A Hostage and the Meaning of Life
Encyclopedia
A Hostage and the Meaning of Life is an album by the rock
band Brazil
that deals with themes of technology, dehumanization, and frustration. Musically, it borrows from complex genres such as progressive rock
and classical music
, as well as the abrasive aesthetic of punk
, and the ethereal guitar sounds of shoegazer pop. It was received warmly by many critics as a masterful debut album from a previously unknown band. The album's single “Escape” received a small amount of college radio play, and the video appeared in rotation in several regional and national music video programs.
The album takes its name from Asimov's Caliban trilogy, although has nothing to do with the story itself.
.
in downtown Los Angeles
. The rooftop scene was filmed on top of an artist studio in the warehouse district outside of the downtown area of the city.
, as well as near perfect scores in many other print and online publications. Popularly, the band have gained a relatively small but devoted fan base worldwide, but have not yet achieved a high level of mainstream acceptance.
The opening line of Hostage, “J’ai une ame solitaire,” is French for “I have a lonely soul.” It is taken from the David Lynch
film Fire Walk With Me. Newby's pronunciation of the phrase is incorrect – this was pointed out to him by Québécois fans while the band was promoting the record in Canada.
The Novemberist
No known concrete references, but the song is reported to allude heavily to the philosophy of Taoism
.
Io
No known references. The song reportedly studies the phenomenon of doppelgangers and metaphysical doubles.
Escape
Studies extreme anxiety and withdrawal. Lorazepam is an anxiety medication. “Give me all my garmonbozia” is taken from the David Lynch film Fire Walk With Me
We
The title is from Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin's dystopic novel of the same name. The lyrics are a dialogue between the main character and robotic superiors. The phrase data date was taken from the Kraftwerk song Computer Love.
The Iconoclast
The lyrics are an abstract ode to the female character Stark. “Resurrect the dead on Jupiter” is a reference to the mysterious Toynbee Tiles
.
Zentropa
The title is from the Lars Von Trier neo-noir film Zentropa. The song is reported to be about running from the inevitability of death, and references the monolith, a device used elsewhere by Newby as a metaphor for death.
Fall Into
The only song to reference both supposed characters by name, with the line “Cold, stark, and pale – our sobriquet.”
Metropol
Follows Pale's descent into the dark and mechanical world of the robots to pursue Stark. Among the album's most literal lyrics.
Aventine
The song is an anthemic, though abstract, expression of triumph. Aventine is one of the seven hills of Rome
.
Form and Function
Translated from Russian as “form and function.”
Fatale and Futique
The album's final track is another melancholy ode to Stark from the lovelorn Pale.
Nic Newby – keyboards
Aaron Smith – electric guitar
Eric Johnson – electric guitar
James Sefchek – drums
Benjamin Hunt – bass
With
Alex Newport – producer, engineer, mastering
Matt Miller and J.R. Cary– pre-production
Album Photography – Lisa K. Fett
Sleeve Art – Colin May
Tim Loo, the cellist on Iconoclast and Fatale and Futique, is a touring musician for pop artist Ben Harper
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Brazil
Brazil (band)
Brazil was an Indiana rock band. Although the band eschews labels and are often categorized with the punk and post-hardcore music scenes, that is mostly due to association. The music itself is more akin to progressive rock with indie rock roots. The line-up as of 2006 release is Jonathon Newby,...
that deals with themes of technology, dehumanization, and frustration. Musically, it borrows from complex genres such as progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, as well as the abrasive aesthetic of punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and the ethereal guitar sounds of shoegazer pop. It was received warmly by many critics as a masterful debut album from a previously unknown band. The album's single “Escape” received a small amount of college radio play, and the video appeared in rotation in several regional and national music video programs.
The album takes its name from Asimov's Caliban trilogy, although has nothing to do with the story itself.
Concept
There has been much speculation as to whether or not Hostage was a concept album. Singer and lyricist Jonathon Newby has been very vague in determining the validity of the claim, only to say “unless a band is putting out a Greatest Hits record, then by definition, all albums are concepts” in many interviews. One theory asserts the story as a Reverse Pinocchio fable about a human boy trying to become a robot. The key characters in this scenario are Pale, the boy, and Stark, a female android Pale has fallen in love with. In this scenario, the exclusive worlds of humans and robots forbid the romantic involvements of one with the other. Only by becoming a robot himself can Pale rightfully achieve acceptance into Stark's world. Most of the songs on the record deal with themes of longing and dehumanizationDehumanization
Dehumanization is to make somebody less human by taking away his or her individuality, the creative and interesting aspects of his or her personality, or his or her compassion and sensitivity towards others. Dehumanization may be directed by an organization or may be the composite of individual...
