The first are a Norwegian band, … Read Full Bio ↴There are two bands named Gazpacho:
The first are a Norwegian band, who have been described by one critic as being "classical post ambient nocturnal atmospheric neo-progressive folk world rock" Gazpacho almost defies genre classification. Gazpacho were at one time described as "the greatest unsigned band in the world" by some critics. A tour of Europe as support for Marillion's "Marbles" tour in 2003 radically raised their profile, earning the respect of audiences everywhere they played and garnering critical acclaim.
Without the backing of a major label, Gazpacho is one of many bands now utilising the resources of the internet to create word of mouth promotional opportunities, with a reliance on their website and its forum, online shopping, MySpace and other 'net initiatives to spread the word. This allows the band to hold down full time jobs, yet still manage to release an album a year with total artistic control over their compositions and distribution.
Characterised by moody keyboards, a stunning violin virtuoso, a poignant and relevant rhythm section, ethereal guitars, Jan Henrik Ohme's floating, pure Hypnotic voice and atmospheric contributions from samples, low whistle, tin whistle, banjo, accordion, didgeridoo and mandolin. This is not a bombastic, pompous progressive outfit, but a cohesive unit that forgoes the technically brilliant but emotionless solo in favour of mood creation through emotive keyboards, layering of textured sounds, use of spatial tension and seamlessly operating as a band not a collective of virtuoso instrumentalists.
Their fourth album, "Night", represents a quantum leap in terms of the maturation of the band, building on the already impressive body of work the band has accumulated over the last 5 years. A true concept album exploring the realms of a night of dreams and reality, and the thin line that can divide one from the other. Moody, evocative melodies are juxtaposed with passages of power and darkness, creating a nocturnal soundscape of over 53 minutes divided into 5 parts.
Musically similar acts include Marillion, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Porcupine Tree, Chroma Key, IQ, OSI and there are hints of Mike Oldfield, Roger Waters, Pink Floyd and Muse in there, too. Another good Norwegian comparison is White Willow, similarly atmospheric prog fronted by female vocals.
Official website: www.gazpachoworld.com
NOT to be confused with The Argentinian and American bands who have taken the same name.
The second is an American band active during the 90's, who were featured on the "Memories of Tomorrow" hardcore compilation put out by Youngblood Records.
Tick Tock
Gazpacho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ends the ride
Then you fall
The skies fly by
You close your eyes
Crystal ball
She’s china white
There’s no cure
Nowhere to hide
Better off
Where there’s no geography
Unseen hands will rest
The true pace of time
Your hear the thunder
Far below
The air is younger
The engine’s cold
She sells temptation
What you’re looking for
You place your bet
And cross your arms
And if you’re lucky
The engine talks
The road’s a dream within a dream
The world a cloud around you
Wouldn’t sell out
Just kept on living
Stayed in the fold
There was no money
Truth be told, he wasn’t ready
When she said she had to go
The will was read out loud
The blood and the wine
It’s now that I’m gone
That you’ll see where inside of me
An angel watching you and me
As I loved the intense light, on the other side of you
Had a good look
At the course of times we knew
Are making you old when you try and forget then
The will was read out loud
A nursery rhyme
When you were gone I stayed on with this hole inside of me
Watching the house from the sea
When he met with his memories he didn’t know their names
You never called
Deep within his mind
A city was dark from the death of his fire
The will was read out loud
The cruel and the kind
Written in sand every day and the hole inside of me
Grey as the spray of the sea
Broken glass
The plan has failed
The silence knows
A man of faith
Everything that he knows, what a layman will do for diamonds
Fell on his knees gave in to sad overload
And all of the survivors shamed in the trench
Scrape up what’s left of his soul
Of his soul, of his soul
Come out of the shadows
The hills are a-green
Painting you a rainbow
Singing you a dream
Now what is pride for you
It ain’t no good to you
You’ll make a substitute
That lets you fly away
You silence every love
Yet you always starve for more
You’re only wasting time
Lucky to be alive
Lucky to be alive
Your heart was set to lose
The nurse called out for blood
You’re a celestial tremor
Surfin’ on the fast-track
Blue suede shoes
Dancing on a landmine
Designed just for you
The mess you’re in, oh heaven
No stranger to fear
It won’t disappear
Truth never fades away
These thoughts are me
And what do you think they’ll do?
