Teen Daze is a stage name for solo musician Jamison Isaak. His first albums were released in 2010, attracting the attention of online music press outlets such as Pitchfork Media. Signing with Lefse Records, he released the full-length All of Us Together in 2012, followed quickly by Glacier in 2013. On his 2015 John Vanderslice-produced album Morning World, Teen Daze shifted from an electronic-driven style with elements of chillwave, house, and ambient to more of an indie pop sound, adding his own vocals.
After last year's foray into vibrant indie-pop, Themes finds Teen Daze returning to more ambient, electronic production with new insight: "I learned so much from the experience making Morning World, it would be a step backwards if I didn't apply it." This comes through in songs like "Lost", "Rising" and the first single, "Cycle", which fuse the synthesized sound of early Teen Daze records with the live energy of his more recent works. Themes is also distinct in its collaborative nature. Jamison has worked with other artists in the past, but never to this degree and expanse: "Making the last record alongside other people helped me realize that inviting additional minds to the creative process brings out the best in me."
Conceptually and thematically, this album is one of Jamison's most personal, navigating topics both intimate and broad: "Much of my work is inspired by nature, and it's scary to think that future generations may not have that same relationship. The album starts with Cycle, a song about my personal experience dealing with anxiety and depression, and it slowly zooms out to cover some of the external forces, like climate change, that are affecting those experiences. After touring last fall, I came home so cynical and worn out, I decided take all the nervous energy I had about the world, and filter it through more optimistic, positive sounds.".
Divided Loyalties
Teen Daze Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fading, into the earth.
I saw them, leaving,
Losing, all of their worth.
So how, am I,
Supposed, to leave this behind?
I know that, I'm failing,
But it's time now, to fall into new life.
The lyrics of Teen Daze's song "Divided Loyalties" talk about the feelings of a person transitioning from one phase of life to another. The first two lines "The old life, the colours, fading, into the earth" symbolize the past and how the memories of what once was are slowly vanishing. The colors of the old life represent the emotions, the relationships, and the experiences that once were vibrant but are now fading away. The next two lines "I saw them, leaving, Losing, all of their worth" depict the person's realization of how these memories and experiences are losing their significance as time goes by.
The next lines "So how, am I, supposed, to leave this behind? I know that, I'm failing, But it's time now, to fall into new life" suggest the dilemma of the person in letting go of the old life and embracing the new one. The person acknowledges that they are struggling to move forward, but they also know that it's time to embrace the changes and start anew. The song encourages listeners to accept the inevitability of change and to not be afraid of stepping outside of their comfort zones.
Line by Line Meaning
The old life, the colours,
My previous way of living is represented by vibrant colors,
Fading, into the earth.
But it's slowly disappearing and becoming a part of the past,
I saw them, leaving,
I witnessed them leaving my life,
Losing, all of their worth.
And with their departure, all their value to me is lost,
So how, am I,
Thus, I'm faced with the question of how to proceed,
Supposed, to leave this behind?
How am I supposed to let go of the old way of life?
I know that, I'm failing,
Despite my efforts, I acknowledge that I'm struggling,
But it's time now, to fall into new life.
However, it's now time for me to move forward and embrace a new way of life.
Contributed by Alexis Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
LVISXIV
Lovely tune !!
Katie Kozar
My wedding song , my everything 😂
4eversupersonicgirl
i wish this guy would make more music.
mercurialmagictrees
Jamison is actually quite the prolific artist. Hopefully you have noticed the new albums! I often come back to the 2011 2012 albums because they're so amazing.
tordjewel
totally in love
moon god
<3
whirlygiggs
completely delicious!
Milo Abrams-Hickman
your awsome!!
Patrick Cу
105 upvotes to 1 downvotes. That's sign of intervention right there.