.
Recording
Hostage was recorded near downtown Los Angeles at Grandma's Warehouse Studio by Alex Newport, whose band discography includes Fudge Tunnel, Nailbomb, and Theory of Ruin, and whose producer discography includes The Locust, Kylesa, and The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower. The session included one day of pre-production in a rehearsal studio, nine days of tracking, and four days of mixing. Two of the tracking days were completed in Newport's Echo Park apartment.The Single
"Escape" was chosen as the album's single and was promoted to college airplay. The album's only video was shot for Escape by Michael Grodner in Los Angeles and comprised a two-day shoot with volunteer actors and crew. The interior shots of the band playing were filmed inside the Ronald Reagan BuildingRonald Reagan Building
The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, named after former United States President Ronald Reagan, is the first federal building in Washington, D.C. designed for both governmental and private sector purposes....
in downtown Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The rooftop scene was filmed on top of an artist studio in the warehouse district outside of the downtown area of the city.
Reception
Hostage was received with much praise from the underground press upon its release, including a 5-star review in Alternative PressAlternative Press (music magazine)
Alternative Press is an American music magazine based in Cleveland, Ohio. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, information on upcoming releases, and music charts. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea, who is the current president....
, as well as near perfect scores in many other print and online publications. Popularly, the band have gained a relatively small but devoted fan base worldwide, but have not yet achieved a high level of mainstream acceptance.
Track listing
- "A Hostage" – 2:56
- "The Novemberist" – 4:47
- "Io" – 3:34
- "Escape" – 3:14
- "We" – 3:03
- "The Iconoclast" – 5:19
- "Zentropa" – 3:04
- "Fall Into" – 4:15
- "Metropol" – 6:41
- "Aventine" – 3:45
- "Form and Function" – 2:12
- "Fatale and Futique" – 5:14
Lyrical References and Alleged Meanings
A HostageThe opening line of Hostage, “J’ai une ame solitaire,” is French for “I have a lonely soul.” It is taken from the David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
film Fire Walk With Me. Newby's pronunciation of the phrase is incorrect – this was pointed out to him by Québécois fans while the band was promoting the record in Canada.
The Novemberist
No known concrete references, but the song is reported to allude heavily to the philosophy of Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
.
Io
No known references. The song reportedly studies the phenomenon of doppelgangers and metaphysical doubles.
Escape
Studies extreme anxiety and withdrawal. Lorazepam is an anxiety medication. “Give me all my garmonbozia” is taken from the David Lynch film Fire Walk With Me
We
The title is from Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin's dystopic novel of the same name. The lyrics are a dialogue between the main character and robotic superiors. The phrase data date was taken from the Kraftwerk song Computer Love.
The Iconoclast
The lyrics are an abstract ode to the female character Stark. “Resurrect the dead on Jupiter” is a reference to the mysterious Toynbee Tiles
Toynbee tiles
The Toynbee tiles are messages of mysterious origin found embedded in asphalt of streets in about two dozen major cities in the United States and four South American capitals. Since the 1980s, several hundred tiles have been discovered. They are generally about the size of an American license...
.
Zentropa
The title is from the Lars Von Trier neo-noir film Zentropa. The song is reported to be about running from the inevitability of death, and references the monolith, a device used elsewhere by Newby as a metaphor for death.
Fall Into
The only song to reference both supposed characters by name, with the line “Cold, stark, and pale – our sobriquet.”
Metropol
Follows Pale's descent into the dark and mechanical world of the robots to pursue Stark. Among the album's most literal lyrics.
Aventine
The song is an anthemic, though abstract, expression of triumph. Aventine is one of the seven hills of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Form and Function
Translated from Russian as “form and function.”
Fatale and Futique
The album's final track is another melancholy ode to Stark from the lovelorn Pale.
Credits
Jonathon Newby – Vocals, MOOG, vocoderNic Newby – keyboards
Aaron Smith – electric guitar
Eric Johnson – electric guitar
James Sefchek – drums
Benjamin Hunt – bass
With
Alex Newport – producer, engineer, mastering
Matt Miller and J.R. Cary– pre-production
Album Photography – Lisa K. Fett
Sleeve Art – Colin May
Tim Loo, the cellist on Iconoclast and Fatale and Futique, is a touring musician for pop artist Ben Harper
Ben Harper
Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
.