Named after a section of the book 'White Noise', written by postmodernist author Don DeLillo, the group incorporates string instruments and keyboards along with a standard rock lineup of guitar, drums, and bass guitar. Their style takes in a variety of influences from classic rock and roll to arcane-sounding art rock to tuneful indie pop and more. They have been signed to Majordomo Records for many years; on March 4, 2009, the band signed to Island Records.
Formed in the wake of a series of personal tragedies in the life of front-man Mikel Jollett, the band has gathered a reputation for one of the most exciting and energetic live shows in years. Stomping, screaming, wailing, crooning through bony rock songs and enormous dark anthems, the band embodies the desire to live life fully in the face of a world saturated with media and fear. The Cali five-piece's eponymous debut EP includes nods to rock music's most transcendent tidbits: subtle references to the sad-eyed melancholy of The Cure, the balled-fist intensity of The Fall, and the art school disaffection of the Velvet Underground.
The Airborne Toxic Event released their second album, All At Once on April 26, 2011. Songfacts reports the band explaining: "It's called 'All at Once' because the songs deal with the idea of sudden change—how life generally doesn't change incrementally. Your parents die, a child is born, the airplane shakes, a former love from a former life walks casually by you on the street, and suddenly everything is different. We live in the quiet passages between these extraordinary moments of change. It's exhilarating. It's terrifying. It can be monstrously disfiguring. It can be potentially redemptive."
This Is Nowhere
The Airborne Toxic Event Lyrics
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And we stare at the rain in our boots
The car, the clouds, the sky
While Ishmael wraps himself in the sheet again
He'll clench the fists and close his eyes
I don't know how many times
I can loan him my cigarettes
When I don't even know if he's alive
It makes me feel less horrified
And my closet's filled with
All these endless accouterments
These shoes, these scars
These shirts, these ties
And these things I say to make myself feel good again
I'll speak, I'll write, I'll laugh, I'll lie
I can't bear to sit here and drink myself sick again
Another night
When everything I know was just a lie
And I don't even know where I'll sleep tonight
I got nothing to do but stare at these walls
And take some time to screw my head on right
We all ended up alone, wasted here at Silver Lake
We'll work, we'll feed, we'll change, we'll try
I can't make any sense of this or you or anything
I'm wide awake, and all our parents lied
It's not alright, and all our words collide
Awake all night
The Airborne Toxic Event's song, This Is Nowhere, is a poignant reflection of modern-day life where people are struggling to make sense of their surroundings. The song opens with an image of people sitting on the curb, staring at the rain and lost in thought about the world around them. The singer observes Ishmael, who is struggling with his existence and is lost in his own world. He wonders if prophets lie and tries to comfort Ishmael by offering him a cigarette. The angst and uncertainty in his voice are palpable as he contemplates the meaning and purpose of life.
The second stanza shifts the focus to the singer's own struggles. He is surrounded by possessions, yet he feels empty inside. He speaks, writes, laughs, and lies to make himself feel good again but still feels lost. He cannot bear to sit and drink himself sick and escape the reality of his life. He is alone and uncertain about where he will sleep that night. The chorus highlights the disparate thoughts and feelings that keep him awake all night.
This Is Nowhere is a powerful and moving song that captures the universal struggles of modern-day life. It is a reflection of the isolation, loneliness, and confusion that many people experience daily. The lyrics are poignant, the melody is haunting, and the instrumentation is impressive. The Airborne Toxic Event has created a timeless masterpiece that will resonate with listeners for years to come.
Line by Line Meaning
We all sit on the curb
We sit together on the side of the street
And we stare at the rain in our boots
Watching the rainwater drip down, collecting in our shoes
The car, the clouds, the sky
The vehicles, the formations, and the color palette above us all catch our attention
While Ishmael wraps himself in the sheet again
Ishmael is off to the side, concealing himself in a covering
He'll clench the fists and close his eyes
He'll tighten his grip and shut his eyelids in frustration and despair
I don't know how many times
The frequency with which I offer
I can loan him my cigarettes
I can share my cigarettes with him
When I don't even know if he's alive
Despite not knowing if he's still living
Do prophets lie?
Is it likely that the prophets deceived us?
It makes me feel less horrified
I am comforted somewhat by that notion
And my closet's filled with
My clothing storage space is stuffed with
All these endless accouterments
All of these miscellaneous items and accessories
These shoes, these scars
This pair of footwear is only one of my many injuries
These shirts, these ties
In addition to numerous tops and neckties
And these things I say to make myself feel good again
These are the utterances that I repeat to make myself happy once more
I'll speak, I'll write, I'll laugh, I'll lie
I will communicate, I will compose, I will chuckle, and I will deceive
I can't bear to sit here and drink myself sick again
I cannot tolerate sitting here and getting drunk once more
Another night
Once more in the evening
When everything I know was just a lie
When everything I thought I knew was only an illusion
And I don't even know where I'll sleep tonight
I don't even know where I will lay my head down tonight.
I got nothing to do but stare at these walls
I have nothing to do except stare at these partitions
And take some time to screw my head on right
Take some time to clarify my thoughts
We all ended up alone, wasted here at Silver Lake
We all became isolated, intoxicated without a purpose at Silver Lake
We'll work, we'll feed, we'll change, we'll try
We are prepared to persist and toil
I can't make any sense of this or you or anything
I am unable to make sense of anything, including you
I'm wide awake, and all our parents lied
I'm completely alert and conscious, and our parents lied to us
It's not alright, and all our words collide
Things are not okay, and everything we're saying is clashing.
Awake all night
Remaining alert throughout the night
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANNA BULBROOK, DAREN TAYLOR, MIKEL FRANS JOLLETT, NOAH HARMON, STEPHEN CHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind