"Cargo" and "Constructions: Remixed and Dubbed" followed three years later.
It's fitting that Sofa Surfers, a band not at all afraid to switch up their sound, have entitled their latest album, "Sofa Surfers". It's sound is simple, honest and stripped down to the essence of the band; brooding and melancholy moodiness mixed with an angstful tension that at times comes dangerously close to boiling over.
Sofa Surfers familiar hip-hop/dub style has given way to a minimalized indie rock/R&B/Soul sound using sparsely arranged bass, drum and guitar with an R&B/soul vocal style compliments of Mani Obeya, but it retains the Sofa Surfers well-known personality. Describing this album as sounding "like a hardcore band after the noise has abated" is fair, but don't put too much weight into the "hardcore band" part of that statement because they sound much closer to Massive Attack than any hardcore band I know.
There is an evolution that occurs throughout the album, starting on the melancholy side, moving into angst and then back to melancholy. "White Noise" is a great lead track and soon to be released as the first single off this album.
"Sofa Surfers", an album referred to by the band as "the red album" is an intimate trip into a musical world Wolfgang Schlögl, Markus Kienzl, Michael Holzgruber and Wolfgang Frisch are proud to share, and rightly so; it's nicely written, richly emotional, and hard to define.
Premiere of their latest album "Blindside" is scheduled to 29. January 2010.
Added:
The group then left Klein for Monoscope Productions, which released Blindside in 2010 as well as 2012's Superluminal and 2015's Scrambles, Anthems and Odysseys. Also in 2015, Sofa Surfers provided the music for the crime comedy Das Ewige Leben (Life Eternal). In 2017, Monoscope issued 20, a mix of original songs and reworked favorites in celebration of Sofa Surfers' 20 years together.
Safe Zone
Sofa Surfers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll see you again
in agony revisited
backlash
assuming the position
a coffin isn't abstract
gice us this day
won't leave, can't stay
until I murder this place
democrasy's a franchise
lies beget lies beget lies beget lies and ali
blindside
the politest oppression
you don't make a move
rabbit in the headlights
searchlight
and I'm looking for lost souls
to flesh out the void
a quiet catastrophe
won't leave, can't stay
until I murder this place
democrasy's a franchise
lies beget lies beget lies beget lies and ali
governments swing left, right, left...
and the people run left, right, left...
and the soldiers shoot left, right, left...
and the people dying left, right, left...
The lyrics to Sofa Surfers' "Safe Zone" are a commentary on the cyclical nature of politics and the perpetuation of lies and oppression. The lyrics employ metaphors and imagery to convey a sense of hopelessness and desperation. The repeated phrase "won't leave, can't stay, until I murder this place" indicates a desire for change, but a recognition that change will not come easily or without violence.
The opening line, "shooting fish in a barrel," suggests that the powerful are taking advantage of the weak and the vulnerable. The line "in agony revisited" implies that this is not a new phenomenon, but one that has been perpetuated over time. The line "a coffin isn't abstract" brings the theme of death into the mix, perhaps indicating that the violence and oppression being described is not just figurative, but has real consequences.
The line "democracy's a franchise" implies that democracy, rather than being a fair and just form of government, is just another product being sold to the masses. The repetition of "lies beget lies" suggests that the political system is inherently corrupt and that truth is hard to come by.
Overall, "Safe Zone" is a powerful commentary on the state of politics and society. Its use of imagery and metaphor create a sense of urgency and desperation, urging listeners to take action and fight against the oppression that the lyrics describe.
Line by Line Meaning
shooting fish in a barrel
An easy task, without any challenge
I'll see you again
A promise to reconnect physically or mentally
in agony revisited
A painful memory that comes back again
backlash
An opposing reaction or response
assuming the position
To take a stance or posture in response to a situation
a coffin isn't abstract
Death is a concrete reality and cannot be avoided
give us this day
A plea for help or guidance
an even playing field
A fair and impartial situation where everyone has an equal chance
won't leave, can't stay
Feeling stuck and unable to move on
until I murder this place
A need to destroy or escape the current situation
democracy's a franchise
Democracy can be bought or sold like a business
lies beget lies beget lies beget lies and ali
Falsehoods create more falsehoods and lead to chaos
blindside
To attack or surprise someone unexpectedly
the politest oppression
Situations where oppressive systems are at play, but not immediately visible
you don't make a move
Feeling stuck and unable to take action
rabbit in the headlights
Feeling paralyzed or unable to move due to overwhelming circumstances
searchlight
A tool for finding or identifying something
and I'm looking for lost souls
Trying to find meaning or a sense of belonging
to flesh out the void
To fill a sense of emptiness or despair
a quiet catastrophe
A situation of great distress or tragedy, but without any immediate attention or reaction
governments swing left, right, left...
Political shifts and changes that occur over time
and the people run left, right, left...
Citizens respond and react to the changes occurring in society
and the soldiers shoot left, right, left...
The military is often at the forefront of political conflicts and can be used to enforce political changes or maintain the status quo
and the people dying left, right, left...
The human cost of political conflicts and changes
Writer(s): Wolfgang Schloegl Copyright: Bug Music Edition
Contributed by Caden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.