The band has five members:
Thomas L. Fagerlund - Vocals, Guitar
Søren B. Corneliussen - Vocals, Guitar
Daniel Skjoldmose - Guitar, Keys, Backing Vocals
Rune Pedersen - Bass, Backing vocals
Hasse Mydtskov - Drums, Backing vocals
Their sound is quite similar to some other Danish bands, such as The Figurines, Moi Caprice and Mew. Internationally, comparisons can be made to Modest Mouse, Mercury Rev, Arcade Fire and the Flaming Lips.
Three members of The Kissaway Trail (Søren, Thomas and Rune) originally recorded together under the names of ‘Hostmom’ and ‘Isles’. Isles self-released an album called "We have decided not to die" in 2005. Since then, an additional guitarist, Daniel, and drummer Hasse joined the band, while Thomas started to sing alongside Søren making the distinctive two lead-vocal sound that they have today. Various tracks from this early period of the bands history can still be downloaded from Danish music websites. The band’s musical existence very nearly ended when Søren lost his love for music after his father was killed under tragic circumstances. However, he made his own decision to start performing and recording again, and The Kissaway Trail started to create their debut album.
Their material is released in Europe (aside from Scandinavia) and Japan by Bella Union, Etch n Sketch in Australia and New Zealand, and Playground Music in Scandinavia. On their breakthrough album underground producer Morten Frank helped them in the studio.
The title of their song 61 relates to the number of days a band member had to wait to hear if their family member had a terminal illness. The member involved is kept under wraps, obviously for very personal reasons; some fans believe it is Hasse, the drummer, because he has a tattoo of the number '61' on his chest. Other sources suggest he just might have got the tattoo because, according to his own admission, 61 is his favourite song to play live.
In the Autumn of 2007, The Kissaway Trail acted as the main support for Editors on their UK and European tours, alongside Ra Ra Riot in the UK and The Boxer Rebellion in Europe.
The Kissaway Trail are renowned for their own individual slant on the English language within their lyrics.
The band have cited influences to their music include The Beach Boys, Granddaddy, Daniel Johnston and Sonic Youth, amongst others. The lack of an obvious way to describe their music has brought common comparisons between themselves and the Polyphonic Spree and Canadian band the Arcade Fire. There is some truth with these similarities.
The band have been known for their live performances, which have included songs from 'The Kissaway Trail', as well as b-sides such as 'Romeo And Romeo' and 'La Mia'. They have also performed at the Wireless, Latitude and SXSW festivals in 2007, and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 2008, where they supported Interpol and The National.
The band released an EP called "Into the Ocean and Rise Again" in 2006, and their debut album called "The Kissaway Trail" was released in 2007 from which 3 singles have been taken to date (Smother + Evil = Hurt, La La Song & 61
Painter
The Kissaway Trail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And made it all look threadbare.
A lot of different people.
Choked the guard before entering.
I need a hand, I need a hand, I need a hand to comeback safe.
I said I could
I said I would
But never did, ever.
The hole body in a sling
To support the slunk escaping
I couldn’t open up my eyes, I couldn’t open up my eyes
Stickers with messages on
For those who wondered how I got here
I need a hand, I need a hand, I need hand to come back safe
Though no one’s ever gonna understand why
The situation made us overwhelmed
Holding hands
With the world on top of my head
I needed you around
With the world on top of my head
I needed you around.
With the world on top of my head
the painter and his letters
with the world on top of my head
a bird and its broken feathers
I needed you around.
The verses in "Painter" by The Kissaway Trail present a series of melancholic images of cracked paintings, choked guards, and bodies in slings. The lyrics seem to narrate a sequence of events in which a person faces a difficult and overwhelming situation, but fails to find a way out of it, even though they believed they could. The repeated plea for help in the lyrics ("I need a hand to comeback safe") highlights a sense of desperation and isolation that might be connected to the feeling of being trapped in one's own mind.
The chorus, on the other hand, is a more direct expression of dependence and vulnerability. The phrase "With the world on top of my head I needed you around" is a vivid metaphor that conveys the weight and responsibility that the singer feels. It also suggests that there is someone that they can count on in moments of distress, even if that person is not physically present.
Overall, "Painter" is a song about the fragility of the self and the importance of seeking support and connection in difficult times. Its lyrics use vivid metaphors and images to convey a sense of emotional turmoil and longing for a sense of stability.
Line by Line Meaning
The painting started to crack
The artwork began to deteriorate, showing signs of wear and age.
And made it all look threadbare.
This caused the painting to look worn out and shabby.
A lot of different people.
Many diverse individuals were present at the scene.
Choked the guard before entering.
These people forcibly prevented the guard from stopping them and entered the area.
I need a hand, I need a hand, I need a hand to comeback safe.
I require assistance from someone trustworthy to return unharmed from my situation.
I said I could
I promised to be able to handle the situation.
I said I would
I pledged to follow through with my commitments.
I felt I should
I believed it was my responsibility to act accordingly.
But never did, ever.
Despite my good intentions, I ultimately failed to keep my word.
The hole body in a sling
My entire body was enveloped in a medical support device.
To support the slunk escaping
This device was necessary to aid my escape from a difficult situation.
I couldn’t open up my eyes, I couldn’t open up my eyes
Due to the severity of my condition, I was unable to see clearly or at all.
Stickers with messages on
Adhesive labels were present and bore various statements.
For those who wondered how I got here
These labels contained information for those curious about how I ended up in my predicament.
Though no one’s ever gonna understand why
Despite the explanations provided, no one will ever truly comprehend the full extent of my experience.
The situation made us overwhelmed
The events that occurred were too much to handle or process for us.
Holding hands
We comforted each other by physically connecting and providing emotional support.
With the world on top of my head
The weight of everything going on seemed to be crushing me.
I needed you around
I greatly desired your presence and assistance during this difficult time.
the painter and his letters
A painter and their written communications were part of the situation at hand.
a bird and its broken feathers
A bird with damaged plumage was also present, potentially as a metaphorical symbol for the situation.
Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mixythegreat
This makes me think of alot of things. What a beautiful song. When a song can put such touching images to your head then you know it's special.
Alberto Gogna
what another excellent song from this amazing band ..... all very good quality songs .....
Martin Weaver
Discovered this band a few years ago on Spotify. Kind of sad that I will probably never see them live. It's a crime that they don't have more views.
Yggdra sild
Ikr -and thanks for being a fan. I am sad they are inactive. 💚
Nikolaj Kappelgaard
This track still gives me chills 👍
valhalla homebound
its magical music :)
danii likesyou
i love this song. < 3
totezbrah
great! love this thank you so much!
mauricio villarreal
one of my favorite songs that are not about drugs and sex like all new pop songs
makmck77
literally brought me to tears...