The group was founded in May 1988 by Mike Van Portfleet, in the summer of that year Will Welch joined the project. In November, Welch was replaced by John Fair. In 1989, "Wake" was recorded, defining their droning ethereal guitar sound.
John Fair left Lycia in 1990, and Will Welch returned. In the same year Lycia signed to Projekt Records and released "Ionia" in late 1991 after aborting the original first release, titled "Byzantine". They became one of the cornerstones of the Projekt label for over a decade, and one of the most influential bands in the American darkwave scene in the 1990s. They forged a relentlessly dark and driving sound with a wall of shimmery guitars and keyboards, pounding drums, overlaid by Van Portfleet's unmistakable whispered vocals.
1992 saw the release of "A Day in the Stark Corner" and Lycia began its first live appearances. In 1993 David Galas became a permanent member, and their sound evolved with a more mature and polished depth.
In 1994 Tara Vanflower, being a huge fan of the band, decided to meet Mike, and joined as backing vocalist contributing vocals on a couple of songs that were supposed to be for compilation appearances, but ended up on "The Burning Circle and Then Dust" (1995). Tara Vanflower and Mike VanPortfleet married two years later.
The band's sound became comparatively less dark, especially on their final two albums, "Tripping Back Into the Broken Days" and "Empty Space", mostly due to Vanflower's influence. This shift away from their original sound alienated some long-time fans and eventually Lycia broke up in 2003, with Van Portfleet pursuing a solo career.
Lycia reformed in August of 2006 with Mike Vanportfleet, Tara VanFlower and David Galas. "We’ve been slowly working on new material. This time, what we are doing is each of us are bringing in our own songs and then expanding from the initial ideas".
On December 2012, Lycia announced a new release, "Quiet Moments", through their Facebook page. It was released in August 2013.
Discography:
1989 - Wake
1991 - Ionia
1993 - A Day in the Stark Corner
1995 - Live
1995 - The Burning Circle and Then Dust
1997 - Cold
1998 - Estrella
2000 - The Time Has Come and Gone (originally released as under the name Estraya)
2001 - Compilation Appearances, Vol. 1
2001 - Compilation Appearances, Vol. 2
2002 - Tripping Back into the Broken Days
2004 - Empty Spaces
2010 - Fifth Sun (EP)
2013 - Quiet Moments
2015 - A Line That Connects
2018 - In Flickers
Side projects
Bleak - Vane (1994) really just Lycia recording under a different name and exploring a "harsher" sound.
Estraya - The Time Has Come and Gone (2000) accoustic side project with Van Portfleet and Vanflower
A Failure
Lycia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A brilliant moon seeps deep inside
A failure to see
A failure in me
In me
Me
Shh
A bright sun is soon to rise
A world awake, I just want to hide
A failure to see
A failure in me
In me
Me
Shh
The lyrics of Lycia's "A Failure" suggest a theme of depression and hopelessness. They begin with the mention of the beauty of the natural world at night, with stars and a moon shining bright. However, the singer seems unable to appreciate this beauty and instead sees themselves as a failure. The repetition of "a failure to see, a failure in me" reinforces this sentiment. The line "shh" at the end of each verse furthers the idea that the singer is suppressing their thoughts and emotions, unable or unwilling to express them.
As the song continues, the singer mentions a bright sun soon to rise and a world that is awake while they want to hide. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer feeling isolated and unable to participate in the world around them. The repetition of the previous verses again emphasizes the feelings of failure and self-blame.
Overall, "A Failure" by Lycia is a deeply introspective song about depression and the struggle to find meaning and joy in life. The poetic imagery of the natural world contrasts with the bleak descriptions of the singer's inner turmoil, highlighting the stark contrast between what is beautiful in the world and what the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
A million stars flicker and shine
Countless opportunities and possibilities exist, full of beauty and wonder
A brilliant moon seeps deep inside
An indescribable feeling of creativity and inspiration rests within
A failure to see
The inability to recognize and appreciate the aforementioned opportunities and beauty
A failure in me
A sense of inadequacy and self-doubt that prevents the individual from fully experiencing and utilizing the possibilities around them
In me
This internal struggle is a personal one that they must confront and overcome
Me
The focus is entirely on the self and the internal conflict they feel
Shh
A sense of wanting to keep this struggle hidden, perhaps due to fear or embarrassment
A bright sun is soon to rise
Despite the aforementioned struggles, hope and positivity still exist and will continue to exist
A world awake, I just want to hide
This hope and positivity is contrasted with a sense of overwhelming anxiety and fear of the external world
Writer(s): John Fair, Mike Vanportfleet
Contributed by William L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yeknotelekskcalb
LYRICS....
a million stars flicker and shine
a brilliant moon seeps deep inside
a failure to see
a failure in me
in me
me
shh
a bright sun is soon to rise
a world awake, I just want to hide
a failure to see
a failure in me
in me
me
shh
@mariolooney70
Great new album ..well done mike and Tara 💜💜⭐️⭐️
@andreirozz
...John Fair and David Galas
@yeknotelekskcalb
LYRICS....
a million stars flicker and shine
a brilliant moon seeps deep inside
a failure to see
a failure in me
in me
me
shh
a bright sun is soon to rise
a world awake, I just want to hide
a failure to see
a failure in me
in me
me
shh
@camilaromero4788
I love this song so much, I hope tik tok doesn't ruin it
@DennisLurm
Wonderfull !!!
@pierogracis5614
I know I'll listen to it in loop for a very long time.
@silenceblue82
Silence and romantic! 🖤🙏
@ALgoth181277
Awesome 💚
@krzysiekgrochowina120
I love it!
@Luxfer999
Love this song.