The name Silversun Pickups refers to a liquor store across the road L.A. rock-scene hang Silverlake Lounge. One of the band’s friends would often arrive at the store late at night to buy liquor, and would be as such making the "Silversun Pickup".
The band is signed to Dangerbird Records. They released their debut EP "Pikul" in July of 2005. The band has released four albums, 2006's "Carnavas", 2009's "Swoon", 2012's "Neck of the Woods" and 2015's "Better Nature". The band managed two Top 10 singles on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2007: "Lazy Eye" (#5) and "Well Thought Out Twinkles" (#9). In 2009, they managed their third top 10 on the chart, "Panic Switch" (#1) and a fourth song "Substitution" was also on that chart (#23).
Silversun Pickups have been compared to The Smashing Pumpkins (possibly due in part to Brian Aubert's vocal style) and 90's shoegazing bands like My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Ride, and Slowdive. Silversun Pickups claim they have been heavily influenced by Modest Mouse and The Velvet Underground as well as other lesser-known acts.
Their first break came when a friend mailed a boombox demo to CMJ and they were accepted. They got their start in many of the most important L.A. clubs and began to draw a strong following upon the release of the Pikul EP. This culminated in frequent touring, including a co-headlining stint with Viva Voce.
The band finished a three-week tour opening for Australian rockers Wolfmother on December 9, 2006, and have toured with OK Go and Snow Patrol on their U.S. spring tour, which ended on April 10, 2007. The Pickups played at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California on April 27, 2007.
The band supported Foo Fighters, along with Nine Inch Nails on August 21st 2007 as part of the 'T on the Fringe' music festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, and then on the 22nd in Marley Park, Dublin, Ireland. They also performed at the Carling Reading and Leeds festivals on the 25th/26th August 2007 and supported Kaiser Chiefs on their Autumn European tour and Snow Patrol on their tour of Australia (with Paolo from Snow Patrol joining them regularly to play guitar on Lazy Eye and Nikki guesting on vocals for Snow Patrol's Set The Fire To The Third Bar onstage). On some of these dates the band have been covering Joy Division's Shadowplay and Bjork's Big Time Sensuality, both of which have been recorded for web or radio sessions.
The second full studio album, entitled "Swoon", was released 14th April 2009 in both the US and UK.
The band was also part of Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago, IL, Voodoo Fest 2009 and 2012 in New Orleans, and the 2009 Sasquatch! Festival.
In early 2010, they supported the UK anthem-rock superstars Muse for several of their North American dates for The Resistance tour.
Sort Of
Silversun Pickups Lyrics
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Should I set these motives aside?
Do I feel? Well sort of, but not
When you walk your body through mine
What's keeping my tongue tied?
I see when you roll your eyes
I swear any moment you will hear
[Chorus]
When there's fire on the ground
Should it turn my whole world around?
When the wheel's in the lake
Should I think it's a big mistake?
When there's smoke in the sky
Please wake me, I don't know why
When your hand stretches out
Is it way beyond, way beyond my reach?
Do you think it's sort of a crutch
When you try to rule me to touch
Do I shake? Well sort of, but not much
When the shades are summoned and crushed
What's keeping my tongue tied?
I see when you roll your eyes
I swear any moment you will hear
My spirit explode
[Chorus]
Reach
Keep reaching
For me
Does it make you nervous
When you hear my bones
Animate my body
Without my soul?
What's keeping my tongue tied?
I see when you roll your eyes
I swear any moment you will hear
My spirit explode
[Chorus]
The lyrics to "Sort Of" by Silversun Pickups are full of mixed emotions and uncertainty. The singer seems to question their own feelings and existence, unsure of whether they are truly alive or just going through the motions. They ask whether they should set aside their motives and whether they really feel anything at all. The second verse speaks to a relationship that seems to be causing the singer some distress, with someone trying to "rule" them and their own response being limited to a sort of shaking.
The chorus seems to pose several questions about how the singer should react to certain situations - is it appropriate to have a strong reaction when there's fire on the ground, or does it just feel like everything is turned upside down? When something big goes wrong (like a wheel ending up in a lake), is it a mistake? And when your hand stretches out, is it beyond reach? It's uncertain whether the singer has answers to any of these questions, but the uncertainty is palpable.
The bridge is the most emotionally charged section of the song, with a plea to "keep reaching" for the singer even though it makes them nervous. The last two lines, "Animate my body / Without my soul?" are particularly striking, as though the singer is asking whether they even have a soul at all.
Overall, "Sort Of" is a song that speaks to feelings of uncertainty and doubt, both in oneself and in one's relationships with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you think I'm sort of alive?
The singer questions whether they are truly living and existing in the present moment.
Should I set these motives aside?
The singer considers abandoning their current goals and motivations.
Do I feel? Well sort of, but not
When you walk your body through mine
The singer experiences a physical sensation when someone else touches them, but doesn't feel much emotionally.
What's keeping my tongue tied?
The artist wonders why they can't express themselves freely.
I see when you roll your eyes
I swear any moment you will hear
My spirit explode
The artist notices negative reactions to their behavior and feels like they're on the verge of losing control.
When there's fire on the ground
Should it turn my whole world around?
The singer questions whether a major event should drastically affect their life.
When the wheel's in the lake
Should I think it's a big mistake?
The singer wonders if they should view unexpected obstacles as catastrophic errors.
When there's smoke in the sky
Please wake me, I don't know why
The artist feels disoriented and helpless in a chaotic situation.
When your hand stretches out
Is it way beyond, way beyond my reach?
The artist questions whether they are capable of reaching out to others and receiving help.
Do you think it's sort of a crutch
When you try to rule me to touch
Do I shake? Well sort of, but not much
When the shades are summoned and crushed
The artist thinks that relying on others for physical contact is a form of weakness and is hesitant to respond when others initiate touch.
Reach
Keep reaching
For me
Does it make you nervous
When you hear my bones
Animate my body
Without my soul?
The singer questions their own authenticity and the impact of outside forces on their emotional state.
My spirit explode
The artist feels overwhelmed and on the precipice of an emotional outburst.
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Written by: BRIAN NOLAN KALEI AUBERT, CHRISTOPHER ANDREW GUANLAO, JOSEPH C LESTER, NICOLE LYNN WEBBER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind