“The four of us taught each other how to play music”, says lead vocalist Gr… Read Full Bio ↴“The four of us taught each other how to play music”, says lead vocalist Grayson Proctor. “We turned an old church sanctuary into our own base camp, and we would get together almost every day and learn how to play, perform, and write. There was a while where we were at the sanctuary more than we were our own homes. It was all we wanted to do.”

Based in Nashville, the electro-rock band started building buzz with 2012's Rebel Hill EP. Paste Magazine featured Vinyl Thief as a Band You Should Listen to Now. Killing the Cabinet described Rebel Hill as "sprinty choruses which are magnified by the effortless wide-range vocals shifting transitions fluidly into hip hop beats and lofty bridges." The guys then took their live show on the road in 2013, opening for the likes of the Joy Formidable, Little Green Cars, Youngblood Hawke, and Wild Cub. They also performed at CMJ and SXSW. "They stuffed their gear onto my little stage... and proceeded to slay that room to teeny tiny pieces.” - Beautiful Buzz (SXSW 2013)

Vinyl Thief is set to release Stop Motion, an EP previewing their recently completed full length. The new songs are snapshots of a tumultuous year. They explore and realize the process required to get through and get on with life. It ends with redemption, of sorts: realizing that things will be different, but still, it will be all right. “If this song is any indication, their upcoming full-length is going to be a work of immense weight and power.” - New York Minute (on the single, Smooth)

The band is - Grayson Proctor (vocals, synth), Logan Purdom (guitar), Sam English (keys), & Andrew Broadway (drums).

Smooth
Vinyl Thief Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

in my mirror, things are clear
and my mind it roars behind locked doors
grip the wheel
i start to feel
they cant find me here
won't find me here
before
i speed

away from everything i need
i speed away

so let's go
drive through the night
when darkness is closing in
the beating white light
has opened my heart again
i start

crystal clear, i switch the gears
we can keep our pace in this ghost race
in our dreams, sometimes it seems
they can find us here
won't find us here
before
we speed
away from everything you need
we speed away

so let's go
drive through the night
when darkness is closing in
the beating white light
has opened your heart again

drive through the night
when darkness is closing in
drive until light
has opened your heart again

in my mirror

Overall Meaning

, things are clear and my mind it roars behind locked doors. The imagery in these lyrics seems to suggest a desire for escape from the stresses of modern life. The mirror represents introspection, an opportunity to reflect on one's own thoughts and emotions. But the mind "roars" behind locked doors, suggesting a sense of overwhelm or chaos that the singer is trying to escape.

As the song progresses, the singer gets into a car and starts driving, feeling like they won't be found. The lyrics "drive through the night when darkness is closing in" and "drive until light has opened your heart again" suggest a desire to leave behind everything that is weighing them down and find a sense of clarity or renewal. The "ghost race" mentioned later in the song could be interpreted as a metaphor for this journey, with the singer feeling like they are racing against their own fears or demons.

Overall, the lyrics to "Smooth" suggest a yearning for escape, for a chance to find clarity and renewal through leaving behind everything that is overwhelming or stressful. The image of driving through the night, with only the beating white light to guide them, encapsulates this desire for escape and renewal.

Line by Line Meaning

in my mirror
As I look at myself in the mirror.

things are clear
My thoughts and feelings are evident and easy to perceive.

and my mind it roars behind locked doors
My thoughts and emotions are tumultuous, but hidden and kept quiet.

grip the wheel
Take control of the situation and be ready to act.

i start to feel
Emotions begin to rise and take over.

they cant find me here
I am hidden and unreachable to those who seek me.

won't find me here
I am unreachable, regardless of the effort made to find me.

before
Prior to taking action, making a decision or starting something.

i speed
Accelerate or go fast.

away from everything i need
Moving away from the things that are necessary for my well-being or happiness.

i speed away
I keep going faster until I escape or outrun whatever I want to leave behind.

so let's go
Encouraging someone to take action and move forward.

drive through the night
Keep going, even in the dark and without clear visibility.

when darkness is closing in
When everything seems uncertain or scary, and things start to get worse.

the beating white light
A bright, steady light that shines through the darkness and brings hope.

has opened my heart again
Helped me feel alive and connected again after being weighed down and closed off.

i start
Begin moving or doing something.

crystal clear, i switch the gears
After gaining clarity, I change my approach or direction.

we can keep our pace in this ghost race
We can keep going, in a situation where it feels like we're just going through the motions and not making any impact.

in our dreams, sometimes it seems
In our imagination or ideal version of reality, occasionally it feels like everything makes sense.

they can find us here
Even if we think we're safe or hidden, we're not actually invincible.

won't find us here
We managed to escape or stay hidden, and can keep going without being found.

before
Prior to starting something or taking action.

we speed
We accelerate and move quickly.

away from everything you need
Even if what you need most is right in front of you, we're running away from it.

we speed away
We keep moving and run away from everything we need.

drive until light
Keep going until we see a bright light or find a solution that brings us hope.

has opened your heart again
Helped you feel alive and connected again after feeling weighed down and closed off.

Writer(s): Logan Edward Purdom, Grayson Mark Proctor, Samuel Thomas English, Andrew Clifton Broadway

Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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