Throughout the course of a year, McCormick and Seeterlin reached out into the city and proceeded to record people of all ages and musical backgrounds performing their songs. The project took the duo from churches to living rooms to cafes, even up the coast to Oregon and Washington, all in its mission to build community through music.
The resulting album, The Village, inspired the band to develop into a proper performing entity, adding four classically trained instrumentalists around the nucleus of McCormick and Seeterlin. This growth also inspired a continued mission of musical inclusiveness. At live shows and in the studio, The Family Crest set out to play with as many musicians as possible. Whether a fan took the stage to be part of a group chorus, or contributed an instrumental part to a recording, they were considered a part of โthe extended family,โ which now boasts over 300 members.
Once the band saw its vision taking hold, even beyond its hometown, it looked back to the city that supported the family for new musical inspiration. Over the course of a week, The Family Crest, in its usual fashion, recorded a plethora of instruments in various homes and churches, as well as John Vandersliceโs Tiny Telephone recording studio, to create The Headwinds EP.
The Headwinds EP introduces the grand sounds of bandโs new full-length album, Beneath the Brine, a sweeping soundscape befitting the oceanic theme of the title. Beneath the Brine showcases an expansive breadth of arrangements โ from dark, classical romanticism to brass-laden sounds reminiscent of the Roaring 20s.
The result is nothing short of epic, as The Family Crest has seamlessly wielded classical chamber sounds and pop music elements. Itโs the sonic representation of what McCormick, and many pioneers before him, saw from the edge of the West Coast: the enormity of the sea, with its depths, dangers and possibilities.
More information is available at:
www.thefamilycrest.net
http://www.myspace.com/thefamilycrest
Howl
The Family Crest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
State your case
'Cause the lines were drawn
Do you love me, babe?
Now you say,
Lover stay
Warm these bones my dear
I know you never mean to say
All of the awful things you say
But oh God, the reason is yours
Oh God, the reason was yours
You smile
I howl to the moon, to the stars
To the way that we were
Howl to the moon, to the stars
When the weight of the world
Is just too much for you
Now I wait
As love and fate
Echo from your lungs
Do you want me, babe?
Here you state
That a storm is waiting dear
Turn the lights down low
โCause one of us is surely gone
I know you never meant to stay
I know love
we weren't meant to be
I know you never meant to go
break my heart of gold
But oh God, the reason is yours
Oh God, the reasons are yours
tonight we're smiling
Forever lost together
Forever howling at the moon
โCause it's just too much for you
Forever lost together
Forever howling at the moon
When it's just too much for you
I'm gonna kiss, gonna kiss,
gonna kiss your lips
I'm gonna make sure dear that
my love sticks
I'm gonna shake, gonna shake,
gonna shake your legs
I'm gonna make make make
make make you beg
I'm gonna make sure that
your heart is true
I'm gonna say here,
"Darling, I love you!"
I'm gonna make sure that
you love me too
Do you love me dear?
Do you love me here?
I'm gonna break break break
break you dear
I'm gonna shake
shake up all your fears
I'm gonna take
take you down my dear
Do you love me dear?
Do you love me dear?
I'm gonna make
make you love me dear
I'm gonna break
break you down my dear
Tonight I'll smile
You'll howl to the moon, to the stars
To the way that we were
'Cause it's just too much for you
Forever lost together
Forever howling at the moon
'Cause it's just too much for you
Forever lost together
Forever howling at the moon
'Cause it's just too much for you
In "Howl" by The Family Crest, the song speaks to the complexities and struggles of a relationship. The opening lines โState your name, state your case/ โCause the lines were drawn/Do you love me, babe?โ highlight the tension and questions in the relationship. The chorus โI howl to the moon, to the stars/To the way that we were/Howl to the moon, to the stars/When the weight of the world/Is just too much for youโ shows the pain and frustration that the singer feels. They are yearning for the connection they once had โDo you want me, babe?โ but feel it slipping away. The lyrics โIโm gonna break, break, break/ Break you dear/ Iโm gonna shake, shake up all your fears/ Iโm gonna take, take you down my dearโ shows a desperation to save the relationship.
