It didn't take long before Josh's unique voice and song writing style, influenced by the likes of Elliott Smith, Evan Dando, and Sparklehorse, began to find favour amongst music tastemakers, critics and Triple J listeners. The first taste, the assured 'Kids Don't Sell Their Hopes So Fast', found high rotation on Triple J and soon 'Silver' and the gently sweeping 'Doldrums' followed to similar praise and airplay. These tracks are now available on the CD 'Recordings 2003-2005' through The Million records.
Josh signed to Ivy League Records in 2005 and shortly afterwards travelled to New York for some further writing, performing and demoing and upon return set about recording what was his debut release under his own name, a mini album entitled "Feeding The Wolves".
"Feeding the Wolves" signified a great deal more than a change in name: It revealed a huge step in the development of Josh as an artist and songwriter. The subject matter was as broad as titles like "Beg Your Pardon", "Private Education", "Middle Of The Hill" and "Goldmines" suggest, however it's Josh's lyrics that draw this collection of songs together into a complete package. He cleverly dissects human emotion and feelings and shows them for what they are: complex, abstract, fascinating.
There is hope in the opening track 'Beg Your Pardon' and in 'Fill You In' there is emptiness and longing. The first single, 'Middle Of The Hill', is a near-stream of consciousness of a suburban childhood - family affection coloured by those sometimes darker, sometimes trivial details that for some reason stay with you. 'Goldmines' a vision of a land, or maybe a talent, stripped of its riches - but here and there a flash of colour survives. A relationship that seems to be an ongoing test is at 'Private Education's' centre. The title track finishes it, with Josh quick to point out the Wolves are not those wanting a piece of you for whatever reason - but those uncontrollable, irrational, emotions inside yourself that you have to keep in check.
With production by the much-lauded Wayne Connolly (You Am I, Underground Lovers, Youth Group, just about any Australian act of note...), "Feeding The Wolves" had the artist now rightly known as Josh Pyke letting his talent flow without constraint. The words seem to tumble out of him: honest, evocative, and emotional all at once. The playing - again mostly all Josh - is one moment sweetly melodic, then turning urgent and insistent as needs be. This range of feelings, packaged so they bounce around inside your head like good songs do, and given so generously, go together to make "Feeding The Wolves" the sound of an artist beginning to realise an enormous potential.
In 2007 Josh released his first full-length album 'Memories and Dust'. Although the record features three of the stand-out tracks from 'Feeding the Wolves' there are a further 8 tracks of similar quality, including the title track, which was the first single taken from the new batch. The release is again through Ivy League Records.
Josh's second album Chimney's Afire was released 4 October 2008 and was recorded at Sydney's Linear Recording studios. The first single off the album was "The Lighthouse Song", and the second was called "Make You Happy".
Covers Are Thrown
Josh Pyke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You should know I speak up even when I'm afraid.
Cause it scares me more to think you wouldn't know,
How I feel when those covers get thrown.
So we wake from our warm dreams to find ourselves freezing,
And you corner me on edge and expect that I'm fleeing.
But it's just that those covers got thrown.
You're enough for me,
Am I enough for you?
And ordinarily I wouldn't ask such a question of you.
And it's only recently to me occured,
that I'm not at all sure if I could take the hurt,
Or the ache I'd incur from a heart-break like her.
But it's too late those covers got thrown.
You're enough for me,
Am I enough for you?
And ordinarily I wouldn't ask such a question.
But I've been investing much more than I'm worth,
Fully expecting to collect a return,
And based on the climate things could be much worse,
But this gambling frightens me.
Try not to be careless or jealous with hearts.
And try not to think of the end from the start.
And don't cripple your future with limps from your past,
Cause it can get cold when those covers get thrown.
The overall theme of Josh Pyke's song "Covers Are Thrown" is about vulnerability in a relationship. The first stanza talks about how the singer always speaks up and shares their true feelings, even if it’s scary, because they fear that their partner won’t understand how they truly feel when “those covers get thrown”. The singer describes how they kick off the covers at night, but then wake up freezing, while their partner corners them, assuming that the singer is trying to flee.
The chorus focuses on the singer's insecurity in the relationship. They wonder if they are enough for their partner, while simultaneously admitting that they would never ask such a question. The second stanza delves deeper into the singer’s fear of heartbreak and how vulnerable they feel with their investment in the relationship. There's a palpable sense of desperation and anxiety in these lyrics. Finally, the song concludes with the singer confessing their fear of the unknown in the relationship and trying to offer advice to not "cripple your future with limps from your past".
Interestingly, this song was written by Josh Pyke in his early twenties, before he got into a serious long-term relationship. It's one of his most personal songs.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're to believe in the things that I say,
You can trust that what I tell you is true.
You should know I speak up even when I'm afraid.
I'm not afraid to speak my mind, even if it's scary.
Cause it scares me more to think you wouldn't know,
I fear that you might not understand my feelings.
How I feel when those covers get thrown.
I'm afraid to show my vulnerability when things change suddenly.
And I kick them off in the night when we're sleeping,
I unconsciously remove the covering that keeps me warm while we sleep.
So we wake from our warm dreams to find ourselves freezing,
We wake up to reality and find ourselves in a cold, harsh world.
And you corner me on edge and expect that I'm fleeing.
You're making me feel trapped and I'm nervous.
But it's just that those covers got thrown.
I'm not scared of you, it's just that feelings have changed.
You're enough for me,
I value you and don't need anyone else.
Am I enough for you?
Are my efforts and love enough for you?
And ordinarily I wouldn't ask such a question of you.
I normally wouldn't doubt myself or our relationship.
And it's only recently to me occured,
I just recently realized this about myself.
that I'm not at all sure if I could take the hurt,
I don't think I could handle the pain of losing you.
Or the ache I'd incur from a heart-break like her.
I don't want to experience heartbreak like I have in the past.
But it's too late those covers got thrown.
It's too late to go back now, things have changed.
But I've been investing much more than I'm worth,
I'm giving more to this relationship than I am getting.
Fully expecting to collect a return,
I expect that you'll reciprocate my love and effort.
And based on the climate things could be much worse,
Things are not terrible, but they are not great either.
But this gambling frightens me.
I'm scared that things might not work out as planned.
Try not to be careless or jealous with hearts.
Don't take other people's feelings for granted or be envious of others' relationships.
And try not to think of the end from the start.
Don't assume that the relationship will end before it even starts.
And don't cripple your future with limps from your past,
Don't let your past experiences negatively affect your future.
Cause it can get cold when those covers get thrown.
Things can change suddenly and it can be tough to handle.
Contributed by Reagan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Neney G
Josh Pyke's music is definitely relationship/breakup material - in the best way possible of course! Saw me thru a really bad time... love Josh Pyke ❤