In Spring of 1997, Kyle Crabtree began collaborating with them. The recording project became a full band, its voice dropped, legs got hairy and started reading Henry Miller. They recorded their first album, Save Everything, in a shotgun house in Louisville and then finished in Chicago with Bob Weston on deck. Released in September of 1997, it was met with much enthusiasm and occasional disgust. A split EP with the band MetroSchifter soon followed in May of 1998. In Autumn of 1998 they traveled to Catania, Sicily to participate in the Mappe Arts Festival....playing outside in a harbour at night, history gushing out with dust and sound, looking around amazed at how music travels, amazed at everything....
For the next two and a half years, Jeff Kyle and Jason set about writing their next album, Very Soon, and in Pleasant Company. Then, in Spring of 2000 they set up shop in an old dairy warehouse in Louisville (Lucky Anchor Studios) to document the new songs. Kyle, Jeff, Jason and long time friend and collaborator Christina Files, did the final mixes in Boston at Sonics Studios just as a fleet of 122 Tall Ships entered the harbour just after the Fourth of July holiday. The band followed this up with several tours of the US and Europe, culminating in an appearance at the Shellac curated All Tomorrows Parties in 2002.
During this time the band individually recorded three EPs. These EPs were treated almost as solo projects with no discussion taking place between the members of the band as to what they were doing. The EPs were given very limited releases over the course of a 12 months on Quarter Stick records. They were then brought together, along with a couple of unreleased tracks, as an album Three-Four to be released (also on Quarter Stick) in February 2003. The band will be touring across Europe around the time of the release.
Shipping News appropriated their name from the acclaimed novel 'The Shipping News' by E.Annie Proulx.
Untitled w/ Drums
Shipping News Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All images kept to unite
In your silent way I want to live
Beside your silent way
By the yellow house on the hill
Animals pace, you stood still
We won't get killed by no sharp teeth
I'm not afraid before the future
The past one breaks a minute too fast
I just want to live in your homes
Keep them warm
In your youth there was an avalanche
In your youth always a chandelier of public eyes
No one could see
Inside your silent way
These lyrics by Shipping News in their song "Untitled w/ Drums" reflect a longing for silence and stillness in the company of someone else. The first two lines suggest that all information and images are being kept and preserved, which could be a metaphor for holding on to memories or experiences. The lyric "in your silent way" refers to the quiet presence of someone else, and the desire to live beside them in that stillness.
The second verse seems to describe a moment in nature, where the singer and their companion are watching animals and finding comfort in each other's company. The line "we won't get killed by no sharp teeth" could be interpreted as a metaphor for facing the dangers of the world together. The following lines express a desire to live with the other person, and to keep their homes warm - again, this could be seen as a metaphor for emotional warmth and comfort.
The final verse references the other person's past in a slightly cryptic way. The listener is told that they were once "an avalanche" and always "a chandelier of public eyes," which suggests a powerful and perhaps overwhelming presence in the world. However, the lyric "no one could see inside your silent way" suggests that despite this public persona, there is an inner core of quietness that the singer finds compelling.
Overall, the lyrics to "Untitled w/ Drums" suggest a search for peace and connection with others in a chaotic world. The desire for stillness and silence is countered by a need for warmth and human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
All enqueries kept on file
All inquiries kept on record
All images kept to unite
All pictures stored to bring together
In your silent way I want to live
I long to live in your quiescent manner
Beside your silent way
Next to your noiseless style
By the yellow house on the hill
Near the yellow dwelling atop the knoll
Animals pace, you stood still
Creatures roam, you remained immobile
We won't get killed by no sharp teeth
We won't fall prey to any pointy fangs
Just stay here, be still with me
Just remain here, be tranquil with me
I'm not afraid before the future
I'm not scared by what lies ahead
The past one breaks a minute too fast
The previous one fades away too quickly
I just want to live in your homes
I simply long to reside in your abodes
Keep them warm
Keep them cozy
In your youth there was an avalanche
During your youth, there was an avalanche
In your youth always a chandelier of public eyes
In your youthful days, always under the spotlight
No one could see
No one could perceive
Inside your silent way
Within your serene demeanor
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.