The quintet is comprised of seasoned musicians with national and international touring experience, and successful track records with both major and independent labels. The band has toured with Twin Forks, Augustana and Pigpen Theater Co. In addition to Zach Porter, the band includes Cameron Quiseng (bass), Chris Morrison (lead guitar), Ans Gibson (drums), and Gabe Rudner (keyboard). With The Tragic Thrills, the band members break away from their legacies to rally behind the poetic and irreverently romantic songs Porter has crafted. Emboldened by the fresh start, the guys have taken the reins to steer their destiny. They self-funded their self-titled debut, and, enamored with the subtle genius production on Mat Kearney’s Young Love, handpicked producer Jason Lehning.
It’s a bold way to launch a new band, but that move keeps within the vibrant emotionality packed in the group’s moniker. “The name The Tragic Thrills embodies a sense of what I owe. Not what I owe to anyone, just what it’ll take for me to find whatever the hell it is I’m looking for in life,” Porter reveals.
For Porter, love pulled him off the music business treadmill and brought him back to soulful creative authenticity. “Meeting my girlfriend changed everything,” he confides. “In the past, being in a successful band was the most important thing in the world to me—I was willing to do whatever it took to make it.. Now I’m able to write in a way that my ambitions had stopped me from before. “
The band recently signed to Washington Square, the new Razor & Tie imprint. The Tragic Thrills debut is sublimely modern with skyward, atmospheric anthemics tastefully balanced by poignant and quaint touches likes stately cello, crystalline piano, and shimmering guitars. Against this expansive backdrop, Porter sings his powerfully confessional lyrics with rawness and urgency.
Throughout the album Porter’s lyric writing is a revelation; it’s blunt and pent-up but bursting with emotion about relationships: romantic, friendship, and business. On “Tears” he sings: I lost it all/I punched the wall again/But it was stronger than my hands/And they were swollen, they were red/And I’m a fool/I’m not a lion, I’m a man I can’t outrun the hurt they said/But I can love and love again/And you too, you too. “I have days quite often where I find myself relating to ‘Tears,’ in many different ways,” he says candidly. “I have something that means everything to me. And with that connection and devotion comes the greatest moments in my life but also some of the hardest.”
Another standout, “Creeps & Strangers” seizes a different end of the emotional spectrum, recounting a particularly chilling experience. “My girlfriend would take the bus to work every day,” he remembers. “There was this really creepy guy who would stare at her like he wanted to murder her. It was horrible. I was in Nashville thinking about this creep and how I didn’t want her to ride the bus anymore. That idea eventually evolved into something broader about people's lives in general, the routine, and wanting to break the cycle of things you hate.”
The hauntingly beautiful “Fever” features some of his most imaginative and stinging lyrical ideas. “There are three different stories in ‘Fever.’ The first story I made up, although it’s safe to say it happens all the time. The other two stories are personal stories from my life,” he explains. “Getting these stories out in these songs is a huge release for me. When I sing that song I mean every word.”
The Tragic Thrills sought out producer Jason Lehning for his fingerprint aesthetic of sleek poise and unvarnished expressiveness. “Jason was everything I needed. He was the perfect balance of challenging me and letting me do my thing to capture an emotion,” explains Porter.
“The whole time I was making the record there was a sense of purpose,” Porter says pensively, thinking back. “It felt like it was exactly what I should be doing. That sense of purpose gets me through everything.”
Sign On The Door Blues
The Tragic Thrills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At a hotel in Frankfurt...
In the dim lit glow
Think I'll turn up the TV
And I'll kick my shoes to the floor
And I'll put my sign on the door.
Richardson Road, in early May...
Just below the gate
You came out of nowhere
And pretty soon we had a home
And we put a nice sign on the door
The newspaper cried out
It's solemn decree
I said: "It doesn't matter"
You didn't agree
So we saw different people
Though we both tried to lend our support
Until we took our sign off the door.
