Heavily influenced by Elliot Smith, Jeff Buckley, Flaming Lips and Sunny Day Real Estate, the Silent Years’ are combining sweet-as-candy melodies with eardrum-piercing, full-on noise. Adding to the intrigue was the multiple tempo changes and playful dynamics that were delivered like an amusement park rollercoaster.
The band has played previous dates with Mellowdrone, French Kicks, Sound Team, Akron Family, The Processions, Stars Track and Fields, Aqueduct and The Fields.
To help round out their sound, vocalist Josh Epstein recently enlisted the help of keyboardist and violinist Cassandra Verras, drummer Ryan Clancy and bassist Michael Majewski.
Aisleways
The Silent Years Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It helps to know how it begins
Said you know how it went
And then you walked away with a limp
So they say you were willing with a whimper
But everyone's shouting everyone's walking
Sideways and aisleways
Helicopter's all
Circle overhead
Seven miles down
So that we could all climb out
But you couldnt open up your window
Now everyone's shouting everyone's walking
Sideways and aisleways
The size of this is killing me
So you build your house on stilts
In the middle of a drowning city
Da da da da, da da da, da da
Da da da da, da da da, da da
Da da da da, da, da, da, da
Da da da da, da da da, da da
Wanna know how it ends
It helps to know how it begins
Said you know how it went
And then you walked on by with a limp
So they say you were willing with a whimper
But everyones shouting everyones walking
Sideways and aisleways
The size of this is killing me
So you build your house on stilts
In the middle of a drowning city
The Silent Years’ song “Aisleways” is a poignant commentary on how choosing to ignore the warning signs and instead putting trust in false information and following the crowd can lead to disastrous consequences. The first verse starts by stating that to understand how something ends, it’s important to understand how it began, suggesting that the path to the catastrophic aftermath of the story could have been predicted and avoided if they had paid closer attention. The next lines describe how someone walked away with a limp, indicating a physical injury, but then the lyrics repeat that they “say you were willing with a whimper” which suggests the limp was not from an accident but from a confrontation, perhaps they were cowardly in their actions.
The chorus then goes on to describe chaos and confusion, with everyone shouting and walking in different directions, unable to find a clear path to follow. The imagery of “sideways and aisleways” adds to the sense of confusion, illustrating how the situation is labyrinthine and without a clear way forward. The singer of the song then reflects that the “size of this is killing me” which could refer to the magnitude of the situation or possibly a physical feeling of suffocation from being lost in a maze of aisles.
The last verse then brings in an apocalyptic scene, describing helicopters circling overhead, possibly searching for survivors or bringing in aid, but the efforts are futile because the damage is irreversible. The line “so you build your house on stilts in the middle of a drowning city” is perhaps the most profound of the lyrics, indicating that even though the city is in peril, some still refuse to acknowledge the danger and instead try to adapt in a problematic way. Overall, the song’s message is a cautionary tale to pay attention to warnings and not blindly follow those who may be leading us in the wrong direction.
Line by Line Meaning
Wanna know how it ends
The desire to understand the outcome of a situation
It helps to know how it begins
Understanding the beginning of a situation is key to comprehending the final outcome
Said you know how it went
Implying that another person understands the situation at hand
And then you walked away with a limp
The act of departing with a visible wound, both physical and emotional, after a situation has ended
So they say you were willing with a whimper
Others perceive your reluctance in a situation, despite your willingness or effort
But everyone's shouting everyone's walking
Chaotic surroundings that cause individuals to act erratically
Sideways and aisleways
The path is uncertain and without clear direction
The size of this is killing me
The magnitude of the situation is overwhelming and suffocating
Helicopter's all
The presence of authorities or those in control
Circle overhead
Their control or observation is omnipresent
Seven miles down
Metaphorically, the depths of the situation are incomprehensibly deep
So that we could all climb out
The purpose of those in control is to extract individuals from the dire situation
But you couldnt open up your window
Despite assistance or opportunity, an individual may still be unable to escape a situation
Now everyone's shouting everyone's walking
The situation has reached critical mass causing the previously controlled chaos to escalate further
So you build your house on stilts
Preparing for the worst case scenario by building a structure that raises above potential danger
In the middle of a drowning city
Despite efforts to prepare and combat a situation, one may still face the full brunt of a devastating environment
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.