Formed in Berkshire in 1998 by guitarist Phil Mercy and bassist Paul Beecham, the band quickly acquired singer Simon Boys and drummer Mark Robotham, but the search for a suitably talented keyboard player was to take nearly two years, with the intervening time spent writing and rehearsing with sequencing software. Recording for their independently released debut album Head (2000) began just six weeks after the arrival of Wolfgang Kindl on keyboards.
Writing began almost immediately for the next CD, but a few months later Paul Beecham announced his departure due to family commitments and the band recruited bassist Andy Bonham. Andy introduced some fretless bass playing for variation and the less pressured Beecham was able to contribute some oboe playing to the second album, Argot (2001).
The next lineup change came with Simon Boys leaving for nearly identical reasons as Paul Beecham. Never ones to miss an opportunity, the remaining members decided to shake things up a bit and persuaded Amy Darby to join on lead vocals and woodwind. Shibboleth, the third album, was released in 2003.
After some touring and appearances at various prog friendly festivals in the USA and Europe, Wolfgang Kindl decided to return to his native Germany and start a family. This kicked the band into a period of hibernation. Without knowing the palette of sounds and influences that a new keyboard player would bring, Phil Mercy found himself uninspired to write new material and he instead concentrated on updating his recording studio and ironing out the many problems that the process uncovered.
Eventually, when it looked like the studio update would become a never ending saga, It was discovered that Anglagard alumnus Thomas Johnson was living and working in Oxford. A few emails and a pub meeting later and Thieves' Kitchen had a new keyboard player.
Phil, Amy and Thomas quickly forged a blissful writing team and soon had much of the material written that was to become The Water Road. Thomas had brought with him a darker and more symphonic approach which blended well with Phil's Canterburyesque fusion stylings. Amy's folk influences were also highlighted with the introduction of her harp playing. With the richness that was starting to become apparent in the sound of the new material it was decided to go all the way to achieve a more orchestral and organic sound. Ironically, considering the extensive update of Phil's studio, this involved the band recording the backing tracks live without a clicktrack as an ensemble in Aubitt Studios. This allowed the tempo to ebb and flow naturally as the mood required. Mark Robotham also set aside his hitherto ubiquitous electronic kit and used acoustic drums for greater sensitivity. Additional instruments were added, with Anna Holmgren of Anglagard on flute, Stina Peterssen on cello and Paul Beecham making a reappearance on oboe and soprano sax.
The Water Road was released in 2008 to critical acclaim.
While work continued on new material, during delays caused by various factors, including Thomas Johnson's relocation back to Sweden and his work on the new Anglagard release (all with everyone's full blessing and encouragement), it became apparent that Thieves' Kitchen was not destined to be the busy live act that both Andy Bonham and Mark Robotham would wish for, so they and Thieves' Kitchen amicably parted company.
Their places have been taken for the recording sessions by the rhythm section from Sanquine Hum, Paul Mallyon on drums and Brad Waissman on bass.
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www.thieveskitchen.co.uk
Surface Tension
Thieves' Kitchen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I always seem to fall on my feet
And like a cat,
I have nine times to die
This must not be
My number three
There's a few things
You should know about me
I don't want to sing about love
Not this time
Lust-worn cliches
I'm no oracle of lies
I could show you
How much I hate
Imagine that,
What a song that would make
You want to know
How I seem to fall on my feet
How I escape
With my sanity complete
Is it unreal?
Some sleight of hand?
I could say but I
Don't think you'd understand
I'm not a helter skelter woman
With tattoed legs
Transparent smile
As the layers fall away
Where's this unholy mystery
To my steel veneer?
I might tell you one day
The song "Surface Tension" by Thieves' Kitchen seems to be about the singer's desire to break away from the traditional songwriting about love and instead write about something darker, something they truly feel. The repeated metaphor of being a cat who always lands on their feet and has nine lives emphasizes the singer's resilience and ability to bounce back from difficult situations. However, the line "this must not be my number three" suggests that the singer is aware that not all of their lives have been used up yet and they still have more challenges and dangers to face.
The second verse introduces the idea that the singer hates cliches, particularly those associated with love and desire. They seem to want to move away from these tired themes and create something more unique and honest. The idea that the singer could show how much they hate rather than how much they love also reinforces their desire to break away from the norm.
The final verse indicates that the singer is not one to wear a veneer or pretend to be something they're not. There is a mystery to them, but it's not something that they can easily explain or that others may be able to understand. Ultimately, the song seems to be about the singer's desire for authenticity and their struggle to express themselves in a way that feels real and true.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm like a cat,
I'm adaptable and always land on my feet, much like a cat
I always seem to fall on my feet
I am quick to recover from any situation, even when things don't go as planned
And like a cat,
Similar to a cat,
I have nine times to die
I have the ability to persevere through difficult times and come out on top, even if I've faced failure before.
This must not be
I refuse to let this setback or challenge be the end of me
My number three
I won't allow myself to fail again, this time will be different
There's a few things
There are several things
You should know about me
That you should be aware of when it comes to understanding who I am
I don't want to sing about love
I don't have an interest in expressing my feelings about love in this particular piece of music
Not this time
It's not the right time for me to talk about this topic
Lust-worn cliches
I'm tired of falling back on predictable and overused descriptions of lust when it comes to songwriting
I'm no oracle of lies
I won't pretend to have all the answers or be dishonest in my music
I could show you
I have the ability to demonstrate
How much I hate
The strong feelings of animosity I have towards something or someone
Imagine that,
Just picture this,
What a song that would make
It could be an interesting and passionate addition to my discography
You want to know
You're curious about
How I seem to fall on my feet
What my secret is to bouncing back from setbacks so easily
How I escape
How I manage to free myself from negative situations
With my sanity complete
Without losing my mental clarity or stability
Is it unreal?
Does it seem too good to be true?
Some sleight of hand?
A deceptive trick or illusion?
I could say but I
I could explain, but
Don't think you'd understand
I don't believe you'd be able to comprehend or relate to my explanation
I'm not a helter skelter woman
I'm not a chaotic or impulsive person
With tattoed legs
With tattoos on my legs
Transparent smile
An insincere or easily readable smile
As the layers fall away
As I reveal more of myself or become more vulnerable
Where's this unholy mystery
Where did this darker, more complex side of me come from?
To my steel veneer?
To my tough exterior or my identity as a whole?
I might tell you one day
Perhaps someday I will reveal the truth behind this mystery
Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.