Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Fryer would be involved, as the band exhibits a recognizable semblance to Love and Rockets, who he also produced. As Impose Magazine once wrote “John Fryer has practically soundtracked your entire life” – indeed, so many of them are iconic artists like Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, HIM, Love and Rockets, and Cocteau Twins.
Comprised of two tracks – “The Cross” and b-side “The Dream” – Anonymous Records will be releasing Mary and The Ram’s debut single in the new year. This is the first release ever for the duo and The Big Takeover has the pleasure of premiering “The Dream”.
Based in York, Mary And The Ram is Kiran Tanna (The THING) on vocals, guitars, keys and programming) and drummer Dom Smith (Seep Away, The THING). Kiran’s background is mainly in dance, poetry, and performance art, having founded the internationally-touring dance company VIAPerformance. Dom is involved in numerous musical projects and is also a potent force in the music community as editor of Soundsphere Magazine.
Kiran Tanna explains how the two of them came to collaborate under this new project: “We’ve known each other for years, in the local music, music journalism and performance art scene. I come from a performance art background, and Dom had been to a few of my gigs. I had been to some of his. I have to say, he gave me a great review for a Tom Waits cover I recorded in 2016. Very flattering. It took a few years for our schedules to align but eventually I started programming and playing synths with one of Dom’s existing bands – a far doomier act called The THING! It wasn’t long until we realized that our shared love of old-school industrial, arty-punk and dark, gritty electronic rock needed another outlet. I’ve written and published a fair amount of poetry and spoken word, and I’d been slowly, slowly turning it into tracks, when Dom arrived.”
Tanna continues, “He really kicked me into making actual music for it, that people might want to listen to, and into putting together a schedule for release, and so on. I recorded and mixed a couple of tracks towards a concept for an EP and he sent it out to a bunch of producers, including John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode), who worked on these singles… That made it significantly more real for me – and so we started putting together a vibrant live show, organizing a launch event and composing the songs that will be on the EP. Considering my background is mainly in dance, poetry and performance art, Dom has been the guy who got me up and doing in terms of music. He’s a productive whirlwind and he’s an animal on the drums.”
“The Dream” enshrouds the listener in a spare and noir atmosphere of reverberating percussion, sharp electronics, a subterranean, pulsing beat, and foreboding, chillingly delivered spoken word vocals. “The Dream” can metaphorically seen as a drug, the author as somber as one who is unable to grasp that which is directly in reach but then breaks free of the social shackles that has kept him constrained all this time. That huge transition point in the song takes place at 4:18 minutes, when everything blows up in the best way possible – ample, jaggedly grinding guitar overdrive and full-gage drum strikes – here we find passion in the release provided here.
On this track, Kiran Tanna comments, ““The Dream” is like a hallucination. It’s an attempt to capture that feeling – that thing that spreads a little more every day – something that will not go away. And then to ritualize it. It is a shadow of the character I am writing about… But that character is only me in another place and time. At the bottom of it. I am all these people. And some of the electronic bleakness of the sound – and later the aggression – comes out of an attempt to tell a story about where I am creatively and emotionally at the moment. And a desperate attempt to reach out to whoever is on the other side, listening. Maybe it’s a cry for help… If it is, it doesn’t really hope for answers.”
As for the title track of this single “The Cross” immediately called to mind associations with Peter Murphy’s “The Line Between The Devils Teeth (And That Which Cannot Be Repeat)”, but that is another track, to be previewed at a later time. What new-found fans of Mary and The Ram can look forward to already at this point is that, somewhere around the middle of 2018, the band shall release their debut EP and launch a series of interactive live shows.
“The Cross” single will be released on Friday, January 12th via Anonymous Records and is now available for pre-order via Bandcamp
CREDITS
Vocals, guitars, programming by Kiran Tanna
Drums by Dom Smith
Produced by John Fryer
Art direction / design / cover artwork by Scot Greenwell of darC Artz
The Dream
Mary And The Ram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreaming alone
I'm just passing by
By-uh-by uh-by-uh
Dreaming alone
I'm just passing by
Tryna make my way home
I been getting high
When I have to die
It feel like I been living so damn long
Hoping I don't cry
Yea this life your life you gotta make
A choice
Even when the times get so hard
You gotta keep it going
Told the bitch shut up with
That nagging that shit get annoying
Gotta keep on grinding in this life
But this shit getting boring
I get my chance I bet I fucking take it
Dreaming bout my diamonds on my wrist
Iced up new Diamond bracelets
You can take my name and all my fame
And see that I ain't basic
Wonder why these bitches acting single
Knowing they be taken
Yea I pray to lord like every fucking night
Asking for forgiveness for my sins cause I ain't living right
I just threw two back I'm up a 60
Tryna lose my life
Grinding for my fam I lose my mind
Tryna make it right
Dreaming all alone
I needed love but
You weren't there for me
I putting my soul
Inside my music it's my therapy
I earned my stripes inside
This shit just like referee
You always question why I left
But you weren't there fa me
Just like a chef Im mixing shit
I got recipe, you lied and said you cared for me
Trench baby I'm a refugee
Man lavish gang this shit forever
To the death of me
Long the kings, been dreaming all alone
It get the best of me
Dreaming alone
I'm just passing by
Tryna make my way home
I been getting high
Praying I ain't alone
When I have to die
It feel like I been living so damn long
Hoping I don't cry
I-I-I-I
Hoping I ain't alone when I have to
Die-die-die-die (Hmm)
The lyrics of Mary And The Ram's song "The Dream" delve into themes of isolation, struggle, and longing for connection. In the opening lines, the singer expresses a sense of drifting through life, dreaming alone and passing by without a clear direction or purpose. The repetition of "uh-by-uh" creates a disjointed and almost trance-like feeling, emphasizing the detachment and disorientation the character feels.
