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.
This Town
The Silent Years Lyrics
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And we all rolled around on the ground tryna put our clothes out
I wont...
Leaders who cant lead, the pitiful resistance
I wont...
There are those of us who wait
For a prophet who will lead us out of the wilderness
As far as i can see from here
The growers only growing
Im gone...
But we will fall past resistace
It's too late to follow signs
May we all find,
Something in this,
Hallelujah
If only the rain, hadn't felt quite so disliked
And we'd managed our resources better here here go the glasses
Clinking
Tommorow we should paint, our faces and do a rain dance
I will...
I will...
There are those of us who wait
For a prophet who will lead us out of the wilderness
As far as i can see from here
The blowers still blowing
The growers only growing
Im gone...
But we will fall past resistace
It's too late to follow signs
May we all find,
Something in this,
Hallelujah
The Silent Years' song "This Town" appears to offer a critique of the status quo, particularly of those in power who fail to lead and are pitiful in their resistance. The first stanza expresses a rather fatalistic attitude, even in the face of disaster. The singer claims they "won't complain" even if the town caught fire and people were scrambling to put out the flames. This level of resignation suggests a kind of hopelessness or apathy that pervades their surroundings.
The second verse seems to suggest a longing for a different kind of leadership. The mention of waiting for a prophet to lead them out of the wilderness evokes biblical imagery, and the desperation for someone to take charge is palpable. The lines "As far as I can see from here / The blowers still blowing / The growers only growing" suggest that people are carrying on with their lives, but not in any meaningful way. The final lines reveal the singer's departure, along with the hope that they will "fall past resistance" and find something meaningful, perhaps even spiritual, in their search.
The final verse returns to the metaphor of rain to express some kind of desire for renewal or rebirth. The singer thinks that if only people had managed their resources better, maybe they wouldn't be in the predicament they found themselves in. There is a feeling of wanting to do something proactive, like painting faces and doing a rain dance. The repetition of "I will" indicates a kind of personal commitment to change, although it is unclear what exactly that change will be.
Overall, there is a sense of despair mixed with a longing for something different. The repeated refrain of "Hallelujah" suggests an attempt at finding meaning or hope in what appears to be a bleak situation.
Line by Line Meaning
I won't complain, even if this town caught fire
I won't express discontent, even in the event of a disastrous event such as this town being engulfed in flames.
And we all rolled around on the ground tryna put our clothes out
In the hypothetical scenario that this town caught fire, we would be desperately attempting to extinguish the flames by rolling on the ground and trying to put out our burning clothes.
Leaders who cant lead, the pitiful resistance
The people in leadership positions in this town are inadequate and incapable of providing effective guidance, making the opposition to them weak and ineffective.
There are those of us who wait
For a prophet who will lead us out of the wilderness
Some of us are waiting and hoping for a leader who will guide us out of the state of confusion and disorder we find ourselves in.
As far as i can see from here
The blowers still blowing
The growers only growing
Im gone...
From my vantage point, I can see that the people who are responsible for blowing wind turbines are still carrying out their duties, and those in charge of cultivating crops are similarly still active. Despite this, I am no longer present among them.
But we will fall past resistance
It's too late to follow signs
May we all find,
Something in this,
Hallelujah
Despite facing opposition, we will eventually fail. It is too late to take heed of warnings and signals. May we all discover some meaning or purpose in this situation, and praise to a higher power.
If only the rain, hadn't felt quite so disliked
And we'd managed our resources better here here go the glasses
Clinking
If only we had appreciated rainfall more, and made better use of our resources - as demonstrated by clinking glasses - things may have been different.
Tommorow we should paint, our faces and do a rain dance
I will...
I will...
Tomorrow, we should paint our faces and perform a traditional dance in the hopes of bringing rain. I, for one, will participate.
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.