One More Left is the second single from the album Lows+Highs, the second full length album from The Nautical Theme.
Story behind the song: Thinking about how One More Left came together for Lows and Highs as this delicate, sweet, and simple arrangement, prominently featuring Tesia playing the mountain dulcimer, it’s funny to remember that the song once had a completely different life as a failed synth-laden indie-pop song. But, this helps to reinforce some of the message and imagery of the song. Despite dark clouds overhead, we can find the strength to try again, at least one more time. Somewhere between the destruction of the six-piece indie band Tesia and Matt fronted and the formation of The Nautical Theme, the duo, along with long-time friend and musical collaborator, Justin Smith, dabbled in synth driven pop. Eventually, that project led Tesia and Matt back to the acoustic, harmony driven music The Nautical Theme has established as their own. The theme of the song is one of picking yourself back up again, finding that you have “one more left”. Matt proposed that, based on the strength of the melodies, the song could be reworked for Lows and Highs. As the album took shape, it became one of the duo’s favorites.
Lyrics:
Well you came in like a child
Without the burdens of the world upon your mind
So I stayed for a while
To try and learn the stories held within your eyes
But I never understood enough
Even though they said so much
Phrases I just could not recognize
In a language that I’m sure so sweet
But strangely quite foreign to me
I never had a chance to ask you why
You said goodbye
Now I sit in this pile of the worries and the cares built over time
And I think back to your arrival with all the tethers of the world passing you by
But I never understood enough
Even though you said so much
Phrases I just could not recognize
In a language that I’m sure so sweet
But strangely quite foreign to me
I never had a chance to ask you why
You said goodbye
Wide, you break my fall with your arms open wide
Story Behind the Song:
Break My Fall was one of the first songs written for Lows and Highs. When we were thinking about how to present the song on the album we wanted it to fall into the “highs” side of the “Lows and Highs”, which meant filling out the arrangement. Fortunately our friend and great supporter of the band, Justin Crim was willing to work with us on providing the drums for the track.
The meaning behind the lyrics took a turn for me while we were still working to finalize the song. Originally, the idea behind the first line “well, you came in like a child without the burdens of the world upon your mind” was quite literal, thinking of my children and their innocence of perspective on the world around them. It was about me trying to learn how to see the circumstances of my life with a fresh perspective – to be more like them. Unfortunately, around the time we were writing this song, my grandmother passed away. My memories tend to be very visual in nature. One of the first times I sang those lyrics after she passed, I saw clearly in my mind’s eye one of her visits to a childhood home of mine when I was still very young. She was playing with me just as if she was a child of my own age – so fun, playful, and carefree. So, during the crescendo of the song, when we’re singing “wide, you break my fall with your arms open wide”, I’m thinking about the supportive and loving nature of my grandmother and in general the self-sacrifice of those that come before us who gladly catch us when we stumble and hold us up through our journeys.
Speaking of the talented and kind Mr. Makofka — he is our guest this week to talk about his activism and the work he has been doing on strengthening families! So, 3-6pm on WUDR for Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative!
From The Typical Johnsons – This song is about commemorating a moment, this is our stand alone single, Wreckage. This is for all of us who have crashed through our collective pasts, hopefully with enough force to have created a memory and a story that stands the test of time…
Here is the song!
We’re still here… not knowing anything and doing it all wrong.
Allow us to set a scene for our upcoming show on Tuesday. Imagine stepping in for a drink at a bar where Sticky Fingers era Keith Richards is hanging out with his Nudie Cohen Suit wearing pal Graham Parsons and a world weary Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. They are all sitting in a booth commenting on the passing musical fancies of the day.
That scene is the experience of Age Nowhere! Imagine a true double guitar attack from Identical-twin brothers Matt and Dan Spaugy paired with smoky evocative lyrics sung by Paul Monin propelled by driving drums from Seth Gilliam and pounding bass of Matt Terry. That is the experience of Age Nowhere.The band takes it’s nom de plume from one of the standout tracks on Dayton’s own Shrug‘s 2005 record ‘Whole Hog For The Macho Jesus.’
Join us for conversation, music and the Age Nowhere experience online at the usual website wudr.udayton.edu on Tuesday, March 19th from 3-6pm!
For a very long time, Dr. J has wanted the incomparable M. Ross Perkins to visit YTAA and today we get our wish!
M. Ross will talk about his stellar self-titled debut from 2016 and his most recent forthcoming record, ‘What Did You Do for Summer Break’ EP which is out on August 31st. We will talk about his tour throughout the country, playing the Omega Flea this weekend in Dayton and discuss some of the very cool videos that he has made in support of his excellent music such as the vid for ‘Ever Ever Ever.’
Check out the first single ‘Bed Sheet Wing’ from the EP via friends at City Beat.
So, music lovers, make plans to listen to YTAA from 3-6pm today as we are joined by a fantastic Dayton musician! As always you can listen online at WUDR.udayton.edu or 99.5 and 98.1fm in Dayton.
Hello everyone! We are back with a new show and a special guest! As you know we have been playing that new song from Mr. David Payne, ‘Cheaper Than Therapy.’
That fine song is not just truth, it is also the title track of his new record which is coming out in just a few days!
David will be joining us in the studio to talk about his big release show at The “Old” Yellow Cab building on Saturday, August 19th! That show promises to be something spectacular with Tod Weidner, Joe Anderl, Tim Pritchard, and Harold Hensley. Some of our favorite songwriters together on one great bill! Yeah, our Saturday plans are set!
David and I will be discussing his new EP and heck ya we will play tracks from it! We will also talk about some of David’s very cool covers of Shrug, Me & Mountains, and more! And don’t worry kids, we will also chat about the release show and our mutual love of late 90s alt-country!
Today on Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative from 3-6pm on WUDR Flyer Radio, we not only have a new program with music from Warbly Jets, Last Giant, Star Tropics, Broken Social Scene, Alvvays, Offa Rex, Terry, Antipole, Cricketbows, Dot Dash, Mission Man, Mack McKenzie, Ride, YARDBOSS, Frontier Folk Nebraska The Fireworks but we have unreleased music from George Huntley and #LookingBackIndie with Velocity Girl and The Replacements!
In fact, that Mission Man track is brand new and in a matter of days you can get some of that Hip Hop Without Ego everywhere that you can download and stream excellent music!
Gretchen Kelly of Diamonds in the Rough (among all the other amazing things she does booking bands, being awesome, etc) in the studio today during our first hour of the program.
We welcome Mack McKenzie back to the studio to talk music! Mack joins us at 5pm to talk about his new live record and making real, authentic country music! His new record promises to be something special!
Jetty Bones joined us this past Tuesday to play new music from their EP ‘Crucial States’. If you get an opportunity you should go and see them! They were such fun guests on the show that we hope to have them back again! You can find them all over social media on Twitter, Facebook and on Instagram.
Streaming Forward, Powered By The Past - if you love the 80s music, new music, Eurovision, cheesy pop and awesome playlists then let's get this pop party started!