Well you raised a formal grievance
Had the nerve to even believe it
Went around spouting off
Just calling people names
Well your heart was always ticklish
But now you just seem wicked
Are you happy now?
Is the world a better place?
Mad as hell, babe...
Mad as hell.
You revel in abstinence
And you wear it so well
Think I saw you on TV
But you did not look like before
And you were putting some sign on the doors.
Back at the hotel, watching TV
Think I know what love is
But is kinda tricky,
I'm a believer
But of what I am not really sure...
So I ain't putting no sign on the door.
The Tragic Thrills’ song “Sign on the Door Blues” is a poignant and wistful exploration of love, loss, and identity. The lyrics describe two different situations where “signs on the door” play a significant role. The first verse finds the singer feeling lonely in a hotel in Frankfurt, Germany in late September. They decide to turn on the TV, kick off their shoes, and put a “sign on the door.” This act of marking their solitude serves as a poignant metaphor for their emotional state and their desire for privacy.
The second verse describes a happier time in the singer’s life when they lived with their partner on Richardson Road in early May. The row of pink tulips below the gate serves as a symbol of the domestic bliss that the couple once shared. Together, they put a “nice sign on the door” to mark their home. However, as the narrative progresses, it becomes clear that their relationship has come to an end. The couple no longer sees eye to eye, despite their attempts to support each other. They remove their “sign on the door,” marking the end of their shared domestic life.
Overall, “Sign on the Door Blues” is a deeply moving and introspective song that explores the complexities of the human heart. The lyrics are evocative and poetic, capturing the raw emotions of love, loss, and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Late september, feeling alone.
It was late September and I was feeling lonely.
At a hotel in Frankfurt...
I was staying at a hotel in Frankfurt.
In the dim lit glow
I was in a dimly lit room.
Think I'll turn up the TV
I decided to turn up the TV.
And I'll kick my shoes to the floor
And take off my shoes.
And I'll put my sign on the door.
And hang a 'Do not disturb' sign on the door.
Richardson Road, in early May...
On Richardson Road, in early May...
With rows of pink tulips,
There were rows of pink tulips nearby.
Just below the gate
Just under the gate.
You came out of nowhere
Then you appeared from nowhere.
And pretty soon we had a home
And we built a home together.
And we put a nice sign on the door
And we hung a sign that read 'welcome' on the door.
The newspaper cried out
The newspaper headline proclaimed.
It's solemn decree
A serious declaration.
I said: "It doesn't matter"
I tried to ignore it.
You didn't agree
But you didn't feel the same way.
So we saw different people
We ended up growing apart.
Though we both tried to lend our support
Although we both tried to support each other.
Until we took our sign off the door.
Until we removed our welcoming sign from the door.
Well you raised a formal grievance
You lodged a formal complaint.
Had the nerve to even believe it
And you even believed it.
Went around spouting off
You went around talking about it.
Just calling people names
And calling people names.
Well your heart was always ticklish
Your heart was always sensitive.
But now you just seem wicked
But now you seem cruel.
Are you happy now?
Are you satisfied now?
Is the world a better place?
Has the world become a better place?
Mad as hell, babe...
Extremely angry, babe...
Mad as hell.
Enraged.
You revel in abstinence
You take pleasure in abstaining from things.
And you wear it so well
You seem to enjoy it.
Think I saw you on TV
I think I saw you on TV.
But you did not look like before
But you didn't look the same as before.
And you were putting some sign on the doors.
You were hanging a sign on a door.
Back at the hotel, watching TV
Now back at the hotel, watching TV.
Think I know what love is
I think I understand what love is.
But is kinda tricky,
But it's a complicated feeling.
I'm a believer
I believe.
But of what I am not really sure...
But I'm not really sure of what I believe in.
So I ain't putting no sign on the door.
So I won't hang a 'Do not disturb' sign on the door.
Contributed by Skyler A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.