The Illinois-based combo's full length debut, "The Kicks of Passion" (released 31 July 2007), sees Powerspace unleashing its own inimitable sound, a brightly colored mash-up of pure power pop and electronica-inspired invention. Tracks such as "Powerspace Snap Bracelet" and "Right On, Right Now" literally snap and crackle with the just-out-of-their-teens quartet's uncontainable charm and energy.
The Powerspace team came together back in 2005 at Ohio's Miami University. Guitarist Tom Schleiter and bassist Daniel McMahon, both of whom played in bands in their native burbs of Chicago, had long discussed making music together. A year older, Schleiter spent his freshman term at Miami working with drummer Kevin Kane in a local band, an experience the guitarist describes as "unsatisfying." He spent the next summer focusing on writing songs for an as-yet-undetermined new band. When he told McMahon what he'd been up to, the bassist suggested the two form a new combo upon Dan's arrival at school in the fall.
Once they began collaborating, the three musicians embarked on a search for a lead singer. While they were excited about this new musical outlet, they admit to treating their initial quest with a grain of salt.
They worked briefly with an avant-garde poet and a girl singer who was plagued by shyness, not a particularly helpful quality in a frontperson. Their personnel problem was solved on a car trip home from Miami, when Schleiter's mom suggested that their high school friend and fellow Miami U. student Alec Cyganowski might want to give singing a shot.
With Cyganowski behind the mic, Powerspace was complete. The band started playing shows around Miami University and Cincinnati and by the summer, felt ready to do some recording. Rather than simply cutting a standard issue demo, they decided to enlist producer Mark McClusky (Hit the Lights, Ludo, Scenes From a Movie), who McMahon worked with in one of his previous bands. They laid down five songs in five days, resulting in the "Houston, We Have a Party" EP.
The EP quickly brought Powerspace to the attention of major label bigwigs and weasels, all of whom began waving contracts under the band's noses. In the end, Powerspace inked with the label that most reflected their own aesthetic views and artistic goals – Fueled By Ramen.
Rather than splitting their focus between the band and their studies, Powerspace chose to take an indefinite breather from Miami University. They played a number of local gigs, sharing stages with such bands as June, Quietdrive, and 2*Sweet. More significantly, they spent endless time in their practice space, concentrating on their chosen craft.
By December 2006, they were ready to record, again opting to work with McClusky. But first, the producer needed the band to give him a hand setting up his new digs in Lincoln Park, dubbed "Dorisland," after McClusky's beloved pooch.
Powerspace spent much of the winter in the studio, carefully crafting what would be dubbed – for reasons the band prefers to keep close to the vest – "The Kicks of Passion." Taking off from such diverse influences as INXS, The Darkness, The Wrens, and Squarepusher, the album is bracingly creative, displaying Powerspace's multi-layered pop stance, a glamtastic sonic approach kissed with electro textures and metallic virtuosity.
"The Kicks of Passion" is alive with ingenious vigor, with soaring tracks like "It Smells Like Electricity In Here" evincing the band's artistic ambition. The skyscraping melodies and overall exuberance are counterpointed by deeply personal lyricism, often touched with a melancholy and reflection that the band attributes to its time at Miami U.
With "The Kicks of Passion" ready to go, Powerspace is turning its attention to playing out. Having spent much of the last year honing their craft, the band is full-on fired up about at last hitting the road and getting down with the kids.
Drummer Kevin Kane announced the band's break up on February 17, 2010.
The Remaining Members minus Alec are in a new band Bad City
Quarantine My Heart
Powerspace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a place to meet
My mind is still racing while the city sleeps
But I don't complain
Cause I know we're okay
Race against the clock
Running on no sleep
When there's no time to rest
Cause when your with me
I feel like I'm dreaming
I hang out and hold on
(and count the days til I come home)
I can't brave this alone
Quarantine My Heart Baby
In someone elses arms, I feel unhealthy
How can we survive and finally live our dreams
In a world filled up with players on opposing teams?
Darling how can I go on?
