Trial Kennedy were an alternative rock band from Melbourne, Victoria that f… Read Full Bio ↴Trial Kennedy were an alternative rock band from Melbourne, Victoria that formed in 2002. The band's name came from a music teacher, Mark Kennedy. When the band met in high school, they were all seeing Kennedy as their guitar tutor."We all 'trialled' off him", noted guitarist Stacey Gray. He also notes- "I don't think we ever really took it (the band) seriously, until we decided to change our name to `Trial Kennedy'. After that, things started to happen."

The band initially released an independent EP, Present for a Day, in 2004. However, it was not until 2006's Pictureframe EP that the band received prope recognition. A chance inclusion of the band's song "Damage on Parade" on a sampler for Blunt Magazine roused industry attention. Shortly afterwards, the band found themselves with both a manager and a national booking agent.

The band initially toured with local Melbournian acts. As their reputation increased, tours would involve a variety of popular Australian rock bands, including Gyroscope, The Hot Lies, Kisschasy, Cog, and Horsell Common, whom the band would later record the split EP The Birds and The Bees. The band would also tour with popular international bands, such as Fall Out Boy and Yellowcard. The band played the 2007 and 2008 Soundwave Festival tours at various dates.

On May 31, 2008, the band released their long awaited debut album, New Manic Art. The album was produced by Nick DiDia, who has worked with Powderfinger, the Stone Temple Pilots, Incubus and Audioslave. It was followed up by a second LP, Living Undesigned, in 2011.

On April 16, 2012, the band announced via Facebook that "For a number of reasons all of us in the band have chosen to close down the project that is Trial Kennedy." They played their last shows in June 2012.

Picture Frame
Trial Kennedy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm sitting inside my mind an open doorway
A vision of people that we're lost in four ways
Holding in time survived an awful long await
I'm following every act around in your way

I find my
I find my picture frame
Memory haze

You're still the same
Still your name

I've set it aside my mind an open doorway
I'm running a lie of people lost in four ways
Na na na na na na na
Getting inside to rise above the long await
Pretending to find the reason that your on display

I find my picture frame
Memory haze
You're still the same
Still your name

Our open minds will recognize
you wait to find the light
And all along you reconcile
That I will save the day

I find my picture frame
Memory haze
You're still the same
Still your name

Away today

Warning what is hard again
Set free broken hearts again

Overall Meaning

In these lyrics to Trial Kennedy's song "Picture Frame," the singer describes themselves as sitting inside their mind which is an open doorway. They have a vision of people who are lost in four different ways. Despite surviving for a long time, they are holding onto these people in time. The singer seems to be following the actions of someone else, perhaps a person they are fixated on or trying to understand.

The singer then talks about setting something aside in their mind, again referring to their mind as an open doorway. They feel like they are running a lie, surrounded by people who are lost in four ways. Despite this, they are trying to get inside to rise above the long wait and find the reason why this person they are fixated on is on display. The singer repeats the chorus, where they find their picture frame and the memory haze, reminding them that this person they are fixated on is still the same and their name remains unchanged.

Throughout the lyrics, there seems to be some ambiguity as to the relationship between the singer and the person they are fixated on. The singer also seems to be struggling with their own thoughts and emotions, trying to make sense of everything.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm sitting inside my mind an open doorway
I am reflecting within myself, with an open mind

A vision of people that we're lost in four ways
I see people who are lost in different ways

Holding in time survived an awful long await
Waiting for a long time has been difficult but I persevered

I'm following every act around in your way
I am trying to understand and emulate your behavior

I find my picture frame
I find a representation of my memories

Memory haze
My memories are unclear

You're still the same
You have not changed

Still your name
I still remember your name

I've set it aside my mind an open doorway
I put it aside in my mind, keeping an open mind

I'm running a lie of people lost in four ways
I am deceiving myself about the people who are lost in different ways

Na na na na na na na
N/A