The band has always played music by its own set of rules. Bending bluegrass, rock and countless other influences that the band cites, Yonder has pioneered a sound of their own. With their traditional lineup of instruments, the band may look like a traditional bluegrass band at first glance but they’ve created their own music that transcends any genre. Dave Johnston points out “What could be more pure than making your own music.” Yonder’s sound cannot be classified purely as “bluegrass” or “string music” but rather it’s an original sound created from “looking at music from [their] own experiences and doing the best job possible.” The band continues to play by their own rules on their new record The Show.
The Colorado-based foursome has crisscrossed the country over the past eleven years playing such varied settings as festivals, rock clubs, Red Rocks Amphitheater in the band’s home state, and recently the Democratic National Convention in Denver at Mile High Stadium opening for Barack Obama. Their loyal fanbase has been built from this diverse setting of music venues as fans latched on to their genre-defying original sound.
In between tours the band spent time this last year working on its fifth studio album. Set for a September 1 release on the band’s own label, The Show is the second album with rock producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Elliott Smith, Foo Fighters). While some might scratch their heads as to why a string band would want a rock producer, this decision was a natural choice for the band. “We don’t have a lot of nostalgia for the past,” says banjo player Dave Johnston. “You shouldn’t try to recreate the 1940s. I like to think of us as informed by the past and all the great performers before us. But we also want to look forward rather than give people something that has already been perfected.”
The Show has the similar acoustic instrumentation (Adam Aijala on guitar, Johnston on banjo, Jeff Austin on mandolin and Ben Kaufman on bass with all four singing) as many of its classic bluegrass forefathers. Though once again drums are present (as with the self-titled fourth album) with the great Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello’s bands adding a rhythmic backdrop to Yonder’s still-acoustic sound on six of the tracks. The record consists of thirteen songs all written by Yonder.
The band has long cited such varied influences as the bluegrass of Del McCoury, Johnson Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, Osborne Brothers as well as the punk rock of Bad Religion, Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys. Somewhere in between these two tent poles are early 20th Century composers and alternative rock bands like Grandaddy and Postal Service. It’s all funneled through the band’s unique chemistry, honed since they first met at an informal club performance in 1998. With band members writing individually, in different pairings and as a collective, the album proves that this group is a collection of creative peers and you can hear it in the rich tapestry of music that makes up The Show.
Here Yonder offers such traditional bluegrass sounding fare as “Out Of The Blue” and “Casualty.” The band has explored its country roots in the past and does so again this time on “Steep Grade, Sharp Curves,” a song that describes the roads around its home base in Nederland as well as a particularly dangerous femme fatale. A little further from the roots is the impressionistic “Isolate” with its simple but ominous bass line and minimal arrangement. There is also a bevy of rockers like “Complicated,” “Fingerprints” and “Belle Parker,” a gem of a song about a hard-hearted woman. The band even finds some excellent middle ground between bluegrass and rock on “Fine Excuses” thanks in part to a scorching guitar solo from Adam Aijala. There is also the extended “Honestly” -- at eight-minutes, the longest song on the album, with a middle section that is an excellent platform for lengthier live excursions that are as improvisatory as any electric band on the live music circuit.
The band is a regular at bluegrass festivals like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the band's own Northwest String Summit as well as massive multi-stage events like Austin City Limits Festival, Bonnaroo and Rothbury. Fans are no doubt drawn to Yonder’s anything goes attitude, its humor and passion about music, and the band’s ability to stretch out live. “We love that people come to see us,” Johnston points out. “Everyone appreciates good music. Some people want to go to a recital and some people want to party.”
But as its fans know, Yonder Mountain String Band does something a little different, more than just a musical party. The Show is the band’s most varied and versatile album to date, and the summation of the journey that these guys are on together. It’s bluegrass for the masses, acoustic tunes filled with dazzling chops, and it’s fun to boot. The humble Johnston sounds as surprised as anyone by the band’s success, but knows that it all boiled down to chemistry, which has never changed. “Somewhere down there we all kind of recognized that we had something unique,” he explains. “But there is no way I could have imagined the amount of success that the band has had.”
Just the Same
Yonder Mountain String Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The night is young and we're goin' downtown
Where faces come and faces go
It ain't very far you know
Come on mamma, is it really that hard
To lose yourself right where you are
Till your money's gone and your mind is bent
You couldn't say where midnight went
Chorus:
Winding pathways, blind-sided fools
How could you let them get the best of you
Stumblin' footfalls, someone calls your name
Been calling you, stay just the same, just the same
Come on mamma, let it fade away
For good this time and gone we'll stay
All the scenes are gonna pass on by
I swear we'll leave it all behind
[ Chorus ]
The song "Just the Same" by Yonder Mountain String Band is about losing oneself in the moment and enjoying the night. The lyrics, "Come on mamma, put your good dress on, The night is young and we're goin' downtown", indicate a desire to go out and have fun. The song emphasizes the importance of enjoying oneself in the present moment, rather than thinking about the future.
The lyrics also speak about losing oneself in the moment and getting carried away with the experience, as indicated by the lines, "Till your money's gone and your mind is bent, You couldn't say where midnight went". This can be interpreted as a warning against indulging too much and losing control. The chorus reminds the listener to stay grounded and not let the night get the best of them.
The title "Just the Same" could refer to the idea of staying true to oneself, even in the midst of the chaos of the night. It is a reminder to not lose sight of who we are and to keep our sense of self intact, even when having a good time.
Overall, the song encourages listeners to let loose and enjoy themselves, but to also remain grounded and true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on mamma, put your good dress on
Let's get dressed up and go out for a fun night.
The night is young and we're goin' downtown
We have plenty of time to enjoy the nightlife in the city.
Where faces come and faces go
The people around us are constantly changing.
It ain't very far you know
The location we're going to is close and convenient.
Come on mamma, is it really that hard
Why not just let loose and have fun in the moment?
To lose yourself right where you are
To fully immerse yourself in the present experience rather than worrying about the future.
Till your money's gone and your mind is bent
To spend all your money and become caught up in the excitement of the night.
You couldn't say where midnight went
Time flies when you're caught up in the moment and having fun.
Chorus:
The following lines are the chorus of the song.
Winding pathways, blind-sided fools
We are all lost in life sometimes, unsure of where we're headed.
How could you let them get the best of you
How did we allow ourselves to become so caught up in our problems?
Stumblin' footfalls, someone calls your name
We may not always know where we're going or what we're doing, but we're surrounded by people who care about us.
Been calling you, stay just the same, just the same
Despite the changes and uncertainties of life, it's important to stay true to who we are and not let ourselves be completely consumed by the chaos.
Come on mamma, let it fade away
Let go of our worries and fears, even if just for a moment.
For good this time and gone we'll stay
Let's leave the stress behind and enjoy the moment without worrying about what's to come.
All the scenes are gonna pass on by
Everything we experience is temporary and will eventually come to an end.
I swear we'll leave it all behind
We can choose to let go of the past and move forward with our lives.
[ Chorus ]
The chorus repeats to emphasize its message.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
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