Labradford consists of bassist Robert Donne, guitarist/vocalist Mark Nelson, and Carter Brown on keyboards. Their music style is ambient post-rock, although their earlier releases such as "Prazision" and "A Stable Reference" were much more related to drone rock.
In 1993 they released their debut album on Kranky which has remained their home since. The group's music mostly drifts on the guitar effects and the keyboard passages, with the vocals, when present, in the background.
In 1999 they started a tour with Godspeed You! Black Emperor and their Festival of Drifting series, which featured appearances from Pole, Matmos, Papa M and Sigur Rós.
Though the group has not officially disbanded, they have not released another album since 2001's critically acclaimed Fixed::Context, and the band members have apparently moved away from their former base of Richmond, Virginia. Robert Donne has joined the slowcore group Spokane. Mark Nelson continues to release records on Kranky under the name Pan•American.
http://www.brainwashed.com/labradford
C. of People
Labradford Lyrics
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Turn them into problems and you complained and complained
Turning them over to see where each one was made
Lifted them in the air to see how much each one weighed
In addition to all the time wasted
You're worse off for never having faced it
Cars go through the city but stars light the sky, let it shine
If I put my head around this corner I will find
Myself in the backyard listening to the air condition whine
In addition to all the time wasted
You're worse off for never having faced it
Cars go through the city but stars light the sky, let it shine
Cars go through the city but stars light the sky from behind
If I put my head around this corner I will find
Myself in the backyard listening to the air condition whine
The lyrics of Labradford's "C. of People" seem to be addressing the way we approach and deal with mistakes and problems. The first lines describe someone who takes the heart out of their mistakes, turning them into problems and complaining about them instead of facing them head-on. The imagery of lifting each problem in the air to weigh it suggests a kind of obsessive overthinking and analysis, rather than taking action to fix the issue. The repeated line "in addition to all the time wasted, you're worse off for never having faced it" seems to be a warning about the dangers of avoiding problems, as they only fester and grow worse over time.
The second half of the song shifts to a more atmospheric description of the city and the stars above. The repeated lines "cars go through the city but stars light the sky, let it shine" seem to be a reminder that there are bigger things at play than our individual problems and struggles, and that we should try to let go and appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world around us. The final lines, describing the sound of air conditioning whirring in the background, add a touch of mundane realism to the dreamy imagery, suggesting that even in the midst of everyday noise and chaos, there is still a chance to connect with something transcendent.
Line by Line Meaning
You then took the heart out of all the mistakes that you made
You have taken all the lessons learned from your mistakes, but instead of moving on, you dwell on them and complain endlessly.
Turn them into problems and you complained and complained
You've transformed those lessons into unnecessary problems and can’t stop complaining about them.
Turning them over to see where each one was made
You analyze and overthink every mistake, trying to figure out where it all went wrong.
Lifted them in the air to see how much each one weighed
You weigh each mistake and regret on its own, as if carrying the burden of it all.
In addition to all the time wasted
In addition to wasting time worrying about past mistakes,
You're worse off for never having faced it
You've never actually faced your mistakes, never learned from them to become a better person. As a result, you are in a worse position than before.
Cars go through the city but stars light the sky, let it shine
While cars fill the streets and create chaos, the stars bring light and tranquility to the world. Let their beauty shine on you.
Cars light up the city but stars light the sky from behind
Cars may bring modernity and progress, but the true beauty shines in nature and its ancient wonders.
If I put my head around this corner I will find
If you look beyond the chaos and everyday life, you may find peace and quiet in unexpected places.
Myself in the backyard listening to the air condition whine
For example, you may find yourself unplugging and listening to the mundane sound of a humming air conditioner in your own backyard – an oasis in the middle of a busy city.
In addition to all the time wasted
In addition to wasting time worrying about past mistakes,
You're worse off for never having faced it
You've never actually faced your mistakes, never learned from them to become a better person. As a result, you are in a worse position than before.
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.