They released the (together) EP shortly after Burst Apart which contained 8 remixes and covers with several collaberating artists.
In 2012 the Undersea EP was released containing 4 new songs.
On March 31th 2014 the band announced the 5th studio album called "Familiars". It was released on June 17th 2014 receiving critical acclaim worldwide.
Peter Silberman - vocals, guitar
Michael Lerner - drums, percussion
Darby Cicci - keyboards, trumpet, bowed banjo
Additional members
Justin Stivers – bass guitar on Hospice
Timothy Mislock - bass guitar, guitar (touring)
Discography:
Uprooted (2006)
In the Attic of the Universe (2007)
Cold War (EP) (2008)
New York Hospitals (EP) (2008)
Hospice (2009)
Burst Apart (2011)
(together) (EP) (2011)
Undersea (EP) (2012)
Familiars (2014)
Green to Gold (2021)
Sylvia
The Antlers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You swing first, sorry
I don't know what I said
But you're crying now again
And that only makes it worse
Let me do my job
Let me do my job
Sylvia, get your head out of the oven
Go back to screaming and cursing
Remind me again how everyone betrayed you
Sylvia, get your head out of the covers
Let me take your temperature
You can throw the thermometer right back at me
If that's what you want to do, okay?
Please, please calm down
Steady out, I'm terrified
Sorry, I want us to ally
But you swing on little knives
They're only sharp on one side
Let me do my job
Let me do my job
Sylvia, get your head out of the oven
Go back to screaming and cursing
Remind me again how everyone betrayed you
Sylvia, get your head out of the covers
Let me take your temperature
You can throw the thermometer right back at me
If that's what you want to do, okay?
Sylvia, can't you see what you are doing?
Can't you see I'm scared to speak
And I hate my voice because it only makes you angry
Sylvia, I only talk when you are sleeping
That's when I tell you everything
And I imagine that somehow you're going to hear me
The song Sylvia, by The Antlers, is a heart-wrenching portrayal of a couple's struggle with mental illness, specifically, Sylvia's battle with depression. The opening lines, "Please, curtains in, start us off, You swing first, sorry, I don't know what I said, But you're crying now again, And that only makes it worse," highlight the constant back and forth that can occur when one partner is struggling with depression. The singer is trying to help Sylvia, but she is in such a dark place that even the smallest thing can trigger her to tears.
The chorus, "Sylvia, get your head out of the oven, Go back to screaming and cursing, Remind me again how everyone betrayed you, Sylvia, get your head out of the covers, Let me take your temperature, You can throw the thermometer right back at me, If that's what you want to do, okay?" portrays how Sylvia is struggling with suicidal thoughts and how her partner is trying to help her through it. The lyrics are poignant as they depict someone who is trying to help their partner through a tough time, but they themselves are also struggling to cope.
The song then moves onto Sylvia's partner feeling scared to speak up, and how it is difficult for them to express themselves when Sylvia is around. The lyric "Sylvia, can't you see what you are doing? Can't you see I'm scared to speak? And I hate my voice because it only makes you angry," shows how Sylvia's illness is affecting both of them. In the end, the song expresses the singer's hopelessness in trying to break through to Sylvia, and how they only feel heard when she is sleeping.
Line by Line Meaning
Please, curtains in, start us off
Let's close the curtains and begin the conversation.
You swing first, sorry
You can start speaking first, I apologize.
I don't know what I said
I'm unsure of what I said that upset you.
But you're crying now again
But now you're crying, which makes me feel worse.
And that only makes it worse
Your crying is making the situation worse.
Let me do my job
Let me handle this situation.
Sylvia, get your head out of the oven
Sylvia, please stop thinking about harming yourself.
Go back to screaming and cursing
Instead, speak your emotions out loud and release your anger.
Remind me again how everyone betrayed you
Remind me of the people who hurt you in the past.
Sylvia, get your head out of the covers
Stop avoiding the problem and face it.
