The Karelia formed from the ashes of rock/jazz band The Blisters, with Huntley, Alan Wylie, and Glen Thomson of the earlier band joined by Greek drummer Tassos Bobos. Their sound has been described as "prog/techno rock with Iggy-voxed overtones", and "jazzy film-noir lo-fi."
The band's only album, Divorce At High Noon, was released in 1997 on Roadrunner Records to little acclaim. Produced by Bid of The Monochrome Set,[1] it was an off the wall mix of rock and jazz trumpet with unusual lyrics. The final song, "Garavurghty Butes", was completely freestyle with improvised lyrics and musical arrangement. The band did not tour and were unknown outside Glasgow. Very few copies of the album sold (literally hundreds) and the band split in 1998 after contributing to an EP for the Guided Missile label.
Upon the huge success of Franz Ferdinand fans began to exchange originals of Divorce at High Noon for £50-£100. Because of this, the album was re-released in February 2005. It featured all of the previous album and two bonus tracks.
The band's name derives from the same named Greek tobacco industry "Karelia". It is also an area in Northern Europe divided between Russia and Finland.
Tension
The Karelia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What your hearing is my cynic grin
I don't know what cracks or snaps but
This attack is part of my relaxing.
As I seethe my words seem understated.
What you're hearing is my tearing skin
I don't care what brittle fractures crack if I can
When I speak my tongue it feels sedated.
My temper tantrum balance is
I don't know what fuzz is masking
What I say or what I'm asking
All I want to do is to relax.
The Karelia's song Tension is about a person who is experiencing intense emotions and frustration, but is trying their best to calm down and relax. The lyrics describe the singer's attempt to hide their anger and cynicism behind a "sedated" tongue and a "cynic grin." They acknowledge that their aggression is a part of their way of relaxing, even though it can be unsettling for those around them. The singer feels like their words don't do justice to the depth of their feelings, and that they mask what's really going on inside. Despite all this, all they want to do is to let go and relax.
The lyrics are poignant in how they encapsulate the experience of trying to manage complex emotions. The singer is feeling both anger and a desire to relax, two seemingly opposite feelings, which can be difficult to reconcile. In some ways, their aggression is a coping mechanism that helps them achieve a sense of calm, even if it's not the most healthy way of dealing with their feelings. The song has a melancholic quality to it that underscores the complexity of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not angry, I'm just frustrated.
I am not mad, but I am feeling overwhelmed and irritated.
What your hearing is my cynic grin
My sarcastic comments are showing that I am not happy with the situation.
I don't know what cracks or snaps but
This attack is part of my relaxing.
I don't understand why I feel upset, but expressing my emotions is a way for me to calm down.
As I seethe my words seem understated.
What you're hearing is my tearing skin
Even though I am angry, my words may not show how intense my feelings actually are.
I don't care what brittle fractures crack if I can
Black out and relax.
I don't care about the little things bothering me as long as I can forget about them for a moment and relax.
When I speak my tongue it feels sedated.
My temper tantrum balance is
When I talk, I feel like my words don't have the impact that I want them to. I am trying to balance my emotions to avoid a full-blown temper tantrum.
I don't know what fuzz is masking
What I say or what I'm asking
All I want to do is to relax.
I am not sure if what I am saying is being understood, and I just want to take a break and relax.
Contributed by Levi K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mistycara
I am so buying this cd!! Alex has the sexiest voice ever and I totally love the bluesy jazzy sound.
@SFSimonWhite
too bad only a few people know about this