At the beginning of 2010, Don joined Jesse Malin & the St. Mark’s Social and set out on the road with Gaslight Anthem and later Gogol Bordello to begin support of the new album. But soon the inspiration of new songs would begin to pour in, and after returning home, it was back to the writing process again at his wooded escape, Velvet Elk Studios. The “Western & Atlantic EP” was born of a week of isolation in a Portland recording studio called The Secret Society, with Don enlisting Colin Killilea (Yost/Pocketknife) and Marwan Kanafani (City Breathing) as multi-instrumentalists, Gregg Williams (Dandy Warhols, Sheryl Crow) on drums, and longtime songwriting partner and bassist Erik Olsen. The result is a what-you-hear-is what-you-get sort of affair, with everything being tracked live in a room...a highlight of which was an unlikely one-take cover of The Replacements “Here Comes a Regular.” Mixing was done in Charlottesville’s White Star Sound and at the Velvet Elk Studios. But what started out as one album, became two, and upon the release of the Atlantic & Western EP, Don is right back at work finishing the full-length “Magnificent Ram A”. Whereas “Western” is more along the lines of the eclectic soundscape that Don has become known for, “Magnificent Ram A” is it’s alienated older cousin. And so it goes.
Don has released three...check that...now four solo albums, the last of which was the well-received Photographs of 1971 (Velvet Elk Records), until his recent July 2012 release of The Western & Atlantic EP on Velvet Elk. His first two albums, “The Lonestar Hitchhiker (Universal/Kingcuts)” and “The Lonestar Companion (Velvet Elk Records)” were also well-lauded for their retro-twang storytelling.
Recent Press for Western & Atlantic:
From the EP's opener, the slide guitar driven Midnight Train to the final track, the intimate Carry On he touches base with Jeff Tweedy and Howe Gelb. Television Sun starts like an outtake of Neil Young's Harvest Moon before evolving into a road movie theme song that could have been written by Steve Earle. - Here Comes The Flood
Mesmerizes and enlightens. - CD Insight
I know what I like, and I like his new EP "Western & Atlantic", coming out next week on the excellently named Velvet Elk label. - 27Leggies UK
DiLego is cut from the same cloth as performers like Wilco and the Avett Brothers—his songs take country ballads one step beyond their obvious conclusion, yielding a genre-bending hybrid of indie rock and country. - Examiner.com (Elizabeth Rowe)
The seven songs on this EP can qualitatively be with the best americana we’ve heard this year...an album on Jayhawks/Jeff Tweedy level. - Heaven Magazine (Netherlands)
Automatic
Don DiLego Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's that ringing in my ears?
There's a cold rejection in the mirror
That's been staring back at me this whole damn year
It's automatic, yeah
Automatic, yeah
But it just takes some time
All my friends they are so lonely
And loneliness is like a gun
They've got loads and loads of heartache
And indecision seems to be drowning everyone
It's automatic, yeah
Automatic, yeah
But it just takes some time
And you will get it right
I'm sure I could be wrong
But this is just a song
To string myself along
It's automatic. yeah
Automatic. yeah
But it just takes some time
And you will get it right
It's automatic. yeah
Automatic. yeah
But if you take your time
I'm sure you'll make up your mind
In Don DiLego's song Automatic, the lyrics tell a story about the struggles of accepting oneself and making decisions amidst a backdrop of loneliness, rejection, and heartache. The repetition of the word "automatic" emphasizes the idea that these feelings are almost instinctual and take over without conscious thought. The line "Is everybody here out to get me?" shows paranoia and distrust, while "What's that ringing in my ears?" suggests anxiety and stress. The line "all my friends they are so lonely" hints at a common struggle among people, but the indecision and heartache that surrounds them only contribute to their loneliness. The resolution comes in the repeated phrase "But it just takes some time, and you will get it right." This suggests that although difficult, maintaining hope and optimism can lead to making the right decisions and overcoming obstacles.
Overall, the song seems to be a plea for perseverance and hope in the face of adversity and self-doubt. The repetition of the phrase "It's automatic" can also be interpreted as a critique of society that constantly tells us how to feel, act, and think, and often negatively impacts our mental health. Through this song, Don DiLego urges listeners to take their time, trust themselves, and believe that things will get better.
Line by Line Meaning
Is everybody here out to get me?
I feel like everyone is targeting me and trying to hurt me.
What's that ringing in my ears?
I hear something constantly nagging me, and it won't go away.
There's a cold rejection in the mirror
I see a reflection of myself that is ugly and unacceptable to the world.
That's been staring back at me this whole damn year
I have been struggling with this same problem for a long time, and it's not going away.
It's automatic, yeah
This thing that's weighing me down is a reflexive response, and I can't control it.
Automatic, yeah
It repeats itself without me even thinking about it, which is frustrating.
But it just takes some time
I realize that finding a solution to my problem won't be immediate, and it requires patience.
And you will get it right
I believe that if I persevere, I'll succeed at overcoming this challenge.
All my friends they are so lonely
My friends are also struggling with similar issues, which adds to my feeling of isolation.
And loneliness is like a gun
Feeling alone is a powerful weapon that can damage a person's mental health.
They've got loads and loads of heartache
My friends are burdened with significant emotional pain and sadness.
And indecision seems to be drowning everyone
My friends are drowning in their own indecision, which is keeping them from finding a way out of their problems.
I'm sure I could be wrong
I acknowledge that my perspective may not be entirely accurate or objective.
But this is just a song
Despite my doubts, I'm expressing my feelings and trying to find meaning through art.
To string myself along
I'm using my music to motivate myself to keep going, even when things seem hopeless.
But if you take your time
I suggest to others that they should be patient and not rush into decisions or actions.
I'm sure you'll make up your mind
If you give yourself enough time, you'll be able to make a decision that's right for you.
Writer(s): OLSEN ERIK WILEY, WILLIAMS GREGG, DILEGO DONALD J
Contributed by Adeline N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.