Let me take your temperature
Let me assess your emotional state.
You can throw the thermometer right back at me
If you want to express your emotions towards me, you can do so.
If that's what you want to do, okay?
It's alright if you feel the need to express your anger towards me.
Please, please calm down
Please try to relax and calm down.
Steady out, I'm terrified
I'm scared of how you're reacting and want things to calm down.
Sorry, I want us to ally
I apologize, I want us to work together to resolve this issue.
But you swing on little knives
You're saying hurtful things to me.
They're only sharp on one side
Your words are only hurting yourself in the long run.
Sylvia, can't you see what you are doing?
Sylvia, do you not realize the harm you're causing?
Can't you see I'm scared to speak
I'm afraid to speak up because of how you'll react.
And I hate my voice because it only makes you angry
My words only seem to upset you, which makes me feel powerless.
Sylvia, I only talk when you are sleeping
I only feel comfortable expressing myself when you're not awake.
That's when I tell you everything
That's when I feel safe enough to share my true feelings.
And I imagine that somehow you're going to hear me
I hope that you'll somehow understand my words and make a change for the better.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Peter Joseph Silberman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-fp4lg6yp6j
Please, curtains in
Start us off
You swing first
Sorry, I don't know what I said
But you're crying now again
And that only makes it worse
Let me do my job
Let me do my job
Sylvia, get your head out of the oven
Go back to screaming and cursing
Remind me again how everyone betrayed you
Sylvia, get your head out of the covers
Let me take your temperature
You can throw the thermometer right back at me
If that's what you want to do, okay?
Please, please calm down
Steady out, I'm terrified
Sorry
I want us to ally
But you swing on little knives
They're only sharp on one side
Let me do my job
And let me do my job
Sylvia, get your head out of the oven
Go back to screaming and cursing
Remind me again how everyone betrayed you
Sylvia, get your head out of the covers
Let me take your temperature
You can throw the thermometer right back at me
If that's what you want to do, okay?
Sylvia, can't you see what you are doing?
Can't you see I'm scared to speak
And I hate my voice 'cause it only makes you angry
Sylvia, I only talk when you are sleeping
That's when I tell you everything
And I imagine that somehow you're going to hear me
@Kalitayy
This album hits harder when you realize you are the "hospice". Not in an abusive/manipulative way (at least, that's what I think) but the habit of hating yourself too much that it hurts those who actually care about you.
@asaelcalderon3435
Have you ever love someone so much that it hurts? That You know that person is gonna leave you and hurt itself, and you don't know if safe her or safe yourself.
@Spiritryptamine
Some people are beyond redemption.
@HTFFanOfFlaky
Not anymore
@MrAntAve
what
@joepisacreta3822
The instant you think someone is beyond redemption is the instant you start moving down the path of being a monster
@ripelivejam
Those triumphant horns at the end always get me.
@doesntmatter5028
Underrated voice. Underrated band. Underrated song. Underrated Sylvia.
It just hits differently when you know the story behind it.
@Cravennats
What’s the story
@Anne-wf1vo
@@Cravennats So the lead singer was in an emotionally abusive relationship. This album tells a story much like that, but as a metaphor it's happening in a hospice (If English isn't your first language; it's a place terminally ill patients go to pass away peacefully and get medications etc. to stop their physical pain.) "Sylvia" as they refer to her is a hospice patient with bone cancer who falls in love (and/or is engaged to according to some interpretations) to a nurse who works there, the male singer/narrator. She's very emotionally abusive and yells and curses a lot at him, but he doesn't feel like he has the right to feel hurt by it, or stand up against her, because she has it worse. This is exactly what it feels like to be in a real abusive relationship; you don't feel like you have the right to be hurt by someone who is in more pain than you are, or tells you they are.
Later in the album "Sylvia" passes away and he realizes a bunch of shit. I can't explain all of it but if you pay attention to the lyrics of the last three or two songs, you'll get it.