The newest Lemolo record, Swansea, is an ethereal experience bolstered by beautiful sounds and hauntingly powerful vocals. Underpinning this soundscape are poignant, insightful lyrics about various moments of loss. Exploring the theme of solitude, Lemolo’s Swansea is a vivid exploration of a turbulent emotional landscape that resonates as a foundational part of the human experience. Swansea was just named one of the “Top Ten Albums of 2019” by KEXP DJs John Richards and Morgan Chosnyk.
Swansea was written at Grandall’s home in the namesake Lemolo neighborhood of Poulsbo, WA, where she grew up surrounded by evergreen trees and Puget Sound waterways. Grandall defines her “Swansea” as “the vast place we find ourselves in when we lose someone. We are alone for the first time in what feels like forever, almost as if we are out to sea in our own solitude. But it is not necessarily a sad place. It is where we find strength in remembering how to stand on our own two feet.” The album dives courageously into this complex, turbulent expanse, its melodic crests and troughs reflecting upon Grandall’s relationship to this conceptual “Swansea”.
When it came time to track the record, Grandall turned to Seattle’s Nathan Yaccino (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Noah Gundersen) for production and engineering at his studio, The Ballard Baitshop; once an old sailmaking loft. Working in close collaboration, Grandall performed vocals, electric guitar, piano, synth, and bass and turned to Yaccino for drums, percussion, and additional guitar, bass, cello, and vibraphone. The record also features appearances by Alex Guy (Led to Sea) on string arrangements, violin, and viola, Maria Scherer Wilson on cello, and Jon Karschney (Seattle Symphony) on French horn. The record was mixed in house by Yaccino and mastered by Ed Brooks of Resonant Mastering.
Sweeping and transcendent, Swansea sees Lemolo leading us on a dreamy excursion, our direction illuminated by her guidance. Ultimately, we learn that while “Swansea” is not a forever place, the lessons learned there last indefinitely. Swansea is out now, and you can listen to and order the record here. Subscribe to the Lemolo email list here for the latest updates about new singles, videos, and shows.
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Mirror
Lemolo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know it's been a year since we lost track
Did you keep the bracelet with the beads?
Where every single one is a memory
I was stuck in the swell, couldn't get to the beach
It was just as well, not to get closer to me
We were in the ditch just seeing stars
That was on the night we built that fire
We could feel the heat but we piled it higher and higher
You have to hear, that you're hard to clear
You have to hear, I'm looking back in my mirror
The song "Mirror" by Lemolo is a nostalgic reflection on the past shared between two people, with a heavy emphasis on the sentimentality of shared memories. The opening line asks about the other person's back, indicating a previous injury or chronic pain, and how much time has passed since they last spoke. The mention of a bracelet made of beads, where each one represents a memory between them, reinforces the theme of reminiscence.
The second verse recalls a time when the singer was going through a difficult period and the other person was unable to offer support. It's unclear if the distance was intentional or simply circumstantial but the singer notes that it was "just as well" not to get too close. The final verse relates a memory of the two of them together, falling out of a car and building a fire. The shared experience of feeling the heat and adding more fuel to the flames seems to symbolize their relationship as a whole - both comforting and dangerous.
Overall, the lyrics of "Mirror" paint a picture of a past relationship that may have been strained by distance or circumstance but still holds a bittersweet place in the singer's heart. The repeated line "you have to hear, I'm looking back in my mirror" reinforces the motif of reflection and suggests a desire to reconnect or at least come to a deeper understanding of what was lost.
Line by Line Meaning
How's your back, is it still bad?
Asking about physical pain while implying emotional pain and a desire to reconnect
I know it's been a year since we lost track
Acknowledging that it's been a long time since they've communicated
Did you keep the bracelet with the beads?
Wondering if the other person kept a sentimental item from their time together
Where every single one is a memory
Describing the significance of the bracelet and its role in remembering the past
I was stuck in the swell, couldn't get to the beach
Using a metaphor to express the difficulty of moving on from a difficult situation
It was just as well, not to get closer to me
Implying that distancing themselves was the best option
Do you remember falling out of your car?
Recalling a specific moment from their past
We were in the ditch just seeing stars
Painting a vivid picture of the memory being shared
That was on the night we built that fire
Tying the memory to a specific occasion
We could feel the heat but we piled it higher and higher
Describing a shared experience of building something together, despite the potential danger
You have to hear, that you're hard to clear
Implying that the other person's presence and memory is difficult to shake
You have to hear, I'm looking back in my mirror
Acknowledging that the artist is reflecting on the past and thinking of the other person
Writer(s): Meagan Grandall
Contributed by Layla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.