Be Alright
Some would call it fate. Others might chalk it up to coincidence. Either wa… Read Full Bio ↴Some would call it fate. Others might chalk it up to coincidence. Either way, the story of Texas Renegade’s genesis seems more than random—and their new album, “Bad Dreams and Other Things,” proves the union was meant to be. Consider this. Twins Tyson and Eli Carver, who were born in the Texas Hill Country town of Wimberley, moved to Durango, Colo., at age 14. That same year, Andy Bertelsen and Kasey Klepfer moved with their respective families to Wimberley. When the twins graduated high school, the lure of their hometown tugged them back—when a friend introduced them to their future bandmates, their course was set. The Carvers and Bertelsen formed Texas Renegade in 2002; Klepfer joined in 2004, and drummer Luke Ayres came on in 2007. Except for Ayres, it’s the only band any of them have been in (unless you count Bertelsen’s stint playing snare in his elementary-school band). In Texas Renegade—the moniker their first guitarist bestowed on them at a high-school party—Bertelsen handles lead vocals, songwriting and guitar. Mandolinist/guitarist/backing vocalist Tyson and bassist Eli picked up their instruments at 20 and 19, respectively, after ditching fiddle lessons at age 13. Klepfer taught himself to play harmonica seven years ago, and only Ayres (drums) has played his instrument—or any instrument—consistently since childhood. But they’re hardly a batch of late-bloomers. Bertelsen’s voice, which could earn him honorary Braun brother status in Reckless Kelly, carries the nuances of a practiced, yet intuitive singer. With mandolin and harp as frequent lead instruments and Tyson’s harmonies, Texas Renegade creates a soulful, rootsy country-rock blend that places them squarely in the Americana realm; which is only fitting for a band whose formative influences include the Wallflowers, John Hiatt, Counting Crows, Emmylou Harris, the essential Texans and the classic rock their parents played. “Bad Dreams and Other Things,” their third album, cements their status among talents like The Band of Heathens, Jack Ingram, the aforementioned Reckless Kelly and similar artists who share deep Lone Star roots and hybrid sensibilities. And like many of those artists, they honed their skills under the tutelage of Kent Finlay at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, where the Carvers and Bertelsen earned degrees at Texas State University. (Klepfer is a University of Texas grad; Ayres’ degree is from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.) Recorded mainly at Top Hat Recording in South Austin and produced by Austin drummer Stephen Belans (James McMurtry, Alejandro Escovedo), who helmed their last release, “After Everything,” it features 12 Bertelsen-penned cuts and guest spots by keyboardist Michael Ramos (BoDeans, John Mellencamp) Dobro player Cindy Cashdollar (Van Morrison, Ryan Adams) and guitarists Gabe Rhodes, Brad Rice and John Sanchez. Filled with smart lyrics and sweet harmonies, “Bad Dreams” stylistically encompasses everything from the harp- and guitar-driven mid-tempo rock of the first single, “Crazy,” to the soulful country-rock of “Coming Home,” the mournful “Comanche Moon” and the heartfelt “St. Christopher,” an acoustic ballad about death that Bertelsen sings with such an ache in his voice, he leaves no doubt about its authenticity. “Every one of my songs has some sort of story behind it,” he notes. “That is to say, every single song stems from some actual event that has occurred. However, the extent can vary considerably from song to song.” Rarely, he admits, does he write a song that’s entirely based in reality. Which is not to say his lyrics aren’t personal—or meaningful. At least some of his inspiration has to come from being so involved in the lives of his bandmates. Bertelsen and the Carvers are also roommates, and all five swear they’re having the time of their lives in the band. “We like to think we have more fun than any other band on the scene right now,” says Tyson. “People always approach us and say they really enjoy the music, but they also enjoy the fact that we are having fun onstage. We are the true definition of a band. Everyone has equal say and we are a family of guys who really care about one another and love to play music together.” Adds Eli, “We have a lot of fun together on the road and have a very laid-back vibe when we’re together. Pretty much anything goes.” “Anything” includes Camp, a fluffy canine described by Tyson as “half Lhasa-apso, a quarter Chihuahua and a quarter wolf,” who has traveled everywhere with the band for two years. “Some people think he has magical powers, but we just think he is the coolest dog in the world,” says Tyson. Adds Eli, “People try to steal him everywhere we go. There is a very good chance he is more famous than we are.” Well, maybe for now. But once people get a chance to hear “Bad Dreams and Other Things,” Camp’s popularity may have to take a back seat to the band’s. He’ll still get to ride in his primo leather captain’s chair, though—unless they graduate to a bus, in which case, he’ll probably get two seats—and his own bunk. Because, like the rest of these guys, he’s a Texas Renegade!

