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 Awkward Wind Wheel
Kayo Dot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The steeple at the top it won't stop singing
Singing singing singing
It's got a rigid rule number one
It's to keep the bodies living
The last crooked sign to bend to the way trees are growing
The usual size of a growth that's been trying
Allows you to drop from the eaves to the leaves in only several hundred thousand seconds
You almost can see the fearless machine milling blindly
Beneath the calamity looming when the sun goes down
We hope the clouds stop bouncing each other off the mountains
We hope the wooden lookout has a gutter it can use
Ear to the ground alone where the edge of the day was
The valley clicking to the tape already rolling
Makes me want to turn the violin down
This wind wheel won't stop spinning
This damned wind wheel won't stop spinning around
The Awkward Wind Wheel is a song by Kayo Dot that features poignant lyrics about a wooden lookout tower. The tower stands seven stories high and has a steeple at the top that seems to be constantly singing. The tower has a rigid rule, which is to keep the bodies living. The last crooked sign is bending to the way trees are growing, indicating the passage of time and the changing of seasons. The growth around the lookout has been trying for several hundred thousand seconds and it allows you to drop from the eaves to the leaves in only several hundred thousand seconds. The lyrics here allude to the passing of time and the inevitability of change.
The second verse of the song tells of a fearless machine milling blindly beneath the calamity looming after the sun goes down. The clouds are bouncing off the mountains, and the wooden lookout could potentially be at risk of damage. The singer hopes that the lookout has a gutter it can use. The final lines seem to indicate a sense of urgency, as the valley clicks to the tape already rolling and the singer wants to turn the violin down. The wind wheel is constantly spinning, and it won't stop. The lyrics present a melancholic image of a lookout tower standing in the face of change and time.
Line by Line Meaning
The wooden lookout seven stories high
Referring to a tall wooden tower used to oversee surroundings.
The steeple at the top it won't stop singing
The steeple is producing a constant noise, likely from the wind.
Singing singing singing
Reiterating the fact that the steeple is making noise.
It's got a rigid rule number one
There is a strict protocol that must be followed when using this lookout tower.
It's to keep the bodies living
The first rule is in place to ensure the safety and survival of those using the tower.
The last crooked sign to bend to the way trees are growing
The final sign indicating the direction of growth for the surrounding trees is now leaning in the same direction.
The usual size of a growth that's been trying
The typical rate of growth for the trees in the area.
For several hundred thousand seconds
A long period of time, possibly indicating how old the trees are.
Allows you to drop from the eaves to the leaves in only several hundred thousand seconds
It takes a considerable amount of time to travel from the top of the tower to the ground by falling through the branches of the trees.
You almost can see the fearless machine milling blindly
It's possible to imagine a machine working tirelessly, but without any clear purpose or direction.
Beneath the calamity looming when the sun goes down
A potentially dangerous event that's expected to occur later in the day or night.
We hope the clouds stop bouncing each other off the mountains
Hoping that the clouds will cease to create turbulence by hitting against the mountains.
We hope the wooden lookout has a gutter it can use
Hoping that the tower has a way to direct water away from itself in the event of rain.
Ear to the ground alone where the edge of the day was
Listening intently to the sounds of the evening in a desolate area.
The valley clicking to the tape already rolling
The sounds of the valley are being recorded as they occur.
Makes me want to turn the violin down
Describing a situation where the surrounding noise is so loud that it overpowers other sounds.
This wind wheel won't stop spinning
A wind-powered machine that continues to turn, possibly with great force.
This damned wind wheel won't stop spinning around
The wind wheel continues to spin, and it's causing frustration or annoyance.
Contributed by Christopher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.