As the lyrics progress, the singer reveals a profound sense of existential angst and mortality, grappling with the weight of their life experiences. The references to getting high and praying not to be alone when faced with death suggest a complex mix of escapism and fear of loneliness. The lyricist conveys a deep sense of melancholy and vulnerability, hinting at a turbulent inner emotional landscape that is hidden beneath a tough exterior.
The themes of resilience and determination also emerge in the lyrics, as the singer acknowledges the need to keep moving forward in the face of adversity. The lines about making choices, grinding through life's challenges, and seizing opportunities underscore a sense of agency and drive to overcome obstacles. The character recognizes the monotony and emptiness that can accompany ambition and success, hinting at a deeper dissatisfaction despite outward achievements.
The closing lines reveal a poignant yearning for love and support, juxtaposed with a sense of betrayal and abandonment. The reference to using music as therapy and finding solace in artistic expression suggests a coping mechanism for the character's emotional turmoil. The lyrics end with a haunting repetition of the desire not to be alone in death, highlighting a fundamental human need for connection and understanding in the face of life's uncertainty and hardships.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh uh
Expressing hesitation and uncertainty
Dreaming alone
Reflecting on personal hopes and desires without reliance on others
I'm just passing by
Navigating through life's challenges and experiences
By-uh-by uh-by-uh
Repetitive pattern symbolizing routine and monotony
Tryna make my way home
Striving to find a sense of belonging or comfort
I been getting high
Seeking temporary escape or relief from reality
Praying I ain't alone
Longing for companionship or support in difficult times
When I have to die
Contemplating mortality and the uncertainties of life
It feel like I been living so damn long
Feeling the weight of past experiences and hardships
Hoping I don't cry
Striving to maintain emotional strength and resilience
Yea this life your life you gotta make
Acknowledging individual responsibility and agency in decision-making
A choice
Highlighting the importance of making deliberate decisions
Even when the times get so hard
Emphasizing the need to persevere in the face of adversity
You gotta keep it going
Encouraging persistence and determination
Told the bitch shut up with
Asserting boundaries and standing up against negativity
That nagging that shit get annoying
Recognizing and addressing toxic behavior in relationships
Gotta keep on grinding in this life
Continuing to work hard and strive for success
But this shit getting boring
Acknowledging feelings of monotony or routine in daily life
I get my chance I bet I fucking take it
Being prepared to seize opportunities when they arise
Dreaming bout my diamonds on my wrist
Visualizing personal achievements or material success
Iced up new Diamond bracelets
Symbolizing status and success through luxury accessories
You can take my name and all my fame
Being indifferent to external recognition or validation
And see that I ain't basic
Asserting individuality and uniqueness
Wonder why these bitches acting single
Questioning the authenticity of others' intentions or behavior
Knowing they be taken
Recognizing deception or falsehood in relationships
Yea I pray to lord like every fucking night
Seeking spiritual guidance and comfort in times of need
Asking for forgiveness for my sins cause I ain't living right
Seeking repentance and absolution for moral transgressions
I just threw two back I'm up a 60
Indulging in alcohol as a coping mechanism or escape
Tryna lose my life
Experiencing risky or dangerous situations in pursuit of goals
Grinding for my fam I lose my mind
Sacrificing personal well-being for the sake of family
Tryna make it right
Striving to correct past mistakes or shortcomings
I needed love but
Expressing a desire for emotional connection or support
You weren't there for me
Feeling abandoned or neglected by someone important
I putting my soul
Investing personal authenticity and vulnerability in creativity
Inside my music it's my therapy
Finding solace and expression through artistic endeavors
I earned my stripes inside
Gaining recognition or experience through adversity
This shit just like referee
Drawing parallels between life's challenges and sports competitions
You always question why I left
Facing scrutiny or doubt over personal decisions
But you weren't there fa me
Pointing out emotional absence or lack of support
Just like a chef Im mixing shit
Combining elements or experiences to create new outcomes
I got recipe, you lied and said you cared for me
Having a plan or strategy despite deceit or betrayal
Trench baby I'm a refugee
Identifying with struggle or displacement in personal identity
Man lavish gang this shit forever
Committing to loyalty and unity within a group or community
To the death of me
Expressing dedication or resilience in the face of challenges
Long the kings, been dreaming all alone
Enduring hardships and maintaining hope despite solitude
It get the best of me
Feeling overwhelmed or consumed by difficult circumstances
I-I-I-I
Expressing personal introspection or individuality
Hoping I ain't alone when I have to
Seeking companionship or support in difficult moments
Die-die-die-die (Hmm)
Reflecting on mortality or the passage of time
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Roosevelt Henderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DOM SITH MUSIC
This is so nice!