Its lineup is constantly changing, but has consisted of Toby Driver, Ron Varod, Mia Matsumiya, Keith Abrams, Tim Byrnes, David Bodie, Dan Means and Terran Olson.
The music of Kayo Dot can not be accurately described by the limiting contemporary genre nomenclatures. Their songs involve complex instrumentation (composed by singer and frontman Driver), generally without refrain. They are substantially longer than typical rock songs, often ranging from 8 to 15 minutes in length.
Kayo Dot's second album Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue was released in January of 2006.
On May 6 2008, they released their third full-length, Blue Lambency Downward, on Hydra Head Records.
Their fourth album, recorded in June 2009, named Coyote, was released on 20 April 2010 on Hydra Head Records. It was later brought out on vinyl by Taiga Records in November 2010.
Their first EP, Stained Glass, was released in January 2011 by Hydra Head, with very little fanfare. It was later issued on vinyl by Antithetic Records in August 2011, with a "de-mix" of the song on the second side.
Their second EP, Gamma Knife, was self-released digitally via http://kayodot.bandcamp.com in January 2012. Antithetic Records produced a vinyl release in June 2012.
Their fifth album, Hubardo, was released digitally on August 2013, with a vinyl release to follow.
Their sixth album, Coffins on Io, was released on October 15, 2014 through experimental metal label The Flenser. It is a concept album, and the first full-length album from Kayo Dot not to be self-released since 2010's Coyote.
Side projects include Tartar Lamb, Tartar Lamb II, and maudlin of the Well (to which Kayo Dot can be considered a spiritual successor, though the two projects now co-exist). Toby Driver's solo album In the L..L..Library Loft is also a Kayo Dot album in all but name, mainly being released under his name due to the record label's preference.
Lethe
Kayo Dot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He sat among the ones long-dead
A feast, a store, a partner
Love (x4)
Encourage him in all his ways
To help him to forget the time of disengagement
Calling power down upon the hour
Scouring the sea for word and need
The broken healer, wounded lasts
Prays the skies to shut the rain and
Makes them shower
A sign that he's there. A friend
Skilled to these degrees
The lyrics to Kayo Dot's song Lethe are rich with imagery and poetic language. The first two lines evoke a chilling image of a person sitting with the dead, but the following lines suggest that this is not a negative or frightening experience. Instead, it is a feast and a store, and the person is accompanied by their partner or loved one. The repetition of the word "love" at the end of this stanza adds to the sense of warmth and connection.
The second stanza is more mysterious, but there is a sense of urgency and importance in the language. The person is being encouraged to forget something, perhaps something that has caused a disengagement from life or from one's own sense of purpose. There is a sense of power being called down, and the person is searching far and wide for something they need. The image of a broken healer praying for the skies to "shut the rain" but then "makes them shower" suggests that this person has a great deal of agency and control, even in difficult circumstances. The final line suggests that the person is highly skilled and capable.
Overall, the lyrics to Lethe are dreamlike and mystical, but also grounded in human emotion and experience. The image of sitting with the dead could be interpreted in a number of different ways, and the lyrics as a whole are open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
He sat with them, but not (in vain)*
He joined his long-gone peers and there was purpose to his presence.
He sat among the ones long-dead
He was amongst the deceased ones.
A feast, a store, a partner
A gathering where there was plenty of food, goods and camaraderie.
Love (x4)
There was love amongst those present who had passed on.
Encourage him in all his ways
Urge him to follow his path.
To help him to forget the time of disengagement
To assist him to disregard the time he has lost.
Calling power down upon the hour
Summoning strength from above during this moment in time.
Scouring the sea for word and need
Searching for both communication and necessities in the vast ocean.
The broken healer, wounded lasts
The injured healer exists despite the damage done.
Prays the skies to shut the rain and
Hopes for the heavens to stop the downpour of rain.
Makes them shower
Induces them to rain down.
A sign that he's there. A friend
An indication that he is present and a friend.
Skilled to these degrees
Possessing expertise at these levels.
Contributed by Juliana M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fruitytropic64
Such a wonderful masterpiece.