Their debut album BiRd-BrAiNs was first released on limited edition vinyl and cassette in June 2009, via the Portland-based imprint Marriage Records. In July 2009, it was announced that tUnE-yArDs had signed to 4AD, and a limited edition pressing of BiRd-BrAiNs was released on August 17, 2009.
A full worldwide release followed on November 16, 2009 (and November 17th in North America). The autumn 2009 pressing was remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Christian Wright, and includes two new bonus tracks: "Want Me To" and "Real Live Flesh."
BiRd-BrAiNs was entirely self-produced and recorded, with Garbus utilizing a hand-held digital voice recorder, ukulele, some noisy off-balance drums, and produced using shareware mixing software. Garbus described their sound as "a patchwork of sound snippets, of history in a present tense. It is a composer's commitment to the preservation of stories, however small and unassuming."
A second album w h o k i l l was released on April 19, 2011, preceded by the single "Bizness". It was produced by Garbus and engineered by Eli Crews at New, Improved Studios in Oakland, California. Comparing the act to Sonic Youth, Frontier Psychiatrist said, "if BiRd-BrAiNs was Garbus’ EVOL, a record bursting with musical ideas that attempted to subvert the notion of song, w h o k i l l is their Sister, a record that embraces the traditional pop song as a vehicle to convey those ideas." The song "Fiya" is featured on a 2010 commercial for the Blackberry Torch.
Riotriot
Tune-Yards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About the night I met you
You had come to put handcuffs on my brother
Down in the alleyway
I dreamt of making love to you
Up on the rooftop, looking up at the sky
Right before it happens,
One minute blue skies,
Then the rain begins to fall
Pop go the windows
Pop go the windows
So we can see you more clearly
Pop go the windows
So you can hear us
Through the night
Get real hot, blow your top
Get real hot, blow your top
Hiding in the alleyway
Get real hot, blow your top
They are writing and looking
and they're knocking at your door
Who are you for
Who are you
Put your hand upon my heart
feel the beating of the wall
Who are you for
Who are you for
If you do nothing, you still do something
Do you see it
Do you see it
If you do nothing
you still do something
Do you feel me
Do you feel me
There is a freedom in violence
that I don't understand
And like I've never felt before
Why did you come here
Why did you come here
Why did you come here
To our neighborhood
The song "Riotriot" by tUnE-yArDs is a commentary on the potential for violence and conflict in society. The opening lines of the first verse reveal a secret about the night the singer met someone, who they later dreamt of making love to. The person they met was a police officer who had come to arrest their brother down in the alleyway, suggesting that the singer might be on the wrong side of the law.
The lyrics then shift to a chorus that talks about how sudden and unexpected conflicts can arise, represented by the metaphorical image of "pop go the windows." The singer suggests that breaking down barriers can allow people to see and hear each other more clearly, even if it means getting real hot and blowing your top.
The second verse adds to the theme of conflict by asking who people are for and what they stand for. There is a sense of uncertainty and tension, as if people are writing and looking, and perhaps even knocking on doors, trying to find out who is on their side. The following lines suggest that even doing nothing can have an impact, and the singer asks if others can see and feel the same.
The song concludes with a repetition of the question, "why did you come here," implying a sense of unwelcome intrusion or aggression. Taken together, the lyrics present a picture of a society in which violence and conflict are always present, simmering beneath the surface and waiting for something to ignite them.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a secret to tell you
I need to confide in you
About the night I met you
It was the night I first saw you
You had come to put handcuffs on my brother
You were there to arrest my sibling
Down in the alleyway
In a dark corner
I dreamt of making love to you
I imagined being intimate with you
Up on the rooftop, looking up at the sky
On a high ledge, admiring the stars
Right before it happens,
Just before everything changes
There's no sign at all
There are no warning signals
One minute blue skies,
It was a clear sky moment
Then the rain begins to fall
But unexpectedly, the rain starts pouring
Pop go the windows
Open up the shutters
Pop go the windows
Open them all the way
So we can see you more clearly
To have a better view of you
Pop go the windows
Open them wider
So you can hear us
For you to hear our voices
Through the night
In the darkness
Get real hot, blow your top
Become enraged, lose control
Get real hot, blow your top
Become aggressive and violent
Hiding in the alleyway
Concealed in a narrow path
Get real hot, blow your top
Become angry and lash out
They are writing and looking
People are observing and documenting
and they're knocking at your door
And coming to question you
Who are you for
Which side are you on
Who are you
What is your identity
Put your hand upon my heart
Feel my pulse
feel the beating of the wall
Hear the thudding of the building
Who are you for
Whose side are you supporting
Who are you for
Who do you stand with
If you do nothing, you still do something
Inaction is still a choice
Do you see it
Are you aware
Do you see it
Can you perceive what is happening
If you do nothing
If you refuse to act
you still do something
You still make a decision
Do you feel me
Can you understand me
Do you feel me
Can you empathize with me
There is a freedom in violence
Violence can be liberating
that I don't understand
But which I cannot grasp
And like I've never felt before
And it's a sensation beyond my experience
Why did you come here
What is the reason for your presence
Why did you come here
What led you to be here
Why did you come here
What is your purpose in this place
To our neighborhood
In our community
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Merrill Martin Garbus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind