Webber and Wells have been playing together for many years as part of Black Mountain. The two decided to start a separate project together that they named Lightning Dust.
Committing themselves to a more simplistic approach with Lightning Dust, Webber and Wells also decided to escape the comforts of their familiar instruments and writing styles. On their self-titled debut, minimal and spacious arrangements and a moody, theatrical vocal-style aptly expose the demons, creating songs that creep into your bones with a haunting chill.
Their debut album was recorded in a dank cave and a bright blue house, perhaps an unconscious yet obsessive protest of the sunny beach and beer world that surrounded them on the outside. Many of the songs on this self-titled debut began years ago as melodies which persistently floated around in Webber's head.
Another album, Infinite Light, was released in August 2009. The band performed at Matt Groening's All Tomorrow's Parties festival in May 2010 in Minehead, England.
A third album, Fantasy, which featured synthesized music, drumming, some industrial instrumental work, all accompanying the band's spooky songs, was released June 25, 2013. This album included the song "Loaded Gun"; in 2014 it was used in French television series Série Noire, on SRC.
Never Again
Lightning Dust Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never again my love never again
We moved softly in the wind
We moved slowly to keep them from wondering where we've been
Oh now love Never again
Never again my love never again
They shoot you through the sky and you feel your flying
In the morning with your face down on the floor
Just hanging like you do, you feel you've fallen
But did you recognize we were seventeen and on a landslide
Well i do
Never again my love never again
Never again my love never again
We moved softly in the wind
We moved slowly to keep them from wondering where we've been
Oh now love Never again
Never again my love never again
The lyrics to Lightning Dust's song Never Again seem to capture the sentiment of a never-to-be-repeated love. The repetition of the lines "Never again my love never again" drive home the idea of finality and certainty. The song seems to reminisce about a forbidden or secret love, where the lovers moved "softly in the wind" and "slowly to keep them from wondering where we've been." There is a sense of danger or disapproval surrounding their relationship, which is perhaps why it cannot be repeated.
The references to shooting through the sky and falling on the floor imply a sense of excitement and drama in the relationship, with highs and lows, but ultimately ending in a feeling of defeat or loss. The line "did you recognize we were seventeen and on a landslide" could be interpreted in different ways, either as a nod to their youth and lack of experience in relationships, or a metaphor for the unpredictability and uncontrollability of their love.
Overall, Never Again is a melancholic yet nostalgic ode to a love that cannot be recreated, filled with imagery of movement, danger, and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Never again my love never again
The singer is emphasizing that they will never go back to the relationship that is being referred to.
We moved softly in the wind
The couple in the relationship were cautious and tried to keep things discreet.
We moved slowly to keep them from wondering where we've been
The couple tried to avoid drawing attention to their relationship by taking things slow and not being too affectionate in public.
Oh now love Never again
The artist is reminiscing about the past relationship with sadness but reaffirming that it will not happen again.
In the evening when they shoot you through the sky
The artist is using vivid language to describe the rush of being in love and how it feels like being propelled skyward.
They shoot you through the sky and you feel your flying
The intensity of being in love is not lost on the singer, who describes the feeling as though you are flying.
In the morning with your face down on the floor
The aftermath of a relationship gone wrong is described by the singer as being like hitting the ground hard and being unable to get up.
Just hanging like you do, you feel you've fallen
The artist is emphasizing the sense of loss and emptiness that comes with the end of a relationship, and how it feels like falling.
But did you recognize we were seventeen and on a landslide
The artist is reflecting on the youth and immaturity of the relationship, and how it was always doomed to end badly.
Writer(s): Joshua Wells, Amber Webber Copyright: Rough Trade Publishing Ltd.
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shirleympare
one of my favorite albums of all time and i was around in the 60s, outstanding
@donbirnam5859
Really beautiful heart felt song. Her voice the same here live as on the album, shows how good she must be. Only song I've heard by them. Heard a little bit of it played in the movie Sollers point and that was enough to look it up.
@brendaharder1715
AMAZING voice!!
@lolah3838
I love her voice.
@ebeep
I could really use some more Lightning Dust in my life. Hope they're up to something!
@macaz1986
Amen. Just found out about them a few months back. Love the sound.
@trevorlepper3434
Discovered them performing at Calgary folk festival last weekend so they’re still around. Been listening to them a lot!
@THEBIGLEBOTSKI74
Absolutely LOVED this!!
@trevorlepper3434
Was volunteering at the recent Calgary folk festival. This was the first band I saw perform an entire set in person in 16 months.
@albashayrtaj5926
She is such a great singer. Unfortunate that she was born in a wrong decade. Black Mountain, has a very different use of her voice. Unique to that band. Use of Fuzz pedals really complimented her voice. I will miss new records from Black Mountain without her voice.