Aside from a brief interlude in 1998 and 1999 when they were signed by major label Interscope Records, the band recorded for local label DeSoto Records. Their third record and breakthrough album, Emergency & I, was actually created during their time at Interscope; however, they were dropped from the label shortly after its completion, and thus took it back with them to DeSoto, where it wound up being released. The Ice of Boston EP is the only item of theirs Interscope actually released during their tenure there.
Following the massive underground success of Emergency & I, the band received an even higher profile after being invited to open for the European leg of Pearl Jam's 2000 tour. The band recorded and released a follow-up to Emergency & I, Change, in 2001 using the severance money they received from Interscope, and a subsequent co-headlining tour in 2002 with Death Cab for Cutie (cheekily called the "Death and Dismemberment Tour") also worked well to raise both bands' profiles and cross-pollinate their fanbases, as well as forge creative ties between several members.
Later that summer and fall, the Dismemberment Plan started to debut songs for their follow-up to Change. In 2002, the band put all the music tracks from their last two albums on their website, encouraging fans to remix the songs. The result was 2003's A People's History of the Dismemberment Plan. On January 19, 2003, however, the band announced on their website that they had decided to break up after a few tours that year. A final show was planned for July 28, 2003 in Washington D.C.'s famous outdoor show space, Fort Reno Park. However, come show-time, a heavy rain had driven off all but the most devoted fans, leading the band to add one more final show.
On September 1, 2003, the band closed out the first part of their career with a sold-out show at the renowned 9:30 Club. Following the split, Travis Morrison took the post-Change songs with him for further work, and released many of them on his first album, Travistan, in 2004. Jason Caddell worked with Morrison on Morrison's second album, All Y'all, which was released under the name Travis Morrison Hellfighters. Eric Axelson started a band called Maritime with former members of The Promise Ring; they released an album, Glass Floor, in 2004. Axelson subsequently left Maritime and joined the band Statehood in mid-2006 with Joe Easley until the tragic death of Clark Sabine in June 2009. The Dismemberment Plan itself even reunited for two shows to benefit Cal Robbins at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C. on April 29 and April 30, 2007. A full reunion still seemed unlikely, though, and on July 2, 2009, Travis Morrison announced his retirement from music, stating that there would be no more shows or bands.
In late 2010, however, the Dismemberment Plan announced that they would reunite for a full-scale tour in 2011 coinciding with Barsuk's vinyl reissue of Emergency & I. At the time, the band denied that they were planning a new record, but implied that one could be possible. By the time the tour was finished, the band played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, as well as three performances in Washington, D.C., the Pitchfork Music Festival, Philadelphia's Roots Picnic, and ten other dates.
The band reconvened once again in 2012 and played several small-venue shows in Baltimore, Maryland and Fredericksburg, Virginia, where they debuted eight new songs; a month later, Travis Morrison confirmed that they were working on a new record. On June 26, 2013, the band officially announced their fifth studio album (and first new record in 12 years), entitled Uncanney Valley. It was released via Partisan Records on October 15, 2013.
Gyroscope
The Dismemberment Plan Lyrics
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A little black dress a little too tight
Tries to make small talk but it drips with spite
She knows that he's coming; it's really all right
Nobody here could know how she feels
Not getting drunk and she hates wearing heels
She tries to stand, but the room seems to bend and reel
Her friends all keep asking why can't she just deal
If she spins fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of her heart will stay together
But any gyroscope can't spin forever, yea
If she spins fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of her heart will stay together
But any gyroscope can't spin forever
He says it's over and it's such a release
It's finally happened and he's making his peace
All the reminders don't bother him in the least
The Jekyll and Hyde shit will finally cease
His eyes on fire and his hands kind of shake
Like his voice is ready to break
You kind of wonder how long this boy's been awake
Or how much less sense one person can make
If he spins fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of his heart will stay together
But any gyroscope can't spin forever, yea
If he spins fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of his heart will stay together
But ain't no gyroscope can spin forever, yea
Happiness is such hard work, and it gets harder every day
And it can kill you, but no one wants to be that tacky about it
If you spin fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of your heart will stay together
But some things I've seen lately make me doubt it.
