Fiercely independent, female-fronted Irish indie trio I Am Not Lefthanded a… Read Full Bio ↴Fiercely independent, female-fronted Irish indie trio I Am Not Lefthanded are known for their lyrical, evocative songs and quirky homemade videos. Playing sparse but uplifting cinematic indie, they've been described as sounding like ‘Natalie Merchant fronting Death Cab for Cutie’.

Kathryn was born in a small town in the far west of Ireland. While country life was idyllic, she soon found herself yearning for different skies and traded open fields for the winding streets of Dublin. While playing in and out of various clubs she encountered Belfast-born Daniel, who was leading his own band at the time. She quickly kidnapped him from what he describes as “a really bad marriage” and they soon found writing together led them to better places. Kathryn tempered Daniel’s starker melodies with subtle undertones and stronger harmonies, while Daniel added a pulsing bass to lift her mellower songs. On a short exploratory visit to London, they encountered Benji, a Cornish drummer. Benji had toured with bands such as All About Eve, but was between projects. They bonded over early Weezer and Jimmy Eat World and started playing together shortly after. They quickly found he brought a harder edge to their sound, giving more weight to Kathryn’s emotive songs.

In 2010, I Am Not Lefthanded released their sophomore EP, Time To Leave, earning them effusive praise online and in print, as well as radio play across Ireland and the UK. The band toured extensively, their focused energy and stirring harmonies leading to invitations to tour with bands such as Duke Special, The Rumble Strips and The Answering Machine. In September, they made their first visit to North America, heading to the US for a 15-date tour across 10 states.

2011’s highlights included headlining a stage at Liverpool’s Sound City Festival and hosting a charity show at London’s Bush Hall. The band’s music was placed in a number of TV shows and indie films - including a global ad campaign for P&G. They also played their first shows in Canada at Toronto’s Indie Week in October and were invited back to NXNE in June 2012.

Fully embracing the joys and perils of the internet, the band recently completed a partnership with fan-funding website SliceThePie.com to raise $11,000 to make their first full-length album. They spent a year holed up in a country cottage, writing, re-writing and recording. The new album, The Fire & The Sigh, was released into the wild on June 3rd, 2012. The album is deeper in scope than previous releases - more time was spent crafting the songs in a studio space rather than simply recreating the live sound of the band, with Kathryn’s lyrics exploring themes of loneliness, distance and hope for an imminent return.

No Time
I Am Not Lefthanded Lyrics

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I turn from sunlit halls
Where the pictures of us get smaller and fade
Lost smiles in those missed calls
Hit my fist on a wall
Let stone convey

That there's no time
Like when there's no time

So take it while you have it
Cause there's no time
Like when there's no time
So reach right out and grab it

Did you wish I'd offered my hand?
Was I mist on the falls or a rock in the waves?
The chance to was mine and again
What's some space between friends
This late in the day?

Cause there's no time
Like when there's no time
So take it while you have it
Cause there's no time

Like when there's no time
So reach right out and grab it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "No Time" by I Am Not Lefthanded convey a sense of urgency and reflection on missed opportunities and lost connections. The song begins with the singer turning away from a place filled with memories, where pictures of them and someone else are slowly fading away. They are reminded of lost smiles in missed calls, which leads to frustration and the physical act of hitting a wall. The stone, in this context, serves as a metaphor to convey the message that time is passing quickly, and there is no time to waste.

The chorus emphasizes the importance of seizing the present moment. The lyrics suggest that there is no time like the present, no time comparable to the moments when time seems scarce. The urgency of this sentiment urges the listeners to take advantage of their current situation, to make the most of the time they have, and to reach out and grab opportunities.

The second verse delves deeper into the singer's reflections on missed opportunities. They contemplate whether they should have extended a helping hand or if they were merely an insignificant presence in the grand scheme of things. The phrase "mist on the falls or a rock in the waves" suggests a feeling of insignificance and uncertainty about their impact on others. Despite this contemplation, the singer acknowledges that the chance to make a difference was theirs, and wonders if space between friends can still be bridged, even in the late stages of the relationship.

Overall, "No Time" by I Am Not Lefthanded delivers a powerful message about the importance of seizing the present moment, cherishing connections, and making the most of the time we have before it slips away.

Line by Line Meaning

I turn from sunlit halls
I'm leaving behind happy memories and moving on

Where the pictures of us get smaller and fade
As time passes, the memories of us together become less vivid and vanish

Lost smiles in those missed calls
Our happiness is lost in the moments of failed communication

Hit my fist on a wall
I express my frustration and anger by punching a wall

Let stone convey
The wall serves as a symbol of my emotions

That there's no time
The truth is, time is limited

Like when there's no time
Especially when time is running out

So take it while you have it
Make the most of the time you have available

Cause there's no time
Because there's a deadline approaching

So reach right out and grab it
Seize the opportunity without hesitation

Did you wish I'd offered my hand?
Were you hoping I would extend my help or support?