singer/songwriter project had been figuring in magazines such as Sound Affects and Sonic. But it was when Labrador presented him with Douglas Heart’s super vocalist Malin Dahlberg late in 2001 that his ship finally came in.
She liked his sense for melodies and they were asked to record some songs for »The Sound Of Young Sweden, vol. 3«. Once their correspondence started a close relationship was rapidly developed and soon Laurel Music was a dynamic duo. The combination of his timeless qualities as a songwriter akin to Neil Young, Morrissey/Marr and Tim Hardin and her ethereal vocals inspired by soft emo pop like Geoff Farina, The Secret Stars and Ida made their musical collaboration quite rare.
At first, when their rehearsal sessions took place in his living room, they often ended up giggling and listening to too many records. But as they entered the studio to record their debut album, they realised they needed a full band to complete the sound. Top drummer Max Sjöholm (Douglas Heart, Afraid Of Stairs) joined them as a permanent member and Tobias played just about every instrument he could get hold of. Finally some friends assisted with whatever the three weren’t able to do.
To this day, the permanent members remain Tobias, Malin and Max, but on stage Laurel Music is a musical collective that can appear as anything from a duo to a sextet.
In 2006, Tobias launched his next project, ultra summer-y pop group, Irene.
Feb 5
Laurel Music Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've been faking for too long
But that night you gave me something to remember
Sometinhg awful, almost evil
It's been hidden for a while cause I keep it safe and sound
But it's blowing through my mind when it's all coming down
Not to lose it, not to fail
But that night you took away my only hurdle
It was cold blood, almost murder
It's been hidden for a while cause I keep it as a secret
But it's blowing through my mind when it's all coming down
The lyrics of "Feb 5" by Laurel Music convey a sense of hidden turmoil within a relationship that is slowly cracking under the weight of past mistakes. The song opens with a question, "Baby, aren't we mistaken?," which suggests that the singer and their partner are pretending that everything is fine when in reality, things are not as they seem. The phrase "faking for too long" hints at a long-standing deception, and the next line, "But that night you gave me something to remember," suggests a moment of clarity when something truly awful was revealed.
The lyrics go on to describe the internal struggle between keeping this secret hidden and the desire to share it with someone. The line "But it's blowing through my mind when it's all coming down" captures the tension between trying to keep secrets and the inevitable moment when they come to the surface. The second verse deepens this sense of conflict, with the singer suggesting that the other person was responsible for taking away an obstacle that they faced alone. The imagery of "cold blood, almost murder" adds a sinister undertone to the song, suggesting that the relationship is in serious jeopardy.
Overall, "Feb 5" is a haunting and honest depiction of a relationship that may not survive the weight of a dark secret.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, aren't we mistaken
The singer questions the legitimacy of their current situation.
We've been faking for too long
The singer and their partner have been pretending that everything is fine for an extended period of time.
But that night you gave me something to remember
The singer's partner did something memorable, though it was negative in nature.
Sometinhg awful, almost evil
The memorable event was something that left a bad taste in the artist's mouth, and was almost malicious.
It's been hidden for a while cause I keep it safe and sound
The artist has been keeping their feelings about the negative event to themselves for some time.
But it's blowing through my mind when it's all coming down
As things start to fall apart, the singer can no longer keep their feelings hidden and they are struggling to deal with them.
Baby shouldn't we be careful
The singer asks their partner to be cautious in their actions moving forward.
Not to lose it, not to fail
The artist hopes that their partner will work hard to not let their relationship fail.
But that night you took away my only hurdle
Despite the negative event, the artist's partner did something that removed a barrier in their relationship.
It was cold blood, almost murder
The manner in which their partner removed the hurdle was not kind or gentle, and felt almost like an attack.
It's been hidden for a while cause I keep it as a secret
The singer is still struggling with their partner's actions, and has been keeping their feelings hidden.
But it's blowing through my mind when it's all coming down
As things start to fall apart, the artist is finding it more difficult to keep their negative feelings hidden and is struggling to process them.
Contributed by Ava L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.