Her mother is a photographer and book binder, and Kessel says that her father has been a source of musical inspiration throughout her life, encouraging her to write her own songs from an early age. She began playing the piano at age 5, studied theatre at the preparatory high school Walnut Hill School for the Arts and went on to explore the worlds of dance and theater at the Experimental Theatre Wing of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and by studying Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Kessel's brother, Eliot, is also a musician, and a collaborator in her music.
In 2005 she began performing publicly under her birth name of Lia Kessel, performing at small venues in New York. Kessel did press an EP of songs independently, but these songs were never distributed commercially. During this time she worked with two backing bands, The Marina and Wild Cries. In late 2007 she participated in the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Baby Dee, called Safe Inside the Day, singing vocals on three tracks.
In 2008, she adopted the name Lia Ices, and her first full-length album, Necima, was released in September of that year, produced by Nicolas Vernhes at Rare Book Room Studios in Brooklyn, NY. The music webzine Pitchfork wrote of the album: "When Ices and Vernhes find a creative symbiosis, usually on the record's shorter, pop-leaning tracks, the results are spectacular." Critics compared her singing favorably to that of Kate Bush, and more contemporary artists like Feist and Bat For Lashes, as well as Tori Amos and Cat Power.
In early 2011, Ices released her sophomore album, Grown Unknown. Again it was mixed at the Rare Book Room Studios in Brooklyn but released through her new label, Jagjaguwar Records. She spent six months in Vermont writing most of the album, and recorded the album at the The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY. The album's second track "Daphne" features a duet with Bon Iver frontman, Justin Vernon. Critics found her voice more relaxed than on her debut album.
On April 3, 2012, Jagjaguwar Records released a 7" single of Ices covering Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", taken from Mojo magazine's Pink Floyd October 2011 special edition. The B side was another cover, of Syd Barrett's "Late Night".
Reason in Remain
Lia Ices Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To watch the swallowed sun
And the skin stays hard
But our sources are gone
And we are that day
That we spend in heat
And the words are safe
It's not my sweet feel
When, when you were cast in gold
And you may have like it far from here
And I will never know
And it's not lost
No, it's not lost
How I feel
No, it's not
It's not lost I fear
No, no, no
I don't believe you expire
Expired
I've seen many deaths
With you
While
We sing a song
To the shape of a thorn
We burrow boles in this skin
And the boles
And there's reason
There's reason in remain
And we're not trying
If we don't escape
There's not the ocean
The ocean and the ash
One's a keeper
And one's a catch
And the moon captured
All the river's game
It keeps her warm
Keeps it cool all day
And there's reason
There's reason in remain
Yeah, there's reason
There's reason to me
Yeah
I don't believe it expires
Expire
I've seen many deaths
With you
While
We sing a slow song
To the shape of the thorn
We burrow boles in the skin
And the boles
All this dreaming
That I can't retell
And all the kids
I used to know so well
Was sleeping hard
He's got it
A single door
And the locks and rings
It's all been stronger
The lyrics to Lia Ices's song Reason in Remain are poetic and open to interpretation. The song begins with a reference to the end of a river and the swallowed sun, suggesting a sense of finality and loss. The singer notes that their skin stays hard despite the sources being gone, perhaps indicating a numbness or detachment after experiencing loss. The day is spent in heat, but the words are safe - this line is more difficult to interpret, but one possible meaning is that the emotions and feelings that come with loss are contained and not expressed. The singer loved someone cast in gold, but they may have liked it far from here and the singer will never know. The song returns to the idea that the feeling is "not lost," but the singer fears that it is.
As the song continues, there are references to death and singing a slow song to the shape of a thorn. These lines further evoke feelings of loss and pain. However, there is also an acknowledgement that there is reason in remaining - perhaps a suggestion that there is hope or purpose in carrying on despite difficult circumstances. The ocean and the ash are contrasted - one a keeper and one a catch - and the moon captured all the river's game. The final lines of the song refer to dreaming and locks and rings, with a sense of strength and resilience.
Overall, the lyrics to Reason in Remain are complex and evocative, with a range of possible interpretations. The song touches on themes of loss, love, and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
And it's the river end
The end of the river where it meets the sea, a place to watch the sun sink and fade away.
To watch the swallowed sun
Watching the sun disappear below the horizon, feeling the absence of light and warmth.
And the skin stays hard
Despite the passing of time, and the hardness of experience, we remain unchanged.
But our sources are gone
The things that once nourished us, gave us life and purpose, are now lost and inaccessible.
And we are that day
We are living in a moment of intense heat and passion, but it is fleeting and will soon pass.
That we spend in heat
Our lives are consumed with desires, yearnings and passions that we struggle to contain and control.
And the words are safe
The things we say, the stories we tell, are a sanctuary, a place of safety and comfort.
It's not my sweet feel
Despite the pleasures of our desires and passions, we are haunted by a sense of something missing, of an unfulfilled longing.
