I would be greatly honoured.”
Don’t be surprised if he gets his wish. After all, what goes around …
Awake
Crash Karma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel this, I feel it every single day
I'm stunned and I'm cursed
I'm blessed but I'm hurt
Silence, is all I wanna hear
This violence, numb to all the fear
Shaken at first
I'm sickened of course
It takes me so far
When it feels like we're dying
With all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
We're finally awake
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
Relieved that, you see the way I feel
You know that, this crazy shit is real
Cut but I'm glad
This fighting is mad,
But I'm not mad
And now I'm free falling
It takes me so far
My fear of flying
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
With all i've seen and done there's nothing to be frightened of
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
With all I've seen and done, nothing to be frightened of
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
With all i've seen and done all I've seen and done
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
The lyrics of "Awake" by Crash Karma express a feeling of being speechless and unable to find the right words to explain one's emotions. The singer is feeling a mix of emotions that they experience every day, leaving them stunned, cursed, blessed, and hurt at the same time. They want silence to escape the violence and fear around them. Although shaken at first and sickened, the singer feels free when they feel like they are falling. The lyrics suggest that the times are tough, and they have seen enough to be relieved that they can finally rise above their fears and be awake.
The repetition of the line, "With all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough, we're finally awake," reinforces the idea of going through various challenging experiences that make one feel like they are suffocating, but now they can finally be awake and rise above the hardships.
Line by Line Meaning
Speechless, with nothing more to say
I am unable to speak or express myself, and I have nothing left to say.
I feel this, I feel it every single day
The emotions I experience are constant and persistent, affecting me daily.
I'm stunned and I'm cursed
I am surprised and shocked, and I feel like I am under a spell or doomed.
I'm blessed but I'm hurt
Although I am fortunate and have good things in my life, I am still in pain and suffering.
Silence, is all I wanna hear
All I desire in this moment is quietness and stillness.
This violence, numb to all the fear
Despite the violence around me, I am desensitized to the fear it generates because of its frequency.
Shaken at first
I am initially scared and uncertain.
I'm sickened of course
I am disgusted by the situation or circumstances, as anyone would be.
When I feel like I'm falling
When I am losing control or direction in my life.
It takes me so far
The experience helps me realize the extent of my limitations, or the reach of my potential.
When it feels like we're dying
When it seems like everything is falling apart, or coming to an end.
With all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
The hardships I've endured have reached their limit and are testing me in a difficult way.
We're finally awake
We are no longer asleep or ignorant to the reality of the world around us.
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
Despite the challenges and difficulties we face, there is no need to be afraid, and we can overcome anything.
Relieved that, you see the way I feel
I am grateful that someone else understands what I am going through and empathizes with me.
You know that, this crazy shit is real
You acknowledge that the problems I am facing are serious and genuine.
Cut but I'm glad
Although I am hurt, I am still happy and grateful for what I have.
This fighting is mad
The struggle or conflict is insane or irrational.
But I'm not mad
Despite the madness around me, I am not angry or upset, but rather calm and composed.
And now I'm free falling
I am now diving into the unknown, taking risks and embracing the uncertainty of life.
My fear of flying
I am scared of taking off or soaring, metaphorically speaking.
With all i've seen and done there's nothing to be frightened of
Based on my experiences and achievements, there is nothing that can scare or intimidate me anymore.
With all I've seen and done, nothing to be frightened of
Again, I am stating that all the things I have faced and accomplished have eliminated the fear I once had.
We're finally awake
The end of the song reiterates the same message from earlier, that we have finally woken up to the truth of the world.
Contributed by Anna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jordanmorton713
Speechless, with nothing more to say
I feel this, I feel it every single day
I'm stunned and I'm cursed
I'm blessed but I'm hurt
Silence, is all I wanna hear
This violence, numb to all the fear
shaken at first
I'm sickened of course
When I feel like I'm falling
it takes me so far
when it feels like we're dying
With all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
We're finally awake
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
Relieved that, you see the way I feel
you know that, this crazy crap is real
Cut but I'm glad
This fighting is mad,
but I'm not mad
And now I'm free falling
it takes me so far
My fear of flying
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
With all i've seen and done there's nothing to be frightened of
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
With all I've seen and done, nothing to be frightened of
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
With all i've seen and done all I've seen and done
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
@babyjesuslovesme1219
Excellent
@patrickgrondines3994
love this song
@pjsbulldog67
great Canadian band, how can you go wrong with a mix of o l p, i m e and tea party
@jordanmorton713
Speechless, with nothing more to say
I feel this, I feel it every single day
I'm stunned and I'm cursed
I'm blessed but I'm hurt
Silence, is all I wanna hear
This violence, numb to all the fear
shaken at first
I'm sickened of course
When I feel like I'm falling
it takes me so far
when it feels like we're dying
With all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
We're finally awake
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
Relieved that, you see the way I feel
you know that, this crazy crap is real
Cut but I'm glad
This fighting is mad,
but I'm not mad
And now I'm free falling
it takes me so far
My fear of flying
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
With all i've seen and done there's nothing to be frightened of
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
With all I've seen and done, nothing to be frightened of
Oh, with all I've seen I've had enough, times are tough
I'm finally awake
With all i've seen and done all I've seen and done
There's nothing to be frightened of, rise above
We're finally awake
@patrickgrondines3254
good job on the lyrics
@mmjahink
Crazy shit not crap, but yes.
@ExtremeRulez13
I can't wait until April 9th because that is the Rock 102 Spring Invasion in Saskatoon and Crash Karma will be playing there
@MrJoseLuisAntonio
good quality!
@terryberry48
this crazy shit is real, love this song!
@chadloveschargers
playing with USS in July! barrie ont.