The band started in summer 2006 by Andrew Savage, later joined by Daniel Zeigler whom Savage met while attending the University of North Texas in Denton. The bands earlier material, from the self-released demo and "Remember Me as a Silhouette" 7", was lo-fi, poppy and often compared to early '90s indie rock. The band's first full length was Queer Salutations, released in 2007. Shortly after the release of Queer Salutations the band embarked on its first tour. The band is decidedly DIY, keeping all recording, songwriting, booking and visual art within the band. Teenage Cool Kids spent much of 2008 touring the United States and recording their next album. In 2009 the band was issued a cease and desist by Chicago hip-hop duo The Cool Kids over alleged trade mark infringement. The dispute ended with a settlement initiated by the Cool Kids. The dispute delayed the band's second LP release by several months, but in June 2009 Foreign Lands was released by Protagonist Music.
Albums:
Queer Salutations (2007, Protagonist)
Foreign Lands (2009, Protagonist)
Denton After Sunset (2011, Dull Tools)
Singles:
Remember Me As a Silhoutte (2007, C&C Music Factory)
Speaking in Tongues b/w Crucial Talk (2009, Copper Lung)
Poison Sermons (2009, Leroy St. Records)
Band members:
Andrew Savage (Fergus & Geronimo, Parquet Courts)
Bradley Kerl
Chris Pickering
Daniel Zeigler (Wiccans)
landlocked state
Teenage Cool Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With an accent that you can't mistake
But this song, it don't take place in Texas
It's in a landlocked type of state
And the statics humming me to sleep
On the floor, the only way to beat the heat
This is why I don't write you letters
You can take another hit but (you can try and top it)
Try and hold your breath (it's just another hit in)
Vain, I've got a grasp on my own isolation
An abridged adaptation of it
The insanity we can't escape
Losing brain cells and the Teflon flakes
I got my own way of fighting cancer
And you ain't one of them
Stealing groceries just to stay awake
Sleepwalk through the aisles to numb the ache
Can you hide it inside your jacket
And make a quick escape?
You can lie about the price of (keeping it inside it's)
Not the greatest gig but (can't you see I'm trying)
Not to bum you out, I feel so sick inside
I'm just trying to hide out lately
Blurry visions from the karaoke prompter
Nodding off to not so distant laughter
They're gonna watch you die from starvation
And your scars will all have names
The song "Landlocked State" by Teenage Cool Kids seems to be about feeling stuck and isolated in a place that isn't home. The opening lines describe a voice from across the plains, highlighting a sense of distance and being removed from the familiar. The singer goes on to speak about the heat and static sounds that keep them awake at night, showing that they are struggling to find comfort and solace in their environment. The singer mentions the limitations of letter-writing and how they cannot truly convey the reality of their situation.
The lyrics go on to describe the extreme measures they take to cope with their situation, including stealing groceries and sleepwalking. There is a desperate energy in the lines, a sense of hopelessness translated in these acts of desperation. The reference to karaoke prompts and distant laughter suggests that there is a superficial facade to the world they are in, a kind of entertainment to distract from the underlying problems. In the end, the song speaks of the inevitability of the singer's demise, as being in this landlocked state takes a toll on them, and their struggles will be etched in their scars.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a voice from clear across the plains
There's someone from far away speaking to me
With an accent that you can't mistake
Their accent is a clear identifier
But this song, it don't take place in Texas
This song is not set in Texas
It's in a landlocked type of state
It's set in a state that's not by the ocean
And the statics humming me to sleep
The white noise is helping me fall asleep
On the floor, the only way to beat the heat
Lying on the floor is the only way to stay cool
This is why I don't write you letters
I don't write to you because I don't mention these things
They never mention these things
I never write about these things
You can take another hit but (you can try and top it)
You can try to beat your high
Try and hold your breath (it's just another hit in)
It's just another breath-holding competition
Vain, I've got a grasp on my own isolation
I'm aware of my own loneliness
An abridged adaptation of it
A condensed version of the feeling
The insanity we can't escape
We're stuck in this madness
Losing brain cells and the Teflon flakes
We're damaging ourselves
I got my own way of fighting cancer
I'm dealing with my problems on my own
And you ain't one of them
I don't need your help
Stealing groceries just to stay awake
I'm stealing food to stay alert
Sleepwalk through the aisles to numb the ache
I'm numb to the pain
Can you hide it inside your jacket
Can you conceal the food?
And make a quick escape?
And leave without getting caught?
You can lie about the price of (keeping it inside it's)
You can pretend it's not that serious
Not the greatest gig but (can't you see I'm trying)
It's not ideal, but I'm doing my best
Not to bum you out, I feel so sick inside
I don't want to bring you down, but I feel terrible
I'm just trying to hide out lately
I'm trying to avoid people
Blurry visions from the karaoke prompter
I'm struggling to see the words on the screen
Nodding off to not so distant laughter
I'm drifting off to the distant sound of laughter
They're gonna watch you die from starvation
People will watch you waste away
And your scars will all have names
Each scar tells its own story
Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matthew Zaldivar
Andrew Savage is easily one of the best lyricists around
jackbaradog
right? human performance was absolutely legendary lyrically
Briar B
%100
mgmegt
I adore him, he's a creative gem with every side project, lyric and piece of artwork ✨
queenofkool
I like the vocals, has a pavement/ beat happening feel.
Jon Valt and the Evil Robots
Hi from 10 years in the future. Pavement was a big influence from my understanding. I'm fortunate to know one of the members of the band, and he loves Pavement. :-D
jackbaradog
andrew looks so young here lol. he's a good whistler too
Patrick
Always loved the vocals on this pink couch session.
SLCshows
People may find the singer/vocals boring, but I think it's freaking brilliant!
RJ
randomly remembered these guys yesterday, good band!