Born a fledgling pseudo-solo project of young songwriter Kat Burns, Forest City Lovers took flight in 2006 with the independent release The Sun and the Wind. The band grew up into a fully-realized collaborative outfit and in 2008 launched their critically acclaimed sophmore album Haunting Moon Sinking (Out of This Spark), a collection that bolsters FCL’s signature tunefulness with talented musicianship, strong guitar lines, and swelling string arrangements.
Phodilus and Tyto, a 7” vinyl released at the end of 2009 paved the way for the full-length follow-up, Carriage, being released July 2010 on Out of This Spark. Carriage picks up where Haunting Moon Sinking left off, carrying forward with arrangements and melodies that go from accutely vulnerable to downright sinister. A collection that drifts sonically across decades, Carriage laces 1970s whimsy and elaborate string arragements (Mika Posen) into contemporary pop gems to keep your feet tapping as you go singing down the sunny street.
While Burns and the other Lovers make their home in Toronto, they tour frequently across Canada, the US, and Europe, drawing inspiration for their songs from these migratory ventures into foreign urban and rural environments. With their new album on the horizon, keep an eye out for this unique band of songsters in your hometown.
Sudden Seas
Forest City Lovers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the sullen seas are sound
put the mast up out of anger
and wished for wind to come
but a sail won't bring us forward
if the air is still tonight
so we'll drift around in silence till the morning brings her light
thought i'd escape to california
and sing someone else's songs
took account of my shortcomings
left them all in oregon
but shortcomings have a heartbeat
and a pulse not be ignored
spread my feelings out like fire
left them burning on the floor
but i can't bring us forward
if the air is still tonight
so we'll drift along in silence
till the morning shows her light
and then perhaps a breeze will come
and move our tired limbs
for i'm so sick of walking
i've almost given in
i'll sleep on it.
look out at the water
the sullen seas are sound
put the mast up out in anger
and wished for wind to come
but a sail won't push us forward
if the air is still tonight
so we'll drift along in silence till the morning brings her light
and then perhaps a breeze will come
and move our tired limbs
for i'm so sick of walking
i've almost given in
i'll sleep on it.
The lyrics of Forest City Lovers's song Sudden Seas talk about the feeling of being stuck despite the desire to move forward. The singer looks out at the sea, longing for a change but realizing that the wind won't come just because she's angry. She tries to escape her problems by going to California and singing other people's songs, but she can't get away from her own shortcomings. Instead, she spreads her feelings out like fire and burns them on the floor, hoping to leave them behind.
However, the singer knows that she can't move forward alone. She needs an external force, like a breeze, to come and push her tired limbs. Until then, she'll drift along in silence and wait for the morning to bring her light. The lyrics suggest a sense of resignation, a recognition that sometimes we can't control our circumstances no matter how hard we try. All we can do is wait and hope for something to change.
Overall, the song has a melancholic tone but also a sense of acceptance. The singer acknowledges her own limitations and learns to ride the waves of life, even when they're sullen and still.
Line by Line Meaning
look out at the water
Observing the sea.
the sullen seas are sound
The ocean is calm and quiet.
put the mast up out of anger
Raising the mast out of frustration.
and wished for wind to come
Hoping for a breeze.
but a sail won't bring us forward
A sail is useless without wind.
if the air is still tonight
In the absence of wind.
so we'll drift around in silence till the morning brings her light
Waiting until morning for the wind to come.
thought I'd escape to California
Considered leaving to California.
and sing someone else's songs
Trying to find a new path.
took account of my shortcomings
Acknowledging personal failures.
left them all in Oregon
Moving on from the past.
but shortcomings have a heartbeat
Personal flaws are a part of who we are.
and a pulse not be ignored
Such flaws cannot be easily overlooked.
spread my feelings out like fire
Expressing emotions candidly.
left them burning on the floor
Leaving emotions exposed.
and then perhaps a breeze will come
Hopeful for a change in the situation.
and move our tired limbs
For a chance to move on from stagnation.
for i'm so sick of walking
Tired of going nowhere.
i've almost given in
Almost resigned to the situation.
i'll sleep on it.
Taking time to rest and think.
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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