And I loved you
In the past, I felt love for you, but that love is now gone or changed.
When, when you were cast in gold
There was a time when you were radiant, glowing, perfect, but that time has passed.
And you may have like it far from here
You may have found something you enjoy, something that takes you away from here and from me, but I will never know what it is.
And I will never know
There are mysteries in life that are beyond our grasp, and we must accept that we may never understand them.
And it's not lost
Despite the passage of time and the changes that have occurred, there is still a sense of meaning and purpose in life.
No, it's not lost
This is not a hopeless situation, there is still hope and possibility.
How I feel
These emotions are real, deep and meaningful, and they have an impact on my life and my relationships.
No, it's not
There is still something worth fighting for, still a seed of hope that can grow and flourish.
It's not lost I fear
Despite the struggles and uncertainties of life, there is still something to hold onto, and I am afraid of losing it.
I don't believe you expire
I don't believe that love or passion or meaning can simply disappear or fade away over time.
Expired
The idea that our emotions and experiences can simply come to an end, like a product or commodity, seems false and hollow.
I've seen many deaths
I have witnessed the endings of many things in my life, and I know that there is always something left behind, some residue or memory that persists.
With you
These experiences and losses are shared with others, and that shared connection is important and meaningful.
While
These losses and endings occur while we are doing something else, while life goes on in all its complexity and diversity.
We sing a song
Despite everything, we still find joy in music, in the expression of our emotions and desires.
To the shape of a thorn
The beauty and complexity of the world can be found in the details, the small things that might seem insignificant or even painful.
We burrow boles in this skin
Despite our sense of being lost or disconnected from the world, we still find ways to belong, to make ourselves at home in this world.
And the boles
These small spaces we create for ourselves are like holes or tunnels that lead to other parts of the world, where we might find love, meaning, and purpose.
All this dreaming
Despite the harshness of reality, we still dream and imagine, finding solace and hope in our own visions of the world.
That I can't retell
These dreams and visions are personal and intimate, and may be impossible to express or share with others.
And all the kids
Looking back on the past, we remember the innocence and energy of our own youth, and the friendships and relationships we once had.
I used to know so well
But those relationships and friendships may be gone or changed, leaving us feeling lost and disconnected from our own past.
Was sleeping hard
In those moments of innocence and simplicity, there was a sense of deep rest and security, a feeling of being protected from the world's many dangers and uncertainties.
He's got it
Despite the passing of time and the struggles of life, there is still a sense of purpose and direction, a glimmer of hope that something meaningful can still be accomplished.
A single door
There is always a choice to be made, a path to be taken, even in the darkest and most uncertain moments of life.
And the locks and rings
Even in moments of choice and decision, there are still barriers and obstacles to be overcome, challenges that must be faced and conquered.
It's all been stronger
Despite the many challenges and difficulties of life, we have grown stronger and more resilient, able to face whatever comes our way with courage and determination.
And there's reason
Even in the midst of uncertainty and change, there is still a sense of reason, a guiding principle or goal that can give our lives shape and meaning.
There's reason in remain
The things we hold onto, the relationships and memories we cherish, are reasons to keep going, to keep trying and fighting even when things seem dark and hopeless.
And we're not trying
Despite the hardships of life, we are not giving up or giving in, we are still trying our best to make sense of the world and find our place in it.
If we don't escape
There is always the temptation to run away from our problems, to give up on the challenges of life and seek refuge somewhere else.
There's not the ocean
Even the vastness of the sea and the power of nature cannot hide us from our problems, they will always catch up with us in the end.
The ocean and the ash
The beauty of the natural world is often intertwined with its harshness and destructiveness, reminding us of the fragility and transience of life itself.
One's a keeper
Despite the challenges of life and the inevitability of loss and change, there are still things worth keeping, worth holding onto with everything we have.
And one's a catch
Other things may be more fleeting, harder to hold onto or preserve, and yet they are still worth striving for, worth catching and holding onto for as long as possible.
And the moon captured
The beauty and mystery of the natural world is often captured in art and poetry, allowing us to preserve and share those moments of awe and wonder with others.
All the river's game
The river of life is filled with twists and turns, moments of great joy and suffering, and yet we still find ways to navigate it, to create meaning and beauty in the midst of all that chaos.
It keeps her warm
Even in the coldness and darkness of the world, there is still warmth and light to be found, both in the natural world and in the relationships and connections we make with each other.
Keeps it cool all day
These small moments of warmth and connection can help us to endure even the longest and most difficult days, providing us with the strength and resilience we need to keep pushing forward.
There's reason to me
Despite the harshness and uncertainty of life, we each have our own reasons for living, our own goals and aspirations that give our lives shape and meaning.
Yeah
This is a moment of affirmation, a reminder that even in the darkest moments of life, there is still beauty and hope to be found.
Contributed by Michael S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.