Leading UK music journalist Mick Mercer proclaimed the band his discovery of 2007 (with both albums sitting in his subsequent annual top ten lists), Blaine L. Reininger of genre-transcending legends Tuxedomoon collaborated on their second album, Don Letts spun tracks on BBC6, and Brett Anderson (Suede) asked CWNN to open for him at the launch of his album ‘Slow Attack’.
Having provided the music for two blacker than black comedies at the Edinburgh Festival (‘Moz and the Meal’ and ‘Bored Stiff’), it’s fitting that Cult With No Name then turned their attention to cinema for their first DVD release, ‘Lightwerx: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari’. Cult With No Name’s compulsive and compelling soundtrack extends their ability to instantly create evocative moods over 51 breathtaking minutes, on a journey that takes in mystical ambience, nerve-shredding distortion, popular and unpopular song, electronica, and vast, futurist soundscapes.
In the fall of 2010, CWNN returned with their 4th studio album, ‘Adrenalin’. From the haunting piano-led croon of ‘This time (or any other)’, to the grandiose choral washes of ‘Make a list!’, to the thundering faux-discaux of ‘The All Dead Burlesque Show’, ‘Adrenalin’ is simply a breathtakingly original song cycle. Building on their considerable achievements to date, and deftly hinting at everyone from Scott Walker to Sparks to Tuxedomoon (sometimes across a single song), CWNN have presented an album that’s as much of interest for its lyrical wordplay as its musical dexterity.
'Above as Below', Cult With No Name's fifth album, was released in January 2012. For the first time, it saw the band collaborate with a number of outside artists. Kelli Ali (ex-Sneaker Pimps) contributed extensively, including co-writing the song 'Shake Hands with the Devil'. Other contributors included Bruce Geduldig and Luc van Lieshout of Tuxedomoon, ex-Stranglers and Peter Gabriel guitarist John Ellis and Meg Maryatt of 17 Pygmies. The cover art and packaging for the album was designed by David Bowie and Damien Hirst collaborator Jonathan Barnbrook and manufactured using a letterpress. Dance music icon Mark Moore (S'Express) described the album as possessing 'such warmth, such style, such bliss'.
2012 also saw CWNN contribute the opening track to a remix album from the legendary German band S.Y.P.H., which features ex-Captain Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas and Rambo Amadeus, amongst others. In early 2013, Kelli Ali released her fifth solo album 'Band of Angels', which saw the band co-write and perform on two songs including the epic 'Eternity'. The band's sixth album, 'Another Landing', was released in April 2014 on the band's own CWNN Music label. The album again saw the band collaborate with Tuxedomoon members Blaine L. Reininger, Bruce Geduldig and Luc van Lieshout, Kelli Ali and John Ellis, as well as Japanese electronica artist Coppe'.
CWNN's music has been compared to Roxy Music, Tuxedomoon, the Pet Shop Boys, Colin Newman, The Nits, David Sylvian, early Elton John and Scott Walker, amongst others. They have supported the likes of ex-ZTT artist Anne Pigalle, Lene Lovich, Anne Clark and Client. The band were nominated for the UK's Exposure Music Awards in 2011.
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Every Little Box
Cult With No Name Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know they're going to fail us all one day
So here we stand, alone, unplanned but proud
Fate: when chaos calls in all the shots
But takes far too long to fire them off
Prepare to fight that fear inside your head
'Cos when systems crash then crashing's all that's left
Here's your last line
Line of defence, the words that you said
It's your time
It ends with a fall, so baby let's roll
Praise for every little box we've made
I trust we'll all end up in one, someday
‘Cos when codes crack up the only way is down
Here's your last line
Line of defence, the words that you said
It's your time
It ends with a fall, so baby let's roll
The song "Every Little Box" by Cult With No Name is a profound commentary on the nature of technology and society. The lyrics begin with a sense of appreciation for the various progressions that have been made throughout history, represented by the metaphorical boxes that we have created. However, the tone quickly becomes somber, with the realization that these boxes are ultimately destined to fail us. The singer acknowledges the chaos that inevitably arises when systems crash and the fear that lingers within all of us.
The chorus brings forth a sense of urgency and a call to action, with the last line representing the singer's final defense against the inevitable fall that is to come. The words that we say and the actions that we take are ultimately all that we have to protect ourselves from the pitfalls of modern society. The song closes with a sense of determination, urging listeners to embrace the fall and move forward with strength and resilience.
In many ways, "Every Little Box" is a warning about the dangers of blind reliance on technology and the importance of protecting ourselves and our communities. The song implores listeners to challenge the systems around them and to be vigilant in the face of potential disaster. Ultimately, the message of the song is one of hope, reminding us that even when systems fail, we still have the power to rise up and create something new.
Line by Line Meaning
Praise for every little box we've made
We celebrate every bit of technology we've created
I know they're going to fail us all one day
Despite our celebration, we understand that our technology will eventually let us down
So here we stand, alone, unplanned but proud
Despite this knowledge, we continue to stand and remain confident in our work
Fate: when chaos calls in all the shots
We recognize the unpredictable nature of fate, which controls everything
But takes far too long to fire them off
However, fate sometimes takes too long to act
Prepare to fight that fear inside your head
We must mentally prepare to face our fears
'Cos when systems crash then crashing's all that's left
When our technology fails, all we can do is accept the crash
Here's your last line
This is the end
Line of defence, the words that you said
These are the last words we say before the end
It's your time
It is time for the end
It ends with a fall, so baby let's roll
The end will involve a fall, so we must take action and move on
I trust we'll all end up in one, someday
Despite our technology failing us, we believe that we will all end up together in the end
‘Cos when codes crack up the only way is down
When our codes and technology fail, there is no way to go but down
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.