The ground is a pendulum
The continent is gravel
Humming in your shoe
A pendulum
And who decides for us
At the very end of trust
The undertow of love
We only turn away
The lyrics of Gazpacho's song Tick Tock explore the themes of time, mortality, and the search for meaning in life. The opening lines talk about an "Oceanside" that marks the end of a journey, where one falls - a metaphorical representation of death. The lines that follow describe the fleeting nature of life, where the skies fly by, and we close our eyes like we would in a crystal ball. The third stanza talks about the desire for more time, a desire that is futile and impossible to fulfill. The lines "Better off where there's no geography, unseen hands will rest the true pace of time" suggest that death is a way of being free from the constraints of the tangible world, where the passage of time is relative.
The chorus of the song talks about the chaos of life, where thunder rumbles far below as the air grows younger, and the engine grows cold. The next stanza alludes to sinful temptation - an allusion perhaps to drugs and promiscuity - and how it leads to a cycle of risk and reward. The stanza that follows talks about the inevitability of death and how it brings with it a reckoning of sorts; the will of the deceased is read out loud, and the blood and wine may represent the depth of emotion that will inevitably follow their passing.
The next stanza brings together imagery of the sea, grey skies, memories, and the inevitability of death. The final stanza seems to hold out a glimmer of hope, as the singer asks the listener to come out of the shadows and emerge into a world of light, singing and rainbows. The remaining lines could suggest that we alone are responsible for our choices, and that love and trust are perhaps the paths that lead us away from fear and towards a better understanding of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oceanside
The end of a journey, finishing a task
Ends the ride
The journey has come to an end
Then you fall
The finale of a task, often painfully
The skies fly by
The world around you moves faster than you can comprehend
You close your eyes
It is difficult to keep up with the pace around you
Crystal ball
You wish you could see into the future
You beg for time
You want more time to live
She’s china white
Death is near
There’s no cure
Death is often inevitable
Nowhere to hide
No amount of preparation can save you from death
Better off
It is more conducive to live somewhere where time isn't a constant pressure
Where there’s no geography
A place where there is nothing to keep you rooted to the realities of time and space
Unseen hands will rest
In a place where there is no geography, time feels more sluggish and comfortable
The true pace of time
The real progression and flow of time can only be felt in a place where time is not a constant pressure
Your hear the thunder
As you approach death, you hear the looming sounds of death like thunder
Far below
The feeling of death is distant yet they keep getting closer
The air is younger
Everything around the person is still full of life but this person knows their time is running out
The engine’s cold
Their body is preparing to shut off as they prepare for death
She sells temptation
Death is often seen as an attractive and alluring option when life gets too burdensome
What you’re looking for
Death seems like a way out for many individuals
You place your bet
Some people choose to tempt fate with death
And cross your arms
Some people may choose to accept death when it approaches
And if you’re lucky
They might find some sort of solace with death
The engine talks
The body speaks its silence through death
The road’s a dream within a dream
Life is surreal and dream-like in many ways
The world a cloud around you
The world seems to be moving too fast around the person and they cannot keep up
Wouldn’t sell out
Despite depression, there is comfort in being true to one's values and morals
Just kept on living
Choosing to live is its own form of resistance against a life that presents challenges
Stayed in the fold
Being a part of a community is great comfort for someone during tough times
There was no money
Depression hits the poor just as hard
Truth be told, he wasn’t ready
The individual was not prepared for death
When she said she had to go
Death takes the form of departing from the world we know
The will was read out loud
The legal proceedings of one's passing are frank reminders of our mortality
The blood and the wine
Reminders of both the cruelty and beauty of the world
It’s now that I’m gone
A reminder that we are not invincible and death will come for us all
That you’ll see where inside of me
The true character of an individual is often revealed after their passing
An angel watching you and me
Belief that the spirits of our loved ones watch over us
As I loved the intense light, on the other side of you
A love for the afterlife
Had a good look
A curious gaze at the other side of life
At the course of times we knew
An introspection of one's life decisions
Are making you old when you try and forget then
Remembering past decisions can be heavy on the mind
A nursery rhyme
Death and the legal procedures surrounding one's passing are reminders of the finality of life
When you were gone I stayed on with this hole inside of me
A feeling of emptiness and loneliness after the passing of someone close to them
Watching the house from the sea
The feeling of detachment from societal norms and everyday life
When he met with his memories he didn’t know their names
