A Monster Monster is on the loose.
The Almost’s second album for Tooth & Nail/Virgin Records began taking shape just as soon as the band came off the road after touring for their 2007 debut, Southern Weather, including a stint on that summer’s Warped tour.
That album, which debuted at 39 on Billboard’s Top 200, earned them a Top 10 single at Alternative radio, and a spot on MTV’s Discover & Download, was essentially the work of a single individual—Underoath drummer Aaron Gillespie, who wrote all the songs, played all the instruments and then recruited a band to play them live, starting with fellow Floridian Jay Vilardi, a veteran of several well-known area bands like Metal Blade’s Phoenix Mourning and Orlando-based Hand to Hand.
“My job was to teach everyone the songs,” explains Vilardi, who describes himself as the band’s musical director. The addition of Philadelphia-based guitarist Dusty Redman, himself a veteran of Tooth & Nail bands like Beloved and Dead Poetic and Salt Lake City bassist Alex Aponte rounded out the line-up.
The now thoroughly road-tested band was intent to make their latest a completely collaborative effort, melding their talents into a whole that was more than the sum of its individual parts. The process began with Vilardi, Redmon and Aponte e-mailing files back and forth to Gillespie, who was busy penning lyrics and coming up with musical ideas of his own while touring with Underoath, before all four of them got together in the studio to jam and work out the arrangements.
It was a system that resulted in a powerfully cohesive album that melds their diverse songwriting skills, from the thudding, Raw Power-like stomp of the title track and “Young Again,” to the stark acoustic blues and closing psychedelic jam of “Monster,” the techno-rock laced with tribal drums of “Books & Books” and the melodic Coldplay/U2/Kings of Leon arena-rock anthem, “Hands.”
“It turned out to be a really good process because we wound up with a tremendous amount of material we can use,” says Vilardi.
“We jammed on these tracks for hours before we actually laid anything down,” nods Gillespie. “This now feels like a real band. Everyone gave up a piece of his own agenda for the good of the final result. And that’s how you end up with something special. It was a relief for me because it took a lot of the weight off my shoulders. They supplied the bricks and we built the house together.”
The guys also enlisted the help of steel guitarists Chris Scruggs (grandson of bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs) and John Davis (Superdrag vocalist/guitarist) while in the studio. Both Scruggs and Davis helped they guys broaden their musical pallets on a few tracks like “West” and “Hand Grenade.”
“It was whatever each of us could do for the song,” agrees Redmon. “There were no ego issues, no one screaming, ‘I’m Eddie Van Halen!’”
Gillespie says the songs are about the dark side of the human condition, battling your demons to come out the other side, starting with the album’s title.
“I’m giving in to you,” he roars in “Lonely Wheel,” though in “No I Don’t,” which segues from an acoustic beginning to an anthemic rock chorus, he admits, “I’m learning how to wait.” The hard-hitting “Young Again” and the country-flavored “Hand Grenade” (“Oh to be young/It sounds like so much fun”) are both about lost innocence, while “Souls on Ten,” with its piano flourish and urgent intensity, has a Springsteen feel and the grungy garage-rock of “Summer Summer” offers an elegiac nod to vintage Neil Young with Crazy Horse.
“It didn’t start out as a concept album, but by accident, I think it became one,” says Aaron. “It’s about the ‘monster’ that lives inside of all of us, which we have to fight to get rid of. It’s a battle you live with every day. In the end, when that stops, the question remains, can you now live your life? Can you get all of who you are, can you find a place that makes you happy?”
That catharsis comes across loud and clear in the final song on the album, dubbed “Monster,” which starts with Gillespie alone, accompanied by a single dobro. “Learning how to see/In this weird change of space/I’m learning to believe in this life… I feel you helping me.” The song builds until, about two-thirds of the way through, the rest of The Almost come in, embarking on a spontaneous acid-soaked jam, recorded live, that provides the ultimate release.
“Everybody needs that,” says Gillespie. “For some people, it’s drinking, others run, some throw baseballs. I play music. That’s what I do. That gets rid of the garbage in my life.”
“It’s about how terrible we can be at times,” says Vilardi. “It’s hard to be a person today who stands for something. It doesn’t make you better… sometimes it even makes you worse.”
On “Hands,” the band prove they can create an arena- and radio-ready rock anthem, with its martial beat, chiming keyboards and lush ‘80s new wave fizz.
“It’s like an Achtung Baby vibe,” nods Dusty. “That song came out of nowhere. We demoed it, then got into the studio and started playing it and just got real excited.”
“I like working with a song structure,” says Gillespie. “In Underoath, that’s not what we do. We create moments, which is important, but The Almost is something different.”
“Monster Monster” and “Young Again” demonstrate Jay and Dusty’s love of classic garage punk, like The Stooges and The Velvet Underground
. “We really want to put the middle finger back in rock,” says Vilardi. “We love the attitude of bands like Guns N' Roses.”
