As Rio en Medio, she has released The Bride of Dynamite (2007), Frontier (Feb 2009, Manimal Vinyl), Peace Sequence (2012), and Rio en Medio Radio (2015). Stech-Homsy's recording / live performance is often in collaboration with Justin Riddle (drums, percussion), Christian Lee (guitar, banjo) and Nicholas Toll (keyboards, percussion).
After moving to Brooklyn (NY), from her high desert New Mexico birthplace, Stech-Homsy began to record and perform her own compositions. Working independently and in secret, she created The Bride Of Dynamite (Feb 2007, Gnomonsong), a collection of collage-like songs incorporating found sounds / electronic-programming, lifting texts from disparate sources - evoking traditional / folk song structure, themes and melodies. A friend passed a hand-made copy of the record to Devendra Banhart, who requested releasing it on his label.
Following The Bride Of Dynamite's release, Stech-Homsy has since performed on stages across the US, Europe and the UK. As well as Banhart, she has worked with many well-regarded artists, including: Grizzly Bear, CocoRosie, Brightblack Morning Light, Vetiver, Patrick Wolf, Vashti Bunyan and Tim Fite. In April 2007, she did Take-Away Show, an acoustic video session, shot by Vincent Moon.
Rio en Medio's music can be described as delicate and fragmented songs, featuring a sparse/haunting trio of baritone ukulele, subtly harmonized vocals and electronic/sampled soundscapes - evoking the spun poetry of ancient folk lullabies and a hint of contemporary culture's darker side.
Stech-Homsy cites influences, including, traditional styles tropicalia and folk (Russian, Spanish, US and English), plus a diversity musicians (e.g. Bob Dylan and Beth Gibbons).
As well as Riddle, Lee and Toll - on stage, Rio en Medio has been represented by a range of other musical and visual guests/collaborators, including: Justin Hartery (video), Cohdi Harrell (aerialist) and the sound/visual artist Vlad Kromatika.
Girls on the Run
Rio En Medio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"They're getting closer I can't stand it."
But you know our fashions are in fashion
only briefly and then they go out
and stay that way for a long time
and they come back again, for awhile
they go out of fashion and stay there.
And stay there
And stay there
And stay there
Laure and Tidbit agreed,
with the proviso that after that
everyone becomes fashion again for a few hours
"Write it now," Tidbit said.
A clever write, I took the pen.
But you know our fashions are in fashion
only briefly and then they go out
and stay that way for a long time
and they come back again, for awhile
Then, maybe in a million years,
they go out of fashion and stay there.
And stay there
And stay there
And stay there
The lyrics of Rio En Medio's song "Girls on the Run" convey a sense of restlessness and a desire to escape an environment that feels suffocating. The opening lines, "Hey, let's get out of here," suggest a longing for freedom from whatever is causing discomfort. Judy's statement that "They're getting closer I can't stand it" builds tension and adds a sense of urgency to the situation.
However, in the midst of this desire to leave, the song introduces a thought-provoking commentary on fashion. The lines "But you know our fashions are in fashion only briefly and then they go out and stay that way for a long time and they come back again, for awhile" suggest that while fashion may seem important, in the grand scheme of things, it is fleeting and cyclical. The repetition of the phrase "And stay there" emphasizes the idea that fashion trends come and go, and what is considered stylish at one point may later be considered outdated.
The chorus repeats this idea, asserting that even in a million years, fashion will eventually go out of style and stay that way. The final lines, spoken by Tidbit, suggest that even though fashion is temporary, it is still an important part of our cultural landscape. The final words, "A clever write, I took the pen," suggest that writing, like fashion, is a way of making a statement about who we are and what we value.
Overall, the lyrics of "Girls on the Run" offer a complex meditation on the nature of freedom, time, and style. They suggest that while we may feel trapped in our current circumstances, ultimately all things are fleeting and cyclical.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, let's get out of here," Judy said
Judy suggests leaving because she is uncomfortable with the situation
"They're getting closer I can't stand it."
Judy is feeling threatened and wants to leave immediately
But you know our fashions are in fashion
Fashion trends come and go, never lasting forever
only briefly and then they go out
Fashion trends have a short lifespan
and stay that way for a long time
Fashion trends may be out of style for a while
and they come back again, for awhile
Fashion trends can come back in style for a short period of time
Then, maybe in a million years,
The cycle of fashion can be unpredictable and take a long time to repeat itself
they go out of fashion and stay there.
Fashion trends can become outdated and never come back in style
And stay there
Some fashion trends never come back in style
And stay there
Fashion trends can be out of style for a long time
And stay there
Fashion trends can remain irrelevant for a significant period of time
And stay there
Fashion trends can be permanently outdated
Laure and Tidbit agreed,
Laure and Tidbit also acknowledge the cyclical nature of fashion
with the proviso that after that everyone becomes fashion again for a few hours
They agree that after a long absence, a fashion trend can become popular again for a short while
"Write it now," Tidbit said.
Tidbit wants to document this conversation
A clever write, I took the pen.
The artist agrees to write it down in an interesting way
Contributed by Evan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.