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".
Vibrations In Air
Josh Pyke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something to rely on, sharper than a memory.
'Cause chemistry dictates them, they're not coloured by emotion,
They're coloured by the shades of how things used to be.
And nothing breaks the heart much more than looking at old photographs
When you can taste the moment, and worse still, if it's passed
They're gone now to the future, but you still can't deny them,
Regret, is like a filter,
that colours all your endeavours
And once put on becomes a feature of your current works
What i fear,
is that all of these things I hold dear,
never become more than vibrations in air.
Vibrations in Air.
Voices in the air, they echo in my head like radios,
scratchy frequencies and static in between words
They're all on the wind now, but I bet I never told you,
I missed you when you were gone.
Regret, is like a filter,
that colours all of your endeavours,
and once put on becomes a feature of your current works
You gotta change your focus, turn your eye to something else
'Cause once put on becomes a feature of your current works
What i fear
is that all of these things I hold dear
never become more than vibrations in air.
In Josh Pyke's song Vibrations in Air, the singer reflects on the memories he has of occasions when he should have taken photographs but did not. The lyrics suggest that photographs provide something to hold onto, which is sharper than a memory, and colored by the shades of how things used to be. The singer is very aware of the pain of loss, especially the regret of not preserving past moments in pictures.
The song goes on to address the idea of regret, which the singer personifies as a filter that colors all of your endeavors. The singer fears that all the things that he cares about, memories and feelings, will become nothing more than vibrations in the air. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer does not want to merely exist as a fleeting memory or experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Thinking 'bout the times I know I should have taken photographs
Reflecting on missed opportunities to capture memories.
Something to rely on, sharper than a memory.
Photos provide a more vivid recollection of past experiences.
'Cause chemistry dictates them, they're not coloured by emotion,
They're coloured by the shades of how things used to be.
Photos document happenings objectively, free from personal bias.
And nothing breaks the heart much more than looking at old photographs
When you can taste the moment, and worse still, if it's passed
They're gone now to the future, but you still can't deny them,
like a song that's sung.
Viewing old photos can evoke strong emotions; even if the moment has passed, the memories remain powerful.
Regret, is like a filter,
that colours all your endeavours
And once put on becomes a feature of your current works
What i fear,
is that all of these things I hold dear,
never become more than vibrations in air.
Vibrations in Air.
Regret can taint current actions, and there is a fear that cherished memories will become meaningless in the future.
Voices in the air, they echo in my head like radios,
scratchy frequencies and static in between words
They're all on the wind now, but I bet I never told you,
I missed you when you were gone.
Memories can resurface unexpectedly, making one realize what was missed, even if it's too late to say or do anything about it.
You gotta change your focus, turn your eye to something else
'Cause once put on becomes a feature of your current works
What i fear
is that all of these things I hold dear
never become more than vibrations in air.
To avoid being consumed by regret, it's important to shift focus to other things. However, there is still a concern that cherished memories may lose their significance over time.
Contributed by Adrian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@HannahBeWhitty
Been following Josh from the USA since I was a middle schooler. When I eventually travel to Australia it WILL coincide with a JP tour. He’s an amazing lyricist and musician— his songs continue to grow with me at age 28, and on. The best.
@JasonReadett
Amazing job, Josh! Always loved Vibrations in Air and this acoustic version is stunning!
@julianaandrade5369
I'm from Brazil!! This song touch my soul!
@Mattoulious
love this song. really great version, really fills out the song with the extra vocals and instruments compared to just the acoustic version on its own.
@barretferre9258
Beautiful lyrics. Makes me cry. It’s perfect
@Fuzzbuggy
Such a great song and performance, thanks!
@jazsebastian
Utterly enchanting! Bloody absolutely brilliant, perfect damn!! Wish I have a set up to do quality live stuff like this, sound is so perfect and clear and amazing, 10/10!
@christellejacobs9789
Saw JP play the roundhouse in Camden…,so long ago. Beautiful songs. It brings back a million memories hearing this again. Love it!
@neal2608
I have always love your music. Thank you for this.
@foxstorm1111
Beautiful! Thank you ❤️