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.
The Other Side
The Dismemberment Plan Lyrics
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there are days when a warm look from a strange face will make me forget my name
there'll be nights when you wonder where the party's at now
and you wonder why you never split this beat scene when a higher life awaits
there'll be days when you don't know how you picked the wrong life
in a second when it's over in our own minds -- and it's gone without a sound
there are fights that'll hear things that we know we don't mean
and we say 'em 'cos we don't know what we both want and we can't get to the other side
There are years that'll fly like wind across a flood plain
unaware of its own weight, free of friction, and immune to its own speed
there are weeks that'll crawl like slugs across a hot road
only moving 'cos it just don't know how to stop on a search for God knows what
and there are songs that'll make your skull ring like a dropped cup
Resonating with the reasons why you worked through -- and the reasons why you stayed
For the long nights when you found a new resolve that I never knew was there
For the cold eye and the warm embrace now
For the righteous vibe that I need like the air I breathe
There are times when you'll think you've got my funny number figured out
there'll be days when I don't feel like I ever knew you all that well and there are lines,
drawn behind, around, and above and over everything
in an effort to figure out the place and time, the wrong, the right, the yours, the mine,
and I'll be damned if I feel like I will ever know anything
but if we don't keep moving on that last hill,
we'll never know what's on the other side
The Dismemberment Plan's song The Other Side is an introspective exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the inevitable changes that come with them. The lyrics are a series of observations about life's unpredictable twists and turns, and the ways in which they can shape us. The song captures a sense of restlessness and uncertainty, as the singer reflects on moments of doubt, frustration, and exhilaration.
The opening lines set the tone for the song's themes, with the singer acknowledging that there will be times when their voice will not be liked, and days when a stranger's look will be more comforting than familiar ones. The song then goes on to explore the highs and lows of life, the search for purpose and meaning, and the difficulty of communication in intimate relationships. The final lines are a call to keep pushing forward, to keep exploring what lies beyond the horizon, even if it means leaving behind what is familiar and safe.
Line by Line Meaning
There are times when you will not like the sound of my voice
Sometimes, what I say may not please you
there are days when a warm look from a strange face will make me forget my name
Occasionally, something new and exciting may distract me from who I am
there'll be nights when you wonder where the party's at now
There may be occasions when you're not sure where the fun is
and you wonder why you never split this beat scene when a higher life awaits
At times, you might ponder why we didn't leave this scene behind for something better
there'll be days when you don't know how you picked the wrong life
There will be days when you despair over the choices you've made
in a second when it's over in our own minds -- and it's gone without a sound
Sometimes, things can change quickly and quietly, without warning or explanation
there are fights that'll hear things that we know we don't mean
Arguments can make us say things we don't truly believe
and we say 'em 'cos we don't know what we both want and we can't get to the other side
In conflicts, we often don't know what we want or how to reach a resolution
There are years that'll fly like wind across a flood plain
Some years may pass by quickly and with ease
unaware of its own weight, free of friction, and immune to its own speed
These years may feel effortless and swift
there are weeks that'll crawl like slugs across a hot road
But other weeks may drag on slowly and painfully
only moving 'cos it just don't know how to stop on a search for God knows what
These weeks may feel frustratingly unproductive
and there are songs that'll make your skull ring like a dropped cup
Certain songs can make a deep impression on us and resonate with our experiences
Resonating with the reasons why you worked through -- and the reasons why you stayed
These songs can help us understand why we persevered through tough times
For the long nights when you found a new resolve that I never knew was there
I'm grateful for the times when you showed strength I didn't expect
For the cold eye and the warm embrace now
I appreciate your ability to be tough and tender, based on what the situation calls for
For the righteous vibe that I need like the air I breathe
I rely on your positive energy to keep me going
There are times when you'll think you've got my funny number figured out
I may surprise you from time to time, despite your assumptions
there'll be days when I don't feel like I ever knew you all that well and there are lines,
Occasionally, I may feel distant from you, and there may be boundaries or expectations unclear to us
drawn behind, around, and above and over everything
These unspoken rules and barriers may influence many aspects of our relationship
in an effort to figure out the place and time, the wrong, the right, the yours, the mine,
We struggle to understand our respective roles, responsibilities, and mistakes
and I'll be damned if I feel like I will ever know anything
Sometimes, it may feel like we can never have all the answers to our questions
but if we don't keep moving on that last hill,
However, if we don't keep pushing ourselves forward, we'll never improve
we'll never know what's on the other side
We'll never understand what could lie ahead for us
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind