This Detroit, MI band recorded their first Tooth and Nail full-length, A Fire So Big the Heavens Can See It, in St. Cloud, FL with James Paul Wisner, who has also produced Dashboard Confessional, Underoath, and The Academy Is. While making this CD, the band fought off small town cabin fever, was restricted to bicycle transportation, and even shared a lake with an alligator. But such ordeals are colorful stories for another time because these guys are simply thrilled (but not to death) with the finished product.
The track “To the Moon for All I Care” is one of the group’s favorite new tunes. On the surface, one might assume it is based around what Ralph Kramden always told his wife Alice on the old The Honeymooners show. But as drummer Adam McMillion explains it, this song goes far deeper than that.
“The song is about our favorite movie, Danny Deckchair, which is about this guy that’s kind of fed up with his girlfriend who is not very faithful. And his job is really boring, so he decides to attach these balloons to his fold-up deckchair and he flies away,” McMillion says. When he finally lands, he’s in a faraway town, miles from everything and everyone he knows. “He kind of gets to start his life over, and we always thought that’s just such a cool concept,” McMillion continues. In fact, this song’s main character demands at one point, “Tell me about my future ‘cause I already know my past.”
Another noteworthy song has the intriguing title of “Detroit Is Built on Secrets”. This one takes on some of the nasty rumors oftentimes spread about rock bands – even about nice guys like Search The City. “So this is what we’re up against in this city of secrets,” states its anti-gossip lyric. But even when confronted with obvious lies, this thoughtful band still finds room for a little self-examination. “In the bridge it says, “Oh my God, forgive me for who I’m not,”” McMillion elaborates. “All these rumors are going around,” he continues, “but we’re still not the people we want to be. We’re still not the people God wants us to be. It’s just a cry out; kind of a confession. We wanna be better. We realize that we’re not who we should be.”
These closely bonded band members, which also include Alex Sheldon (guitar), Jim Czech (guitar), and Josh Frost (vocals), draw artistic inspiration from many loud and noisy sources, then translate these harsher sounds into surprisingly melodic, highly emotional songs.
“We’re more influenced by hardcore music than anything else,” Frost says of Search The City’s sound. “It doesn’t show so much because we’re pretty pop-y in parts. But collectively, we all love bands like Jimmy Eat World and bands like that.” So how would they describe their unique style? “We’d probably say progressive rock or something like that,” answers Frost.
Although the group is proud of their new CD, this band is truly in their element in concert. “Live is definitely Search The City’s favorite thing to do,” McMillion says without any hesitation. “It’s a chance to release a lot of emotion. We all love what we do onstage where we’ll just look at each other and just start laughing and smiling because it’s so much fun. Playing live is definitely the best part about being in a band.”
Search The City’s original nucleus, Sheldon, Czech, and McMillion, came up with the band’s Mapquest-like moniker while seeking out other musicians to complete their final lineup. “They named it that because they were looking for all of the different members, all over different cities,” Frost explains. “That meant all over Michigan. And because I was living in Florida at the time, they just called it Search The City.”
No doubt, Search The City succeeded in getting all their geographic coordinates correct.
After the band went their separate ways and onto some side projects, Frost and Czech have announced via Facebook and AboslutePunk.com has reported that they are back together and writing a second full-length album that's due out in the spring of 2012.
Clocks And Time Pieces
Search The City Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And these ghosts are holding us back
I listened to your message over and over again
I thought about how I let you down
I thought about who I am
I felt hopeless
I got caught up in this life
I wonder how I looked through your eyes
Baby take your time
Stop and see for once in your life
The things you're missing out on
Like me, like me in the sunshine
The summer's almost over
We're running out of time
Almost over
I look out on the city lights
Wonder where you are tonight
There's so much that I wanna' say
Will you ever let me
And if I pour my heart out
Do you want the truth?
Yeah, I'd pour my heart out
I at least owe that to you
I at least owe that to you
Open up your eyes
(There's so much I have to say, will you ever let me?)
I'm right in front of you
(There's so much I have to say, will you ever let me?)
It's too cold for June
How come I only hear from you when you're liquored up?
I've heard all about the others
And this side of you that you discovered this summer
Baby take your time
Stop and see for once in your life
The things you're missing out on
Like me, like me in the sunshine
The summer's almost over
We're running out of time
The lyrics to Search The City's song "Clocks And Time Pieces" convey the idea of being held back by the ghosts of the past, regrets and missed opportunities. The singer is contemplating their own mistakes and how they might have let someone down, feeling hopeless and lost in their own mess. However, they are also trying to reach out and connect with the person they care about, asking for a chance to be heard and understood. The lines "I'm right in front of you" and "Baby take your time, stop and see for once in your life" suggest a desire for closeness and the fear of losing this chance. The overarching theme is that time is precious and limited, and that we need to make the most of it before it's gone.
The song is a passionate and emotional ballad that combines elements of rock and power-pop, with soaring vocal harmonies and guitar-driven melodies. It was released in 2010 as part of the band's debut album "A Fire So Big The Heavens Can See It". The album received critical acclaim for its lyrical depth and musical craftsmanship, earning comparisons to bands like Jimmy Eat World and The Get Up Kids. "Clocks And Time Pieces" is one of the standout tracks on the album, showcasing the band's ability to blend introspective lyrics with catchy hooks and anthemic choruses.
Line by Line Meaning
We've all got a past
We all have things in our past that we carry with us
And these ghosts are holding us back
Our past can hold us back and prevent us from moving forward
I listened to your message over and over again
I replayed your message repeatedly
I thought about how I let you down
I reflected on how I disappointed you
I thought about who I am
I considered my own identity and actions
I felt hopeless
I experienced a sense of despair
I got caught up in this life
I became overwhelmed by the difficulties of life
I'm such a mess
I feel like I'm a chaotic and disorganized person
I wonder how I looked through your eyes
I am curious about your perception of me
Baby take your time
Take as much time as you need
Stop and see for once in your life
Pause and appreciate the things around you
The things you're missing out on
Things you haven't experienced yet
Like me, like me in the sunshine
Like spending time with me in the sun
The summer's almost over
The warm season is coming to an end
We're running out of time
We don't have much more time left
I look out on the city lights
I stare at the bright lights of the city
Wonder where you are tonight
I'm curious about your whereabouts at the moment
There's so much that I wanna' say
There's a lot on my mind that I want to express
Will you ever let me
Will you ever give me the opportunity to speak my mind
And if I pour my heart out
If I express my feelings honestly and openly
Do you want the truth?
Are you prepared to hear the truth?
Yeah, I'd pour my heart out
Yes, I would express my true feelings
I at least owe that to you
You deserve my honesty
Open up your eyes
Pay attention and be aware of what's happening
(There's so much I have to say, will you ever let me?)
(I have a lot to express, will you give me the chance?)
I'm right in front of you
I am present and available to talk right now
It's too cold for June
The weather is unusually cold for this time of year
How come I only hear from you when you're liquored up?
Why only hear from you when you're drunk?
I've heard all about the others
I know about other people you've been seeing
And this side of you that you discovered this summer
I know about the new aspects of yourself you've explored this season
Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.