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.
The Antique
Kayo Dot Lyrics
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Lightly upon a Dusty Door;
It Locks the Days together
Yesterday
This Artefact wasn�t rightly so.
Flanked by Shelves incorporating me into their Lonely Dream,
I search for Tremors lying Weeping
'Neath the Broken Tiled Floor
Weeping for the Day Before.
Tarnished Silver in the Cupboard soothes
The Fathoms of my Aching Silver Beard;
Like Shining Eyes scoured by
A Sour Creaking Gait,
Cataracts dim the
Eloquence that wore
The Shining Cloak of younger Pride,
And This was Long,
Long before their Careless Keeper died.
A Revenant spread its Foul Curse to Every Living Thing
With Stories trapp�d on Yellowed Pages
By Talismans of Poignant Lethargy.
Tales Twilit bear their Ruin�d Words
To this Ghoulish Scenery,
Slouching over Candlelight
Extinguished in another Century.
The Grandfather Clock once Told its Beads,
While Outside the Branches
Bowed their Windows slightly Out of Key.
And this Downstairs, where a
Forlorn Clock has long since Lost its Faith,
And a House's Stale Breath sighs like the
Whispers of a Wraith.
Spiders Decorate an Appearance
That stretches Gnarled Hands
Back into a Relinquished Parlour Game;
Wisps of Ghostly Languor hinting faintly of Perique
Ring the Ancyent Air and Fade,
Murmuring of Things Antique.
The song "The Antique" by Kayo Dot describes a haunting and eerie atmosphere that encapsulates an old, forgotten house that is seemingly trapped in time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer exploring this abandoned dwelling, filled with relics and memories of a bygone era. Dust fills the singer's mouth as they approach a locked door that represents the past, the days that are long gone and forgotten. The shelves filled with lonely dreams and tremors are a metaphor for the memories and mementos that are locked away in this house, waiting to be uncovered.
The next verse of the song talks about the curse of the house, the Revenant that has spread its foul curse to every living thing. This curse is manifesting through the stories that were trapped on yellowed pages, which bring ruin and destruction to everything in its path. The ghoulish scenery that is described in this verse conjures up images of a ghostly presence that permeates every corner of the house. The house's stale breath sighs like the whispers of a wraith, hinting at a deeper mystery that lies beneath the surface.
The final verse of the song describes the appearance of spiders decorating the house, which are a metaphor for the passage of time and the fleeting nature of existence. The house itself is an antique, frozen in time, and the singer is but a fleeting visitor to this forgotten dwelling. The wisps of ghostly languor and the hints of perique smoke are a reminder that this house was once filled with life and memories, and that those memories are still present, waiting to be uncovered. In summary, "The Antique" is a haunting and beautiful song that captures the essence of a forgotten house that is trapped in time.
Line by Line Meaning
Dust fills my Mouth with a Timeless Poltergeist Rapping
Lightly upon a Dusty Door;
Dust surrounds me and the creaking sound from a ghostly presence echoes gently on an old, dusty door.
It Locks the Days together
Yesterday
This Artefact wasn't rightly so.
The ghostly presence is holding onto the past and not letting go, even if it's not accurate.
Flanked by Shelves incorporating me into their Lonely Dream,
I search for Tremors lying Weeping
'Neath the Broken Tiled Floor
Weeping with a Broken Madness,
Weeping for the Day Before.
Being surrounded by lonely shelves, I search for something hidden beneath the broken tiles on the floor, only to find a painful reminder of the past.
Tarnished Silver in the Cupboard soothes
The Fathoms of my Aching Silver Beard;
Like Shining Eyes scoured by
A Sour Creaking Gait,
Cataracts dim the
Eloquence that wore
The Shining Cloak of younger Pride,
And This was Long,
Long before their Careless Keeper died.
Looking at the tarnished silver in the cupboard brings me comfort and reminds me of my youth, but my physical limitations, like my aching beard and diminished vision, tell me that my glory days are long gone.
A Revenant spread its Foul Curse to Every Living Thing
With Stories trapped on Yellowed Pages
By Talismans of Poignant Lethargy.
A spirit of death and curse is passing down to everything and everyone, recorded in old yellow pages, protected by the power of sadness and inaction.
Tales Twilit bear their Ruined Words
To this Ghoulish Scenery,
Slouching over Candlelight
Extinguished in another Century.
The dark tales of the past come to life in this eerie place, and the only light comes from candles that have long been snuffed out.
The Grandfather Clock once Told its Beads,
While Outside the Branches
Bowed their Windows slightly Out of Key.
And this Downstairs, where a
Forlorn Clock has long since Lost its Faith,
And a House's Stale Breath sighs like the
Whispers of a Wraith.
The old grandfather clock used to keep time and the branches outside used to sway in the wind, but now the clock has lost its function and the house is stagnant, like the breath of a ghost.
Spiders Decorate an Appearance
That stretches Gnarled Hands
Back into a Relinquished Parlour Game;
Wisps of Ghostly Languor hinting faintly of Perique
Ring the Ancyent Air and Fade,
Murmuring of Things Antique.
Spiders have taken over the place and the appearance of the room is warped, like a game that is no longer played. Hints of ghostly laziness can be felt in the ancient air, reminding of things from long ago.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind