Four original members of the band have left the group since 2009. Aleksandra Campesinos! (vocals, keyboards, glockenspiel) left the band in 2009 to focus on her studies. She was replaced by Gareth's sister Kim in September 2009. Ollie Campesinos! (drums) left the band June 2010 and was replaced a three weeks later by Jason Campesinos!, the band's longtime road manager and merch table salesmen. Harriet Campesinos! (violin, keyboards, vocals) left the band on in September 2011 to continue her studies. Ellen Campesinos! (bass, vocals) left the band in December 2012 to focus on other projects, including her career as a writer and comedian. Rob Campesinos!, who performs solo as Sparky Deathcap, is the official eighth (or, since Aleksandra's departure, ninth) Campesinos! - the band compares his role in the band to the one Bob Nastanovich had in Pavement. After a year of being a semi-official member, Rob was made a full member of the band upon Ollie's departure. The band's name translates to "The Peasants" (or "The Farmers") in Spanish.
The band performed their first gig in May 2006 at a student union club night, and went on to play a number of increasingly well-received gigs around Cardiff. An early demo was recorded featuring the songs Death To Los Campesinos!, It Started With A Mixx, Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks, and live favourite You! Me! Dancing!. The songs were posted on the internet, bolstering the popularity established by their energetic live shows and earning them airplay on Beth & Huw's evening show on BBC Radio 1 Wales. The band's reputation continued to grow, and in August 2006 landed them a slot supporting Canadian supergroup Broken Social Scene.
In November 2006, the band were signed by Wichita Recordings, who put out their first single on 26 February 2007, a double A-side featuring new songs We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives and Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s). In April the band signed to Canadian label Arts & Crafts for Canadian and North American releases. In June 2007 the band released You! Me! Dancing! on limited edition 7" coloured vinyl, accompanied by a handful of dates playing Bath, Newport, Cardiff and London. The EP Sticking Fingers Into Sockets was released on 3 July on Arts & Crafts, produced by Broken Social Scene collaborator Dave Newfeld. The band embarked on their first full UK tour in October, preceded by the The International Tweexcore Underground single (released October 15th 2007).
Their debut album, titled Hold On Now, Youngster... was released in the UK and as a digital download on February 25, 2008; the physical record was released North America on April 1.
On August 1, 2008, the band released their second record We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed in the UK on October 14, 2008.
On June 2 2009, Original member Aleks Campesinos announced she would be leaving the group after the release of their third album, to return to university to continue her studies
The band released their third album, Romance is Boring on 26 January 2010 in the United States and 1 February 2010 in the UK. The band released an accompanying acoustic EP, All's Well That Ends on 19 July 2010. The EP was their first release to feature new members Rob and Kim, and the final to feature Ollie, who left the band the previous month.
In August 2011, the band announced that Harriet would be leaving the band in September 2011 to return to school. A few days later on 31 August 2011, the band announced their fourth album, "Hello Sadness", would be released on 14 November 2011. On 8 September 2011, the band released the first single from the album, "By Your Hand", as a free download from their website, accompanied by a music video.
Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats
Los Campesinos! Lyrics
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One! Two! Three! Four!
Any more tears for the birthing pool?
Bear this child directly into misery
Kiss him in the face with no lips and no tongue
But with your little, middle, index and ring fingers
Singing 'I see songs in shapes and colours
Fluid lines that soar like towers
Patterns reformed just like child actors
Plunge your hand, rip out my spine
Replace it with a UV light
So I can be the beacon of hope that you'd always expected
These constant broken heartbeats sound like breakbeats
Looping round and round to me
You know he's so much more like Spiderman than you will ever, ever be
So stick with your instincts
Stick with the imprints
With the hieroglyphics that the fan club sent us
And roll with the toppers
The slow steady choppers
Bat with your eyelids
And lose it with your stutter
Go b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b - honeeeeey!
I'm taking far too many chances
On these less than idealistic romances
Plunge your hand, rip out my spine
Replace it with a UV light
So I can be the beacon of hope that you'd always expected
These constant broken heartbeats sound like breakbeats
Looping round and round to me
You know he's so much more like Spiderman than you will ever, ever be.
The lyrics to "Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats" by Los Campesinos! are complex and multi-layered. The first verse appears to be about the birth of a child, but it quickly takes a dark turn as the lyrics describe kissing the child's face with "no lips and no tongue" and singing about seeing songs in shapes and colors rather than science or art. The second verse takes a surreal turn as the singer asks for their spine to be replaced with a UV light so they can be a beacon of hope. The chorus repeats the phrase "These constant broken heartbeats sound like breakbeats," implying that the singer's heartbreak has become a repetitive, rhythmic pattern in their life.
The lyrics are full of wordplay and imagery, such as "Fluid lines that soar like towers" and "Stick with the imprints/With the hieroglyphics that the fan club sent us." The song also repeatedly references Spiderman, suggesting a theme of heroism and the desire to be something greater than oneself. Overall, the lyrics of "Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats" are a commentary on the complexities of love, loss, and the search for meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Any more tears for the birthing pool?
Are there any more tears left to cry for the birth of this child into misery?
Bear this child directly into misery
Take responsibility for this child's entry into a life of suffering
Kiss him in the face with no lips and no tongue
Give affection to the child without the physical means to do so
But with your little, middle, index and ring fingers
Using only fingers not intended for intimate displays of love
Singing 'I see songs in shapes and colours
Singing about the visual representation of music
Not nuclear physics or pottery ovens
Not interested in science or crafts
Fluid lines that soar like towers
Musical notes that ascend and ascend like tall structures
Patterns reformed just like child actors
Melodies altered and remade like young performers adapting to new roles.
Plunge your hand, rip out my spine
Physically remove my backbone from my body
Replace it with a UV light
Swap my backbone for a device that emits ultraviolet light
So I can be the beacon of hope that you'd always expected
So I can become the symbol of optimism you had always wanted
These constant broken heartbeats sound like breakbeats
Frequent emotional pain feels like the repeating rhythm of electronic music
Looping round and round to me
Repeating over and over again within my own mind
You know he's so much more like Spiderman than you will ever, ever be
You acknowledge that he possesses abilities far beyond your own capabilities.
So stick with your instincts
Continue following your natural inclinations
Stick with the imprints
Adhere to familiar marks and influences
With the hieroglyphics that the fan club sent us
With the symbols and signs that enthusiasts of our music have given us
And roll with the toppers
Cope with the superior ones
The slow steady choppers
The gradual ones who take their time
Bat with your eyelids
Flirt and communicate through expressive eye movements
And lose it with your stutter
Allow yourself to let go and become tongue-tied
Go b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b - honeeeeey!
Emphasize your stutter as a charming and endearing trait
I'm taking far too many chances
I am risking too much
On these less than idealistic romances
On relationships that are not as positive or hopeful as they could be
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEKSANDRA BERDITCHEVSKAIA, ELLEN WADDELL, GARETH PAISEY, HARRIET COLEMAN, NEIL ASHLEY TURNER, OLIVER BRIGGS, TOM BROMLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind