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The Violet Burning - The Story of Our Lives:
Liebe über Alles, Black as Death and The Fantastic Machine
by Jocelyn Aucoin
It's that ache in your heart.
That place inside you where all the stuff collects and collides like junk in a drawer.
Except it's not junk. It's real and it matters and it's the matter that makes you. It’s that ache that makes you want to fight and surrender, scream and sigh. It's decaying and it's beautiful and it's full of these awkward opposites. So full that sometimes you don't understand. You can't understand.
But then someone or something comes along to give it shape, a voice. Someone whose ability to capture this space is so pure, so precise, that it springs hope within us and legs to stand on.
Something like The Violet Burning.
The Violets (affectionately called) have been making music under the direction of creative mainspring, Michael J Pritzl, since 1990. A prolific songwriter, Pritzl's story is one of endurance, endurance manifested in a plethora of albums and relentless touring throughout the US and Europe. Endurance resulting in an absolute rabid
following of fans. Though Pritzl has surrounded himself with different musicians through the years, the music has never been compromised and the fans keep coming back for the powerful, guitar-driven rock The Violets never fail to deliver. This time that rock is enlivened with the drumming virtuosity that is Lenny Beh. A stunningly emotive addition.
Nothing proves The Violets bring the rock better than their latest effort, their 9th full-length studio album, The Story of Our Lives: Liebe über Alles, Black as Death and The Fantastic Machine, an audio triptych of sorts. The album's 34 songs are divided into three parts: Liebe über Alles, Black as Death and The Fantastic Machine. Although asunder, the album rages with rock and drips with beauty, all the while shaking it's figurative fist at a digital age wherein, despite the abundance of material available, artists still feel beholden to the 10-song album format restrictions of the past.
The Violets didn't feel this restriction and because of that, The Story of Our Lives is not just an auditory experience, it is a multi-sensory aesthetic experience. These songs didn't take a week to write or two days to record. The artwork wasn't thrown together in an hour in Photoshop. This is a complete body of work that began as a spark of an idea and has now been seven years in the making. In this way, it defies the unspoken and mediocre standards of today, offering up an incredible sonic experience in addition to a riveting lyrical journey.
And the journey is a familiar one. In fact, it reads like some of the greatest novels ever written. The Fantastic Machine sets the tone for this journey as "Where It All Begins" climbs from a pensive, pretty melody to an all out blur of frantic guitars, over which "my heart and soul are wired in!" it screamed wild and breathy. It's the definition of epic, and songs like “Machine Beat Sabbatha” and “Imminent Collapse” follow suit, allowing the listener in on the chaos that's brewing in the heart of our character. “The Letting” and “Leaving” tell a quieter story, one that will course through your veins with their beautiful sadness. And in the end, our character leaves The Fantastic Machine behind, giving up on a life that has been selling him lies.
Black as Death picks up where this sadness leaves off, descending on ears like a bat out of hell--an almost mindless storm of sound and distortion. “My Name is Night” is case and point of this, heavy and teeming with Sabbath-like drumming. “Maelstorm” expands into this chaos, the entropy of its opening guitars hitting like the explosion of tides. Pritzl's delicate falsetto dancing atop the water. And then there is “Rock Is Dead”, which exists not only as the definition of pop song perfection, but shows our character gaining strength. Shivers run down your spine when he screams, "I'm going on, going on!" "In Ruin" leaves a sweet taste in our mouths with it's swirly delays, rhodes bells and sweeping cello.
Enter Liebe über Alles, The Story of Our Lives' graceful and exquisite counterpart. Our character has chosen death, but now lives to continue his journey home. A beautiful relenting, “Mon Désir” is honest in both melody and lyric as Pritzl’s broken voice sings, "All I want is you." "Arc" has a driving rhythm that climaxes with an explosion of spirited strings. "I am coming home!" The dreamy and romantic ballad, "I Caught Fire", is encased in a haze of fuzz guitar, pulsing drums and the descending piano, "…in all the songs of men and angels, if I have no love, I'm blank." And finally “through a life, blessed and cursed, love and only love goes on and on…” the true rest of “Liebe über Alles” and the final acknowledgement that our character has made it home.
This is not just another album by another band. This is a realization. A realization that this story--the struggle and the heartache, feeling lost and so alone--belongs to each one of us. It’s the way we feel when we are sad and broken and it’s the way we feel when we are so complete and content, at home and at rest within ourselves and with others and with “The Lord of Song.” It’s knowing we’re not alone in this big, messed up machine of a world. It’s the hope of “every corner of our heart and soul” being made for someone who loves us more than we will ever understand.
This is the story of our lives.
The Violet Burning is Michael J. Pritzl, Daryl Dawson and Lenny Beh. THE STORY OF OUR LIVES: Liebe über Alles, Black as Death,and TH3 FANT^5T1C MACH1N3 was written and recorded by Michael Pritzl at Nowhere, CA studios (various closets, garages, entry ways, and bedrooms in Southern California) and features Eleanor Beh on Cello and Jeff Schroeder of Smashing Pumpkins (lead guitar on 3 songs).
The Story Of Our Lives was released digitally at thevioletburning.com March 5, 2011. The triple album will be coming worldwide one part at a time via iTunes, Amazon, and other online digital resellers throughout 2011. The triple album will also be available in it’s physical, beautiful, limited edition, 80-page packaging via thevioletburning.com beginning April 4, 2011. The Violet Burning are now planning US and European tour dates.
-Jocelyn Aucoin – 2011
Crush
The Violet Burning Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't focus on what needs to get done
I'm on notice hoping that you don't run, ah
You think I'm tepid but I'm misdiagnosed
Cause I'm a stalker I seen all of your posts, ah-ah
And I'm just tryna play it cool now
But that's not what I wanna do now
Mhm
You make it difficult to not overthink
And when I'm with you I turn all shades of pink, ah
I wanna touch you but don't wanna be weird
It's such a rush, I'm thinking wish you were here, ah-ahh
And I'm just tryna play it cool now
But that's not what I wanna do now
And I'm not tryna be with you now, you now
But I could be your crush, like, throw you for a rush, like
Hoping you'd text me so I could tell you
I been thinking 'bout your touch like
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush
I got a fascination with your presentation
Making me feel like you're on my island
You're my permanent vacation
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush
Sorry
I fill my calendar with stuff I can do
Maybe if I'm busy it could keep me from you
And I'm pretending you ain't been on my mind
But I took an interest in the things that you like, ah-ahh
And I'm just tryna play it cool now
But that's not what I wanna do now
And I'm not tryna be with you now, you now
But I could be your crush, like, throw you for a rush, like
Hoping you'd text me so I could tell you
I been thinking 'bout your touch like
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush
I got a fascination with your presentation
Making me feel like you're on my island
You're my permanent vacation
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush
And yeah it's true that I'm a little bit intense, right
But can you blame me when you keep me on the fence, like
And I've been waiting, hoping that you'd wanna text, like, text like
It's what I was born to do
And yeah it's true that I'm a little bit intense, right
But can you blame me when you keep me on the fence, like
And I've been waiting, hoping that you'd wanna text, like, text like
Ugh
And I'm just tryna play it cool now
But that's not what I wanna do now
And I'm not tryna be with you now, you now
But I could be your crush, like, throw you for a rush, like
Hoping you'd text me so I could tell you
I been thinking 'bout your touch like
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush
I got a fascination with your presentation
Making me feel like you're on my island
You're my permanent vacation
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I could be your crush, crush, crush, crush, crush
Sorry
The Violet Burning's Crush is a song about infatuation and yearning for someone. The singer addresses the person they are crushing on, acknowledging that they have noticed everything about them, including their social media posts. However, they are trying to play it cool and not let their feelings show, even though they turn all shades of pink when they're with their crush. The singer confesses that their crush is making it difficult not to overthink, and they want to touch them but don't want to come off as weird.
The singer then admits that they have filled up their calendar to stay busy to distract themselves from thinking about their crush, but they are still interested in the things that their crush likes. They confess that they are a little bit intense but can't help it because their crush keeps them on the fence, and they keep waiting for their crush to text them. The song ends with the singer apologizing for their feelings before repeating the chorus about being their crush and wanting to touch them.
Overall, Crush is a relatable song that captures the feeling of being infatuated with someone and trying to hide it while also hoping that the feeling is mutual.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't focus on what needs to get done
I'm distracted by thoughts of you and it's preventing me from being productive.
You think I'm tepid but I'm misdiagnosed
You think I'm uninterested, but I actually have an intense crush on you.
And I'm just tryna play it cool now
I'm trying to act casual and not show how much I really like you.
You make it difficult to not overthink
Your actions and presence make me overanalyze everything about our interactions.
And I'm not tryna be with you now, you now
I don't want to admit that I want to be with you right now.
I wanna touch you but don't wanna be weird
I have a strong desire for physical contact with you, but I don't want to come across as strange or pushy.
But I could be your crush, like, throw you for a rush, like
I believe I could be the one who makes you feel exhilarated and excited.
I fill my calendar with stuff I can do
I try to keep myself busy in the hopes that it will distract me from thinking about you.
And yeah it's true that I'm a little bit intense, right
I acknowledge that my feelings for you might be a bit strong or overwhelming.
Making me feel like you're on my island
Being with you gives me a sense of escape or paradise.
And I've been waiting, hoping that you'd wanna text, like, text like
I crave communication from you and I anxiously wait for your response.
And I'm not tryna be with you now, you now
I'm still trying to convince myself that I don't want to be with you right now, even though it's not true.
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch
I yearn for physical contact with you.
I got a fascination with your presentation
I'm intrigued and attracted to the way you present yourself.
Hoping you'd text me so I could tell you
I hope you'll reach out to me so I can express my feelings for you.
Sorry
I apologize for being so intense and overwhelming with my feelings for you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andy Goldmark, Bernadette Cosgrove, Kevin Bruce Clark, Mark Clifford Mueller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind