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 …
Lost
Crash Karma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shed my skin
I stay in bed with this bottle of gin
Your clumsy clown is feeling down today
His make up runs as he just fades away
And now I can't relate to anyone but you
I still smile and try to hide the truth Because the rain is here
Falling down across my face
Though I run so fast
I just can't win this race
You know i paid the price
Far beyond the cost
I can't believe you found me
Without you I'm lost
I can't believe you found me
I was lost
A photograph, a moment caught in time
Those memories are getting harder to find
Familiar smile reminds me of old friends
It's been so long since I've seen
Any of them
And now I can't relate to anyone but you
I still smile and try to hide the truth
Because the rain is here
Falling down across my face
Though I run so fast
I just can't win this race
You know I paid the price
Far beyond the cost I can't believe you found me
Without you I'm lost
I can't believe you found me
I was lost
I still smile and try to hide the truth
Because the rain is here
Falling down across my face
Though I run so fast
I just can't win this race
You know I paid the price
Far beyond the cost
I can't believe you found me
Without you I'm lost
I can't believe you found me
I was lost
I can't believe you found me
Without you I'm lost
I can't believe you found me
I was lost
The song "Lost" by Crash Karma is a heartfelt ballad that explores the feelings of being lost and alone, and the power of human connection to bring us back to ourselves. The lyrics describe a person who feels distanced from the world, lost in their own turmoil, and fragmented by the experiences and memories that cling to them. The singer tries to hide their pain and feelings of alienation, but ultimately finds solace and understanding in the presence of someone they care deeply for.
The song opens with the line "I live my life tomorrow, shed my skin", which suggests a sense of detachment from the present moment and a desire to move forward. The singer describes feeling trapped in their own pain and seeking refuge in a bottle of gin, while the "clumsy clown" of their persona fades away. The chorus repeats the phrase "I can't believe you found me/Without you, I'm lost", emphasizing the importance of human connection and the healing power of love and understanding.
The second verse focuses on the idea of memory and nostalgia, and how the singer struggles to relate to anyone except for the person they are speaking to. They describe a photograph as a "moment caught in time" and reminisce about old friends with a sense of sadness and longing. Once again, the chorus emphasizes the importance of finding someone who understands and can help us come back to ourselves.
Overall, "Lost" is a poignant and emotional song that speaks to the human experience of feeling lost, alone, and disconnected from the world around us. The lyrics are simple but powerful, and the song builds to a powerful climax that emphasizes the importance of love and connection in helping us find our way back to ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I live my life tomorrow
I live my life without much foresight, just taking each day as it comes.
Shed my skin
I'm trying to move on, to change myself because I don't like who I am now.
I stay in bed with this bottle of gin
I have succumbed to despair and am using alcohol to numb the pain.
Your clumsy clown is feeling down today
I am feeling very low and down on myself, like a sad clown who can't get anything right.
His make up runs as he just fades away
My facade of happiness is slipping away, and I feel like a fading memory of myself.
And now I can't relate to anyone but you
I feel disconnected from everyone else in my life except for you.
I still smile and try to hide the truth
I'm trying to pretend like everything is okay, even when it isn't.
Because the rain is here
The sadness and despair I feel is like a rain cloud that won't go away.
Falling down across my face
It feels like the world is closing in on me, suffocating me with sadness.
Though I run so fast
I'm trying my best to escape my problems, but they keep catching up to me.
I just can't win this race
No matter what I do, it feels like I'm constantly falling behind and losing the battle.
You know i paid the price
I have suffered and sacrificed a lot to get to where I am now.
Far beyond the cost
The cost of my pain and suffering has been much higher than anyone could have imagined.
I can't believe you found me
I am amazed that you were able to see through my facade and find the real me.
Without you I'm lost
I feel like I have no direction or purpose in life without you.
A photograph, a moment caught in time
A picture from the past that freezes a particular moment and memory.
Those memories are getting harder to find
As time passes, it becomes more difficult to remember the details of those past memories.
Familiar smile reminds me of old friends
Seeing a familiar face brings back memories of old friends and happy times.
It's been so long since I've seen any of them
It has been a very long time since I've seen those old friends.
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.