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 “the extended family,” 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 Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone recording studio, to create The Headwinds EP.
The Headwinds EP introduces the grand sounds of band’s 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 – 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. It’s 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
THE WORLD
The Family Crest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mold it out of soot and stone
Hide your little love away
Keep it from the light of day
'Cause all the things that he can do
Love, here he cannot hurt you no more
But when you go
That the world's just not the same
Move away into the night
Pull the curtains up so tight
Hold yourself off from the sun
Hide away from everyone
'Cause all the things that he can do
Well, here he cannot hurt you
These lyrics seem to be an expression of someone who has suffered from emotional pain caused by another person, possibly in a romantic relationship. The singer advises the listener to build an "empty home" and "hide your little love away" in order to protect themselves from the hurt that love can bring. The suggestion to "mold it out of soot and stone" suggests that this protective barrier must be made of something solid and enduring, like a fortress, to withstand the pain that may come their way. The chorus reinforces the idea that the world is not the same after experiencing such pain, suggesting that it can forever alter one's perspective on love and relationships.
In the second verse, the singer advises the listener to "move away into the night" and "hide away from everyone". The use of darkness and isolation emphasizes the feeling of loneliness and hopelessness that can come with emotional pain. The line "hold yourself off from the sun" suggests that the person is keeping themselves in a state of darkness and emotionally frozen, unable to move on from the pain they have experienced.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of caution and self-protection in the face of emotional pain. The advice to hide away and build walls may seem counterintuitive to fostering healthy relationships, but it underscores the idea that love can also bring hurt and that it's important to be cautious about who we let into our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Build yourself an empty home
Create a space that is devoid of emotion or vulnerability
Mold it out of soot and stone
Craft your safe haven from materials that are inhospitable to life and warmth
Hide your little love away
Conceal the love you have for someone else in order to protect yourself
Keep it from the light of day
Prevent your affection from being visible or exposed to the world
'Cause all the things that he can do
Because of the harmful actions that he is capable of
Love, here he cannot hurt you no more
In this empty home, you are protected from harm and heartbreak
But when you go
However, if you venture outside the safety of your home
I hope you know
I hope you realize
That the world's just not the same
The world outside your home is dangerous and unpredictable
Move away into the night
Depart from your shelter under the cover of darkness
Pull the curtains up so tight
Close yourself off from the outside world by blocking the windows
Hold yourself off from the sun
Keep yourself in shadow to avoid being seen or exposed
Hide away from everyone
Withdraw from society and avoid human interaction
'Cause all the things that he can do
Due to the destructive things he is capable of
Well, here he cannot hurt you no more
In your hiding place, you are protected from danger and harm
Contributed by Christian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Moody 4 Booty
It gets under my skin that The Family Crest have nowhere as many views as deserved. Very powerful group that needed to be shown to the world! A friend and I were exchanging songs and she recommended "Howl" and know I am here.
Also, if anyone is reading this please do yourself a favour and watch The Family Crest perform Howl at the Riverview Bungalo in Austin, Texas! Beautiful group, just beautiful!
brickwho101
I’d love to be in a band like this 😍 just pure music, made by people who adore what they do, with real instruments and great lyrics. The world needs more bands like these
Erin Prather
I can not get enough of this band! They just make me feel the passion of their music! I Transport mentally from the harsh landscapes of this hard land of dust storms and Hellish heat-to the coast of Northern California and other Green place that I would rather be! Music has power to get someone out of their malaise if even for a moment. I am as stuck in this Arizona desert as my guitar is stuck in the Pawn Shop (where it will stay forever more), but music like this takes me away for a few. I feel more alive when I return from the short few moments in the wonderland that this song and others by the Family Crest takes me to! Thanks for the adventure!
Lucretius
God, I adore this video. Such a simple music video concept, executed so beautifully <3
Thomas Struszka
You just feel the joy in all these songs
Nyoaeui Khoudu
I've had this song stuck in my head for months and never knew where it came from. I recently rediscovered The Family Crest's music and decided to obsessively listen to the entire discography. I finally found it.
Eshu Karwal
I am a hard rock/ metal music listener mostly, but I am completely in love with your songs. Especially how to transcend in between.
Big thumbs up
vandit hura
This song made my day. Thank you The Family Crest.
Gloson Teh
AMAZING! Love all the orchestral sounds. And your video is awesome and good job filming the same thing in different locations.
The Family Crest
Thanks so much!