“The music we like to put together is dark, but so is the subject matter, so the medium has to be as well,” O’ Brother’s lead singer/guitarist Tanner Merritt spells out the capturing of the Georgia band’s first five written songs.
To break the cimmerian shade of an album based around sleep and its emboss to the natural world a dynamic had to be created, a wall of density given breathe and firm grip around melodies unable to wander. The expected sprawl of soft, then loud, then back to soft was sacrificed projecting a new luminance where the strength was in the tiny twisting light that exhales from the EP as a whole.
The band sought to keep their on stage essence by laying the album down live, forgoing the studio temptation to fill each space. Recorded by Brad Fisher with assistance from Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull the best takes were chosen for keys and effects to be added in later creating the soundscapes tucked beneath each song.
Since the 2009 release the band has shared stages with Thrice, Circa Survive, Manchester Orchestra, Biffy Clyro. Ready to record again the band is in a new dawn; where the sun is rising and a new eclectic output is being embraced.
“I think we are enjoying the writing of our full length more than we did with the EP,” Martens explains the bands next step. “It is more of a shared experience with this one because everyone is writing. The music is coming out better than ever and we are really happy to be coming into our sound.”
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Context
O'Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Desecrating all the words that I had wrote
Maybe you just hadn't noticed
There's an urgency in every single tone
I try and reason with my inability to gain control
But we were born out of violence
The infernal evidence of all we know
And finally find some reckoning.
Trade my wounded pride for some piece of mind
And find the time I lost
I try and analyze the part I mean to overthrow
I can't illuminate a darkness visible all of it's own
I try and reconcile the thoughts that I have come to fear the most
But we were born out of violence
Suffocating on the first breath we took
Trade my wounded pride for some piece of mind
And finally find some reckoning
Trade my wounded pride for some piece of mind
And finally find some reckoning
On the other side of the dark divide
I trade my wounded pride for some piece of mind
The lyrics of O'Brother's song Context seem to convey the frustration and confusion of the singer, who feels like his words have been taken out of context and misunderstood. The lyrics suggest that there is an urgency in his tone and every word he speaks, and that despite his efforts to gain control, he is unable to do so. The singer seems to be struggling with the violent nature of humanity, and the fact that our lives are shaped by the evidence of this inherent violence. He tries to reason with himself and reconcile his fears, but is unable to find peace. He wishes to trade his wounded pride for some piece of mind, and finally find some reckoning on the other side of the dark divide.
The lyrics could be interpreted in a number of different ways, but they seem to suggest that the singer is grappling with a feeling of disconnect and a sense of being misunderstood. He may feel like his words are being taken out of context and used against him, or simply that his message is not getting through. The urgency in his tone suggests that he is passionate about whatever it is that he is trying to say, and that he feels like it is important for people to understand it. Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the nature of communication and the difficulties that we all face in trying to make ourselves understood.
Line by Line Meaning
I think you read out of context.
I believe you misunderstood what I wrote.
Desecrating all the words that I had wrote
You are disrespectfully misinterpreting everything I wrote.
Maybe you just hadn't noticed
Perhaps you are unaware that there is a sense of urgency in my words.
There's an urgency in every single tone
Every word I have written carries a sense of desperation.
I try and reason with my inability to gain control
I struggle to understand why I can't take the reins.
But we were born out of violence
Our nature is inherently destructive due to a tumultuous history.
The infernal evidence of all we know
The proof of our violent nature is in everything we do.
Trade my wounded pride for some piece of mind
I am willing to give up my ego for clarity of thought.
And finally find some reckoning.
To come to terms with my feelings and find closure.
On the other side of the dark divide
After overcoming hardships and challenges.
I try and analyze the part I mean to overthrow
I make an effort to understand and change the aspects of myself I need to.
I can't illuminate a darkness visible all of it's own
I can't seem to bring clarity to a situation that's already shrouded in obscurity.
I try and reconcile the thoughts that I have come to fear the most
I attempt to make peace with my most daunting fears.
Suffocating on the first breath we took
Since birth, we have always been enveloped in a toxic environment that stifles us.
And find the time I lost
To redeem the hours I wasted on futile endeavors.
Contributed by Annabelle S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
J Benn
I can't get over how melodic, dissonant, and heavy this band can be. The new album has been on constant spin since I picked it up!
Logan Hutchins
I think this is my favorite song off the album.
Goodhoof
I just found these guys two days ago. I ordered "Disillusion" after listening to two songs off the album.
Dylan Gil-Gomez
These guys absolutely kill it. Thanks for bringing us yet ANOTHER amazing O'Brother set!
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only complaint would be his voice is drowned out too much.... other then these guys are in my charts as one of the better bands i know!! sick stuff!! so powerful!
Alejo Veloza
This kind of remind me Deftones, but this also have some unique things, just discovered and i'm lovin' it
Juan David Caicedo
I just meet this band... I have reborn today.
guysiah
Does anyone know what amp they are using with the fibonacci spiral emblem? The guitarist nearest the drummer is using one. I can't seem to find it on the internet anymore, and the only time I DID see it on the internet was before I cared about good music or good gear.
guysiah
Thanks!