Frost developed his eclectic style of music playing in various projects throughout his teen years. He became a musician when he was eight, and started playing shows at 12, collaborating with a diverse array of artists like Austin icon Bob Schneider and hip-hop MC/producer Kydd. After hearing musicians like Erykah Badu and D’Angelo in his late teens, Frost began incorporating hip-hop elements into his blues-inspired stylings, interested in the idea of combining modern rhythms with classic vintage tones in his music.
In September 2012 Frost decided to leave the University of Texas-Austin, where he was studying English, to pursue his solo career. He released a single, “White Lies,” which hit No. 1 on The Hype Machine’s “Most Popular Tracks on Blogs Now.” Max channeled the song’s success into the creation of his debut EP, Low High Low, which was released in October 2013 by Atlantic Records.
Frost has stated that “The songs all connect to polar emotional states in life – highs and lows – giving the EP its name.” The theme continues in the production aesthetics of low-fi and high-fi, which continues as the basic concept in his music.
In December 2013, "White Lies" was featured in a commercial for Beats Electronics.
Sites: YouTube
Suspended Animation
Max Frost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Closes the blinds and sleeps for days
Careful, but he don't lock the door
Bashful, the slaw things on the floor
Ted keeps his eyes glued to the tube
Born in a brain that he don't use
Flies on the dishes in the sink
What he's waiting for, he doesn't know
He hopes it finds him before he's old
Inside he's waging war
Because his stoner mind is so confined
In frozen time, the longing in his soul
It's alright, you're still young
You've got everything behind you but yourself
You're playing the wrong game son
Spending your days in suspended animation
Watching the robot-zombie die
Thumbing the ABX and Y
Sony speakers sing tear the tunes
L-listens to rap but lives the blues
Catches a scent, he's kinda ripe
Can't take a shower, schedule's tight
M*A*S*H and 7, Cheers at 8
Like everything the bath will have to wait
The master abiding his time
But it's all he got
For never winding his own clock
If every call is declined
Then I suppose the guy you so resign
That no one tries to reach him while he rots
It's alright, you're still young
You've got everything behind you but yourself
You're playing the wrong game son
Spending your day in suspended animation
The lyrics to Max Frost's song Suspended Animation tell the story of a man named Ted who has become trapped in a state of apathy and stagnation. He spends his days on the couch, lost in a haze of drugs and television, avoiding any real-life responsibilities. Ted's mind is at war with itself, longing for something more, something to shake him out of his suspended animation. But he's too afraid to take any action to change his life. He's always waiting for something to find him, for someone else to be the catalyst for his transformation. The chorus of the song speaks to the fact that despite being young, Ted is wasting his life away in a state of suspended animation. He has everything in front of him but himself, and he's playing the wrong game by avoiding reality.
The verses of the song paint a vivid picture of Ted's life. He's sloppy and unkempt, with dishes piled up in the sink and slaw spilled on the floor. He spends his days watching TV, his brain idle and unused. He's surrounded by material possessions, with a TV, ABX, and Sony speakers, but it's clear that they are poor substitutes for a real life. Even when he catches a whiff of his own body odor, he can't be bothered to take a shower. Instead, he schedules his life around his TV shows, waiting for something to happen to him.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming too complacent in life. It's easy to get stuck in a pattern of behavior that feels safe and comfortable, but in the end, that kind of suspended animation only leads to regret and wasted potential.
Line by Line Meaning
Ted keeps his mind set in a haze
Ted is constantly under the influence of drugs or alcohol, causing his mind to be cloudy and unfocused.
Closes the blinds and sleeps for days
Ted isolates himself from the outside world and spends most of his time sleeping.
Careful, but he don't lock the door
Despite being cautious, Ted does not take necessary precautions to ensure his safety and security.
Bashful, the slaw things on the floor
Ted is ashamed of the mess in his living space, but lacks the motivation to clean it up.
Ted keeps his eyes glued to the tube
Ted spends most of his time watching television.
Born in a brain that he don't use
Ted is intelligent but does not utilize his potential due to his drug and alcohol use.
Flies on the dishes in the sink
Ted's living space is unclean and neglected.
Hard thoughts he can't stand to think
Ted avoids thinking about difficult or unpleasant topics.
What he's waiting for, he doesn't know
Ted lacks direction and purpose in his life.
He hopes it finds him before he's old
Ted desires to find meaning and purpose in life before it's too late.
Inside he's waging war
Ted is experiencing internal conflict and struggle.
Because his stoner mind is so confined
Ted's drug use is inhibiting his ability to think and function properly.
In frozen time, the longing in his soul
Ted feels stuck and unable to fulfill his desires and aspirations.
It's alright, you're still young
There is still time for Ted to make positive changes in his life.
You've got everything behind you but yourself
Ted has the ability to change his life but must realize that it is up to him to do so.
You're playing the wrong game son
Ted is not making the most of his potential and opportunities, but instead wasting his life away.
Spending your days in suspended animation
Ted's life is stagnant and unproductive.
Watching the robot-zombie die
Ted is observing the lifeless and meaningless existence of himself and others.
Thumbing the ABX and Y
Ted spends his time playing video games.
Sony speakers sing tear the tunes
Ted listens to music with sad and melancholic themes.
L-listens to rap but lives the blues
Ted enjoys listening to rap music, but his own life is overcome with sadness and struggle.
Catches a scent, he's kinda ripe
Ted smells unpleasant due to his lack of hygiene and self-care.
Can't take a shower, schedule's tight
Ted neglects his own physical needs due to his lack of motivation and structure in life.
M*A*S*H and 7, Cheers at 8
Ted's television viewing habits consist of watching classic sitcoms.
Like everything the bath will have to wait
Ted continuously puts off taking care of himself and his living space.
The master abiding his time
Ted is living life without any sense of urgency or purpose.
But it's all he got
Ted lacks any real passion or motivation in life.
For never winding his own clock
Ted is not taking ownership of his own life and making the most of his opportunities and potential.
If every call is declined
Ted lacks social connections and relationships in his life.
Then I suppose the guy you so resign
Ted is resigned to an unfulfilled and unhappy life.
That no one tries to reach him while he rots
Ted is isolated and disconnected from others, leading to a sense of despair and loneliness.
Contributed by Declan G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.