Born of a series of sleepless nights and countless songs in late 2001, Andrew Paley, Adam Meilleur, and other members began playing local shows under the name The Static Age in Burlington, Vermont in 2002. Not even a band for a full six months, the band self-released the full-length demo The Cost Of Living which quickly sold out of its first pressing and was picked up by a Boston-based indie, who ended up selling over 2,000 more copies in 2003. A buzz had started in New England and The Static Age soon found themselves playing with such artists as Hot Hot Heat and Interpol. From the strength of their first recording, they were chosen by AFI to open their Canadian tour. Also around this time, the band took time out to record The Past and Now single with Kurt Ballou of Converge.
The result of all this momentum was the band's proper debut full-length Neon Nights Electric Lives, produced by Matt Squire, which saw a tour-only release in late 2004, but a fully-distributed release on the art-centric Tarantulas Records in 2005. The critically-acclaimed album also boasted bonus remixes by Jade Puget of AFI and Daz of The Explosion. The Static Age's momentum could not be stopped even when their drummer bowed out of the band's rigorous touring schedule in the last half of 2005 -- Coby Linder of Say Anything filled in for the band on multiple tours into the fall.
Following up on Neon Nights Electric Lives and a year in the van, the band spent a good deal of early 2006 working on a new record (in between a few shorter tours). The result was Blank Screens, out on ReIgnition Recordings. After the album's release, Carlson joined up with the band for the subsequent tours on guitar. Blank Screens garnered high praise from critics and fans alike, and the band hit the road again, spending over half of 2007 on tour with the likes of Tiger Army, Street Dogs, Theo and the Skyscrapers, and others.
Currently, The Static Age is writing and demoing towards its next release, while releasing a series of videos built around the themes explored on the "Blank Screens" record. The trilogy of videos complement the "Cherry Red" video (released to MTV/Fuse, etc in 2006) and are being released only online. A new episode debuts every month at SeventeenScratches.com.
*Bio taken directly from thestaticage.com. For more information visit thestaticage.com or
myspace.com/thestaticage.
Amphibian
The Static Age Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the absence of reason
Breathing in water and in dirt
Amphibious
It's been a long time
It's been a long time since i heard
The words that i'm speaking
On the verge of the bleeding
It's been a long time
I steal
The words that fall from her
Red lips
Not like i hoped
And i know
I want it all wrong
Searching the pages for a time
When words still had meaning
Searching the words for any sign
If this is dignity...
It's been a long time
The Static Age's Amphibian seems to be a song about lingering pain and the struggles of defining one's sense of self. The lyrics "It's been a long time since I hurt" signifies some kind of trauma or heartbreak that has been difficult to overcome, and the "absence of reason" suggests that the suffering felt has continued without cause or explanation. The singer feels like an amphibian, able to survive in two different states: "Breathing in water and in dirt." This metaphor alludes to the idea that the singer is struggling to adapt to their new normal.
The singer then speaks of struggling to be understood, with "words as soft as the wool of listless lambs." The proximity to a "verge of the bleeding" could suggest that the singer is afraid of falling into a sense of despair, but the mention of bleeding also alludes to an attempt at catharsis or healing. The lines, "And I know, I want it all wrong" seems to reference the archetype of being unable to let go of someone or something that is harmful, indicating that the singer is likely still pained by a past relationship or circumstance.
Furthermore, the song talks about searching for something lost, such as the true definition of dignity or the time when words had meaning. The song's chorus repeats the line, "It's been a long time," reiterating the idea that the singer has been feeling stuck in despair for quite some time. Overall, Amphibian illustrates the turmoil of coming to terms with oneself and that sometimes even after a long period of time, the pain of loss, the search for meaning, and the fight to let go continue to persist.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long time since i hurt
The singer hasn't experienced pain in a significant amount of time.
In the absence of reason
The singer is feeling lost and without logical direction.
Breathing in water and in dirt
The singer feels comfortable and at home in seemingly hostile environments, almost like an amphibian.
Amphibious
A succinct affirmation of the artist's feeling of being well-suited to braving various and adverse situations.
It's been a long time
A repetition of the first line as if looking to emphasize the time that has passed.
It's been a long time since i heard
The singer hasn't been able to truly listen in a long while.
The words that i'm speaking
The singer's speech is coming out in subdued tones, much like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
Soft as the wool of listless lambs
The artist's voice is weak and gentle, akin to the texture of wool from inactive sheep.
On the verge of the bleeding
The artist could soon encounter the consequences of their actions or words.
I steal
The artist takes ownership of their actions, acknowledging their ethical grey area.
The words that fall from her
The singer is reactive and takes in what the other person says quite rapidly.
Red lips
The artist notices the physical aspect of the other person, specifically their bright lips.
Not like i hoped
The singer's expectations aren't being met with their actions.
And i know
The singer is conscious of their actions and emotions.
I want it all wrong
The singer has formulated a desire that is misguided or destructive in nature.
Searching the pages for a time
The artist is looking for a time when things made sense or were simpler.
When words still had meaning
The artist remembers a time when words conveyed a more significant message.
Searching the words for any sign
The singer is looking for a sense of the present in whatever they read.
If this is dignity...
The singer's current situation or conduct may not adhere to their personal morals or ideas of dignity.
It's been a long time
A repetition of the previous instances, emphasizing the amount of time that has passed.
Writer(s): Andrew Richard Paley
Contributed by Maya M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.