The strong sense of urgency surrounding the band, and the honest, yet ambitious sound of the album was convincing and quite unexpected, coming from a first-time act. The album earned the Danish band rave reviews, as well as a prestigious spot on the Roskilde festival’s legendary main stage.
For their next album Kitty Wu teamed up with renowned producer Rob Ellis, known for his many years of collaboration with PJ Harvey. Ellis would prove to be a key character in the band’s storyline, and helped shape and sharpen the sound and identity of Kitty Wu.
With “The Rules of Transportation”(2003) Kitty Wu grew into their own and perfected their specific brand of poetic and alternative rock. The album also saw Robert Lund gaining a position as a deeply fascinating singer and songwriter.
Ellis returned to produce “Knives and Daggers”(2005), a detached diary of city living and the chilling culmination of Kitty Wu’s foray into dark minimalism.
Both albums were critically acclaimed and gave the band a loyal underground following, helped by a reputation as an exiting live act, earned through touring - both headlining as well as supporting acts like Brendan Benson and Muse.
Now Kitty Wu is back with “Someone Was Here”, an album that bares witness to the many changes that has taken place inside the band - changes that have pushed Kitty Wu into new sonic territory and created a hectic energy within their sound.
Since releasing their last album, Kitty Wu have parted ways with bass player Samuel Helles (who left for family reasons). The departure of Helles initially sent shockwaves through the tightly knit unit, but when the dust settled, they found that being forced to rethink the band, allowed them a new freedom which created a massive sense of electricity throughout the process.
“Someone Was Here” is the sound of conflict. Noise driven guitars and beatstructures are in a constant clash with Robert Lund’s atmospheric and ghostly vocals. This intentional fight creates a nervous, driven energy and a truly hypnotic soundscape, underlining the abstract and poetic lyrics about loss and departure.
Most of the self-produced album was recorded at Studio R, a converted warehouse in the industrial part of Copenhagen. Lund subsequently laid down the complex and evocative vocal arrangements by himself, during nightly sessions in the band’s own studio, Chapter 11. The vocals, which are a defining element of “Someone Was Here”, also draws a crooked line to some of the unorthodox influences behind the album - among them Simon and Garfunkel’s classic “Bookends”.
The album was mixed in London by Guy Fixsen (My Bloody Valentine, Breeders, etc).
“Someone Was Here” is Kitty Wu at their best and most ambitious, and places them at the forefront of a thriving and exciting Danish music movement. “Someone Was Here” is handled in Denmark by A:larm Music, whose roster includes Danish acts like Mew, Efterklang and Sune Wagner of Raveonettes.
The album is available on cd / limited vinyl / download
Kitty Wu is:
Robert Lund – Vocals/Guitars Allan Schøneberg – Bass Claus Bergmann – Drums
Gold Chain
Kitty Wu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without company
It will be safe there's no one here
It will be only me
Come settle down now
It's under control
No one's playing tricks on us
I had a feeling this would happen
Maybe that is why it did
When is the police coming
Gold chain around your neck
I see you now
I do not wave hello
Pleasantries are wasted
On everyone I know
Friends are not friends
Lovers leave me cold
All I want is on your neck
And it's already sold
I had a feeling this would happen
Maybe that is why it did
When is the police coming
Gold chain around your neck
The lyrics of Kitty Wu's song Gold Chain convey a sense of isolation, paranoia and obsession. The first stanza depicts the singer's desire for solitude, stating that being alone would make her feel safe. However, this sense of security is not derived from the absence of danger, but rather from the removal of other people from her immediate environment. The second stanza continues this theme, with the singer urging the object of her obsession to settle down with her in a place where they can be free from the outside world. The line "no one's playing tricks on us" suggests that the singer is plagued by a sense of mistrust towards those around her, seeing them as potential enemies rather than allies.
The third stanza introduces the theme of the gold chain around the subject's neck, which is revealed to be the source of the singer's fixation. The lyrics suggest that the singer is willing to disregard all other human connections in pursuit of this object, which has already been sold to someone else. The chorus repeats the line "I had a feeling this would happen, maybe that is why it did" which suggests that the singer sees the situation as inevitable, almost as if it was predestined. The final line "gold chain around your neck" is both an acknowledgement of the object of her obsession and a chilling reminder of the dark turn that her thoughts have taken.
Line by Line Meaning
Get here alone
I want to be alone and separate myself from others.
Without company
I do not want anyone to accompany me.
It will be safe there's no one here
I feel safe being alone because there is no one around to cause harm or trouble.
It will be only me
I prefer being alone because I do not trust other people.
Come settle down now
I want to calm down and relax.
It's under control
I feel in control of the situation.
No one's playing tricks on us
I do not think anyone is trying to deceive or manipulate us.
Or so I have been told
However, I have heard some rumors or doubts about this.
I had a feeling this would happen
I anticipated this event or situation.
Maybe that is why it did
My intuition or premonition was correct.
When is the police coming
I am worried or suspicious and wondering when the authorities will arrive.
Gold chain around your neck
I am obsessed with the gold chain that you are wearing around your neck.
I see you now
I am aware of your presence.
I do not wave hello
I do not acknowledge or greet you in a friendly way.
Pleasantries are wasted
I do not see the point of exchanging polite or meaningless words.
On everyone I know
I have no close or authentic relationships with anyone around me.
Friends are not friends
I do not trust or rely on my so-called friends.
Lovers leave me cold
I do not feel any emotional or romantic connection with my previous partners.
All I want is on your neck
I am fixated on the material possession that you possess.
And it's already sold
However, it seems that someone else has already purchased or acquired the object of my desire.
Contributed by Grayson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Annasaid
We loved the old album - but this is even better.
@Kaarek73
Hell YES!
@sanderhoffhansen
Vega` ert!
@edbbob
One of the best songs, by one of the best rock bands ever! If you haven't seen it, check out the video for Act Surprised, which is absolutely stunning :)