The Dismemberment Plan's song "Gyroscope" is a melancholic and introspective take on despair and heartbreak, with lyrics that poetically capture the feeling of trying to hold oneself together as things fall apart. The song's opening verse sets the scene with a woman dressed up in a tight black dress and too much lipstick, trying to make small talk with an air of bitterness and resentment. She's trying to keep her composure as she waits for someone, but the room seems to be spinning around her, and her friends keep asking her why she can't just deal with her problems.
The chorus introduces the metaphor of a gyroscope, a spinning device that can maintain balance in spite of external forces. The singer hopes that if she spins fast enough, she can keep the broken pieces of her heart together, but the song's message is that no gyroscope can spin forever. The second verse focuses on a man who has just ended a relationship and feels a sense of relief, but also a mixture of anger and sadness. His voice is ready to break as he tries to make sense of his feelings and stop the Jekyll and Hyde act that has characterized his relationship.
The final verse sums up the song's message, with the singer recognizing that happiness is hard work and that it can kill you if you try too hard to maintain it. The reality of life is that things fall apart and hearts break, and the idea that any gyroscope can keep spinning forever is a hopeful illusion. The Dismemberment Plan's lyrics capture the feeling of trying to hold it all together while recognizing the inevitability of falling apart, and "Gyroscope" remains a powerful and poignant song about the fragility of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
She's wearing too much lipstick tonight
Tonight, she's trying a little too hard to impress, with an excessive amount of lipstick.
A little black dress a little too tight
Her attire is too suggestive, with a black dress a little too tight.
Tries to make small talk but it drips with spite
Although she attempts to make small talk, her true frustration bubbles to the surface with every word.
She knows that he's coming; it's really all right
Despite the façade of composure, it is evident she is nervous about his arrival.
Nobody here could know how she feels
Her emotions are hidden from view and remain unknown to those around her.
Not getting drunk and she hates wearing heels
She refuses to resort to drunkenness to numb her pain, and she loathes the physical pain of wearing high heels.
She tries to stand, but the room seems to bend and reel
The weight of her emotions makes it difficult to even stand still.
Her friends all keep asking why can't she just deal
Her friends are confused as to why she is unable to cope with her situation and move on.
If she spins fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of her heart will stay together
She hopes that by distracting herself enough, she can keep her broken heart from falling apart completely.
But any gyroscope can't spin forever, yea
However, any attempt to keep the pieces of her heart together is bound to fail eventually.
He says it's over and it's such a release
He expresses relief that the relationship is finally over.
It's finally happened and he's making his peace
He is coming to terms with the end of the relationship.
All the reminders don't bother him in the least
The reminders of the relationship no longer hold any emotional weight for him.
The Jekyll and Hyde shit will finally cease
The inconsistency in his behavior resembling Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will come to an end.
His eyes on fire and his hands kind of shake
Despite his relief, his physicality shows that he is still emotional about it.
Like his voice is ready to break
His voice shows signs of cracking due to the emotions he is holding back.
You kind of wonder how long this boy's been awake
It's unclear how long it has been since he last slept due to his emotional turmoil.
Or how much less sense one person can make
His thoughts and feelings are all jumbled and make little to no sense.
Happiness is such hard work, and it gets harder every day
The effort required to maintain one's happiness becomes more difficult over time.
And it can kill you, but no one wants to be that tacky about it
The pursuit of happiness can take a toll, but nobody wants to acknowledge it in such a crude manner.
If you spin fast enough than maybe the broken pieces of your heart will stay together
Similar to the woman earlier, the man hopes to distract himself enough to keep his broken heart intact.
But some things I've seen lately make me doubt it.
However, recent experiences have made him doubt the effectiveness of this strategy.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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