Shine On, Dexter Freebish’s first full length album in over six years, explores new sonic territory and builds on the hook laden songs of previous releases. While creating Shine On, the band was inspired by 808 drum machines, beat up synths, and their I-phone apps. Produced by The Singularity, the album ranges from the dance, heavy beat influenced “Wide Awake,” to the rock anthem “Do You Want To.” They also collaborated with Greg Wells (Katy Perry, One Republic) on the song “Save the Last Dance.”
Dexter Freebish acknowledges the power of predestination and how it had a hand in them becoming a band. “I was just looking in the Austin Chronicle and had never been in a band or called an ad,” recalls lead singer Kyle. “At the time I wasn’t really a singer except for in school chorus, though I kept notebooks of lyrics. I saw an ad that read: “Singer Wanted. Influences Bono and Sting,” and I said, “what the heck and called, and because of reading the ad I met Chris Lowe (bass, keyboards, programming) and Scott Romig (guitars, programming) and Rob Schilz (drums.) It was the first ad I ever called and it’s still the only band I’ve ever been in.”
Their determination led to “Leaving Town,” Dexter Freebish’s 1999 John Lennon Songwriting Contest Song of the Year (picked from 27,000 entries), which led to a record deal with Capitol Records for the band’s 2000 full-length debut A Life of Saturdays. After exuberantly received radio play (for “Leaving Town” and “My Madonna”), heavy video play on VH1 and MTV2, and enthusiastic tours both domestic and abroad, Dexter Freebish and Capitol Records experienced a regime change that would not allow the band to obtain the attention they deserved and both parties decided to part ways.
This set-back proved to strengthen Dexter Freebish’s resolve, and the believed this was fate’s way of telling them to independently release their 2004 sophomore album, Tripped Into Divine. Pressed by producer Matthew Wilder (No Doubt) Tripped Into Divine bridged the gap between the wide-eyed wonder of unbridled youth and the contemplative fortitude of experience. The single on this album was the fan-favorite, “Prozak,” which went on to win Rock Song of the Year in 2004 in the John Lennon Songwriting contest.
After touring the world to promote Tripped Into Divine, the band decided to go on permanent hiatus in 2005. “We all needed to do other things for a while,” says Lowe. He adds, “We never officially broke up and have all remained friends. But I can honestly say, there was never any hint that we would ever put out another Dexter Freebish record. We were pretty much done.”
In early 2008, the band decided, on a whim, to play a couple of shows throughout Texas. “It just felt right playing together again,” says Romig. “Soon after that, we started writing and recording some new songs.” One of those new songs captured the attention of Electronic Arts, garnering the band’s song “The Other Side,” a spot in the Sims 3 video game.
Steve Schnur, President of Electronic Art’s Publishing Company, Artwerk, comments, “I was in awe of the talent that Dexter Freebish exemplified when I first signed them to a record deal and these feelings have not changed. Ten years ago, I signed them to Capitol Records because of their incredible songwriting and performance abilities and ten years later I’m still working with them for the exact same reasons. The songs that they write are timeless.”
Lowe comments, “It’s crazy to look back to the days when we were on Capitol and how much money the labels would waste to record albums. With modern technology, it is so much easier and cheaper to record an album these days.” Romig adds, “We laugh because recording and mixing this new album cost less than 1/2% of our budget for the albums we made on Capitol. This is a great thing for independent artists and brings power to the people.”
Wild Things
Dexter Freebish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's where the wild things are
Next door, you think that you're safe
That's where the wild things are
Lock yourself inside
Maybe you'll find peace tonight
Don't run away
The things you don't show, the secrets that you grow
Keep 'em in, in a good hiding place
While you're sleepin', I know you're dreamin'
Of a good, yeah a good hiding place
Closed doors, is somebody home
That's where the wild things are
Backstreets, abandon this life
That's where the wild things are
Lock yourself up tight
Maybe you'll find peace tonight
Don't run away
From what you don't know... no, no
The things you don't show, the secrets that you grow
Keep 'em in, in a good hiding place
While you're sleepin', I know you're dreamin'
Of a good, yeah a good hiding place
Oh, it's so mysterious when it's on TV
Oh, it's unpredictable and then it happens to me
The things you don't show, the secrets that you grow
Keep 'em in, in a good hiding place
While you're sleepin', I know you're dreamin'
Of a good, yeah a good hiding place
Dexter Freebish's song "Wild Things" seems to be a haunting reflection of our innermost fears and anxieties which we keep locked away in the dark corners of our minds. The lyrics speak about a mysterious and unpredictable place where the "wild things" are - and this could well be a metaphor for the unknown and the dangerous territories that we try to avoid. The singer urges us not to run away from what we don't know and to confront our fears with courage.
The lines "Lock yourself inside, maybe you'll find peace tonight" suggest that we need to withdraw from the world and introspect in order to find inner peace. The idea of keeping secrets and hiding them away in a "good hiding place" seems to be a recurring theme, and this might indicate that we are often afraid to reveal our true selves and our deepest desires to others. The song captures a sense of mystery and danger that is both alluring and threatening, and this tension is reflected in the music too which has an eerie and haunting quality.
Overall, "Wild Things" is a song that speaks to our primal fear of the unknown and urges us to face our fears head-on. It is a reminder that we cannot run away from our problems forever and that we need to find the courage to confront them in order to find inner peace and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Late night, neon hotels
The places where wild and unpredictable things tend to happen are usually late at night in neon-lit hotels.
That's where the wild things are
These late night, neon hotels are where you can find the people and the activities that society may consider 'wild'.
Next door, you think that you're safe
One can be fooled into thinking they're safe next door, but in reality, that's where the 'wild things' are as well.
Lock yourself inside
By locking yourself inside, you may attempt to keep these 'wild things' at bay and find some inner peace.
Maybe you'll find peace tonight
There is a possibility that by locking oneself up, they may find some peace of mind for the night.
Don't run away
It's important to try and face the things you don't know, instead of running away from them.
From what you don't know... no, no
Fleeing from the unknown or mysterious will not make it disappear.
The things you don't show, the secrets that you grow
The secrets and hidden aspects of a person's life can be kept hidden away or can perhaps grow to become larger, more pressing concerns.
Keep 'em in, in a good hiding place
People may try to keep these secrets hidden away, tucked safely in a good hiding place.
While you're sleepin', I know you're dreamin'
Even when someone is asleep, their mind may continue to secretly dream of these hidden things.
Of a good, yeah a good hiding place
These dreams may consist of finding a new or better hiding place for their secrets.
Closed doors, is somebody home
Even if the doors are closed, someone may be home and have their secrets tucked away within.
Backstreets, abandon this life
People may choose to abandon their life on the main road and instead take to the backstreets where the 'wild things' are.
Oh, it's so mysterious when it's on TV
Society may find enjoyment and excitement in the mysterious things that happen on TV.
Oh, it's unpredictable and then it happens to me
However, the unpredictable and mysterious can also happen to anyone in the real world, not just on TV.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRIS DALE LOWE, ROB SCHILZ, ROB MICHAEL KYLE, SCOTT E ROMIG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind