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
The Bridge
Small Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm on
the bridge again
line drifts
I wave to them
construction on the Belt again
smoke writing from a plane
breaking up
Sprint past the
boardwalk stares
in the deep sand
way out where
Man, i'm gutting this out
however I can
we watch the surf
from the bridge
from the bridge
we watch the surf
from the bridge
from the bridge
an afternoon
not catching much
salt in my teeth
and a little tuned up
labor day and these bums
will be gone
dry suit for them
Waiting for a break in the waves
so I can get out again
we watch the surf
from the bridge
from the bridge
we watch the surf
from the bridge
from the bridge
we watch the surf
from the bridge
from the bridge
I'm on
the bridge again
line drifts
I wave to them
The lyrics of "The Bridge" by Small Black paint a vivid and introspective picture of a protagonist standing on a bridge, observing their surroundings, feelings, and inner thoughts. The repeated imagery of being on the bridge serves as a metaphor for a transitional or contemplative state. The line "I'm on the bridge again" could suggest a sense of being at a crossroads or in a state of reflection, both physically and metaphorically.
As the singer looks around, they see construction on the Belt and kids tangled up, which could symbolize the chaos and complexities of life. The image of smoke writing from a plane evokes a sense of transience and impermanence, as well as the idea of messages or signals being sent out but possibly lost in the vastness of the world. The mention of breaking up hints at the theme of separation or disintegration.
The lyrics then shift to a scene of the singer sprinting past boardwalk stares, perhaps indicating a desire to move forward quickly, away from the judgment or scrutiny of others. The mention of deep sand and watching the surf from the bridge conveys a sense of being both grounded and detached from the ebbs and flows of life. The line "Man, I'm gutting this out however I can" reflects a determination to persevere despite challenges.
The song continues to explore themes of solitude and transience, with the singer observing the surf and feeling a sense of restlessness or yearning for something more. The mention of salt in their teeth and being a little tuned up suggests a physical and emotional weariness, possibly from striving for something elusive or unattainable. The reference to Labor Day and bums leaving could symbolize the passing of time and the impermanence of moments.
In conclusion, "The Bridge" by Small Black is a contemplative and evocative song that delves into themes of transition, introspection, and fleeting moments. Through its imagery of bridges, surf, construction, and transitory scenes, the lyrics invite listeners to reflect on the beauty and transience of life and the longing for connection and meaning in the midst of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm on
Starting a journey or experience
the bridge again
Returning to a familiar place or situation
line drifts
Feeling disconnected or drifting away from others
I wave to them
Acknowledging others, perhaps feeling a sense of distance
construction on the Belt again
Facing obstacles or challenges in everyday life
kids tangled up
Feeling overwhelmed, perhaps by responsibilities or relationships
smoke writing from a plane
Observing the world around, perhaps with a sense of curiosity or wonder
breaking up
Experiencing change or separation
Sprint past the
Moving forward quickly or eagerly
boardwalk stares
Feeling observed or judged by others
in the deep sand
Feeling grounded or rooted in a place
way out where
Venturing to a distant or unknown place
Man, I'm gutting this out
Persisting through difficulty or hardship
however I can
Using all available resources or strategies
we watch the surf
Observing natural beauty or forces
from the bridge
From a higher or different vantage point
an afternoon
A period of time, perhaps leisurely or reflective
not catching much
Experiencing disappointment or lack of success
salt in my teeth
Feeling the effects of the ocean or nature
and a little tuned up
Feeling excited or energized
labor day and these bums
Observing or feeling societal divisions
will be gone
Anticipating change or passage of time
dry suit for them
Feeling disconnected or different from others
Waiting for a break in the waves
Hoping for a moment of respite or relief
so I can get out again
Seeking freedom or escape
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JEFFREY CURTIN, JOSHUA KOLENIK, JUAN PIECZANSKI, RYAN HEYNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@apothe6
Has that nostalgic melancholy feel
@pathogensmusick
Everything Small Black does feels nostalgic and very melancholy.
@lcarthel
Fuck yeah, good tempo! Reminds me of Wild Nothing.
@diegoalejandroGonzalez
Estoy de acuerdo
@Deanthomasmusic.
Skating + Meditation = Bliss
@peptog488
Keep blessing us
@daviddempsey2246
Criminal this only has 11k views. Doesn’t matter please don’t change a thing. Literally everything small black puts out is a 10/10.
@lontmusic
this song was wonderful, small black being small black
@colinwood8376
Just what I needed, been having a lot of existential crises lately.
@J2P7P
Really beautiful and unexpected! I don't think you guys have a single track that I haven't fallen in love with - super excited for the new album!