Turin Brakes has been compared to many of the New Acoustic Movement's bands spawned in the late 90s such as Elbow, Starsailor, I Am Kloot (who were a support band for Turin Brakes on their Ether Song tour) and the Norwegian band the Kings of Convenience.
Their debut album "The Optimist LP" (2001) was nominated for the Mercury Prize that same year. In 2003 "Ether Song" got to #3 in the UK album charts and spawned a Top 5 single "Pain Killer". Further commercial success was not achieved. In 2005 "JackInABox" meant some sort of return to the first album, but this time with more production and a more diverse sound. Again the critics loved it, but the buying public seemed not to. It got to no. 9 in its first week (without a hit single - "Fishing For A Dream" got to #35), but had no further commercial success. This might have been the effect of the decision by the band and the record company to take the slow path (doing just a short UK tour and not doing as much promotion as they used to), so that Olly Knights (the singer) could also focus on his new family life.
In the summer of 2005 the boys toured the USA and Canada, followed by an acoustic tour taking the band to Germany, The Netherlands and Italy. 2005 ended with a longer acoustic UK tour, of which the closing night in the Palladium in London was recorded and released as a download only live album the day after. The album sold quite well on iTunes, riding the top of the download charts in several countries.
The band spent the first half of 2006 writing new songs, occasionally performing both new and old work at small gigs across the UK. The band did an intimate tour in November 2006 to try out new material. In January 2007 the band entered a small studio in London to record their 4th album with producer Ethan Johns. After three weeks the band took a break (on January 29th Gale's wife gave birth to a daughter), but the sessions were resumed several weeks later in a bigger studio (also in London). On the last day of March 2007 the band announced that they had finished the recording sessions, and recorded 17 songs.
Their 2007 album, "Dark on Fire", was preceded by a download-only single "Stalker".
The band released their 5th studio album in March 2010 titled "Outbursts".
Their sixth album, We Were Here, was released 30 September 2013, and their seventh album Lost Property (recorded at Rockfield Studios with producer Ali Staton) was released on 29 January 2016.
On 26 January 2018 the band released their eighth album Invisible Storm.
Nowhere
Turin Brakes Lyrics
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He stood there like a miracle, with the kid's heart in his hold
'I think I might be dying, at least that's what I'm told'
Inside kid is crying, for the dream has just been sold
I'm only nine, I'm already feeling the strain
It seems everyone's dying or curling up in pain
Well it's just a loser's game, dad
Oh come try and catch me, oh catch me if you can
I'll be the first to miss the grip of your hairless, bony hands
Well people run for shopping malls but you're waiting in the sky
Oh which consumer will you crush and which will you let by
I'm only nine, I'm already feeling the strain
It seems everyone's dying or curling up in pain
Well it's just a loser's game, dad
It's just a loser's game
Oh but the sun in the back of this vehicle
Remember the sun, where the beach boys were playing
Run for the sun
Oh dad, ain't it sad
That we're on this road to nowhere
Oh dad, ain't it sad
That we're on this road to nowhere
Oh dad, ain't it sad
That we're on this road to nowhere
Nowhere, I know
I'm only nine, I'm already feeling the strain
It seems everyone's dying or curling up in pain
Well it's just a loser's game, dad
It's just a loser's game
The lyrics of Turin Brakes' song "Road To Nowhere" are deeply emotional and insightful, dealing with themes of mortality and the futility of life. The opening verse describes a father and his young son, with the father realizing that he might be dying. The son is understandably upset by this revelation, feeling the strain of the reality of death that he is confronting at such a young age. He understands that life is just a "loser's game," and that everyone seems to be dying or in pain.
The song takes on a more surreal and dreamlike quality in the second verse, as the singer imagines himself being pursued by death, personified as a figure reaching out to grab him. The imagery of people "running for shopping malls" while death waits in the sky is haunting and unsettling, emphasizing the inevitability of mortality in a society where consumerism is valued above all else. The bridge of the song takes a more nostalgic turn, with the singer recalling a happy memory of listening to the Beach Boys and feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.
Overall, "Road To Nowhere" is a powerful and introspective song that grapples with difficult existential questions. It expresses a sense of disillusionment and sadness at the inevitability of death and the transience of life, while also suggesting that there is some comfort to be found in happy memories and moments of beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
The dad he was fifty, the kid was nine years old
The father is already old while the kid is still young
He stood there like a miracle, with the kid's heart in his hold
The dad is a source of hope and inspiration for the child
'I think I might be dying, at least that's what I'm told'
The dad is not feeling well and fears that his life may end soon
Inside kid is crying, for the dream has just been sold
The child is disappointed and sad because his hope and dream are now gone
I'm only nine, I'm already feeling the strain
The child is already experiencing the difficulties and struggles of life at a young age
It seems everyone's dying or curling up in pain
The child is noticing that many people are suffering and struggling in life, and some even die
Well it's just a loser's game, dad
The child sees life as a losing game because of the difficulties and struggles
Oh come try and catch me, oh catch me if you can
The child wishes to escape and run away from the struggles of life
I'll be the first to miss the grip of your hairless, bony hands
The child is wishing to escape the grasp of old age and death
Well people run for shopping malls but you're waiting in the sky
The child sees death as something that people avoid and fear, but it is inevitable and waiting for everyone
Oh which consumer will you crush and which will you let by
The child is questioning the randomness and uncertainty of life and death
Oh but the sun in the back of this vehicle
The child sees the sun as a source of hope and positivity in life
Remember the sun, where the beach boys were playing
The child recalls a happy and carefree time in life when the sun was shining and music played
Run for the sun
The child wishes to escape to a happier and brighter time in life
Oh dad, ain't it sad That we're on this road to nowhere
The child is expressing sadness and disappointment that life seems to lead nowhere and has no purpose
Nowhere, I know
The child is certain that life leads nowhere
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OLIVER KNIGHTS, GALE PARIDJANIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind