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.
https://lemolomusic.com/
White Flag
Lemolo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
say I'm afraid, in the new year
raise the white flag and never cross paths
once you go back, you never go back
sitting home sitting here
sitting home sitting here
say its okay in my ear
waive it away in the new year
once you go back, you never come back
sitting home, sitting here
sitting home, sitting here
sitting home, sitting here
sitting home, sitting here
The lyrics to Lemolo's song "White Flag" speak to a sense of resignation and acceptance of a situation that is beyond the singer's control. The repeated phrase "say I'm okay in my ear" suggests a desire for reassurance or comfort, but the following line "say I'm afraid, in the new year" indicates that there may be underlying anxieties or uncertainties about the future. The next line "raise the white flag and never cross paths" can be interpreted as a metaphorical surrender or acceptance of the current circumstances, as if the singer is waving a symbolic flag of defeat or submission.
The repetition of the phrase "once you go back, you never come back" implies a sense of finality or closure, as if there is no going back from whatever has led to the singer's present state of being. Despite this sense of resignation, the final lines of the song ("sitting home, sitting here") suggest that the singer is still stuck in place, unable to move forward or find a way out of their current situation. Overall, the lyrics to "White Flag" convey a complex mix of emotions, including resignation, uncertainty, and a longing for comfort or reassurance.
Line by Line Meaning
Say I'm okay in my ear
Tell me that everything is fine, even if it's not, because I don't want to face the truth
Say I'm afraid, in the new year
Admit to me that you're scared about what the future holds, but we'll face it together
Raise the white flag and never cross paths
Surrender and walk away without any further conflict or confrontation
Once you go back, you never go back
Once you return to someone or something that hurt you, you can never truly go back to how things were before
Sitting home sitting here
Feeling lonely and stuck in the same place, both physically and emotionally
Say its okay in my ear
Assure me that everything is alright, even though I know it's not
Waive it away in the new year
Dismiss the past and start fresh with a new outlook on life
Sitting home, sitting here
Continuing to feel stagnant and unfulfilled, without knowing how to move forward
Sitting home, sitting here
Repeating the same actions and thoughts, resulting in a lack of progress and growth
Sitting home, sitting here
Feeling trapped and unable to break free from the same routine and patterns
Contributed by Caden E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.