2) A singer-songwriter from Bay Area.
… Read Full Bio ↴1) A Japanese indie rock band.
2) A singer-songwriter from Bay Area.
1) The Japanese indie rock band Bentham was formed in 2010. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Tatsuya Ozeki (小関 竜矢), guitarist Motoki Suda (須田 原生), bassist Reiji Tsuji (辻 怜次) and drummer Takashi Suzuki (鈴木 敬). Backing vocals are by Takashi and Motoki.
2) Bentham is the musical alter ego of Ben Paulos, a Bay Area singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Paulos started playing music as a kid in Iowa, playing trumpet in the school band, picking up guitar in high school. In college he dabbled in jazz, Balkan and West African music, but mostly stuck to rock guitar. His first major band was Laughing Academy, in Boston, circa 1988-1993. That was an art rock trio plus singer that recorded three albums (but released one and a half), played New England and New York clubs, and garnered national airplay before folding. Laughing Academy members went on to play in Sugar, the Willard Grant Conspiracy, and Transmissionary Six.
Bentham was launched in Boston, then continued in Madison, Wisconsin in the late 1990s, in a lineup featuring Ken Keeley, John Driscoll, and Rick Cavalieri. Since a move to San Francisco, Bentham has been hibernating, though the songwriting has continued.
Now in 2011, two elpees of songs written from 1995 to 2005 are finally coming out, easing some of the backlog. "Miss Wisconsin" and "Pacific" are songs written while living in Madison and San Francisco.
The band is anchored by Chicago journeymen rhythm section Gerald Dowd on drums (Robbie Fulks, Justin Roberts) and Matt Thompson on bass. Paulos supplies vocals and guitar, and a variety of other things. The records have cameo appearances by Wil Hendricks (Lofty Pillars, Calamity & Main, Teatro Zinzani), Han Wang (Invisible Cities), Scott Steward (Funkstrosity), Amy Apel and Harry Chomsky and Tom Fattaruso (Freeway Philharmonic), Rosemary McBride (Kensington Symphony Orchestra), Marcus Schneider, Tom Webb, and Jessica Reich.
The songs were recorded by Jay O'Rourke and Danny Shaffer in Chicago, and Scott Steward in Oakland. They were mixed and fixed by Wallysound in Oakland.
Pacific features strings, horns, keyboards, and many recorded sounds, while Miss Wisconsin tends more toward straight out rock. The range of times and places, people and experiences are reflected in the wide variety of songs. The two albums feature the pure pop of "Parachute" and "Kiss Me Hello," jazzy murder ballads like "The Cold Cold Sea," the sonic squall of "My Letter" and "Eyes," the epic strings of "On the Beach," the lo-fi chimp rock of "The Party's Over," and even the mock(ing) C&W of "Bad Country Song."
Contact
bentham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
呼吸が時々 乱れてる
Tシャツの汚れを気にして
時計の針が貴方を指した
これ以上の言葉は二度とは無い
これ以上の言葉は二度とは無い
二度とは無い
ありふれた
息をする
意味も無い
退屈だ
夢じゃない 昼下がり呆れて
呼吸が時々 乱れてる
Tシャツの汚れを気にして
時計の針が貴方を指した
これ以上の言葉は二度とは無い
これ以上の言葉は二度とは無い
二度とは無い
ありふれた
息をする
意味も無い
退屈だ
さめざめしている
どうする事も出来ず
時計の針が
貴方指した
伝えたい 答えなんてない
日常と交わって
嘘みたい これじゃバカみたい
全部貴方の所為にして
The lyrics of Bentham's song "Contact" capture the feeling of boredom and mundane existence, with the singer feeling alienated from their surroundings. The opening lines suggest a lack of direction and purpose, with the singer feeling lost and disillusioned with life. The mention of their breathing being irregular and the clock pointing towards the person they're thinking of highlights their internal conflict and obsession with time. The repetition of the phrase "These words will never come again" adds to the fleeting and ephemeral nature of life, and the sense of urgency to express themselves before it's too late.
The chorus of the song reinforces the mundane and meaningless existence the singer feels they are living, with the phrase "breathing meaninglessly" further emphasizing their lack of fulfillment. The use of repetition in this section acts as a reminder of their dissatisfaction, and the longing for something more.
The final verse suggests that the singer has shared their feelings with someone, and although they have no answer or solution, they are relieved to have expressed themselves. The repetition of "It's all your fault" implies a sense of blaming the other person for their circumstances, while also showcasing the singer's sense of powerlessness and the need for external validation.
Overall, "Contact" paints a picture of someone struggling to find meaning and purpose in life, with a sense of urgency to express themselves before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
夢じゃない 昼下がり呆れて
This is not a dream; it's a boring afternoon filled with indifference
呼吸が時々 乱れてる
My breathing is occasionally erratic
Tシャツの汚れを気にして
I'm worried about the stains on my t-shirt
時計の針が貴方を指した
The clock's hands pointed at you
これ以上の言葉は二度とは無い
I don't have any more words; they won't come again
これ以上の言葉は二度とは無い
I don't have any more words; they won't come again
二度とは無い
They won't come again
ありふれた
Ordinary
息をする
Breathing
意味も無い
Meaningless
退屈だ
Boring
さめざめしている
I'm sobbing
どうする事も出来ず
I can't do anything about it
時計の針が
The clock's hands
貴方指した
Pointed at you
伝えたい 答えなんてない
I want to convey something, but there's no answer
日常と交わって
I interact with everyday life
嘘みたい これじゃバカみたい
It seems like a lie; I feel foolish
全部貴方の所為にして
I blame it all on you
Writer(s): 小関 竜矢, 須田 原生
Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.