The lyrics plunge in to big themes that resonate with listeners – missed opportunity, preserving your individuality, lifting your life out of stagnation and living it with passion. The music is sonically spacious and beautifully composed, in the vein of Pink Floyd or Yes, but Wax On Radio is also being compared to Coheed & Cambria, Mars Volta, Bright Eyes, Radiohead, Muse, Jane’s Addiction and latter day King Crimson. Wax on Radio performs the trick of sounding both progressive and nostalgic.
Wax on Radio was born in 2004 when singer Mikey Russell, bassist Harrison Taylor, guitarist Bob Buckstaff and drummer Sammy Del Real hooked up in the tiny suburban Chicago music scene and immediately hit it off. The four band members were all living in and around the towns of Schaumburg and Lake Forest when Mikey put out word he was looking to start a new band. The foursome, who had never before met, came together through the recommendations of mutual friends. But on their first meeting they quickly realized they had much in common. Chicago has an illustrious music history, being home to the likes of the Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco, Kanye West and others, and that tradition can cast a huge shadow over new acts. But the members of Wax on Radio found their common ground further back in time and farther afield. Mikey and Bob collect old vinyl records and share an affection for rock radio’s golden age, the 1960’s and 70’s. Mikey thinks nothing of spending an afternoon tracking down now rare copies of Led Zeppelin or Prince, and in fact, does not own a cd player, only a turntable. Sammy is a versatile stickman who developed his chops touring the world playing Latin percussion with his dad, who is a pianist. He developed an appreciation of a diversity of styles, and it gives his drumming an added spice. Harrison, a former DePaul University student, is a student of classic rock and the great rock bassists like Jaco Pastorius and it shows in his nimble, flowing style. The quartet first jammed in the garage of Mikey’s mother’s house and Harrison and Mikey immediately began sharing songwriting duties.
According to Mikey, who is probably the most literate high school dropout in rock, his inspiration comes from everything from movies to great books, including the film ‘American Beauty’ and novels by Russian writer Dostoevsky and the existential philosopher Camus --particularly Camus’ ‘The Stranger’ and ‘Notes from the Underground.’ “I’m drawn to stories of people who get up and recapture their own lives,” Mikey explains. The band chose its name, as Mikey says, “as a way of paying homage to the great era of vinyl. It’s our statement on the music we like and the way we like to write songs.”
Wax on Radio’s debut album, Exposition, is an ambitious and successful blend of the band’s talents. Mikey’s keening voice is arrestingly heartfelt, and gives songs like ‘Today I Became a Realist’ and ‘The General of Medicine City’ a persuasive power. Bob Buckstaff’s guitar and Harrison Taylor’s bass propel the music forward at a fast pace, making nimble jumps into unpredictable tempo changes and stops and starts that keep the listener rapt.
Mikey’s lyrics have an existential edge to them, and touch on all sorts of moods, from dark to ecstatic, all delivered in searing poetry: “The sad face of dreamers waking to the life that passed them by,” he sings in ‘Today I Became A Realist.’ “They march in place straight to their graves.” He continues: “Sail on quick, fly past the world, find me a love.” The songs ‘Remembering,’ ‘Dawn Architects’ and ‘The Devil’ are three of the band’s best, blending sharply incisive lyrics with great hooks and masterful guitar work. Listeners to Exposition will be surprised that so
much sound comes out of such young artists – Sammy is 18, Harrison 19, Bob is 22 and Mikey is the elder statesman at 23. There is a brightly lit road ahead for this young band. It is music that transcends easy labels.
-This is taken from the artist decription of Wax On Radio From Downtown Records.
http://www.downtownrecordings.com/
Remembering
Wax On Radio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Radiate their love and relay their overwhelming pain
In the fire that has been calling us all to it as he sings
Head won't cut back calling safety from them
they're letting it show through all the untold I'll never grow old
Head bring me cold again head make me whole again
Reform in the love that keeps me in hope
It's something to show for all the I've done for all that I've learned
Now they will know I've won
I've won for everyone
They won't come back draggin what's left of them
Love don't leave me dead come back in the end to save me from this
In so long we haven't felt eyes this fixed surprise
now they all know that I've won for everyone.
The lyrics of Wax On Radio's song "Remembering" evoke a sense of haunting, otherworldly beauty that is both melancholic and hopeful at the same time. The idea of calling all corpses to the singer in "calm compelling apathy" is both mystifying and terrifying, as it speaks to a deep desire to connect with the afterlife and understand the mysteries of death. The use of the word "radiate" in the second line suggests a kind of eerie, glowing energy that emanates from these dead bodies, as if they are trying to communicate something important to the living.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to be struggling with their own mortality and the fear of growing old and losing their vitality. The line "head won't cut back calling safety from them" implies a sense of inner turmoil, as if the singer's own mind is struggling to come to terms with their own mortality. However, there is also a sense of resilience and determination here, as the singer tries to push past their fears and "reform in the love that keeps me in hope."
The final lines of the song are particularly powerful, as the singer asserts that they have "won for everyone." This could be interpreted in a number of ways, but there is a sense of triumph and redemption here, as if the singer has somehow overcome their own fear of death and found a sense of purpose or meaning in their life. Overall, the lyrics of "Remembering" are beautifully poetic and deeply thought-provoking, offering a unique perspective on the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Calling all corpses to him in calm compelling apathy
Inviting all those who have lost their passion to approach him, remaining calm but firmly influencing them.
Radiate their love and relay their overwhelming pain
Displaying their love and sorrow with an intense glow to pass on their feelings.
In the fire that has been calling us all to it as he sings
Embracing the consuming flame of determination that beckons to everyone as he sings.
Head won't cut back calling safety from them
The mind cannot retreat, instead beckoning for protection and comfort.
they're letting it show through all the untold I'll never grow old
Their unspoken emotions are being revealed, and they will always keep a youthful spirit.
Head bring me cold again head make me whole again
Mind, bring back the coolness I need and make me feel complete once more.
So I won't give up and turn to the old
To avoid giving up and falling back into old habits or ways of thinking.
Reform in the love that keeps me in hope
Rebuild oneself through the love that brings optimism.
It's something to show for all the I've done for all that I've learned
There is something positive to demonstrate for all the effort and knowledge gained.
Now they will know I've won
Now everyone will understand I have achieved my goal.
I've won for everyone
My victory is for the benefit of all.
They won't come back draggin what's left of them
They will move forward without being held back by what they have lost.
Love don't leave me dead come back in the end to save me from this
Love, don't abandon me and return at the finale to rescue me from this situation.
In so long we haven't felt eyes this fixed surprise
It has been some time since we have seen such a determined and unexpected gaze.
now they all know that I've won for everyone.
Everyone now recognizes that I have achieved victory for the benefit of all.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARVIN HAMLISCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind