Sleepy Sun's miles, months, and days in the van are a tangible presence in Spine Hits, an LP of whimsy, restlessness, and urgency that leaps nimbly from landscape to landscape with ease, irreverence, and a catch-em-before-they-ain't changeling nature. For the most part, the sprawling Zeppelin-esque epics that defined much of Embrace and Fever have been traded in for a potent pop-compact framework. But never at the expense of the dodging, juking, and downshifting instincts that set their older long form pieces apart from a thousand other psychedelic drone warriors.
Recorded under the big skies of the California high desert with Queens of Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal alumnus Dave Catching, the jams on Spine Hits are alternatingly precision whittled and moodily muscular. Matt Holliman and Evan Reiss' guitars adroitly move from steamroller heavy to beachside airy and bouncing to interstellar- tinkering with texture and dynamics like never before. Vocalist Bret Constantino sings with a road-toughened, husky soul yowl and hush that occasionally betrays a society-weary frustration but more often hints at a way out. The rhythm section of drummer Brian Tice and Jack Allen is a super-cohesive, tricky, and tough-as-hell unit that keeps the Sleepy train on track as it teeters, creeps and runs wild across the land.
To any seasoned Sleepy Sun listener the new destinations will be surprises and revelations. "V.O.G." hints at a backstage conspiracy hatched on the Arctic Monkeys tour- buoyant and tight as a wire. "Boat Trip" moseys with a Lou Reed offhandedness- a postcard from Brian Wilson's forgotten vacation with the Velvets. "Still Breathing" is an elegiac nod to the band's early alignment with the Verve's dreamworlds.
For Sleepy spotters that came to love the band in its most massively rocking incarnations, there are the slow burns- "Stivey Pond" a sinister, stalking, and tender lurching beast bearing down on the subject of its obsession. And "Lioness (Requiem)" - a drifting, drowsy, late night lost in contemplation, dawn nowhere in sight.
Spine Hits isn't a portrait of a band in a moment. It's a box of snapshots spilled on the floor and blowing in the wind...left behind by a band that can't stop moving, but remembers what they left behind in a thousand colors.
Desert God
Sleepy Sun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are searching higher
For the one who walks alone under the circle around the moon
A dry spell is here
The river has turned to coal
Send us on a trip to find the nectar of our god
Oh, bright horizon
Read us through the sterile sand the desert's always known
Oh, timeless spirit
Lifeless desert plain
Guide us through the lonely hearts the weather's rightly claimed
Oh, mighty landscape
Shine the way to salvation
Lead us through the golden light with this heavy crown we've won
The desert god is cloaked in heat
He's sweating out our sins
A foolish trip, the devil's trick to pull down with him
Whistling winds on the highest plane
There is life
In the darkest night, and the driest time we have known
In Sleepy Sun's song "Desert God," the lyrics depict a barren and desolate land in search of something higher. The imagery of a dry spell and river turning to coal implies a sense of longing and desperation. The lyrics speak of a journey to find the nectar of their god, suggesting a quest for guidance and purpose.
The chorus calls out to the bright horizon, asking it to shine a way home and guide them through the sterile sand that the desert is known for. The mention of the "timeless spirit" and "lifeless desert plain" creates a juxtaposition between the eternal and the lifeless, perhaps symbolizing the struggle to find meaning in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
The verses further emphasize this search for salvation and the desire to be led to a better place. The desert god, while described as cloaked in heat and sweating out their sins, is also seen as a treacherous figure who tricks them into downfall. The lyrics hint at the existence of life even in the darkest and driest times, suggesting a glimmer of hope amidst the desolation.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, barren land
In a desolate environment
We are searching higher
Seeking something greater
For the one who walks alone under the circle around the moon
For the individual who is separate from others, guided by natural rhythms
A dry spell is here
A period of lack or scarcity
The river has turned to coal
The once flowing and life-giving water has become stagnant and lifeless
Send us on a trip to find the nectar of our god
Let us embark on a journey to discover the essence of our divine source
Oh, bright horizon
An optimistic and promising future
Shine our way home
Illuminate the path that leads us back to our true essence
Read us through the sterile sand the desert's always known
Interpret the history and lessons ingrained within the lifeless desert landscape
Oh, timeless spirit
Eternal essence or energy
Lifeless desert plain
Barren and devoid of life
Guide us through the lonely hearts the weather's rightly claimed
Show us the way through the desolate souls affected by the harshness of life
Oh, mighty landscape
Powerful and grand surroundings
Shine the way to salvation
Illuminate the path towards deliverance or redemption
Lead us through the golden light with this heavy crown we've won
Guide us through the enlightening and transformative experiences we have earned
The desert god is cloaked in heat
The divine presence is hidden within the intense and challenging aspects of life
He's sweating out our sins
The divine entity is purifying or cleansing us from our wrongdoings
A foolish trip, the devil's trick to pull down with him
An unwise and deceptive journey that leads to destruction
Whistling winds on the highest plane
Melodious and forceful gusts of wind in the elevated realm
There is life
There exists vitality and existence
In the darkest night, and the driest time we have known
Even during challenging and arid periods, life still persists
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bret Constantino, Brian Tice, Evan Reiss, John Allen, Matt Holliman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind