Their HQ is on the corner of Mott and Broome, on the edge of New York's Chinatown. Push through the graffiti-ed door, clamber up the rotten stairs, past the sweatshops, and you'll find the place. It's where the Bravery have spent the past two years planning operations, obsessively working up their wire-y garage-electronics, and occasionally venturing out into the city to play the results.
Their first gig was in the Stinger Club in Brooklyn in 2003. Twelve months later, their name was plastered all over the Lower East Side to celebrate a sold-out residency at Arlene's Grocery on Stanton. In that time, the Bravery -- singer/guitarist Sam Endicott, guitarist Michael Zakarin, bassist Mike H, keyboardist John Conway, and drummer Anthony Burulcich -- had honed their sound to a dark garage-electro and made sure everyone knew what they were all about.
"We're called the Bravery because that's the mindset I was in when I was writing the songs," explains Sam now. "Everyone in my age group wants to know what they're going to do with their lives. They all think that they're worth nothing and they're heading nowhere. People are drowning in these thoughts and I just got sick of it. I didn't want to be like that."
"The name is also connected with living in New York in this really weird time. People are constantly waiting for something bad to happen. I wrote these songs and formed this band to make sure I didn't get overcome by that sense of fear. That's what this band is about--standing tall and not being afraid."
Sam has no time for excuses. He grew up in Maryland, in the D.C. suburbs, and was heavily influenced by the area's intense post-punk scene. He'd go and see bands like Fugazi and Jawbox and be impressed by their DiY ethic. He quickly adopted it as his own philosophy and it's something that feeds directly into the Bravery. They do everything --they make the records, the artwork, the videos. Everything. They know what they want and how they want to do it.
"I don't really like mainstream music at all," admits Sam. "When I listen to the radio or watch MTV, 99% of it is like listening to an air-conditioner or a hair dryer. Sometimes, though, something comes along that jolts you. When I was growing up, it was bands like Nirvana and Jane's Addiction. Those bands elevate culture. I don't think there's any point in aiming for anything less."
One thing that sometimes puzzles people about the Bravery is why they sound electronic when all the bands they like are punk guitar bands. Sam doesn't know why they sound like they do. He just wanted to do something different. Of course, the circumstances in which they recorded their album (most of which was constructed in a Sam's bedroom with Radio Shack mikes and an old iMac) and the fact that Sam's best friend John Conway is totally obsessed with analog keyboards obviously helped shape their sound.
The Bravery are now signed to Loog in the U.K. and Island Def Jam in America. Their first release arrived in November, 2004 in the form of a brilliant three-track EP. The Bravery have since had success with their self titled debut album, released in 2005, and a top ten hit in the UK with their single 'Honest Mistake'.
In late 2006, the band played a limited number of small shows on the US East Coast and in South America to showcase new material from their upcoming 2nd album. Endicott describes the new album as a departure from the synth-heavy sound of their debut. The Sun and the Moon is currently scheduled for release May. In February, the band uploaded a medley of three new songs onto their official page, with minute long clips of three new tracks due to be included on the forthcoming album. Since then, their newest album 'The Sun and The Moon' has been climbing the charts, with the first single 'Time Won't Let Me Go' receiving praise from critics. its test
After the release of The Sun and The Moon, The Bravery has taken a leave of absence for the members to pursue their own individual projects. An excerpt from The Bravery's official website:
"To answer your many queries, the band has not βbroken up,β nothing so dramatic as that. We just arenβt doing anything together and donβt have any plans to for the foreseeable future. Thereβs been no βfalling out,β no bad blood, we all just have different interests now and are involved in our own projects." -Sam Endicott 4-25-14
Bad Sun
The Bravery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like the spring we are such fools
Like fall we are the prophets
Like winter we are cruel
I don't know what's wrong with us
They just made us this way
There's a hole in you and me
And I don't know where we belong
I think we grew under a bad sun
I know we're not like everyone
You and me we grew, under a bad sun
Every day you bring me pain
And we savor it like rain
We hold it on our tongues
Just like wine
Someday back when we were young
I guess something just went wrong
The two of us are hung
From the same twisted rope
And I don't know where we belong
I think we grew under a bad sun
I know we're not like everyone
You and me we grew under a bad sun
And I don't know where we belong
I think we grew under a bad sun
I know we're not like everyone
You and me we grew under a bad sun
You and me we grew under a bad sun
You and me we grew under a bad sun
The opening lines of The Bravery's "Bad Sun" speaks to the idea that as humans, we are all flawed and often act in ways that can be destructive, just like the changing seasons. The line "I don't know what's wrong with us, they just made us this way" suggests a sense of powerlessness, as if they have no control over their actions or the situations that brought them to where they are now. The chorus, "I think we grew under a bad sun, I know we're not like everyone," reveals a feeling of isolation and alienation from society, as if they are different from the norm and struggle to find a sense of belonging.
The second verse continues with the idea that their relationship is painful yet addictive, "every day you bring me pain and we savor it like rain, we hold it on our tongues just like wine." This suggests they have been stuck in this self-destructive manner for quite some time, with no seeming hope of breaking free. The final chorus, "you and me we grew under a bad sun," brings the focus back to their mutual experiences, implying that it's their shared history that binds them together, despite the negative consequences
Overall, "Bad Sun" is a song that speaks of the human experience in all its complexity. It's about feeling lost, alone, and struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. The lyrics also suggest that our actions and relationships can be destructive, even addictive, but that we are all just trying to find our way in a world that often feels harsh and unforgiving.
Line by Line Meaning
We are lies like the summertime
We are fake and deceptive, like the temporary and fleeting nature of summer
Like the spring we are such fools
Similar to how nature renews itself in spring, we too appear foolish and naive in our attempts to start over
Like fall we are the prophets
As fall brings change and endings, we seem to have a premonition or foresight for what's to come
Like winter we are cruel
Similar to how winter brings hardships and frigid conditions, we too can be harsh and unfeeling
I don't know what's wrong with us
We have something inherently wrong or broken within us
They just made us this way
We were shaped and influenced by some external force
There's a hole in you and me
We both have an emptiness or void that we try to fill
That pulls us together
Despite our differences and flaws, we are drawn to one another because of this shared emptiness
And I don't know where we belong
We lack a sense of belonging or purpose
I think we grew under a bad sun
Our upbringing or environment was negative or harmful
I know we're not like everyone
We recognize that we're different from others
Every day you bring me pain
Our relationship is filled with hurt and suffering
And we savor it like rain
Despite the pain, we cling to it and derive pleasure from it
We hold it on our tongues
We keep the pain close to us and don't let it go
Just like wine
The pain has aged and matured, becoming more potent over time
Someday back when we were young
There was a time when we were innocent and pure
I guess something just went wrong
Some event or circumstance caused us to deviate from that path
The two of us are hung
We are both burdened and trapped by our past
From the same twisted rope
Our struggle is interconnected and shared
You and me we grew under a bad sun
Reiterating that our upbringing or environment had negative consequences on us
You and me we grew under a bad sun
Final reminder that our shared pain and isolation is due to something beyond our control
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAMUEL BINGHAM ENDICOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind