Since releasing Native Air in August 2013, Lowland Hum has performed for 70 audiences in 13 states. Combining Daniel’s musicianship and Lauren’s inclinations in visual art, Lowland Hum’s shows are a multi-sensory experience, engaging sight, sound, smell, and touch–inviting listeners to be fully present and reducing the space between artist and listener. During performances, Lowland Hum readily shares the stories behind their songs and invites listeners to offer real-time reflections.
Lowland Hum tours full time, playing house shows, listening rooms, colleges and universities, and other spaces conductive to an intimate listening experience. Click here to see when Lowland Hum will be in your neighborhood or learn about hosting a house show.
Albatross
Lowland Hum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beating out just around the edges
A golden albatross burst onto the scene
Like arrows filled with fire poking holes in my dreams
Making way for a mountain and a river flowing free
I hear bells
Closer than my skin
A silver tone pierced a stock-still night
The clapper struck the bell with thunder
Its echoes filled the earth with violent shaking sounds
The people woke and stood on hill and hallowed ground
The sound so bright it released them from their shadows
I hear bells
Closer than my skin
A coal laid on my tongue
A vision broke my thumbs
A golden thorn pierced my scorn
And a newer light is born
A man pulls back the string on a single bow of bronze
It was fitted with the sharpest of arrows
He aimed it toward the void
He aimed it to destroy
The crippling lies of cynics and fools
Yet the tip was filled with seeds
Which grew up into mighty trees
And the forest came back up around the city
In Lowland Hum's song "Albatross," the lyrics describe a scene of darkness, with a golden albatross bursting onto the scene with wings made of gossamer feathers. The bird is described as piercing holes into the singer's dreams with arrows filled with fire as it makes way for a mountain and a river flowing free. All of a sudden, silver bells can be heard closer than the singer's skin, piercing through the stillness of the night like thunder. The echoes of the bell fill the earth with violent shaking sounds, and the people in the land woke and stood on hill and hallowed ground. The silver tone released them from their shadows, and they are awed by the sound's brilliance.
The lyrics of the second verse describe the aftermath of the bell's sound, with a coal laid on the singer's tongue, breaking his vision, while a golden thorn pierces his scorn, and a new light is born. The third stanza refers to a man pulling back the string on a single bow of bronze, fitted with the sharpest arrow, and aiming it toward the void to destroy the crippling lies of cynics and fools. However, the tip of the arrow is filled with seeds that grew up into mighty trees, and the forest came back up around the city.
The lyrics of "Albatross" are mature and evocative, leading to thoughtful introspection of its themes on a personal level. It describes the eternal struggle of light vs. darkness, and how one needs to believe in the presence of hope amidst despair. The song suggests the ineluctable truth that the world has much to offer, and hope for a better tomorrow lies right around the corner.
Line by Line Meaning
On a pitch black night with gossamer wings
During a dark and ominous evening, a delicate creature took flight
Beating out just around the edges
Fluttering just outside of view and on the periphery
A golden albatross burst onto the scene
A majestic bird, with a shimmering appearance, suddenly appeared
Like arrows filled with fire poking holes in my dreams
The sight was so stunning, it felt like it pierced through the dream-like state of the observer
Making way for a mountain and a river flowing free
Clearing the path for the greatness of nature to take over
I hear bells
The observer hears the summoning of a great event
Closer than my skin
The call is so close that it is felt deep within
A silver tone pierced a stock-still night
The sound of a flawlessly clear bell in a completely still night reaches the observer
The clapper struck the bell with thunder
The impact of the ringing bell shook the earth
Its echoes filled the earth with violent shaking sounds
The after-effects of the sound reverberated through the environment and caused a disturbance
The people woke and stood on hill and hallowed ground
The public responds to the call and gather on high and holy sites
The sound so bright it released them from their shadows
The sound of the bell was powerful enough to release the people from their problems and worries
A coal laid on my tongue
The observer experiences an unpleasant and stifling sensation
A vision broke my thumbs
A sight was so intense, it destabilized the grip on the observers hands
A golden thorn pierced my scorn
The observer is impacted by a sharp sensation that breaks through their negativity and cynicism
And a newer light is born
The observer is now enlightened and things appear in a new enlightened way
A man pulls back the string on a single bow of bronze
A man prepares to take on a great challenge
It was fitted with the sharpest of arrows
The challenge requires precise and dedicated action
He aimed it toward the void
The man was taking his aim to uncharted and challenging territory
He aimed it to destroy
The man was determined to leave nothing behind
The crippling lies of cynics and fools
The man was determined to liberate people from the oppressive forces of misinformation and ignorance
Yet the tip was filled with seeds
Despite the forceful outlook, it has the essence of growth within its core
Which grew up into mighty trees
The seeds grow into towering trees symbolizing the fruits of success and liberation
And the forest came back up around the city
Nature and serenity that once seemed lost to the city is restored
Contributed by Caden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Irina Tyulyandina
To me, sound little depressing in this songs . I know it's your style. I like your matching voices.