Sing me one more song
Not even an hour on the interstate
Such an unforgetting journey
An eternal wait
And I hit the cruise control
There's a swelling in my soul
It's so good
I speed up and get home
To find you again
Quarantine My heart again
In someone elses arms
I feel unhealthy
(So never let me go)
If I can't feel your heart beating
I might as well just write off love completely
Clogging up my mind, gotta get out
Open my mouth and let it out
I've tried and trust me,
It's not the same with anyone but you
I swear to God it's true
Quarantine my heart baby
In someone elses arms
I feel unhealthy
(so never let me go)
If I can't hear your heart beating
I might as well just write off love completely
Check my pulse I think I've had too much baby[oooooh]
The song "Quarantine My Heart" by Powerspace is about a person who is deeply in love with someone but is struggling with distance and the challenges that come with maintaining a long-distance relationship. The singer expresses his/her inability to cope without their partner and craves to be with them constantly. Through the lyrics, the singer communicates his/her uneasiness with the current living arrangement and how it's affecting them. We see images of sleepless nights, living life against the clock, 'racing' to meet halfway, and the toll that it's having on their emotional, as well as physical health. Nevertheless, the singer is determined to fight for their relationship, asking the partner to 'quarantine' his/her heart, indicating that he/she will never let go and is ready to wait until they can be together again.
The song uses a lot of car metaphors - 'hour on the interstate,' 'hit the cruise control,' 'speed up and get home' - to portray the feeling of being in motion but not making progress, the yearning for movement yet feeling stuck. It's a song about knowing what you want but being helpless and needing to rely on someone else to make it happen. The refrain is a plea to quarantine the singer's heart, an allusion to the current pandemic measures put in place to control the spread of the virus. The song, therefore, becomes more significant as it speaks to the current time, where quarantine has become a part of everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
We don't need a party
We don't need a big celebration, we just need a place to meet.
Just a place to meet
A simple spot where we can get together and connect.
My mind is still racing while the city sleeps
Even when the city is quiet, my thoughts are still going at full speed.
But I don't complain
I don't whine or grumble despite the challenges I face.
Cause I know we're okay
I am optimistic because I have confidence that we are fine.
Race against the clock
I am in a hurry to achieve my goal before time runs out.
Running on no sleep
I am very tired and have not gotten enough rest, but I continue to move forward.
When there's no time to rest
I am too busy to take a break or pause for a moment.
And there's no need to dream
I don't need to fantasize about the future because I am living it now.
Cause when your with me
When you are by my side.
I feel like I'm dreaming
I feel like I am in a surreal, intangible state of happiness and contentment.
I hang out and hold on
I spend time with you and hold onto you tightly.
(and count the days til I come home)
I anticipate the day when I can return to your side again.
I can't brave this alone
I am unable to face these challenges by myself.
Quarantine My Heart Baby
I want to protect my heart and keep it safe.
In someone elses arms, I feel unhealthy
I feel unwell when I am in the arms of someone who is not you.
How can we survive and finally live our dreams
How can we make it through these trials and fulfill our aspirations?
In a world filled up with players on opposing teams?
In a society with people competing against each other, who can we trust?
Darling how can I go on?
Sweetheart, how can I continue without you?
Sing me one more song
Sing me another tune to soothe my soul and calm my nerves.
Not even an hour on the interstate
I have only been traveling on the highway for a short time.
Such an unforgetting journey
This will be a memorable excursion.
An eternal wait
The wait feels like it will last forever.
And I hit the cruise control
I activate the automatic speed control on my car.
There's a swelling in my soul
I feel a rush of emotions and excitement.
It's so good
This experience is enjoyable and fulfilling.
I speed up and get home
I accelerate and hurry home.
To find you again
To reunite with you once more.
If I can't feel your heart beating
If I can't feel your pulse.
I might as well just write off love completely
I might as well give up on love altogether.
Clogging up my mind, gotta get out
My thoughts are overwhelming me and I need to clear my head.
Open my mouth and let it out
I need to express my feelings or thoughts verbally.
I've tried and trust me,
I have attempted numerous times and believe me,
It's not the same with anyone but you
My emotions and experiences are not the same with anyone else but you.
I swear to God it's true
I sincerely promise that what I say is true.
Check my pulse I think I've had too much baby[oooooh]
Check my heartbeat, it's racing because of the intensity of my emotions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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