“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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Disillusion
O'Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The quiet little symphony
Of voices telling me I need
To throw my hands up, throw my hands up
All I want is symmetry
Between what I have and what I need.
Just the blissful opportunity
Who took my place
Cause I don't recog- I don't recognize this face of mine.
Who took my place
Cause I don't recog- I don't recognize this face of mine.
It's the disillusion
Of the lie that I created
It's my growing inability
To give you everything you need.
It's measured in the weakness of my spine.
All I am is all you see
The bastard son of human greed
Trying to fill my endless needs
But time runs out when time runs out
All I am is all you see
A slave to ideology
A voice of reason always screaming
Time runs out when time runs out
All I am is all you see
The bastard son of human greed
Trying to fill my endless needs
But time runs out when time runs out
All I am is all you see
A slave to ideology
A voice of reason always screaming
Time runs out when time runs out
It's the disillusion
Of the lie that I created.
It's my growing inability
To give you everything you need
It's measured by my weakness
It's my growing inability
To comprehend that human needs
Are measured in the weakness of our spines
The O'Brother song "Disillusion" is a powerful meditation on the consequences of the human condition. The lyrics explore the singer's struggle to reconcile their desires and their abilities, as they confront the ways in which their own flaws and limitations define their existence. The opening lines, "All I have return to me / The quiet little symphony / Of voices telling me I need / To throw my hands up," express a sense of resignation and futility as the singer finds themselves trapped in a cycle of longing that can never be satisfied. The repetition of the phrase "turn my mind off" underscores the difficulty of this struggle, as the singer longs for a respite from the constant pressures of their own desires.
The song's chorus provides a further exploration of these themes, with the singer asking "Who took my place?" as they struggle to recognize their own identity. This sense of dislocation is exacerbated by the "disillusion / Of the lie that I created," which suggests that the singer's own self-conception is flawed and incomplete. The repeated refrain "Time runs out when time runs out" emphasizes the transience of life and the importance of reconciling oneself to one's own limitations before it is too late.
Overall, "Disillusion" is a powerful and insightful exploration of the human struggle to find meaning in a world of endless desires and limited resources. By exploring these themes through the lens of personal introspection and emotional vulnerability, O'Brother create a song that speaks to both the universal struggles of humanity and the individual experiences of their listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
All I have return to me
I am left with only myself and what I have done.
The quiet little symphony
My mind is filled with thoughts of the past and present.
Of voices telling me I need
I am constantly battling with internal conflicts and pressures.
To throw my hands up, throw my hands up
To give up and surrender to the struggles and difficulties of life.
All I want is symmetry
I crave balance and stability in my life.
Between what I have and what I need.
I hope to strike a balance between my wants and needs.
Just the blissful opportunity
I long for a chance to escape the stress and strain of everyday life.
To turn my mind off, turn my mind off.
I yearn for peace and quiet in my chaotic mind.
Who took my place
I feel like a stranger in my own skin.
Cause I don't recog- I don't recognize this face of mine.
I struggle to identify with myself and my own identity.
It's the disillusion
I am disillusioned by my own lies and false perceptions.
Of the lie that I created
I am faced with the harsh reality of my own deceptions.
It's my growing inability
I am losing the strength and ability to cope with life's challenges.
To give you everything you need.
I am struggling to meet the needs and expectations of others.
It's measured in the weakness of my spine.
My limitations and weaknesses are taking a toll on me.
All I am is all you see
I am defined by how others perceive me.
The bastard son of human greed
I am consumed by my own selfish desires and impulses.
Trying to fill my endless needs
I am constantly trying to satisfy my insatiable desires.
But time runs out when time runs out
There is only so much time and opportunity in life.
A slave to ideology
I am bound by my own beliefs and values.
A voice of reason always screaming
I am constantly struggling with conflicting thoughts and emotions.
It's measured by my weakness
My limitations and flaws determine how much I can give.
To comprehend that human needs
I struggle to understand the complexity of human desires.
Are measured in the weakness of our spines
Our physical and emotional limitations dictate our capacity to fulfill our needs.
Contributed by Elijah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cass0606
Thanks audio tree for inviting them back. And I'm amazed at these guys, theyve deff made their own sound.love it
Marlon Andreata
Quero ouvir mais.. Maneiríssimo o som!! Quando será o show no Rio?
ThePlumberkid
So glad they did another audiotree live set. The new stuff sounds amazing!!! have to be one of the best bands going these days. Cant wait for August 20 when the new record drops!!!!
tim ferrier
Wows all I can think of. These guys have really got it together and givin us the future of music. I LOVeE it.
Ryan Humphries
so much talent!
Joost Hegle
Really fantastic! Lovely music! Keep up the good work, could hardly wait for the next album.
Goodhoof
It's rare that I find a band that I order one of their albums immediately after listening, but I had to for these guys. Very, very talented.
Greenslime300
The band is half categorized as post-rock lol. They're incredible.
Ken L
Awesome. I've seen them live a few times now and they are incredible.
Littlesnaredrum
LOVE it.