The band's figureheads and main songwriters were Jelle Paulusma (lead vocals) and Anne Soldaat (guitar, vocals). Critics often heard echoes of early Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and other sixties bands from the American west in Daryll-Ann's particular blend of indie rock.
After an initial EP (Decibel, 1991) and début album (Renko, 1992) on tiny domestic labels, the band drew the attention of Hut, the indie branch of Virgin Records. The I Could Never Love You and Come Around EP's (1993 and 1994, respectively) were praised by critics in Holland and the U.K. The group toured Europe and their first full-length album for Hut, Seaborne West (1995), even saw a U.S. release. It received rave reviews in the U.K. music press.
Due to disappointing sales, however, the band was dropped by Hut and joined the respected Dutch indie label Excelsior Recordings, for which they continued to release albums to huge critical acclaim (but moderate commercial success). A small international cult following continued to follow the band, so that some of their Excelsior releases were also put out internationally.
Daryll-Ann's studio albums for Excelsior Recordings:
Daryll-Ann Weeps (1996)
Happy Traum (1999)
Trailer Tales (2002)
Don't Stop (2003)
Excelsior also released a limited edition live album, entitled DA Live (2000).
The band decided to call it a day in 2004. Frontman Jelle Paulusma resurfaced two years later with his first solo album, using his his family name Paulusma as his moniker, whereas guitarist Anne Soldaat went on to form the band Do The Undo (self-titled début album released in 2007) and subsequently started recording under his own name, Anne Soldaat.
2014 saw Daryll-Ann's eagerly anticipated re-formation: original line-up, no new new material, old songs only. The band's brief reunion and farewell tour of The Netherlands received rave reviews.
On April 24, 2022, the band reunited once again, this time for one night only, to perform at Paradiso during the 25th anniversary party of Excelsior Recordings.
April
Daryll-Ann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Faster every day, she's moving alright
And she kills no time at all
Tells you lies and gives you nothing
And she kills no time at all
Sunday quiet day, only morn on my side
Arising anyway, true love grows goodbyes
It's the summerbreeze she likes but it's only april
Holdin' on to thee, forever drown in your eyes
Deep blue eyes, deep blue eyes
The opening line of Daryll-Ann's song, "April runaway, she's bound for July," can be interpreted as the concept of time flying by. The mention of April moving towards July at an accelerating pace represents the fleeting nature of life and time. The lyric "she kills no time at all" might suggest that April is rushing through time without making the most of what she has. It implies that time waits for no one and that we should make the most of every moment.
Furthermore, the song's chorus emphasizes the idea of holding on to precious memories and not wasting time. The lyrics "tells you lies and gives you nothing" might imply that time keeps moving forward without delivering what we expect from it. However, the singer's assertion that "true love grows goodbyes" acknowledges the inevitability of losing the past but emphasizes the importance of cherishing past experiences.
The lyric "it's the summer breeze she likes, but it's only April," is an allusion to the mixed feelings that arise with the onset of summer. While summer promises longer, beautiful days, it is also a period of goodbyes, as it marks the end of the academic or working year. Overall, April is a song that encourages the listener to make the most of every moment while also letting go of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
April runaway, she's bound for July
April represents change and moving on, and it's already heading towards the next stage of summer - July.
Faster every day, she's moving alright
The transition from April to summer is happening quickly, and everything seems to be going smoothly.
And she kills no time at all, tells you lies and gives you nothing
Despite the rapid pace of change, April isn't wasting any time, but unfortunately, she's also not being honest or helpful.
Sunday quiet day, only morn on my side
The artist is experiencing a peaceful morning on a Sunday.
Arising anyway, true love grows goodbyes
Even though it's hard to say goodbye, the artist is moving on and their love will continue to grow.
It's the summer breeze she likes but it's only April
The singer is enjoying the fleeting feelings of summer even though it's still technically spring in April.
Freezes the memory again, holding' on to thee
The singer is trying to hold onto a memory or a moment that is slipping away.
Forever drown in your eyes, deep blue eyes, deep blue eyes
The artist is lost in someone's beautiful blue eyes and wants to be with them forever.
Contributed by Sydney E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.