Trevor Dunn has been a profession musi… Read Full Bio ↴www.myspace.com/whitewithfoam
Trevor Dunn has been a profession musician, as a bassist and composer, for about 25 years. Still you may ask yourself, "Mad what?". "Trevor who?" There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. Back in the mid-'80s he co-founded an avant-rock band called Mr. Bungle and later did time in Mike Patton's cut-and-paste metal outfit Fantômas. He also plays and records extensively with John Zorn among many others [for the full 70+ discography see http://www.trevordunn.net covering a wide range of genres.
In all of these groups Mr. Dunn does what any respectable bass player, who hasn't flipped pizzas since 1986, gets hired to do. Namely, keep his mouth shut and get the job done, which may be the reason his name is less familiar to you then some of his employers [i.e. Yuka Honda, Erik Friedlander, The Melvins, Sean Lennon, a guy from Korn, etc].
It wasn't until 1998 that Trevor stepped out as a leader with his spastic power-chord "jazz" group Trio-Convulsant. A sophomore CD was released on Ipecac Recordings in 2004.
But something was missing. It had been nearly 10 years since Trevor wrote any rock music (Mr. Bungle's last record on Warner Bros. came out in 1999) and he was itching to get back to his roots. Those roots being bands like Cheap Trick, X, The Pretenders and Blondie. Call it jumping on the bandwagon, call it a mid-life crisis, but Dunn decided to start his very own rock band. Enter MadLove.
The name "MadLove" is the English translation of a title by surrealist Andre Breton called "L'Amour Fou" and that's all you need to know about that. If nothing else, it describes the obscure object of desire that drives us all to our insane, inevitable, colorful end.
MadLove recorded in Brooklyn's Studio G in 2008 with a disparate yet psychically connected, hand-picked line-up: Sunny Kim, hailing from Seoul, Korea fronts the band as lead vocalist. Sunny has lead her own band Myth of Mitch and plays with the Prana Trio and a group led by trombonist Roswell Rudd. The all-important guitar chair is held by Icelandic master Hilmar Jensson (Tyft, Kitchen Motors). The drummer, known for his work with Xiu Xiu, Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog and Theory of Ruin is Ches Smith. Keyboardist Erik Deutch who plays with Devotchka and Charlie Hunter is on hand for the live performances. Trevor, of course, holds down his comfortable position as bassist while stepping up as vocalist on occasion.
The music of MadLove fits snugly somewhere in the genre of "rock". There is no question that the songs are guitar-centric. Around power chords constructed with wrong notes, however, there are melodies that weave in and out of comfort zones; there are drum hooks and melodic bass lines that start on the "and-of-four" and there are Fender Rhodes counter-melodies. Some of the songs are fairly commercial; some will never see the light of radio; Some utilize the classic form of verse-chorus-verse, while others dare to hide form within theme and variation. And somehow, it all sounds cohesive.
In writing for this brand-spanking new band, Dunn wrote intuitively, never over-thinking the songs. Yet one gets the sense that he drew upon his many years experience, as a sideman and as a composer, in order to craft music that is at once engaging, thoughtful and fun to crank on the ol' stereo.
"white with foam", the debut CD from MadLove, will be out on Ipecac Recordings in the Fall of 2009.
Rats With Wings
MadLove Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Air pushed 'til the meter's pinned
While you're waiting to climb the walls
Stop to breathe in the chemicals
Diving into pavement
While sunlight stings
No one's gonna save us
Eyes cut out and all brand new
In stitches and slow to move
Vultures dancing on methane graves
Clip their wings and they're here to stay
Needles and knives
Fall from the sky
Birds of prey have flown away
Escape the rain
Save us, save us with, your wings
The song “Rats With Wings” by MadLove is a fast-paced energetic piece depicting a world in chaos. The opening lines, “Eyes burning against the wind, Air pushed 'til the meter's pinned” exemplify the harsh and destructive environment that is being described. It portrays someone who is stuck and suffocating, waiting to break free, “While you're waiting to climb the walls”. This situation is made even more unbearable by the tainting of the atmosphere with “chemicals” which the person is forced to breathe in.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become increasingly dark with lines like, “Diving into pavement, While sunlight stings, No one's gonna save us, From rats with wings”. This portrays a bleak and hopeless situation that can be interpreted as a metaphor for the world being overrun by greedy corporations and corrupt governments. The line, “Needles and knives fall from the sky” further reinforces this idea, depicting a world where even the very skies are raining down destruction. The last line of the song, “Save us, save us with, your wings” is a cry for help, a wish for someone, anyone or anything to come and save us from the destruction that surrounds us.
Line by Line Meaning
Eyes burning against the wind
Struggling to see through obstacles and hardship.
Air pushed 'til the meter's pinned
Feeling overwhelmed and suffocated by circumstances beyond our control.
While you're waiting to climb the walls
Looking for a way out of a stressful situation.
Stop to breathe in the chemicals
Taking a moment amidst the chaos to appreciate the beauty of the world around us.
Diving into pavement
Falling headlong into despair and hopelessness.
While sunlight stings
Even positive experiences can be painful and sharp when we are struggling.
No one's gonna save us
We must rely on ourselves to find a way out of hardship.
From rats with wings
The things that plague and torment us may seem insignificant and powerless, but can have a significant impact on our lives.
Eyes cut out and all brand new
A sense of hopelessness and despair, as though we can no longer see a way out of the darkness.
In stitches and slow to move
Feeling physically and emotionally wounded, as though we must proceed with caution and care.
Vultures dancing on methane graves
Pervasive death and decay, and those who thrive within it.
Clip their wings and they're here to stay
Even when we attempt to eradicate the things that torment us, they may still remain a part of our lives if we are not careful.
Needles and knives
Imagery of pain and harm, either physical or emotional.
Fall from the sky
Even when we feel safe and secure, there may be hazards that swoop down on us unexpectedly.
Birds of prey have flown away
The temporary relief we feel when the things that torment us leave, but a sense of sadness or emptiness that might follow.
Escape the rain
The longing to find shelter and refuge from the difficulties and hardships of life.
Save us, save us with, your wings
The hope that we may find help and comfort from those around us, or perhaps from a higher power.
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Quimeracromaticosa
genial Trevor!
@BisexualCreativity
i totally own thissss
@mindbait
i like it, nice to hear a studio version too (the live sound at ATP kind of missed the vocals and keyboards) hope to pick up a copy of this soon
@misscadoixo
do caralho.love thisssss
@chito2294
is this the same singer from swing out sister?
@thomasthomtithom
Maravilha
@kulesa
Eyes burning against the wind
Air pushed 'til the meter's pinned
While you're waiting to climb the walls
Stop to breathe in the chemicals
Diving into pavement
While sunlight stings
No one's gonna save us
From rats with wings
Eyes cut out and all brand new
In stitches and slow to move
Vultures dancing on methane graves
Clip their wings and they're here to stay
Needles and knives
Fall from the sky
Birds of prey have flown away
Escape the rain
Save us, save us with, your wings
@xanateband
this song - voice verse and chorus - sound like a 80 s song.. i cant remmeber the name (a pop song)
@sunken8446
kinda remind me army of me by bjork in some parts
@LuxeXx
this band is tricksey...