As life progresses, many individuals forget the memories of their past
You never called
The lack of communication leading to strained relationships
Deep within his mind
Thoughts are weighed down by difficult memories
A city was dark from the death of his fire
A reminder that one's passion and drive in life may not always last
The cruel and the kind
Life is full of highs and lows
Written in sand every day and the hole inside of me
Emptiness and loneliness can be temporary or lasting depending on an individual's grief process
Grey as the spray of the sea
Depression and sadness blend together like the waves in the vast ocean
Broken glass
Remnants of a plan that has fallen apart
The plan has failed
The loss of control and direction in one's life
The silence knows
The void left by silence leaves one with their thoughts
A man of faith
Holding onto faith in difficult times can be a lifeline for some
Everything that he knows, what a layman will do for diamonds
The extent to which people will go for wealth
Fell on his knees gave in to sad overload
The overwhelming nature of sadness can often feel heavy on one's mind
And all of the survivors shamed in the trench
The communal feeling of shame in situations of loss
Scrape up what’s left of his soul
The feeling of losing oneself in a dark situation
Come out of the shadows
Emerging from challenging situations into a brighter future
The hills are a-green
The world is full of possibility and opportunity
Painting you a rainbow
Hope for a brighter future
Singing you a dream
The world can be a place of beauty and wonder
Now what is pride for you
The recognition of one's self-worth
It ain’t no good to you
The concept of pride can come with baggage that may be more harmful than helpful
You’ll make a substitute
Finding new forms of comfort and solace in challenging situations
That lets you fly away
The freedom that comes with finding new ways to cope
You silence every love
The ability to shut down emotionally during difficult times
Yet you always starve for more
The internalized desire for connection and love
You’re only wasting time
Holding onto grudges and negative emotions is unproductive
Lucky to be alive
Gratefulness for simply being able to exist in this world
Your heart was set to lose
The inevitability of some situations and the acceptance that comes with it
The nurse called out for blood
A reminder of the harsh and abrupt nature of death
You’re a celestial tremor
The uniqueness and individual nature of each person in the grand scheme of things
Surfin’ on the fast-track
The rush of life moving fast all around us
Blue suede shoes
A representation of the simple things in life that bring joy
Dancing on a landmine
The danger that lurks beneath the surface of everyday life
Designed just for you
Life can feel personal and directed at individuals
The mess you’re in, oh heaven
The confusion and chaos that surrounds difficult times in life
No stranger to fear
An understanding that fear is a part of life
It won’t disappear
Fear can often be difficult to fully shake off
Truth never fades away
The idea that truths will remain despite the passage of time, even if our memories of it may fade
These thoughts are me
Internalizing and owning one's emotions and experiences
And what do you think they’ll do?
A rhetorical question reflecting the unknown outcomes of the future
The ground is a pendulum
The shifting nature of life
The continent is gravel
The chaotic nature of life can sometimes lead to uncertainty and unevenness
Humming in your shoe
Small reminders of life's moments of peace and happiness
A pendulum
The back and forth nature of life
And who decides for us
The unknown factors and entities that assert power over our lives
At the very end of trust
The ways in which trust can be taken away and people can lose faith
The undertow of love
The deep-rooted nature of love in life's ups and downs
We only turn away
The tendency to avoid facing difficult situations
Contributed by Alexander M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
PositiveLastAction
Like Marillion and Tool, I feel these guys are in a genre all to their own. This is amazing.
ProgSympho
A long time I thought that my favourite albums would be the old classics. Thanks to the internet and it's people I found a whole lot of gems. Gazpacho has been one off my biggest eye opener.
tom schmidt
Absolutely Right !! Progressive Rock hasn't died after the 70ies and even not after the 80ies. And it also takes place outside of England !! As you not only see from Gazpacho! Hope you know Flower Kings (Sweden), Sylvan (Deutschland) Lazuli (France) and polish prog-masters of the 21. century: RIVERSIDE !!!! And not to forget, Midas Fall from Scotland, these girls (!) are very exceptional.
MegaAadhar
@tom schmidt Thanks for the recommendations, will definitely check them out!
PositiveLastAction
For me it's;
Missa Antropos
Night
Tick Tock
Fireworker
tom schmidt
@MegaAadhar Hey guy, did you check some of them? What do you think about Midas Fall and Riverside?
Peter Steinbach
@tom schmidt Riverside ist one of my da favourite Bands.Very wide spectrum.
neil rushton
I listened to this for the first time on headphones whilst in a tent on a camping site in Glastonbury in 2010, while very high on a psychedelic... it sounded like angelic music from the otherworld... Gazpacho definitely tap into something magical. Their output is fantastic, but this is the best...
Zero One
camping and music are my best friends :)
PositiveLastAction
I listened to it for the first time not long ago while on indica, and it was a mystical and blissful experience.