The Gloves single arrived early in 2007, heralding the release of the Horrors' full-length debut, Strange House, which arrived in the U.K. that March and in the U.S. in May. In 2008, Webb and Furse formed the analog synth project Spider & the Flies, and released the album Something Clockwork This Way Comes. For 2009's Primary Colours, the band worked with Cunningham and Portishead's Geoff Barrow as co-producers, opting for a very different sound that mixed shoegaze, post-punk, and goth; the album was released by XL that spring and earned several critical raves, including NME's Album of the Year. In between albums, Badwan teamed with Canadian opera singer Rachel Zeffira for the hazy pop project Cat's Eyes, which released its self-titled debut in early 2011. The Horrors self-produced their follow-up, 2011's Skying, which featured a lighter yet still atmospheric sound that drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and the Psychedelic Furs. In 2012, they released the remix companion album Higher and embarked on an extensive tour. In 2013, they began recording new material with producer Craig Silvey. Early the following year, the single "I See You" reflected the more expansive direction of their fourth album, Luminous, which arrived in May 2014. The Horrors began work on their next full-length with Paul Epworth at London's Church Studios in 2015, and forged a darker, rawer yet still danceable sound that borrowed from '80s post-punk, synth-pop, and '90s dance. The result was V, which arrived in September 2017.
Biography by Heather Phares
There are other artists with the same name:
2) A garage rock/punk band from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which formed in 1997 and broke up in 2003. They released two albums, The Horrors (2000) and Vent (2003). Singer/guitarist Paul Cary recently released his debut album, Ghost of a Man, on Candy Dinner Records in 2010.
3) An American psychedelic rock group active in the 1960s, best known for their single "Briar Patch".
For much more information, go to the band's official forum, "The Horum", and official Myspace.
Point Of No Reply
The Horrors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blood, lipstick, hiding yourself in a myth
Now your landscape′s taking a shape
Naming names and twisting the picture
Throwing knives with an eye for revenge
Tell your friends I hate you
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nowhere left to go
You can bury me there where I lay
It's the right place, wrong time
Through this two-way mirror
No sign of life
The point of no reply
It′s the right place, wrong time
Through this two-way mirror
No sign of life
The point of no reply
Wouldn′t be the first to find a light in pain
I'm fighting the fire and you′re fanning the flames
And there's nothing I can say
In silence you already know
And it′s only in the dark
Your anger slips out of control
It's the right place, wrong time
Through this two-way mirror
No sign of life
The point of no reply
It′s the right place, wrong time
Through this two-way mirror
No sign of life
The point of no reply
The Horrors have a surreal talent for sounding very immediate and direct while still maintaining a sort of hazy obliqueness, and "Point of No Reply" is no exception. The song is sung from the perspective of a person who's been involved in an argument that has grown way out of their control. The opening lines of the song are accusatory towards the other person in conflict: "You know you take such pride in making people feel sick / Blood, lipstick, hiding yourself in a myth." The singer notes that their adversary is not only keeping up appearances while destroying them, but is taking pleasure in doing so. The next lines, however, take a swift turn into a lament: "Now your landscape's taking a shape / Naming names and twisting the picture / Throwing knives with an eye for revenge / Tell your friends I hate you." Here, we see someone watching as the events of the fight unfold, powerless to stop them. Their frustration bleeds out in the track's chorus, where they repeat "It's the right place, wrong time / Through this two-way mirror / No sign of life / The point of no reply," essentially saying that they feel like their voices aren't being heard and the conflict has reached an intractable point of no return.
The second verse sees the singer trying to both rationalize and calm down the situation, with the lines "Wouldn't be the first to find a light in pain / I'm fighting the fire and you're fanning the flames." This can be seen as the individual trying to empathize with their opponent, perhaps in an effort to find a middle ground. However, it seems like their efforts might be futile, as they note "And there's nothing I can say / In silence you already know / And it's only in the dark / Your anger slips out of control." The track's outro finds The Horrors layering reverb-y guitar flourishes on top of one another, as if the individuals in the fight are lost in their own individual thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
You know you take such pride in making people feel sick
You enjoy causing discomfort to others and feel a sense of accomplishment in making them sick
Blood, lipstick, hiding yourself in a myth
You use makeup to hide the real you and create an illusion around yourself
Now your landscape′s taking a shape
Your surroundings are starting to form into something recognizable
Naming names and twisting the picture
You are pointing fingers and distorting the truth to cast blame on others
Throwing knives with an eye for revenge
You are taking revenge on someone by attacking them either verbally or physically
Tell your friends I hate you
You want everyone to know that you despise someone and encourage others to share your hate
And there's nothing I can do
I am powerless to stop you or change the situation
Inside I′m already played
Emotionally, I am already defeated and worn out
And there's nowhere left to go
There are no options or alternatives for me to escape this situation
You can bury me there where I lay
You have already defeated me and I am metaphorically dead in your eyes
It's the right place, wrong time
The location or situation may be appropriate, but the timing is not
Through this two-way mirror
Our understanding and perception of each other is distorted and unclear
No sign of life
The relationship or situation is devoid of any joy, hope, or positivity
The point of no reply
A point of no return or a moment where further communication or reconciliation is impossible
Wouldn′t be the first to find a light in pain
It's not uncommon to seek comfort or hope in times of hardship or emotional pain
I'm fighting the fire and you′re fanning the flames
I am trying to resolve the conflict, but you are only making it worse
And there's nothing I can say
Words are useless because the damage has already been done and the situation is beyond repair
In silence you already know
You are aware of the negative impact of your actions, even if you don't acknowledge it verbally
And it′s only in the dark
You only reveal your true emotions or intentions when you feel safe and secure
Your anger slips out of control
Your rage intensifies and becomes uncontrollable
Writer(s): Tommy Cowan, Joshua Hayward, Paul Epworth, Faris Badwan, Rhys Webb, Joseph Spurgeon
Contributed by Sebastian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.