In 2008, Miller was waiting tables at a neighborhood Brazilian restaurant, Miss Favela, where he encountered Alexis and her mother. When he mentioned he was looking for a female vocalist to work with on a musical project, Krauss' mother immediately volunteered her. After steadily gaining popularity throughout 2009, Sleigh Bells signed to M.I.A.'s label N.E.E.T. in Spring 2010.
The duo released the 7-track EP Sleigh Bells. The EP received much attention and all but the last two tracks were re-recorded for their debut album.
Sleigh Bells issued the single "Tell 'Em" as a free download in April 2010. On 11 May 2010, they released their debut full-length album entitled Treats. Amidst blown-out drum beats, fuzzed guitars and synth-pop sensibilities, Krauss balances each song with a voice that is both forceful and elegant. Four other singles supported the album: "Crown on the Ground", "Infinity Guitars", "Rill Rill" and "Riot Rhythm".
Sleigh Bells began recording songs for their second studio album in June 2011. Describing the sound of the new album, Krauss said, "It sounds really huge, so there's going to still be tons of volume".
On 15 December 2011, the band released the single "Born to Lose", followed in January 2012 by "Comeback Kid". The second album, Reign of Terror, was released on 21 February 2012. They made their network television debut on the 18 February 2012 episode of Saturday Night Live, performing the songs "Comeback Kid" and "End of the Line".
Only a few months after the release of Reign of Terror, Sleigh Bells began writing a third studio album for a possible 2013 release. Before the end of 2012, the album was said to feature more writing from Krauss and with a cleaner sound. The album, titled Bitter Rivals, was released on 8 October 2013, through Mom + Pop Music. According to Krauss, several tracks would feature dynamic acoustic riffs and R&B-ish vocals. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Krauss clarified the new style of the album, saying, "I was interested in doing something Beyoncé or Janet Jackson would do, these slow-winding, sparkling melodies."
On 7 December 2015, Sleigh Bells premiered a new song titled "Champions of Unrestricted Beauty", while announcing they were finishing up their fourth studio album. The duo released the single "Rule Number One" on 7 June 2016, followed by "Hyper Dark" on 19 July 2016. On 24 August 2016, Sleigh Bells released their fourth studio album Jessica Rabbit, marking the first release on the duo's own label, Torn Clean, in partnership with Sinderlyn. The mini-album Kid Kruschev followed on 10 November 2017.
Sleigh Bells released their sixth studio album, Texis, on 10 September 2021 through Mom + Pop Music. Music videos were released for album singles "Locust Laced" and "Justine Go Genesis".
Official site: https://tornclean.com/
Bitter Rivals
Sleigh Bells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was the best of times
It was the worst of times
I had to kill the new sheriff in town
She was gonna try to keep me
You go-go down
You go-go down
Some how
Some how
Another way to make the picture clearer
Point a gun
At the mirror
Heart's so dark, make dirt look clean
So clean
So clean
Don't kick
Don't scream
But at the end
I can only be
No rhyme
No reason
Be not afraid
Be not afraid
Be not
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
It was the best of times
It was the worst of times
I had to kill the new sheriff in town
She was gonna try to keep me
You go-go down
You go-go down
In a dream you will never be down
Some how
Some how
Lay a hand on me
Lay a hand on you
Lay a hand on me
Lay a hand
Heart's so dark, make dirt look clean
So clean
So clean
Convicts
Convicts
East to West
The answer is yes
No rhyme
No reason
Be not afraid
Be not afraid
Be not
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
You are my bitter rival
But I need you for survival
The lyrics to Sleigh Bells' song Bitter Rivals suggest a story of a conflict between two adversaries, presumably frenemies. The chorus establishes that the person being addressed is a "bitter rival," but one that the singer "need[s] for survival." The first verse states that the singer "had to kill the new sheriff in town" because "she was gonna try to keep me," resulting in the rival's downfall. However, in the second verse, there seems to be a grudging respect building between them. The lines "lay a hand on me/ lay a hand on you" implies a physical altercation, but their connection is made clear in the lines "Heart's so dark, make dirt look clean/ So clean/ So clean." The idea that the rival's heart is "so dark" that it makes dirt look clean suggests that the singer also has a dark past, therefore making them connected in some way.
It's important to note that the lyrics to Bitter Rivals are open to interpretation, and that is part of what makes them so effective. The line "convicts, convicts, east to west, the answer is yes" is a prime example – it's unclear what this means, but it adds to the song's overall sense of unease and tension. The repeated line "be not afraid" is another ambiguous statement; is the singer telling their rival not to be afraid, or are they reassuring themselves?
In summary, Bitter Rivals tells the story of two people who are enemies, but who have a connection that is difficult to define. The lyrics are fraught with tension and ambiguity, suggesting that the conflict between the characters is far from over.
Line by Line Meaning
It was the best of times
Things were going well
It was the worst of times
Things were going badly
I had to kill the new sheriff in town
I had to get rid of someone who was trying to control me
She was gonna try to keep me
She was going to hold me back
You go-go down
You will fail
In a dream you will never be down
In my mind, you will never win
Some how
In some way
Another way to make the picture clearer
Another perspective that helps me understand
Point a gun
Be aggressive
At the mirror
Towards myself
Heart's so dark, make dirt look clean
My intentions are so bad that even something dirty looks good in comparison
Don't kick
Don't resist
Don't scream
Don't make a fuss
But at the end
Ultimately
I can only be
I can only do so much
No rhyme
No explanation
No reason
Without a logical explanation
Be not afraid
Don't be scared
You are my bitter rival
You are someone I'm competing against
But I need you for survival
But I need you to keep pushing me forward
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DEREK MILLER, SYDNEY ALEXIS KRAUSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Educated Bowlers
Everything about this song and the movement in the video is pure joy.
chan5586
I honestly don't understand fans of the band who dislike this. This is classic Bells. And it slays.
ElectroWench
u either like sleighbells or u hate sleighbells its just how life goes
Corrosive Altars
Actually, nothing in life is an "either/or". I don't like this, nor hate it, nor love it. I acknowledge its existence, and this easily disprovable statement. Past that? It is, and I am.
DogeOS
Just found them and lile them alot makes somehow vaguely reminds me of Shiny Toy Guns and one other band I can't remember atm.
Edit: the other one was Metric.
Rick Rocks
LOVE Sleigh Bells you mean
Wood Gecko
I like one song by sleighbells so far, I can definitely get into them but not a fan of this
Andrew Lindner
I know you're referring to the band, but what you said makes me think about the people that hate Christmas.
GryndStone
Honestly? This is like 2 of the most catchiest melodies i've heard from them in one song and it's bothering me how much i like it
Feliks Nodelman
This song is so weird, I love it !! It's so loud and kind of distorted and I ove how in-your-face it is. I feel like I should hate it because my music taste is so different but I love this. Also the video is ridiculous in a way that I appreciate.