In 2004, Elverum abandoned the "Microphones" name to begin recording as Mount Eerie, briefly returning in December 2007 when he began selling a new 7" single by the Microphones ("Don't Smoke" / "Get Off the Internet") on his website and at concerts.
In 2020, Elverum returned to the Microphones name once more to release the project's 14th album Microphones in 2020. Microphones members/collaborators include Karl Blau, Dennis Driscoll, Kyle Field aka Little Wings, Mirah, Khaela Maricich aka The Blow, Adrian Orange aka Thanksgiving, Adam Forkner and K Records' founder, Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and the Halo Benders.
Map
The Microphones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! the Spark!
Oh! the Open Land!
the Swelling dark!
Oh! my Hands!
Oh! my Airy Palms!
Oh! the Lack!
Oh! My Bending Back!
but Oh! My Map to distant foothills rise!
Open hands,
the span,
oh the swelling sound over massive rounds!
The lyrics in The Microphones' song "Map" paint a vivid picture of the natural world and the singer's place within it. The repeated "Oh!" sounds add a sense of yearning and wonder to the lyrics, while the descriptions of the sand, spark, open land, and swelling dark evoke a feeling of vastness and power. The singer's hands and airy palms suggest a desire to grasp and understand the world around them, while the lack and bending back acknowledge the limitations of human perception and physical ability.
The final line, "Oh! My Map to distant foothills rise!" signifies the singer's sense of purpose and direction in the midst of all this vastness. The map represents a plan or goal, and the distant foothills suggest a long journey ahead. Taken together, the lyrics in "Map" suggest a kind of humble awe at the natural world, a desire to understand and explore it, and a sense of determination to chart a course through it.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! the Sand!
Expressing awe and wonder towards the sand.
Oh! the Spark!
Experiencing amazement towards the spark.
Oh! the Open Land!
Feeling amazed by the open land that's visible.
the Swelling dark!
Describing the darkness that is becoming larger and more intense.
Oh! my Hands!
Feeling amazed by the hands.
Oh! my Airy Palms!
In awe of the light weight of palms.
Oh! the Lack!
Expressing the absence of something.
Oh! My Bending Back!
Feeling amazement towards the back that's flexible.
Oh! the size of my empty lap!
Describing the emptiness of the lap in size.
but Oh! My Map to distant foothills rise!
Despite the lack of physical things, the mind's imagination can take us to faraway hills through the power of a mental map.
Open hands,
Hands that are not closed tightly or busy holding on to something
the span,
The distance between two points, represented by outstretched hands or opened palms.
oh the swelling sound over massive rounds!
Describing the sound that fills the vast unknown areas.
Contributed by John D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.