The song has a haunting and eerie quality due to the use of string and choir arrangements, fitting the theme of the lyrics. The instrumentation builds throughout the song, adding to the emotional charge. The lyrics also evolve from the melancholic tones of wanting the relationship to work, to desperation, and ultimately to acceptance. The song references howling at the moon and stars throughout, which represents the primal yet romantic idea of calling out to something distant.
Line by Line Meaning
State your name
Introduce yourself
State your case
Explain your position
'Cause the lines were drawn
There is a clear boundary between us
Do you love me, babe?
Expressing a desire for love
Now you say, Lover stay
Asking for love and commitment
Warm these bones my dear
Asking for physical warmth
Light my heart afire!
Asking for emotional affection
I know you never mean to say
Acknowledging hurtful behavior
All of the awful things you say
Words that cause pain
But oh God, the reason is yours
Taking responsibility for actions
Oh God, the reason was yours
Reflecting on past actions
You smile
Hiding true feelings
I howl to the moon, to the stars
Expressing intense emotion
To the way that we were
Remembering past happiness
When the weight of the world
Feeling overwhelmed by life
Is just too much for you
Unable to handle circumstances
Now I wait
Anticipating a response
As love and fate
Influenced by external forces
Echo from your lungs
Vocalizing thoughts and feelings
Do you want me, babe?
Questioning the depth of feelings
Here you state
Pointing out a fact
That a storm is waiting dear
Sensing impending trouble
Turn the lights down low
Setting a mood
'Cause one of us is surely gone
Anticipating a separation
I know you never meant to stay
Acknowledging a lack of commitment
I know love
Understanding the dynamic between us
We weren't meant to be
Accepting a failed relationship
I know you never meant to go
Feeling abandoned
Break my heart of gold
Causing emotional pain
But oh God, the reason is yours
Taking responsibility for actions
Oh God, the reasons are yours
Reflecting on past behavior
tonight we're smiling
Putting on a facade
Forever lost together
Acknowledging a strong bond
Forever howling at the moon
Together through struggle
'Cause it's just too much for you
Overcoming adversity
I'm gonna kiss, gonna kiss,
Desiring intimacy
Gonna kiss your lips
Expressing physical affection
I'm gonna make sure dear that
Ensuring positive feelings
my love sticks
Promising fidelity
I'm gonna shake, gonna shake,
Exerting control
Gonna shake your legs
Asserting dominance
I'm gonna make make make
Pushing boundaries
make make you beg
Demanding submission
I'm gonna make sure that
Taking control of the situation
your heart is true
Seeking honesty
I'm gonna say here,
Expressing oneself
"Darling, I love you!"
Confessing love
I'm gonna make sure that
Ensuring mutual feelings
you love me too
Expecting reciprocation
Do you love me dear?
Questioning the depth of feelings
Do you love me here?
Asking for validation
I'm gonna break break break
Causing emotional pain
break you dear
Inflicting hurt
I'm gonna shake
Exerting control
shake up all your fears
Intimidating
I'm gonna take
Asserting dominance
take you down my dear
Demanding submission
Forever lost together
Acknowledging an unbreakable bond
Forever howling at the moon
Facing adversity together
'Cause it's just too much for you
Overcoming struggles
I'm gonna make
Exerting control
make you love me dear
Demanding emotional attachment
Tonight I'll smile
Putting on a facade
Contributed by Camden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sylphaevus
Warrior maps give some of the best song recs, this and beneath the brine among them
@Taiphyr
Beneath the brine is amazing!
@nonimus6269
One thing we can all agree on is that Cheeteh Z has a great taste in music
@Hhibiscusxx
@@nonimus6269 YEP
@fingerlickinscrumptiousspecies
@@nonimus6269 yee
@Just_a_piece_of_bread
@@nonimus6269 couldnt agree more!
@honeypots8787
Spotify recommended me this and usually I'm irritated when they do that, but this I don't mind.
@rousseauchess4249
Litteraly same ๐
@willdumond6643
Donโt mind, this song is literally up there as one of my favorites
@josiebianchi3481
my discover weekly playlist has about a 1/20 song success rate. This was my 1/20 this week.