In 2010, they released their second album, The Ship and The Sea (March 2010), co-produced by the band and Jason Lehning.
Free tracks can be downloaded at their offical website, http://theautumnfilm.com/share. The new album can be heard at http://theshipandthesea.com.
Band Members:
Tifah Phillips - vocals, keys
Dann Stockton - drums, keys
Reid Phillips - guitar, programming, keys
“Like a post-collegiate Fiona Apple jamming with Snow Patrol, The Autumn Film serves up a piano-drenched sincerity topped off with a voice that’s wise and heartbroken beyond its years”.
- The A.V. Club
Of The Ship and The Sea, the Westword said, "Here are songs to break down to and be lifted by. It is melancholia that does not fill a space as much as consume it. There is a lack of subtlety to the lyric… But this isn't about being coy. This is about the naked moments of familiar lovers who know each other too well to bother with aloof or witty. In those moments, the only things that will do are patience and honesty, and the Autumn Film doesn't know any other way."
Ships On The Ocean Floor
The Autumn Film Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back and forth the pendulum perpetuates
Can you hear it ringing in the distance?
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
Woaah, oh woaah, I found it once and I'll make it back again,
woooooo
the sound of waves on the rocks means I'm getting close to shore,
Can you hear me singing in the distance?
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
Woaah, oh woaah, I found it once and I made it back again,
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
woooooo
Ohh-oh-oh-oh
Ohh-oh-oh-oh
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
Woaah, oh woaah, I found it once and I made it back again,
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
woooooo
The lyrics to The Autumn Film's song Ships on the Ocean Floor are about the search for something lost and the determination to find it again. The first stanza implies that the singer once had something valuable but lost it due to a brief lapse in attention. The second stanza indicates that the singer is listening to a sound that has always existed in their head, possibly a metaphor for a dream or goal that the singer is pursuing. The use of the word "perpetuates" suggests that the search for this dream or goal is ongoing and cyclical, like a pendulum swinging back and forth.
The chorus of the song expresses a sense of determination and resilience. Despite losing the valuable thing, the singer found it once and is confident they can find it again. The repeated "woaah, oh woaah" creates a sense of defiant hopefulness.
The third stanza compares the singer's journey to the ships on the ocean floor, which could be a metaphor for sunken dreams or failed attempts. However, the sound of waves on the rocks signifies the singer is getting closer to shore, which could represent achieving the dream or goal. The final stanza repeats the chorus and completes the theme of determination and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
I had it once, but I blinked and it got away
I had something special but lost it quickly due to my own mistake.
Back and forth the pendulum perpetuates
Life keeps moving forward and repeating cycles, like a pendulum swing.
Can you hear it ringing in the distance?
A hopeful call for someone to recognize and appreciate the sound of potential success.
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
The feeling of finally finding the sound or feeling they have been searching for.
Woaah, oh woaah, I found it once and I'll make it back again,
The determination to regain what was once had and hold onto it this time.
I'm taking cues from the ships on the ocean floor,
Drawing inspiration from the depths of despair and hopelessness to guide them forward.
the sound of waves on the rocks means I'm getting close to shore,
Small signs of progress indicate that they are nearing their destination.
Can you hear me singing in the distance?
A plea for others to acknowledge their efforts and potential success.
Ohh-oh-oh-oh
A short musical interlude.
Woaah, oh woaah, this is the sound I've always heard in my head,
Reaffirming the importance and significance of their goal.
Woaah, oh woaah, I found it once and I made it back again,
Reflecting on past successes and the capable mindset needed to succeed again.
woooooo
A musical refrain.
Contributed by Xavier M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.