Recorded at home in the fall of 2013 with a variety of synthesizers, drum m… Read Full Bio ↴Recorded at home in the fall of 2013 with a variety of synthesizers, drum machines, and assorted hand-made electronics, Damaged Bug is Oh Sees mastermind John Dwyer's latest bit of cracked pop alchemy. The project is the cure to the ailment of too much guitar for too long. Fizzing and sputtering like a glowing temperamental cockpit control panel, this is Dwyer bunkered deep in a blinking laboratory and penning songs about the long arc of our travels across space and time. Propulsive beats and synthetic veneers support and coat laser guided melodies reflecting off shiny metal surfaces, and instrumental interludes pop in and out like breaks in the asteroid belt. Hubba Bubba will be out on Castle Face February 24th.

The Mirror
Damaged Bug Lyrics

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Half a conversation's all right
Blow a breath and fog the mirror, yeah
Oh yeah

Ah, love is strange
Ah, rearrange

Hang around after midnight

Cross your eyes and break the mirror, yeah
Oh yeah

Ah, time is strange
Ah, feels the same now

Take a break and hold your horse now
What's at stake will make you down
Oh yeah

Ah, feel strange
Ah, begin again

Overall Meaning

In the song, "The Mirror," Damaged Bug describes the sensation of feeling lost, confused, and dissociated from the world around you. The repeated refrains of "ah, love is strange" and "ah, time is strange" suggest that the singer is grappling with the bewildering nature of these fundamental aspects of life. The line "half a conversation's all right" suggests a sense of disconnection, as if the singer is only getting a partial or incomplete picture of the world. This is reinforced by the image of the fogged-up mirror, which suggests a lack of clarity and definition.

The second stanza continues this theme, with the line "hang around after midnight," which implies a sense of aimlessness and disorientation. The phrase "cross your eyes and break the mirror" is interesting in that it suggests a deliberate action of attempting to disrupt or shatter one's own perception of reality. This could be interpreted as a form of escapism or a way of trying to find a different perspective on things.

The final stanza introduces the idea of taking a break and beginning again, which could be seen as a hopeful note. The line "what's at stake will make you down" suggests that the singer has experienced some sort of setback or loss, but the idea of starting over implies the possibility of renewal and growth. Overall, the song presents a complex and deeply introspective meditation on the nature of love, time, and consciousness.

Line by Line Meaning

Half a conversation's all right
It's okay to have a partial discussion or understanding of something.

Blow a breath and fog the mirror, yeah
Disrupt the reflection in the mirror by exhaling onto it.

Oh yeah
An interjection to express enthusiasm or agreement.

Ah, love is strange
Love can be unpredictable or unusual.

Ah, rearrange
Reshuffle or modify something in a different way.

Hang around after midnight
Stay up late or into the early morning hours.

Cross your eyes and break the mirror, yeah
Intentionally distort your vision and shatter the mirror.

Ah, time is strange
The passage of time can be perplexing or bewildering.

Ah, feels the same now
Similar sensations or experiences are being repeated in the present moment.

Take a break and hold your horse now
Pause or rest and be patient for a moment.

What's at stake will make you down
The potential consequences of something may bring you down emotionally.