In October 2010, Claudia Deheza left SVIIB for personal reasons and the band continued as a duo. In 29 December 2013, Curtis (aged 35) died of cancer. School of Seven Bells is named after a mythical South American pickpocket training academy.
The Deheza sisters are former members of On!Air!Library! and Curtis was a former member of Secret Machines and Tripping Daisy. Curtis and the Deheza sisters met when both were opening on an Interpol tour. The three decided to end their commitments to their old bands, move in to a shared space, and create a home recording studio together.
The single "My Cabal" was released in May 2007 on the UK label Sonic Cathedral. A 12"/digital EP, Face to Face on High Places, was released in September 2007 on Table of the Elements. The band toured with Blonde Redhead in September of 2007 and with Prefuse 73 in November of 2007.
School of Seven Bells' debut album, Alpinisms, was released by Ghostly International in the U.S. on 28 October 2008.
Their second studio album, Disconnect From Desire, was released on 13 July 2010. Three singles were released from this album: "Heart Is Strange," "Windstorm," and "I L U."
On 28 February 2012, the band issued their third album, Ghostory. The singles "The Night," "Lafaye," and "Scavenger" helped to promote the album. On 13 November 2012, School of Seven Bells released the EP Put Your Sad Down.
On 29 December 2013, Benjamin Curtis died in New York City. He had been diagnosed with T-Cell lymphoma earlier in the year.
In October 2015, Alejandra Deheza announced that the band's fourth and final album, SVIIB, would be released in February 2016. In November, the band released the first single from the album, "Open Your Eyes."
Official site: http://www.sviib.com
Connjur
School of Seven Bells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up with so much to show for it
All kinds of people, places, and things,
Your cheap doormats and decorations
And to think it was all just a dream,
One fantastic hallucination
Keep on polishing your golden
We'll just smile and wait till he knocks off
Your designer rose colored glasses
And you'll see what we see nothing but
Old dust, peeled paint, and broken glasses
A simple imprint imagined
I was the hill we walked
I was the walk that swung from your legs
I was your words wet cast in my thoughts
Those who say dreams are just dreams
Say words end when you can't hear them
Listen closely as they fade
And witness the world's construction
The lyrics of the song Connjur by the School of Seven Bells is a commentary on the idea of success and the materialistic nature of it. The first verse describes someone who came from nothing, but has accumulated many possessions and accolades, which are criticized as shallow and meaningless. The second verse seems to speak directly to this person, as it suggests that they are blinded by their own self-importance and unable to see the reality of their situation. The third verse touches on the abstract nature of dreams and language, implying that they have the power to shape and define our understanding of the world around us.
There is a sense of juxtaposition between the materialistic world that is being criticized and the abstract, intangible dreams and language that are held up as more valuable. The song seems to be suggesting that success and possessions are fleeting and in the end, all that is left is the world we construct with our thoughts, imagination, and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
How does someone with nothing end
Questioning how a person without anything ends up with so much
Up with so much to show for it
Having a lot of things and experiences to show for their life
All kinds of people, places, and things,
A diverse range of people, places, and things collected over time
Your cheap doormats and decorations
Even the seemingly insignificant items like doormats and decorations are included in the collection
And to think it was all just a dream,
Reflecting on how it all began as a dream
One fantastic hallucination
Describing the dream as an amazing and vivid experience
Keep on polishing your golden
Advising the person to keep working on their impressive
Wall of trophies and self portraits
Collection of personal achievements and representations of oneself
We'll just smile and wait till he knocks off
Others will wait until the person realizes the truth about their collection
Your designer rose colored glasses
The person sees their collection through a biased and idealistic lens
And you'll see what we see nothing but
Once they see the truth, they will see what others have been seeing all along
Old dust, peeled paint, and broken glasses
Their collection is really just old and broken items
A simple imprint imagined
Reflecting on a simple and fleeting thought or image
I was the hill we walked
Identifying oneself as a point of reference within the imagined thought
I was the walk that swung from your legs
Also identifying oneself as a part of the imagined scene
I was your words wet cast in my thoughts
Describing how a person's words can leave a lasting impact on someone's thoughts
Those who say dreams are just dreams
Acknowledging that some people dismiss dreams and their significance
Say words end when you can't hear them
Also implying that people underestimate the power of words
Listen closely as they fade
Encouraging others to listen carefully to words and thoughts before they fade away
And witness the world's construction
Imagining how the world is constructed through people's words and experiences
Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
OozeSlimeJelly
These lyrics are phenomenal!!!!!!!!!
gneissguy2003
I heard about them this morning on NPR while driving into work and was instantly hooked by those amazing vocal harmonies.
eddie acevedo
It’s been 11 damn years and I still keep coming back
pgranados23
love it!!
Jamie Andrews
Still great 10 years later
gwz
Just discovered ém. This is rate good music. Thanks for uploading.
purm0ndis
really good live as well, first heard them opening for m83....quite a pleasant surprise.
Maritpindaaz
I love the song!
L0vemusic Always
Love it!
Sonicre Vic
Love this song. Very underrated band