And that’s strange, because it turns out that rebellion doesn’t conflict with being on Tooth & Nail, where the support of community is almost as important as the religious implications.
“Music should reflect who you are,” says Aaron. “I believe there’s hope in finding who you are. That’s my conviction. At the same time, I want anybody, no matter their affiliation, to react to the music in the same way. I don’t want people to feel they’re being judged.”
With the addition of drummer Joe Musten (Gillespie played all the drums on the album), The Almost is ready to hit the road and do what they do best, play for their increasing fan base around the country.
“We plan on hitting it as hard as we can,” laughs Vilardi. “We’d like to leave and not come back for two years.”
“We’re just beginning now to establish our identity,” concludes Dusty. “There were a lot of people now who are finding out about Underoath through The Almost.”
Now there’s a transformation for you.
HANDS
The Almost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoa whoa oh whoa whoa oh
I'm not afraid
To make big mistakes
I'm not afraid
To fall flat on my face
I need to get this looked at
I need some time to think
About what I've done
Oh!
One last thing before I go
With our hands up high we're screaming
Whoa whoa oh whoa whoa oh
And with our feet
We stomp a cadence for you
It's all free and that's real
It's all free, you said
I need to accept, I need forget I guess
I'm glad I got this looked at
Finally got this looked at
I'm so glad you came for me
Get this, get this right
Before we go
I am the one who needs you
I am the one who needs you
I am the one who needs you
The lyrics of The Almost's song Hands convey a sense of liberation and self-awareness. The opening lines "With our hands up high we're screaming/Whoa whoa oh whoa whoa oh" set the tone for the song, as the singer is proclaiming his own independence and fearlessness. He is not afraid to make mistakes or to face the consequences of his actions, which he acknowledges when he sings, "I'm not afraid/To fall flat on my face."
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, as it represents the singer's desire to break free from his own self-doubt and embrace his own potential. He sings, "With our hands up high we're screaming/Whoa whoa oh whoa whoa oh/And with our feet/We stomp a cadence for you," suggesting that he is making a bold statement about his own identity and his own right to be heard. The repetition of the "whoa" sounds gives the chorus a sense of urgency and momentum, as if the singer is rushing towards an important realization.
The second verse of the song introduces a new element, as the singer reflects on the mistakes he has made in the past and the need for self-improvement. He sings, "I need to get this looked at/Need to get this looked at/I need some time to think/About what I've done." These lines suggest that the singer is taking responsibility for his actions and is actively seeking a way to move forward. The closing lines of the song, in which he sings, "I am the one who needs you/I am the one who needs you/I am the one who needs you," suggest that he is seeking support and guidance from someone he trusts.
Overall, The Almost's song Hands is a powerful anthem about self-discovery, self-improvement, and the importance of embracing one's own potential. The lyrics are full of energy and momentum, and the chorus is particularly memorable for its simple but effective repetition of the "whoa" sounds.
Line by Line Meaning
With our hands up high we're screaming
We are expressing ourselves passionately and boldly
Whoa whoa oh whoa whoa oh
These sounds represent the excitement, energy, and cathartic release we feel when we shout and sing with abandon
I'm not afraid
I am willing to take risks and face challenges without fear
To make big mistakes
I am aware that I might make grave errors or miscalculations, but I am willing to learn from them
To fall flat on my face
I am okay with failing and being embarrassed because I know that it's part of growth and development
I need to get this looked at
I have something that needs attention, some problem or issue that requires resolution or examination
I need some time to think
I require a moment of reflection and contemplation to sort out my thoughts and emotions
About what I’ve done
I reflect on past actions or decisions and assess their impact or consequences
One last thing before I go
I have something important to say or do before leaving
And with our feet
Our entire body is involved in this expression of joy and defiance
We stomp a cadence for you
We create a steady rhythm with our feet and dance to celebrate the moment
It's all free and that's real
This experience of shouting, dancing, and expressing ourselves has no cost or pretense, and it is authentic and genuine
It's all free, you said
Someone else gave us permission or encouraged us to be ourselves without any constraints or conditions
I need to accept, I need forget I guess
I must acknowledge and let go of some hurt or pain, or some negative memory or emotion, and move on
I'm glad I got this looked at
I feel relieved and grateful for addressing or resolving something that was bothering me earlier
Finally got this looked at
After some delay or hesitation, I was finally able to deal with a concern or problem that was affecting me
I'm so glad you came for me
I appreciate someone who cared enough to support or rescue me when I needed help
Get this, get this right
I want to do something accurately, precisely, or correctly, and I am emphasizing this urgency
I am the one who needs you
I am expressing my dependence, vulnerability, or affection to someone whom I care about or admire
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: AARON GILLESPIE, ALEX APONTI, DUSTY REDMON (23061), JAY VILARDI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind