Hailing from the windy city, psychedelic rock group Lucille Furs explores the youthful ambition of leaving town and making a name for yourself in one of their latest tracks, “Another Land”.
They begin with a slow wandering mix of bass and percussion. It’s got a lo-fi sound that’s like listening to an old set of records raided from a thrift store. Two guitars come in to join the fun, plunking at notes for a bit before descending into a new realm with a faster tempo. Suddenly a shaker can be heard as the guitars repeat the same notes as before, albeit faster and more deliberately. The vocalist begins our story:
You’re growing restless on these streets
tired of the winter and the heat
imagine being a palace
sitting on the sand
you’re looking for a purpose in another land
You’ve walked these roads and gone through all the seasons this place has to offer a countless number of times. You feel rooted to the ground and can’t wait to just get out of here to bring your skills and perspectives somewhere else. You’re a palace the world needs to see. The singer continues the story, stating:
By California’s ocean swirl
life is joy and rent gets paid in shells
you don’t have any money
you haven’t made a plan
but if you have to go
then I’ll go with you to another land
As you listen to the waves of California oceans, you reflect on your choice to come here. It seemed like it would be so much fun, save for the fact that you didn’t really think this through. You thought the money would come rolling in like seashells on the beach, but reality’s starting to hit.
It’s time to go somewhere new, but at least it sounds like you’ve got a friend to tag along.
The music starts to flow into a slow undulation of instruments, much like the ocean you’ve left behind. It feels like you’re wading through a desert of nothing but hiccups. Maybe you couldn’t scrounge up enough change for a hotel room or even food at some points. You feel pretty worn down when the singer speaks rapidly to console you:
Don’t mean to play a counsellor or a sage
I’ve only felt the same at your same age
and everybody talking
but I wouldn’t hear a word
your words are all for nothing
there are things I had to learn
for nothing else will shape you
like the work of your own hand
but if you have to go
then I’ll go with you to another land
Sure, you probably feel dumb at this point as things are getting rough, but the vocalist points out we’ve all been through the wringer on making choices like this. Maybe quite a few people did tell you it was a bad idea, but you wanted to learn for yourself the hard way. It’s difficult to take someone’s word for granted if you’ve never experienced what they’re warning against.
You wanted a taste, even if it might be bitter, so you could learn what to avoid next time.
The vocalist goes on to remind you that he’ll come with you on the next adventure, no matter how stupid it may or may not be. At this point one of the guitars busts out one last solo. The music gets stronger, signifying the singer’s speech has been a hit. You feel ready for whatever may come next thanks to his wise words. As the music drifts off into another land, you feel comforted knowing you’ve got the psychedelic sounds of Lucille Furs to keep you company.
Image Credit: John Zabawa
