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
Tracy
The Kissaway Trail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clocks will make it hard, carve numbers in our age
Let's start running backwards like our brothers
From our neighborhood
They'll say we are dancing, but we aren't
But we aren't
You revolt!
Reversed, began racing, became heroes
You clutched someone else's hand, saw grandeur in your eyes
Matching bandage, kids followed, now we were leaders
But we drowned in the sound of marching, of marching
Yeah, we drowned in the sound of marching
If you don't know where you're going
You don't know when you will arrive
The Kissaway Trail's song "Tracy" is a poignant reflection on the difficulties of growing up and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The lyrics describe a relationship between two individuals, possibly teenagers, who feel trapped by the constraints of their environment. They long for escape and for the chance to make a difference in a world that often seems unwelcoming and hostile.
The lyrics suggest that the couple has a plan to make a change, but that they are facing obstacles along the way. The "clocks" are a metaphor for the passage of time and the pressures of society to fit into a certain mold. The couple is determined to run "backwards" from their neighborhood and create their own path, but the challenge is monumental. Despite the difficulty, they are revolting against the expectations placed upon them and seeking a way to forge their own path.
As the song progresses, the couple becomes more successful, symbolized by the reference to "heroes" and "leaders." However, the weight of their accomplishments becomes too much to bear and they feel suffocated by the "sound of marching." Ultimately, the message of the song is one of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. The lyrics suggest that, even if you don't know where you're going or when you'll get there, it's important to keep pushing forward and to fight for what you believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
Tracy, if we make it, we'll make a difference
Tracy, our success could change the world.
Clocks will make it hard, carve numbers in our age
Time will make it difficult, reminding us of our mortality.
Let's start running backwards like our brothers
Let's try to recapture the freedom we felt as children.
From our neighborhood
From the place that shaped us.
They'll say we are dancing, but we aren't
Others may not understand our rebellion.
But we aren't
We know our own truth.
You revolt!
The song urges us to resist authority.
Reversed, began racing, became heroes
By reversing our direction, we may find new meaning.
You clutched someone else's hand, saw grandeur in your eyes
Through our connections with others, we can glimpse a larger purpose.
Matching bandage, kids followed, now we were leaders
As we embrace our unique paths, others will follow.
But we drowned in the sound of marching, of marching
However, societal pressures can threaten our sense of identity.
If you don't know where you're going
It is easy to get lost in the chaos.
You don't know when you will arrive
Without direction, it is impossible to know when our journey will end.
Contributed by Penelope Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.