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.
The Door
Turin Brakes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you leave no trace
Time in this place is closer than my friends
Remember my eyes not my face
Ain't no sense has no sense it invents
Another man unfolds
I'm standing next to myself the sink
Staring into the black hole
I panic at the quiet times
Decisions at the door
I panic at the quiet times
Fate leaves me to much more.
On the inside it hurts less
The outside seems so cold
I need to climb
Gotta find some tenderness
Before I get too old
Sun come from behind, hurts my eyes
It dries my hair so nice
I watch the boiling sea meet the open sky
But my soul still feels like it's ice
I panic at the quiet times
Decisions at the door
I panic at the quiet times
My fate leaves me to much more
In Turin Brakes's song The Door, the lyrics are poetic and filled with emotion. The song expresses a sense of urgency to leave behind a place that no longer serves a purpose. The singer advises the listener to take the fast road and get going before they leave no trace. This implies that the singer recognizes that time is fleeting, and it's essential to make the most of it. The singer also acknowledges that time spent in this place is closer to their friends than themselves, which denotes a feeling of detachment from the community, perhaps due to some personal or emotional issues.
The lyric "remember my eyes not my face" is particularly striking as it suggests that the singer is more interested in being understood on a deeper level than on a superficial one. The following line, "ain't no sense has no sense, it invents another man unfolds," further adds to the sense that the singer is searching for something more profound than what's on the surface. The line also implies that change is essential for growth and that the singer is more than willing to embrace it.
The chorus of the song "I panic at the quiet times, decisions at the door, fate leaves me to much more," further emphasizes the singer's sense of urgency and anxiety about their life's direction. The line "On the inside, it hurts less, the outside seems so cold," indicates that the singer's internal struggles are more profound than the external ones. The singer is in search of tenderness and warmth, and they recognize that it's time to move on before it gets too late.
Overall, The Door is a beautifully written song that captures the complexities of human emotions and the struggles one faces in life.
Line by Line Meaning
So take the fast road and get going now
Start moving quickly, don't waste time
Before you leave no trace
Do something significant before you disappear
Time in this place is closer than my friends
Time is running out faster than the support of friends
Remember my eyes not my face
Don't judge me by my appearance, notice my eyes that tell a story
Ain't no sense has no sense it invents
Nonsense is a creation of our own minds
Another man unfolds
A new person is emerging
I'm standing next to myself the sink
Feeling lost and alone while staring in the mirror
Staring into the black hole
Feeling like life is empty and meaningless
I panic at the quiet times
Feeling anxious during moments of silence
Decisions at the door
Important choices must be made before it's too late
Fate leaves me to much more.
Not knowing what the future holds can be overwhelming
On the inside it hurts less
Emotional pain is less noticeable to others
The outside seems so cold
The world can be harsh and unfeeling
I need to climb
Looking for a way to rise above the difficulties of life
Gotta find some tenderness
Seeking kindness and compassion from others
Before I get too old
Time is running out, there's a sense of urgency
Sun come from behind, hurts my eyes
The brightness of hope can be painful after a long period of darkness
It dries my hair so nice
There can be beauty in unexpected moments
I watch the boiling sea meet the open sky
The meeting of opposing forces can be dramatic and powerful
But my soul still feels like it's ice
Despite external beauty, internally there is still pain and emptiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GALE PARIDJANIAN, OLIVER KNIGHTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@isabel4078
So take the fast road and get goin now
Before you leave no trace
Time in this place was closer than my friends
Remember my eyes not my face
Innocence has no sense it invents
Another man unfolds
Well I'm standing next to myself the sink
Staring into the black hole
I panic at the quiet times
Decisions at the door
I panic at the quiet times
Faith leaves me to much more
On the inside it hurts less
The outside seems so cold
I need to climb, I gotta find some tenderness
Before I get too old
The sun comes from behind, it hurts my eyes
It dries my hair so nice
I watch the boiling sea meet the open sky
But my soul still feels like it's ice
I panic at the quiet times
Decisions at the door
I panic at the quiet times
Faith leaves me to much more
@glastomole9570
An incredible band. Vastly & criminally underrated.
@weeeeoooow
The Optimist LP!!!....One of my fave albums......love this.
@markdavies4851
Absolute quality 👌 😎
@matthewanderson3416
Discovered TB years ago, and years later still think they are one of the best bands out there.
@johnmadison267
I love this band... Discovered them 15 years ago.. still love them... <3
@TheIkaraCult
Fantastic song, fantastic album
@patrickkoreman7576
Until today, all I heard of these guys was the single "The Door". A great tune.
But I never expected them to reach the level of - say - Simon and Garfunkel. Playing songs unheard of that appear to be a simple and natural part of your memory instantly, that is.
Absolutely on of the most underrated band ever, indeed!
@tazchars8857
+Patrick Koreman they r brilliant.they had some success in uk...love their tune time and money ..dark on fire....
@PandoraChaser2
Sound of Silence indeed and no Bridges over Troubles Waters
@TheIkaraCult
Love this album so much