The story actually begins deep in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, where band member Nick Krill was rummaging through the personal effects of his late grandfather, the guitar player Roy Spinto. For years, Roy had penned lyrics on the inside of Cracker Jack boxes, and in one simple juxtaposition of time and fate, Nick found the lyrics that would inspire the creation of the Spinto Band. And they hit the ground running. The energy was undeniable, and it wasn't long before Jon Eaton, Thomas Hughes, Nick Krill, Joe Hobson, Sam Hughes, Jeff Hobson and Albert Birney (who has since left the band to pursue the visual arts) found themselves with a massive musical proliferation at hand.
Eight years and seven self-released albums later, the Spinto Band is in the prime vein of musical prowess. Utilizing an indie-pop sensibility that brings to mind the Flaming Lips and Pavement, their songs can send you careening into the heights of lysergic bliss or provide the catchiest vibes to shake your tail feather to. Either way, this six-piece outfit has the goods to deliver us all from the doldrums of banality.
Currently teamed up with Nashville producing duo, Robin Eaton and Lij (of Alex the Great recording studios), and preparing a May release through Bar-None Records, the band's sound exudes a finesse that belies their youth (their ages range from 20-25). With rich, textured guitars, and multiple-part vocal harmonies, the Spinto Band's repertoire is a maelstrom of indie perfection. It's quirky, energetic, radiant, and aptly engaging.
The Spinto Band has performed with such acts as the Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, and Of Montreal. It's an inevitable transgression beyond the words on this page; the Spinto Band excels. Thank you, Roy.
Needlepoint
The Spinto Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wearing what I just woke up in.
I end without a warning, reasonably worn out.
I got the sense that you won't be too miserable.
And everybody knows
It aches the heart to go on
And so often I'll knit
Stuck in Bubble Bobble again??
You'll ask whether I'm mad.
I'm better at acting sad,
But I'll refrain, I rarely strain my voice,
But now that you've taken all of the other waking
Hours ahead of us out, forget it
And everybody sews,
But it takes a girl with know-how
To know how to plow through
An autumn-colored scene depicting
You and me careening on a see-saw
But now that you've shown disinterest in the thought
I've taken that it's not
What I've sewn that's driven you to leave
It's got to do with me.
I can, just for a moment, see if it's torn or not
And if it is then you might as well stitch it...
Walking at night, drinking again,
Sulking at sight of your girlfriend.
Loiter and sigh, needle in hand,
Embroidering myself as planned but
Stranded across an empty seat.
Since you've shown disinterest in the thought
I've taken that it's not
What I've sewn that's driven you to leave.
It's making me believe
That what you've done to me
Has got to do with me.
The Spinto Band's song Needlepoint is a melancholic yet witty work of art that tracks the singer's journey through heartbreak and reflection. The opening lines, "I am, just for a moment, carefully spoken, broken, wearing what I just woke up in" immediately establish a sense of vulnerability and uncertainty. The singer is hesitant to fully express themselves, highlighting their fear of being too open and possibly getting hurt again. The line "reasonably worn out" adds to this feeling of exhaustion and disappointment.
The chorus presents a contrast between the pain of moving on and the comfort of distraction. "It aches the heart to go on" indicates the difficulty of letting go, while "so often I'll knit, a pattern taken from the thirteenth level, stuck in Bubble Bobble again?" offers a form of escapism. The line "you'll ask whether I'm mad, I'm better at acting sad, but I'll refrain, I rarely strain my voice" suggests that the singer may be bottling up their emotions and putting on a facade to avoid confrontation.
The bridge brings back the motif of sewing and needlepoint, as the singer's thoughts linger on their ex while embarking on this solo activity. In the end, they recognize that the relationship's failure may have been their fault, as they lament "It's making me believe that what you've done to me has got to do with me."
Overall, Needlepoint is a poignant reflection on the aftermath of a breakup and the difficult task of moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
I am, just for a moment, carefully spoken, broken
My emotions are fragile and I'm trying very hard to keep them in check.
Wearing what I just woke up in.
I didn't put any effort into my appearance today.
I end without a warning, reasonably worn out.
I'm tired, but it's not a complete surprise.
I got the sense that you won't be too miserable.
I don't think you'll be too upset about what's happening.
And everybody knows
This is a well-known fact.
It aches the heart to go on
Continuing is painful for the emotions.
And so often I'll knit
As a coping mechanism, I'll often engage in knitting.
A pattern taken from the thirteenth level
A complex pattern that requires skill to complete.
Stuck in Bubble Bobble again??
As an aside, I keep getting stuck on this video game.
You'll ask whether I'm mad.
You'll inquire about my emotional state.
I'm better at acting sad,
I'm more skilled at faking sadness than other emotions.
But I'll refrain, I rarely strain my voice,
I won't act out because I don't like to raise my voice.
But now that you've taken all of the other waking
Since you've used up all the time we had left before bed,
Hours ahead of us out, forget it
There's no point in trying to make up for that lost time.
And everybody sews,
This is a common activity.
But it takes a girl with know-how
But specific skills are needed to do it well.
To know how to plow through
To have the perseverance to complete the task.
An autumn-colored scene depicting
A representation of a fall-themed picture.
You and me careening on a see-saw
A depiction of us playing on a see-saw together.
But now that you've shown disinterest in the thought
Since you've made it clear that you're not interested,
I've taken that it's not
I've concluded that it's not
What I've sewn that's driven you to leave
The reason you're leaving is not because of what I've made.
It's got to do with me.
The reason you're leaving is tied to my personal qualities.
I can, just for a moment, see if it's torn or not
I'm able to quickly check if something is damaged or not.
And if it is then you might as well stitch it...
If it is damaged, it's better for you to fix it.
Walking at night, drinking again,
I'm aimlessly walking around at night and drinking alcohol again.
Sulking at sight of your girlfriend.
I become upset when I see your girlfriend.
Loiter and sigh, needle in hand,
I stand around and sigh, holding a needle.
Embroidering myself as planned but
Working on an embroidery project as part of my plan, but...
Stranded across an empty seat.
I'm sitting alone and feeling isolated.
Since you've shown disinterest in the thought
Since you've made it clear you're not interested,
I've taken that it's not
I've concluded that it's not
What I've sewn that's driven you to leave.
The reason you're leaving is not because of what I've made.
It's making me believe
This is leading me to believe
That what you've done to me
That your actions towards me
Has got to do with me.
Are tied to my personal qualities.
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.