The early birthing pains of O’ Brother saw Michael Martens, Johnny Dang, an… Read Full Bio ↴The early birthing pains of O’ Brother saw Michael Martens, Johnny Dang, and his brother Anton Dang joined in making quiet climbs from graceful notes , a struck pose to an older guitar focused indie-rock. But as is the duty of all freshman bands members fade off and new friends, like Tanner Merritt and Aaron Wamack, joined establishing a new vision, and accidentally stumbling into the dark 2009 debut EP The Death of Day.

“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.”

http://www.myspace.com/obrothermusic

Soma
O'Brother Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was hoping you’d open the door
Eyes wide open, laid out on the floor
Delicate lines erased
You’re still right
Everything i created was only half made
A carefully regulated personal crusade
I always took you for granted i always wanted change
Now all i want is your love

I was dreaming, we were here before
Daylight creeping through our bedroom door

Finding meaning in what i adore
Shallow breathing underneath the floor

Overall Meaning

In "Soma" by O'Brother, the lyrics seem to depict a moment of reflection and realization in a relationship. The singer expresses the hope that their partner would open up to them emotionally. They admit to being oblivious to the subtle signs and cues from their partner, symbolized by "delicate lines erased." The singer acknowledges that they have taken their partner for granted and desired change in the past, but now all they truly want is their love.

The second verse continues the introspection, with the singer mentioning a dream they had where they were together before. The presence of daylight suggests a sense of clarity and awakening. The singer finds meaning and fulfillment in the things they adore about their partner. The line "shallow breathing underneath the floor" hints at an underlying tension or hidden struggles in the relationship, which may have contributed to the singer's previous ignorance. Overall, the song portrays a moment of self-awareness and a yearning for a deeper connection with their partner.

Line by Line Meaning

I was hoping you’d open the door
I had the expectation that you would allow me into your life

Eyes wide open, laid out on the floor
With complete awareness and vulnerability, I exposed myself to you

Delicate lines erased
Fragile boundaries were removed or blurred

You’re still right
Despite my mistakes, you remain correct or justified

Everything I created was only half made
All my efforts and achievements were incomplete or insufficient

A carefully regulated personal crusade
A meticulously controlled and individual mission

I always took you for granted, I always wanted change
I consistently undervalued your presence while desiring something different

Now all I want is your love
Currently, my sole desire is to be loved by you

I was dreaming, we were here before
In my imagination, we have experienced this situation previously

Daylight creeping through our bedroom door
Sunlight gradually entering our shared intimate space

Finding meaning in what I adore
Discovering significance in the things or people I deeply cherish

Shallow breathing underneath the floor
Superficial or anxious respiration beneath the surface

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Anton Dang, Jonathan Dang, Jordan Mcghin, Michael Martens, Tanner Merritt

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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