The press has likened Landes to "the grand old dames of country" and in the same breath The Black Keys and The White Stripes (Uncut). She’s also garnered comparisons to Cat Power and Pavement, an interesting mix that made even NPR’s David Dye wonder.
Raised in the fertile musical fields of Branson, Missouri and Louisville, Kentucky, Landes came to New York City in 1999 and did a cannonball into the music scene. While holding down several jobs to pay the rent, she abandoned university (NYU) and began to intern at some of the best studios in the city. "I had very little experience", she says. "I was just really, really curious. Dangerously curious in the studio… I picked heros like Tchad Blake and Brian Wilson and took a flying leap."
What started as a job getting coffee for engineers has blossomed into a truly enviable resume; among others she has worked with Phillip Glass, Ryan Adams, Hem, Joseph Arthur, The Earlies and Josh Ritter in the studio. Working late into the night, and often sleeping at the same studios she was interning in, Dawn began producing and recording her own songs after hours. "I wanted to get the sounds in my head onto tape exactly as I heard them. And that’s not an easy thing, there are a lot of sounds in there!"
After meeting the band Hem in the studio, Landes joined them on the road as an 8th band member (vocals and glockenspeil) and opening act. Her performing career started to gain speed. Her first full-length, «dawn’s music» was released in France in 2005, followed by extensive touring in Europe and two other European releases; «234» a 7-song EP released in the UK and finally «Fireproof», released worldwide in 2007. Since then her music has become the stuff of whispers and internet buzz, and her touring schedule has put her on the road with artists such as Feist, Jose Gonzales, Midlake, Suzanne Vega, Martha Wainright, The Swell Season…(the list goes on) At times solo, at times with a revolving cast of musical guests, her shows have the guileless and vibrant quality of a work of art in constant creation.
Landes penned the end-credit song for the movie «Savage Grace» starring Julianne Moore and plucked the WST Bluegrass band from a BBQ in Austin, TX to help her record her version of the Peter, Bjorn and John classic, «Young Folks.» Rumor has it, James Blunt liked it so much he covered dawns cover of the song! In 2007 Landes became the co-partner, designer and full-time dry-waller of Saltlands Studio in Brooklyn. «What if we get bored?» Dawn sings in the Fireproof gem, «Kids in a Play.»
As a solo artist, Landes has put out a number of albums:
* Dawn’s Music (self-released-US/Ocean Music-Europe) 2002
* two, three, four (Boy Scout recordings-UK) 2006
* Fireproof (Cooking Vinyl-US/Fargo Music-Europe) 2008
* Sweetheart Rodeo (Cooking Vinyl) 2010
Official Website: www.dawnlandes.com
Kissing Song
Dawn Landes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been ringing all morning
And the knocking, it’s not starting, it's stopping
And the screaming, in the streets it's like barking
It's nothing, they are kissing
They don’t hear anything
They don’t notice the lightning
The everything for control of the ceiling
It's winning, and the rain pours down on her
Soak in the carpet, their shoes and the furniture
And he needs her to drown out all the water and noise in his head
Someone's choking, someone's praying so hard
They are listening to the stained glass for answers
They don’t come in from the walls
Which are taking a beating from the wind on the outside
And it's beating, all its way to the break
And it's meeting, that will make them love sick
The walls crumbling, they don’t feel anything,
They feel nothing but the kissing
In Dawn Landes's song "Kissing Song," the lyrics describe a scene of chaos and noise - ringing phones, knocking, screaming - but the focus is on a couple who are oblivious to it all because they are deeply engaged in kissing. The singer notes that the thunder and rain outside are a "silent fighting" for control of the ceiling - but the couple is "winning" because their connection is stronger. The rain is described as soaking everything, including the furniture and carpet, but the man needs her to "drown out all the water and noise in his head." Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, someone is choking and others are praying, listening for answers in the stained glass. The outside world is almost apocalyptic - walls are taking a beating from the wind, and there's a sense that a "meeting" is coming that will make the couple "love sick." Yet the sound of the kissing is all that registers for them.
The song seems to be exploring the idea of intimacy as a refuge from chaos and turmoil. While the world outside is full of noise and violence, the connection between the couple is a powerful one that can block out everything else. The metaphor of the thunder and rain outside as a "silent fighting" for control of the ceiling is particularly effective - it suggests that even nature is in conflict, and that the couple's love is a powerful force that can win out over external forces.
Line by Line Meaning
The phone's ringing
The phone has been ringing all morning
It's been ringing all morning
The phone has been ringing nonstop for a while now
And the knocking, it’s not starting, it's stopping
There are intermittent knocks on the door
And the screaming, in the streets it's like barking
There is noise and screaming outside, which sounds like barking
It's nothing, they are kissing
Despite all the external noise, the two people are only focused on kissing
They don’t hear anything
The noise outside is not affecting their focus
They don’t notice the lightning
They are so absorbed in each other that they are unaware of the thunderstorm outside
It's striking at the silent fighting
The thunderstorm is symbolic of the unspoken tension between them
The everything for control of the ceiling
There is a sense of control or ownership over the space above them
It's winning, and the rain pours down on her
The ceiling is leaking, and the rain is dripping down on one of them
Soak in the carpet, their shoes and the furniture
The rain is affecting everything in the room
And he needs her to drown out all the water and noise in his head
He relies on her for comfort amidst the chaos
Someone's choking, someone's praying so hard
The noises outside are varied and intense
They are listening to the stained glass for answers
They are seeking guidance or solace from the church outside
They don’t come in from the walls
The noises from outside are so loud that it feels like they're penetrating the walls
Which are taking a beating from the wind on the outside
The external wind is strong enough to cause damage to the building
And it's beating, all its way to the break
The sounds are relentless and building up to a breaking point
And it's meeting, that will make them love sick
The chaotic events will only deepen their love for each other
The walls crumbling, they don’t feel anything,
Even as their surroundings crumble, they are numb to it
They feel nothing but the kissing
Their focus is solely on their connection and the physical intimacy they share
Contributed by Isaiah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kali Mak
i love this. a friend sent it to me and i love it. very mellow and mood setting
Jason Pell
This deserves more attention.
Giulia R.
this song seems to be suspended out of time, it's about something happened in the past and meanwhile something that still has to happen
Stavroula Avgousti
it reminds me of the british folk songs of the sixties... congratulations