Venice Is Sinking has existed since the mid-90s, when guitarist/singer Daniel Lawson and a friend from New York, Kevin J. O'Neill Jr., began trading 4-track tapes in the mail. The first Venice Is Sinking “album” came out in the summer of 1997 in an extremely limited release of 50 handmade cassettes in Lawson’s hometown of Peachtree City, GA, whose previous cultural achievement was the ability to park one’s golf cart at the local Chili’s.
Six years and one coffee house show later, Venice Is Sinking rebooted in Athens, GA on a strictly home recording basis. Viola/flute/violin/cello player/singer Karolyn Troupe and drummer Lucas Jensen (formerly of Pacific UV) were brought in as ringers for scattered recording sessions and practices. Lawson and fellow landscape architect/neighbor/keyboardist Alex Thibadoux began a series of extended jam sessions at the unfortunately addressed 666 Pulaski St. house where Thibadoux resided. Troupe and Jensen were brought back into the fold, and Venice Is Sinking was born. Again.
To call the early practices of this lineup loose would be an understatement, but eventually Lawson started bringing in songs that had been dormant for years. Thus ended Venice Is Sinking’s brief, yet infamous, Experimental Phase of September 2003 as the band, for better or worse, began its journey into the world of dark orchestral pop formalism.
After a while, the band decided that they actually had to do something with the music they’d been playing, and, furthermore, they needed a bassist. Enter Steve Miller (not the famous one), a prodigious talent who may or may not be a member of sixteen bands at any time. Venice Is Sinking played some shows, including an extremely cramped performance supporting the Helio Sequence and the Secret Machines. They began recording an album at Radium Recordings in bucolic Commerce, Georgia under the watchful eye of ace engineer Chris Bishop (Macha, Circulatory System). What you hold in your hands now is the product of said sessions.
Sorry About The Flowers is an album that reflects the personal upheavals that surrounded its making: the band lost a beloved practice space to gutter punks, Lawson and Troupe ended long-term relationships (and began one together), and, in the biggest blow, Troupe lost her brother. Sorry About The Flowers loosely revolves around an exploration of spatial and situational transition, the power of location, and the hopeful side of loss.
Since the album’s recording, the band has gone through yet another period of “transition” as keyboard player Alex Thibadoux packed up and moved to NYC and was replaced—amicably--by James Sewell. Lawson and Troupe ended their now two-year relationship as well. Maybe the next album will be the band’s Rumours! If nothing else, it has made for some “fun” moments in the band’s tour van (nicknamed “The Baptist Bump”).
People have described the Venice Is Sinking “sound” as slightly dark, pretty pop music, heavy on the strings and keyboards. Reference points mentioned have included the Cure, Galaxie 500, Low, Hetch Hetchy (whom none of the band members has ever heard), Ida, Hugo Largo, and the Delgados. One Percent Press recently released a split EP featuring three Venice Is Sinking songs and two by Atlanta act What We Do Is Secret. It has been selling quite well locally and online.
Undecided
Venice Is Sinking Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At least you're being open-minded.
I never would have guessed
That we could make this mess
Any worse than it had already gotten.
Is this what i really wanted?
With nothing left to lose, i lost my only excuse.
It was you.
No one move and no one gets hurt.
If no one moves, then nothing gets worse.
I'm always looking back
'cause you're living in the past.
Please pass the present to me now.
Please pass the past over my doubt.
I don't think i'm ready to try
To live another brand new life, without you.
The lyrics to Venice is Sinking's song "Undecided" seem to be an internal monologue of someone who is stuck between two options. They have reached a point where they are unable to make a decision, and they are contemplating the consequences of their previous choices. The opening lines, "Decided to be undecided, at least you're being open-minded," suggest that the person is making a deliberate effort to consider both sides of the argument before taking any action. The expression "I never would have guessed that we could make this mess any worse than it had already gotten" implies that the person is dissatisfied with the current state of affairs and believes that both options will lead to undesirable outcomes.
The line "Is this what I really wanted?" expresses the person's doubt about the path they have chosen so far. They seem to have lost their way and are struggling to find a purpose. The next line "With nothing left to lose, I lost my only excuse. It was you" suggests that the person had blamed someone else for their problems, but now that excuse is no longer valid, and they have to take responsibility for their decisions. The lines "No one move and no one gets hurt. If no one moves, then nothing gets worse" indicate that the person fears the repercussions of making any further choices, and they are contemplating staying in their current state of indecision.
The last line "I don't think I'm ready to try to live another brand new life without you" is an indication that the person may have lost someone or something significant in their life that has made it difficult for them to make decisions. The song seems to capture the struggle of individuals who find themselves at a crossroads and are torn between multiple options.
Line by Line Meaning
Decided to be undecided.
I have chosen to remain undecided.
At least you're being open-minded.
Your openness to different options is commendable.
I never would have guessed
I did not foresee this.
That we could make this mess
Our current situation is worse than expected.
Any worse than it had already gotten.
It seems like we have hit rock bottom.
Is this what i really wanted?
I am questioning if this is the right choice.
With nothing left to lose, i lost my only excuse.
I have no more reasons to hold back.
It was you.
You were my only reason for hesitation.
No one move and no one gets hurt.
Let's avoid any unnecessary damage.
If no one moves, then nothing gets worse.
Inaction can prevent further harm.
I'm always looking back.
I often dwell in the past.
'cause you're living in the past.
Your inability to let go of past mistakes is affecting us.
Please pass the present to me now.
I want to focus on the here and now.
Please pass the past over my doubt.
I need help in overcoming my doubts about the past.
I don't think i'm ready to try
I am not prepared to take that step.
To live another brand new life, without you.
I cannot envision starting a new life without you.
Contributed by Audrey K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.