Small Black started with a name and worked backwards: a housemate of singer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Kolenik came up with the moniker on a cold Portland, Oregon night. The name stuck when he returned to Long Island, New York and began collaborating with Ryan Heyner, an area musician and former member of the hardcore band Silent Majority who shared friends with Kolenik. The pair holed up in the attic of the beach house and surfboard shop Kolenik's uncle owned to record songs with vintage keyboards and samplers, spending late 2008 and early 2009 recording as Uncle Matt made surfboards underneath them.
Though Kolenik had played in several bands before Small Black, the mix of shoegaze and synth pop he and Heyner hit upon felt special, and the group's lineup was complete once bassist/guitarist Juan Pieczanski and Jeff Curtin from Kolenik's previous band, Slowlands, joined to bolster production and fill out their live act. Small Black released their self-titled five-song EP on their own CassClub label in October 2009, and released the U.K. single "Despicable Dogs" as well as a video for that song featuring Uncle Matt soon after. Following their performances at that year’s CMJ Music Marathon, Small Black signed to Jagjaguwar Records, which reissued the band’s debut EP with two bonus tracks in 2010. That year, they also released a split single with the like-minded Washed Out, with whom they also toured. New Chain, the band's first full-length, boasted a slightly more polished sound that reflected their consistent touring as well as their interest in hip-hop and arrived in October 2010. In late 2011, the band offered the Moon Killer mixtape as a free download from their website. The collection of new material was built on samples ranging from Pere Ubu to Nicki Minaj and featured multiple drop-ins from Das Racist MC Heems as well as remixes from Star Slinger and Phonetag.
After spending much of 2012 on the road, Small Black returned with May 2013's Limits of Desire, a more sophisticated-sounding set influenced by Talk Talk and the Blue Nile. They covered the latter band's classic "Downtown Lights" on the following year's Real People EP, which had a more dancefloor-oriented style and featured vocals from Frankie Rose. Small Black's passion for sophisti-pop grew on October 2015's Best Blues. Recorded by the band in their Brooklyn home studio and mixed by Nicholas Vernhes at the Rare Book Room Studio, the album included contributions from trumpeter Darby Cicci of the Antlers and vocalist Kaede Ford. Soon after Best Blues' release, Kolenik's Uncle Matt passed away, and the memory of him inspired many of the songs on Small Black's fourth album. Arriving on 100% Electronica in April 2021, the reflective Cheap Dreams found the band returning from their hiatus with an extra dose of goth to their synth pop reveries. In 2023, Small Black looked back with a pair of archival releases. They commemorated the tenth anniversary of Limits of Desire with a deluxe edition of the album, and also issued a deluxe version of their debut EP that included previously unreleased songs from their early beach house sessions.
Biography by Heather Phares for ALLMUSIC
Canoe
Small Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On my way
to the 7th house
I ended up
caught right in the rivers mouth
spinning in circles
black and cool
but it wears me out
All my powers used up
getting to you
Easier to float along
Canoe
stuck between two
shores
Canoe
was built for you
and I
She's not an enemy
She's a friend to me
And she'll let me leave
if I ask nicely
All she promised me
was eternity
But I couldn't keep
up the energy to row
Just float!
Canoe
stuck between 2
shores
Canoe
was built for you
and I
The lyrics to the song "Canoe" by Small Black convey a sense of being caught in a stagnant and unfulfilling situation. The singer finds themselves on a journey to the 7th house, symbolizing a state of seeking spiritual or emotional fulfillment. However, they become trapped in the river's mouth, representing a place of stagnation and feeling stuck.
The line "spinning in circles" further emphasizes the feeling of being trapped and going round and round without making progress. The use of the phrase "fake water" suggests that the situation may seem appealing or promising at first glance, but ultimately it leaves the singer feeling drained and worn out.
The next section of the lyrics explores the idea that all of the singer's energy has been used up in their quest to reach someone or something. They realize that it is easier to simply go with the flow and float along rather than continue to exert effort. This can be interpreted as a resignation or acceptance of the current circumstances.
The repetition of the word "canoe" and the phrase "stuck between two shores" symbolizes the singer's feeling of being trapped in a liminal space, unable to fully commit to either side. The line "Canoe was built for you and I" suggests that the canoe, representing the relationship or situation, was initially designed for both parties involved. However, it seems to have lost its purpose and no longer serves its intended function.
The final verses introduce a character referred to as "she," who is portrayed as both a friend and a potential obstacle. The singer acknowledges that this person has the power to let them leave if they ask nicely. However, she has only promised eternity, which the singer realizes they cannot sustain due to a lack of energy or motivation. The lyrics conclude with the suggestion to "just float," indicating a desire to let go and allow themselves to drift rather than actively engaging in the situation.
Overall, the lyrics to "Canoe" capture a sense of being trapped, drained, and caught between two worlds. It explores themes of resignation, accepting the limitations of a situation, and the struggle to maintain energy and motivation in relationships or endeavors.
Line by Line Meaning
On my way
In the process of making progress towards something
to the 7th house
To a place of higher understanding or enlightenment
I ended up
I found myself
caught right in the rivers mouth
Trapped or stuck at the beginning of something
spinning in circles
Going around in circles without making any progress
Fake water feels
The illusion of something being refreshing or satisfying
black and cool
Dark and soothing
but it wears me out
But it exhausts me
All my powers used up
Using all my energy or resources
getting to you
To reach or connect with someone
Easier to float along
It's simpler to go with the flow
Canoe
A small boat used for transportation on water
stuck between two
Trapped or undecided between two options
shores
Different sides or perspectives
was built for you
It was created specifically for you
and I
And for me as well
She's not an enemy
She is not someone who wishes harm upon me
She's a friend to me
She is someone I can rely on and trust
And she'll let me leave
And she will allow me to depart
if I ask nicely
If I request in a polite manner
All she promised me
The only thing she assured me
was eternity
Was an infinite amount of time
But I couldn't keep
However, I was unable to maintain
up the energy to row
The motivation or strength to make progress
Just float!
Simply drift without any specific direction
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Jeffrey Urso Curtin, Joshua Hayden Kolenik, Juan Pieczanski, Ryan Frank Heyner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind