It's common hyperbole to boast of a songwriter's newfound "maturity" with each new album, as if it were hallmark of perfection. With Southerly's third full length Youth, Portland, OR's dark-pop auteur Krist Krueger takes on the very notion of earned perspective through age & experience. Youth itself is a poignant exploration of life's varying stages of uncertainty and self-deception. Likewise, musically it explores shades of song structure with equal measures of childlike wonder and nuanced pop expertise.
The title track pits a delightfully simple nursery rhyme vocal melody over droning two-chord guitars and an elegantly simple piano line that builds to a gallop as Krueger warily sings, "a child with no remorse/ a villain on his course / it's youth / it's youth / confident and free." There's an equal sense of hope and foreboding in both his voice and the song's somber tone that fully accentuates the song's impact. "All Abandoned" pits an insistent acoustic guitar refrain alongside a stately piano phrase with dark aplomb reminiscent of The National or Angels of Light. Elsewhere, elements of Greg Sage's effect-laden guitar lines in Portland legends The Wipers and hints of New Zealand kiwi-pop (ranging from The Clean to The Veils) permeate Southerly's songs with a marriage of anthemic force and understated grace. Throughout, Krueger's mastery of infectious melody, ominous drone, sparing song structure and astute lyricism givesYouth its dramatic impact.
Southerly's 2010 release, the Champion Of The Noisy Negativists EP (Self Group) was a swooning, eerie, beautiful, morose and uplifting soundscape that was a largely instrumental affair, using vocals as additional layers rather than the music's guide. It took bold steps beyond the lush, orchestral pop of Southerly's critically praised 2007 debut on Portland, OR based Greyday Records, Storyteller and the Gossip Columnist. That album was hailed for its full orchestra and horn arrangements bolstering Krueger's intimate singing style, consistently earning near-perfect marks from critics. Southerly began in 2001 as a solitary DIY effort written and recorded by Krueger himself, who also is a seasoned recording engineer, label manager and professional booking agent. His debut album, Best Dressed and Expressionless was released in 2004. Southerly became a full band in 2006 for Storyteller and on Youth the lineup includes Krueger, Eli Savage and Cory Gray.
Youth is not a "mature" album in the cliched sense. Rather, and more importantly, it embodies exactly everything that the best music can be: a comforting companion to our multitude of hopes and fears throughout all stages of life. Krueger never professes to provide answers, but he's asking the right questions.
Soldiers
Southerly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
watch debri pass my feet
And I'm wondering
where our legacies will lead
Let the sun burns holes
in my soul and my cheek
And I'll burn, burn, burn
when the black dogs retreat
Another wishful verse
from a book that you would read
If you had some faith
or desire to believe
In a faceless void filled
by pages incomplete
So I'll burn, burn, burn
when the black dogs retreat
Burn
burn
Burn
Burn
The lyrics of Southerly's song, Soldiers, convey a sense of despair and uncertainty about the future. The opening lines describe the scene of the singer being stuck on the street, watching debris pass by their feet, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the chaos and destruction that surrounds us in the modern world. The singer contemplates their legacy and where it will lead, expressing a sense of frustration and lack of direction.
The second verse speaks about a book that the singer reads, but they find it wishful and incomplete. The lyrics suggest that the singer is searching for something in their life, possibly meaning, purpose or comfort, but is not finding it in the usual places such as religion or spirituality.
The repeated lines of "burn, burn, burn" at the end of each verse can be interpreted as a way for the singer to deal with their pain and frustration by burning it away, or it could be seen as a symbol of destruction and chaos that permeates every aspect of life.
Overall, the lyrics of Soldiers are open to interpretation, but they paint a picture of a world that is uncertain, dark and devoid of meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck on the street
Feeling trapped in a situation, unable to move forward
watch debri pass my feet
Feeling helpless as the signs of destruction and chaos appear
And I'm wondering where our legacies will lead
Questioning what kind of impact our actions will have on future generations
Let the sun burns holes in my soul and my cheek
Feeling a sense of pain and suffering as a result of the current state of things
And I'll burn, burn, burn when the black dogs retreat
Refusing to give up or back down in the face of adversity
Another wishful verse from a book that you would read
Feeling that our hopes and dreams may be nothing more than fantasies found in books
If you had some faith or desire to believe
Believing that faith and hope can help us move forward
In a faceless void filled by pages incomplete
Feeling that our lives lack direction or purpose
So I'll burn, burn, burn when the black dogs retreat
Staying strong and persevering in the face of hardship and danger
Burn burn Burn Burn
Repeating the message of persevering and not giving up
Contributed by James M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
san pelosi
that's the i like it: great and independent.
ankhabar
hey, i know that guy!
Sem Nome
renault sandero