Most start-up musical outfits often feature the wide-eyed attitude of young… Read Full Bio ↴Most start-up musical outfits often feature the wide-eyed attitude of young musicians, who see the world as their oyster, ready to tackle their seemingly infinite futures with a libertine viewpoint that can only be held by those with little experience in the game.

But for the members of central Illinois-based What’s Fair, they know that their time and place in the realm of music has its limitations. With members having spent nearly a decade in the business, their understanding of what’s reasonable and possible—and what’s improbable—is more sharply defined than most upstarts. Yet that doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to make What’s Fair their most important musical effort to date.

In fact, according to Timmy Costello, What’s Fair might possibly be the most prominent musical undertaking he’s been involved in, since his years as a bass player in the emo-rock band Park with guitarist Justin Valenti. The genesis of What’s Fair actually stems from their involvement in Park, as Valenti had approached Costello—who had left Park in 2005.

The pair headed into the studio and began writing new material. After seeking a new sound, the pair asked keyboardist Faith Wheaton to join them in their collaboration, who had never been in a band before.

The project hadn’t located its voice, so Costello and Valenti turned to their Park roots, tracking down a female vocalist who had sang as a guest vocalist on a Park album. “She had a beautiful voice,” Costello says, “so we decided, why don’t we just give her a call? She might or might not want to be involved.”

Fortunately, their decision paid off, as vocalist Jo Pollock was very interested in being involved. “Turns out, she ended up loving the music, came in the studio, laid down one vocal take and that’s where it started,” Costello says.

Immediately, the band’s focus shifted to that of Pollock’s lead vocals carrying the weight of the material that they’d composed, which was admitted more mainstream and straightforward than their previous efforts. “We wanted to write something that everybody could love but most of all, the vocals were the main part that people could identify with and love too,” says Costello. In preparing for the recording, Costello realized that he had hit a brick wall creatively. Seeking a change of pace and scenery, he once again tapped his background with Park by contacting Southern California-based producer Cameron Webb (Kelly Clarkson, Social Distortion, Weezer) for some recording assistance, who had recorded his previous outfit. Webb was unavailable to help with the What’s Fair album, but suggested that Costello contact producer Sergio Chavez (Alien Ant Farm, P.O.D., Isles & Glaciers).

“I’d never met the guy or talked to him,” says Costello of Chavez, “and the next thing I knew, we were on the phone and we went to California and started recording this album.”

To solidify the recording , Jarrod Alexander was enlisted to play drums on the album (Dead Country, A Static Lullaby, Dead Sara). The resulting album is a collection of beautifully crafted tracks, topped with sparkling melodies, expansive harmonies and compositions filled with both intriguing depth and a fresh spirit.

This female-fronted indie pop-rock act exhibits all the best qualities shared by some of its influences, which include Fiona Apple, Tegan and Sara, Feist, Meg and Dia and Coldplay.

Now with the album completed, What’s Fair’s aim is to ensure that their hard work, efforts, talent and creativity can be shared with the rest of the world, either in recording or on stage. In fact, the band has already received a licensing deal with MTV Networks for television placement before the album’s even been released—it’s an immensely promising start, to say the least.

“The hope is to shoot for the stars and see what happens,” Costello says. “And just go for it—it’s kind of ‘all or nothing’ at this point. Just go headfirst and see what happens. I’m really happy with the outcome so far, so we’ve just gotta keep rolling with it and hope that everybody else loves it too. It’s a dream of mine.”

Breathless
What's Fair Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Things change so fast
I'm having a hard time
playing my cards right
It's keeping me up all night
Making the same long drive
Call it a big mess
It's leaving me breathless

Playing safe
won't save me
Meet me there
I'm ready

I'm still learning
How to just let go
I'm letting you in slow
Answering late night calls
Covering all my flaws
Call it a big mess
It's leaving me breathless

Playing safe
won't save me
Meet me there
I'm ready

Go slow
Go slow

Playing safe
won't save me
Meet me there
I'm ready

(Call it a big mess)
Playing safe
(It's leaving me breathless)
won't save me
(Call it a big mess)
Meet me there

(It's leaving me breathless)
I'm ready

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Breathless" by What's Fair describe the struggle of trying to navigate and keep up with change. The first stanza sets the tone for the song, noting how quickly things change and how difficult it can be to make the right choices in response to this change. The second stanza seems to be directed towards a specific person, with the singer admitting to still having flaws and vulnerabilities, but slowly letting this person in nonetheless. The repeated refrain of "Playing safe won't save me, Meet me there I'm ready" suggests a desire to take risks and not let fear hold them back.

The line "it's leaving me breathless" is a powerful one, underscoring the overwhelming feeling that comes with trying to keep up with change and the effort put into taking risks and forging new paths. The repeated "go slow" towards the end of the song may be interpreted as a reminder to take things at a pace that is manageable and comfortable, despite the desire to keep moving forward.

The song is a relatable representation of the struggle with change and vulnerability that many people experience. It also emphasizes the importance of taking risks and not letting fear hold us back.

Line by Line Meaning

Things change so fast
Events happening very quickly.

I'm having a hard time
I am struggling to cope with the speed of these changes.

Playing my cards right
Making the right decisions to navigate these changes.

It's keeping me up all night
I am losing sleep worrying about making the right choices.

Making the same long drive
I am stuck in a repetitive cycle of trying to figure it all out.

Call it a big mess
What's happening around me is chaotic.

It's leaving me breathless
It is tiring and exhausting me trying to keep up.

Playing safe
Sticking to what is comfortable and familiar.

Won't save me
However, this approach won't help me navigate these changes.

Meet me there
I am willing to take risks, to try new things.

I'm ready
I'm prepared for whatever comes my way.