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".
Feeding the Wolves
Josh Pyke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
now they just feed off me.
Now we howl right through the night,
with our bellies full of hollow,
and we're not even sure why.
So please don't pack away your summer clothes,
there's still gardens that I want to grow with you.
And now you know,
now you know.
And when you go,
you're a thousand miles above me,
and I feel all out at sea.
Yes you walk light, like a dancer,
but when you turn on your heel,
you turn away from me too.
So please don't pack away your summer clothes,
there's still gardens that I want to grow with you.
So I howl, oh I'll howl long,
till my belly aches with hollow.
Then I'll howl, oh I'll howl long,
till I can sit and sing you my songs again.
Now the wolves and I have a battle on our hands,
and we try to battle well,
but in full moonlight,
we just fight amongst ourselves,
and reason never shows why.
So please don't pack away your summer clothes,
there's still gardens that I want to grow with you.
So I howl, oh I'll howl long,
till my belly aches with hollow.
Then I'll howl, oh I'll howl long,
till I can sit and sing you my songs again.
The lyrics in Josh Pyke's song Feeding the Wolves describe a battle within oneself. The singer is struggling to keep their inner demons or "wolves" quiet by feeding them, but it only leads to them feeding off their own despair. The singer sings about how they don't understand why they continue to howl and feed off their emptiness, but they do. However, despite their inner turmoil, they still long to grow and thrive with someone, to cultivate and nurture their "gardens" together, which may represent their relationships or personal growth.
The chorus emphasizes this longing, with the singer pleading for their lover or friend not to leave, as they feel lost and alone without them. They describe the pain of feeling left behind, with the other person a thousand miles away and out of reach, making them feel adrift at sea. The singer observes how their lover dances lightly through life, but ultimately turns away from them, leaving the singer alone to battle their inner wolves and hollow feelings.
The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer acknowledging they will continue to howl and battle against their inner turmoil, but they will also work to sing once more, to find joy and strength once again. The song speaks to the struggle we all face to keep our inner demons at bay, but also to the power of hope, love, and growth to push us forward despite these challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I fed the wolves, to try to keep them quiet,
I tried to appease my inner demons by indulging in harmful behavior.
now they just feed off me.
Now I am consumed and controlled by my vices.
Now we howl right through the night,
My internal struggles keep me up at night.
with our bellies full of hollow,
Despite all the indulgences, there is still a deep emptiness inside.
and we're not even sure why.
I don't understand why I sabotage myself like this.
Yes you walk light, like a dancer,
You move through the world with grace and ease.
but when you turn on your heel,
But sometimes you distance yourself from me without explanation.
you turn away from me too.
Leaving me feeling isolated and alone.
So I howl, oh I'll howl long,
I express my inner turmoil through my music.
till my belly aches with hollow.
Until I can finally release the pain and emptiness inside me.
Now the wolves and I have a battle on our hands,
I am struggling to overcome my inner demons.
and we try to battle well,
I fight back against these harmful tendencies.
but in full moonlight,
But sometimes, despite my efforts, my vices come out.
we just fight amongst ourselves,
I get caught up in internal conflict.
and reason never shows why.
I can't explain why I keep self-sabotaging.
So please don't pack away your summer clothes,
Please don't abandon our relationship just because times are tough.
there's still gardens that I want to grow with you.
I still want to invest in our future together.
And now you know,
I'm finally being honest with you.
and when you go,
But I'm still scared you'll leave me.
you're a thousand miles above me,
You seem so much better off than I am.
and I feel all out at sea.
I feel lost and disconnected from you.
Then I'll howl, oh I'll howl long,
I'll keep expressing myself through my music until I find peace.
till I can sit and sing you my songs again.
Until I can be present and fully invested in our relationship once more.
Contributed by David H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jasper Sheridan
Still one of the best JP songs out there
carni muir
I have been addicted to this song for 2 years.......no regrets
Micky Le Deus
Love this year
Shadowstaine
carni muir i'll find a ring if you'd like to marry me