Fortunately, that all began to change.
After having recorded and compiled their own record in 2001, the whisperings about Neva Dinova began to get louder. A copy of their debut effort found its way into the hands of respected indie label, crank!, who quickly signed the band and released the eponymous debut in 2002. The album was met with tremendous critical acclaim, including being lauded as a "Top 10 Release of 2002" by the Los Angeles Times. Though the band enjoyed one lengthy sold-out tour with Omaha heroes (and former crank! artists) Cursive, their remaining tour attempts were fraught with trouble and left the album floundering as simply a rare find amongst the musical cognoscenti; that is, until a long-standing hometown friendship catapulted Neva Dinova to the forefront of indie rock.
Neva Dinova's main songwriter, Jake Bellows, and indie rock hero Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame, had discussed a musical collaboration for years. With conflicting schedules, however, it never seemed to come to fruition. Suddenly in late 2003 Jake and Conor found themselves both in Omaha for weeks at a time. Conor and Neva Dinova with new drummer, Roger Lewis (also of The Good Life) quickly recorded six songs together, each writing three songs but playing on all six, and in mid-2004 crank! released the highly anticipated collaboration, "One Jug Of Wine, Two Vessels." The release was lauded as a masterpiece and began selling instantaneously, driven by acclaim from powerful media like MTV, Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blender, Jane, Alternative Press and many others. The record skyrocketed up the college radio and Billboard Independent charts. Suddenly Neva Dinova was on the tips of people's tongues.
Just a few months later, Neva Dinova finished recording the eleven songs for their second full length, re-released The Hate Yourself Change. From the first listen it is clear that Jake Bellows' songwriting has matured and flourished. The many who were overly impressed with Neva's work on "One Jug..." will be blown away by the new release. His uncanny ability to subtly integrate infectious melodies into non-traditional rock song structures continually sets him apart from indie rock’s numerous songwriters, as a writer who will stand the test of time. And when he belts into the power of "It's a dream" (from "The Blackest Heart"), one can't help but feel light-headed with anxious energy. And the Iggy Pop-meets-Leonard Cohen pop infectiousness of "A Picture In Pocket" will have you hitting the repeat button on your stereo incessantly.
In 2007, Neva Dinova signs with Saddle Creek Records (home of; Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive, The Good Life, and more). Neva Dinova is currently recording their new record/label debut. More information on the new album soon.
It's 2008, "You May Already Be Dreaming" is now out. It is an album of lush, relaxing and fluid dreams, and is now out on Saddle Creek Records. Check it out.
(SADDLE CREEK WEBSITE) Neva Dinova are treasured heroes of the Omaha music scene. Originally started as an impromptu songwriting collaboration between guitarist and vocalist Jake Bellows and bassist Heath Koontz, the two eventually got bored of their basement seclusion and decided to enlist the support of others. What they created was a five-piece musical tour de force, that includes guitarists Tim Haes and Mike Kratky, and drummer Roger Lewis (also the drummer for Saddle Creek's The Good Life). After years of playing around the mid-West, the five-piece have developed a loyal fan base and spawned an ever-expanding audience. Sonically, the presence of three guitarists has allowed for rapid development of the band's trademark sound, marked by swirling countermelody and assorted textures. It is around this musical fabric that Bellows' truly inspiring, poetry-based lyrics are centered and from where the Neva Dinova critically acclaimed signature sound has developed.
Cold Calls
Neva Dinova Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You tried to fall down too
The news was right
There's a fire inside you
Unclean deserter
I dream of murder and you
And you
The train rolls past
Wish I was on it too
The lights go black
I'm blind but honest
You should have wanted the truth
The truth
House to house, festering
With one burning question
Was it you? Was it you?
Town on the hill
And I got sixty-five shells
I'm back to track to you down
And kill you myself
Myself
Sixty-five shells
And nothing else to sell
Someone betrayed me
Now I'm out making
Cold calls designed to kill
Cold calls designed to kill
The lyrics to Neva Dinova's "Cold Calls" are haunting and introspective, touching on themes of betrayal, revenge, and doubt. The opening line, "You tried to call, you tried to fall down too," suggests a sense of desperation, with the singer perhaps attempting to reach out to someone who is struggling, only to find that they themselves are in a precarious position. The next line, "The news was right, there's a fire inside you," further emphasizes the intense emotions at play, with the fire representing both passion and the potential for destruction.
The next stanza takes a darker turn, with the line "Unclean deserter, I dream of murder and you" hinting at the possibility of violence, while also suggesting a sense of disgust or betrayal. The train imagery that follows, with the singer wishing they were on it, serves to underline a sense of longing or escape, while the final line of the stanza, "You should have wanted the truth, the truth," suggests that there may be deception or secrets involved.
The lyrics continue in this vein, with the idea of a "burning question" and the threat of violence looming large. The final stanza, with its references to shells and cold calls, is particularly chilling, with the implication that the singer is out for revenge and won't rest until they've achieved it. Overall, "Cold Calls" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that delves deep into the complexities of human emotions and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
You tried to call
An attempt made by someone to contact the singer.
You tried to fall down too
The person attempted to put themselves in harm's way in hopes of getting attention from the singer.
The news was right
Confirmation from an outside source that something troubling is going on.
There's a fire inside you
The individual is dealing with a metaphorical intensity that they can barely handle.
Unclean deserter
A feeling of being hesitant or ashamed to confront a hurtful truth head on.
I dream of murder and you
The singer may have disturbing thoughts or fantasies, where they are the perpetrator and the person they are thinking about is the victim.
The train rolls past
The singer is watching the world passing them by.
Wish I was on it too
The artist feels stuck and longs for a change of scenery.
The lights go black
Everything the artist used to be certain of becomes obscured or hidden from view.
I'm blind but honest
Despite a lack of clarity, the artist is still willing to speak from the heart.
You should have wanted the truth
The singer believes the other person was not interested in the truth of a situation.
House to house, festering
The artist is visiting different places, but those places aren't bringing them any satisfaction or relief.
With one burning question
A single inquiry that consumes the singer's thoughts.
Was it you? Was it you?
The singer is fixated on discovering who may have wronged them.
Town on the hill
Describing a location the singer is familiar with.
And I got sixty-five shells
The artist is feeling like they are armed and ready to confront someone who has wronged them.
I'm back to track to you down
The artist is on the trail of the person they believe has wronged them.
And kill you myself
In the heat of the moment, the singer feels that they are capable of doing something violent.
Sixty-five shells
The singer's feelings of preparedness and determination to seek revenge, most likely metaphorical.
And nothing else to sell
The artist has put everything into seeking revenge and has nothing left to give or lose.
Someone betrayed me
The artist feels hurt and let down by someone they trusted.
Now I'm out making cold calls designed to kill
The artist feels so hurt and angry that they might take it out on somebody who might not have had an active role in their sense of betrayal.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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