Be Alright
Texas Renegade Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The flowers didn't grow at all this summer
Through the cracks in the concrete
And the smog came in so thick through the shutters
That I could hardly see the street

As buildings fell in their same old fashion
To demolition ball and chain
Till just like all our love and passion
Only memories remain

It's a hundred and ten degrees
But alone it'll be cold as hell tonight
So you go out and light your little fires
You say it's out of mind as long as I'm out of sight

Chorus:
And I said hey
Everything gonna be alright
There's a better way
But it might not be tonight

Cause everybody loves you and nobody cares
Everybody's leaving but you ain't going nowhere
Girl I know that it don't seem fair at all tonight
But it's gonna be alright

Now these days the blues all look like black
And I'm making revolutions running down a one way track
Well I aint gone but I aint coming back and you know it's sad
The way it's gone
From good to bad

Chorus

Now there's something in the water
That must be getting in my head
Cause everybody is dying
Or there already dead
They got the drug store closed up
The doors they're all locked
They got the streets of this town rolled up with the sidewalks
Where I sleepout on the lawn letting nobody in
Just a waiting on the dawn to come around and break me again

As I wonder
When will it all end
When will it all end
When will it all end





Chorus

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Texas Renegade's song Be Alright paint a picture of a city that has lost its bloom and is covered in smog. The imagery of the flowers not growing through the cracks in the concrete and the smog making it hard to see the street creates a bleak environment. In the face of the city's despair, the chorus reassures that everything will be alright in the end, even if that end seems far away. The cynicism in the song is highlighted by the line, "Everybody loves you and nobody cares, everybody's leaving but you ain't going nowhere," adding to the sense of isolation and desperation.


The lyrics are predominantly describing life in a burnt-out city, as the buildings have fallen in the past or are currently demolished. The sense of decay, neglect and the unknown future seeping through the lyrics is emphasized with the descriptions of the heat and the loneliness, but somehow the chorus imbues a feeling of hope that everything will be alright eventually. The last few lines bring about a sense of personal apocalypse, as the singer waits on the lawn for the dawn to break him again.


Line by Line Meaning

The flowers didn't grow at all this summer
This summer was a failure and nothing good came of it


Through the cracks in the concrete
Even nature has to suffer through the hardships of urban life


And the smog came in so thick through the shutters
Pollution and industrial life threatens to destroy beauty and nature


That I could hardly see the street
Life becomes so bad that everyday routine like walking the streets becomes a painful experience


As buildings fell in their same old fashion
Life is monotonous and continues on as usual, with no improvement


To demolition ball and chain
The demolition of buildings mirroring the destruction of relationships


Till just like all our love and passion
All memories of love and affection have been reduced to dust


Only memories remain
The only things left to cling on are the memories of what used to be


It's a hundred and ten degrees
The world around is burning hot and there is no relief


But alone it'll be cold as hell tonight
Without companionship and love, life is a cold and bleak place


So you go out and light your little fires
People try to find temporary solutions to their problems to distract themselves from reality


You say it's out of mind as long as I'm out of sight
People are afraid to confront their problems head on and try to forget them by leaving them somewhere else


And I said hey
Trying to reassure oneself that all is going to be fine


Everything gonna be alright
Trying to find hope that everything will eventually turn out fine


There's a better way
Believing that there are better days ahead


But it might not be tonight
Acknowledging that things may not improve instantly


Cause everybody loves you and nobody cares
People may pretend to care about you, but ultimately they only care about themselves


Everybody's leaving but you ain't going nowhere
People may leave your life but your problems and issues remain unchanged


Girl I know that it don't seem fair at all tonight
Acknowledging that life is unfair and cruel sometimes


But it's gonna be alright
Finding hope and optimism that things will eventually work out


Now these days the blues all look like black
The world has become so dreary and depressing that even the blues look black


And I'm making revolutions running down a one way track
Trying to create change and progress even if it's a one man battle without any support


Well I aint gone but I aint coming back and you know it's sad
Acknowledging that things may never be the same and the loss of what was


The way it's gone
How life has ended up


From good to bad
How life has turned from good to bad


Now there's something in the water
Something is wrong with the world, it's not just the people


That must be getting in my head
Mental health and depression have taken hold over life


Cause everybody is dying
Death and loss surround life everywhere, making it feel like an epidemic


Or there already dead
People have given up and are just existing rather than living


They got the drug store closed up
Even the solutions that used to work are now out of reach


The doors they're all locked
There is a sense of entrapment and confinement all around


They got the streets of this town rolled up with the sidewalks
Small towns and places where there used to be life are now devoid of it


Where I sleepout on the lawn letting nobody in
People who are lost and hurt sometimes choose to stay isolated and shut out the world


Just a waiting on the dawn to come around and break me again
Waiting for a new beginning and sunrise to come and start anew


As I wonder
Pondering over life and its meaning


When will it all end
Questioning when will the cycle of misery and hurt end




Contributed by Cooper E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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