In twelve months of deepening obscurity, Skinny Jean begot three children: a boy, a girl, and an album. In all the resplendent wankery the band admits to represent, they have chosen a title as elongated as it is indicative. The Diving Saucer Returns from a World Where the Sun Never Shines heralds the captivating return of the four-piece.
Contrasting analogue production with shiny new electronic appendages, they have slowly crafted a work that is both warm and slick. In typical Skinny Jean fashion, the album showcases songs that deeply contrast each other. After the nation-wide critical acclaim that their first album Dolce Doggerel generated, the band has sought to eclipse that full-length attempt from 2009.
They spent twelve long months in exotic Moorooka at Stephen Bartlett’s Docking Station studios. Amid the bleak metropolitan setting a diverse array of songs gestated. The songs were recorded directly to tape through analogue gear and mastered to vinyl. Using this production aesthetic, the band quickly discovered the positive effect recording to tape had on their sound and performances.
Skinny Jean will imminently be releasing the first 3 cuts from The Diving Saucer Returns from a World Where the Sun Never Shines online and marking the occasion with their comeback show on August 4, 2012 at the Visy Theatre, New Farm.
Time: 8pm
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Anguish Sandwich
Skinny Jean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A casual, inexplicable friend
There is no particular connexion
We don't even like the same stuff
And he says he watches the news
And I ask him, "What's the use?"
He says he likes to stay informed
To objectively view the imagery of a world so deformed
God knows I'm a sensitive guy
I sometimes feel inclined to cry
Just to think we're standing here
Draped in wealth and veiled with fear
Opiated by our careers
Yeah I'm sometimes moved to tears
So I take a man-sized tissue
Believe it or not, it does not seem to resolve the issue
I need to kill the violence
I need to see it choke under my hand and resign to silence
And God knows I'm a sensitive guy
I sometimes feel inclined to cry
Just to think we're standing here
Draped in wealth and veiled with fear
Opiated by our careers
Yeah I'm sometimes moved to tears
As billboards billow over slums
As children brandish brutal guns
As numbness tongues our comfy bums
We succumb and then we turn to dust
Our multistorey mortgages turn to rust
To think we could've touched the face of God
The song "Anguish Sandwich" by Skinny Jean is a commentary on the modern world, and the detachment that many people feel towards the issues that plague it. The lyrics begin with the singer talking about a friend whom he does not understand, but who is interested in current events. He himself wonders what the point is of staying informed when the reality seems so bleak. The chorus then reflects on the emotional response to this reality - the feeling of being overwhelmed and moved to tears by the sheer magnitude of the problems we face.
The second verse takes a more active tone. The singer acknowledges that tears and tissues are not enough to make a change in the world. He expresses a desire to "kill the violence" and make a tangible impact on the world around him. The final lines of the song are a poignant statement of regret, mourning the fact that humanity has failed to live up to its potential as we turn to dust, having "succumbed" to the problems of the world.
"Anguish Sandwich" is a thought-provoking song that encourages its listeners to engage with the world around them. It highlights the need for empathy in the face of overwhelming issues, while also acknowledging that individual action is necessary to make a change.
Line by Line Meaning
See, I've got this friend
I have an acquaintance who I'm not particularly close with
A casual, inexplicable friend
Our friendship is not easily explainable
There is no particular connexion
Our friendship lacks a specific bond or connection
We don't even like the same stuff
Our interests and preferences are vastly different
And he says he watches the news
My friend stays updated with current events
And I ask him, "What's the use?"
I question the importance of staying informed
He says he likes to stay informed
He enjoys keeping up with current events
To objectively view the imagery of a world so deformed
To maintain a neutral perspective on the disturbing reality of our world
God knows I'm a sensitive guy
I am emotionally sensitive
I sometimes feel inclined to cry
I am occasionally moved to tears
Just to think we're standing here
Contemplating our existence
Draped in wealth and veiled with fear
Living in a society with a mix of privilege and anxiety
Opiated by our careers
Distracted or numbed by our jobs
Yeah I'm sometimes moved to tears
I'm occasionally emotionally overwhelmed
So I take a man-sized tissue
I require an extra large tissue to cope with my emotions
Believe it or not, it does not seem to resolve the issue
Despite using a tissue, I am still emotionally affected
I need to kill the violence
I desire to eliminate violent behavior from our world
I need to see it choke under my hand and resign to silence
I want to witness the end of violence and watch it fade into peaceful coexistence
As billboards billow over slums
Contrasting living situations in society
As children brandish brutal guns
The unsettling reality of childhood violence and the implications of it
As numbness tongues our comfy bums
We have become emotionally desensitized to our surroundings
We succumb and then we turn to dust
Eventually, everything will fade away, including ourselves and our society's issues
Our multistorey mortgages turn to rust
Our personal belongings, such as homes, will eventually decline in value
To think we could've touched the face of God
Our society is capable of great achievements and advancements
Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.