Flite Acres Road
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!

Flite Acres Road
Texas Renegade Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the middle of the night
Every car that passes by
Gives a fleeting bit of hope
To my heart

Cause just around the bend
I may find a friend
To show me
Which way to go
Down on flite acres road

Well I've been good and I've been bad
Happy I've been sad
I've felt joy and I've felt pain down there
But in the middle of the night
The car lights shine so bright
As I drive into a fate unknown

Chorus:
But the river it runs by
And the seasons they pass
As the sands of time
Move to the bottom of the glass
And when I close my eyes
The memories they flow
And I don't think that I'll ever get off
Of flite acres road

Sometimes I go
Down to the blanco
And I sit there all alone on the bank
As the wind blows through the trees
There's a calmness on the brees
And I wonder about things I'll never know





Chorus x2

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Texas Renegade's song Flite Acres Road express the hope and uncertainty that one experiences while driving in the middle of the night. Each car that passes by evokes a fleeting bit of hope that one may find a friend, someone to show the way down Flite Acres Road. The singer acknowledges that life has brought both happiness and sadness, and while the memories flow through their mind like the sands in an hourglass, they cannot seem to get off Flite Acres Road. The river runs by, as the seasons pass, and time continues to flow, but the car lights still shine bright in the middle of the night.


The chorus repeats the idea that the sands of time move to the bottom of the glass, and the memories continue to flow as the singer wonders if they will ever get off Flite Acres Road. The second verse describes the singer sitting alone on the bank of the Blanco River, pondering about things they will never know, as the wind blows through the calm trees. The uncertainty and mystery that life holds are evident in this particular verse, as the singer ruminates on the unknown.


Overall, the song conveys a sense of longing for guidance and clarity in life. The singer embodies the human experience of searching for someone or something to show them the way, while acknowledging the inevitability of time and the mystery surrounding life.


Line by Line Meaning

In the middle of the night
Late at night when it's quiet and dark


Every car that passes by
Every vehicle that drives by


Gives a fleeting bit of hope
Brings a small glimmer of hope


To my heart
To my emotions and feelings


Cause just around the bend
Because I believe something good could be just ahead


I may find a friend
I could encounter a friendly person who will help me


To show me
To guide me


Which way to go
Which direction to take


Down on flite acres road
On the road called Flite Acres


Well I've been good and I've been bad
I've had both positive and negative experiences in life


Happy I've been sad
I've experienced both happiness and sadness


I've felt joy and I've felt pain down there
I've had moments of joy and pain on that road


But in the middle of the night
During the quiet hours of the night


The car lights shine so bright
The headlights of passing vehicles are very bright


As I drive into a fate unknown
As I continue my journey into an uncertain future


But the river it runs by
The river is always there


And the seasons they pass
Time goes on and things change


As the sands of time
Symbolizing the passing of time


Move to the bottom of the glass
Like sand falling to the bottom of an hourglass


And when I close my eyes
When I reflect and remember


The memories they flow
Memories come flooding back


And I don't think that I'll ever get off
I feel like I'll always be on that road


Of flite acres road
On Flite Acres Road


Sometimes I go
I occasionally visit


Down to the blanco
To the Blanco River


And I sit there all alone on the bank
I sit by myself on the riverbank


As the wind blows through the trees
Feeling the wind rustling the leaves


There's a calmness on the brees
A sense of peacefulness in the air


And I wonder about things I'll never know
I contemplate mysteries that may never be solved


Chorus x2
Repeats the chorus




Contributed by Anthony H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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