Architecture in Helsinki - The Owls Go

Day three of Tweeness. This here is one of my favorite Architecture in Helsinki songs. This song sounds absurdly happy, with such a wide assortment of instruments and various clicks and whizzes (i love the "bubbling" effect) that the song will never lose your complete and utter attention. However it wasn't until recently when I closer looked at the lyrics, and they're far less pleasant and carefree than what you'd expect from the music itself. While some of the lyrics are a bit ambiguous, I caught on to a general theme of looking through objects collected over the years, things with significant sentimental meaning that many carelessly forget about. Additionally I think it may relate to childhood nostalgia and how much you cherish select objects from your past, as these things allow you to come closest to revisiting those times. I can personally relate to this song through a recent experience I had at my Grandmother's house. I blogged a little about it in a past entry, but to reiterate, I visiting the house for the last time before it would be sold off to another family, a place where I have shaped countless memories over the years. While flipping through old pictures I had the feeling as a period in my life was over, something that made me both sad and a bit scared to think of what will come next. The last stanza in the song reflects my feeling here perfectly.

"Don't hide the treasures you've found in a hole in the ground
How 'bout the tree back your house where the owls go
Or in between the attic and the basement
Somewhere it's not dark, dark, dark, dark

Attic in a basement with a knife serrated, I'll protect you
Don't hide the pleasures you've found in your rolling around
Where all the leaves have been swept and the flowers grow
And don't go finding a replacement,
I promise I'll show you heart, heart, heart, heart

Finding replacement with a heart sedated, I'll forget you
And you won't make a sound or be nervous around piles of pictures
So old that that it feels like it is ending

(Four, three, two, one)

Attic in a basement with a knife serrated, I'll protect you

And you shout out loud
And you're bursting with pride
'Cause they don't let you talk
And your heart is finally mending

It's not too late now to change your mind
The grass gets greener when you get to the finish line

An attic in a basement
Attic in a basement

And you won't make a sound or be nervous around piles of pictures
So old that it feels like it is ending
It shouldn't feel like it is ending"

Architecture in Helsinki - The Owls Go

Never underestimate the lyrics of Twee it seems. As a bonus here's a music video to another one of my favorite AIH songs, "Like a Call." The video is wonderful...I'd put it among my top 10 videos ever for sure. I should make a set list of those one day. Again with this video AIH shows the reoccuring theme of happiness and feeling free yet not without imminent distress and sorrow. Well, that's life.



Both these songs are from their 2004 album "Fingers Crossed." It's quite different from their more popular sophmore album "In Case We Die" but I like it almost as much. It can be viewed in a way as In Case We Die's older brother who happens to be a bit more reserved and easygoing, yet is just as interesting of a person.

Oh and also related to the band, they recently were signed to Polyvinyl Records, which I feel is the perfect label for them. With this maybe we'll get an Of Montreal/ Architecture in Helsinki tour as they're now labelmates! What a time that would be.

Architecture in Helsinki - Fingers Crossed @ Amazon.com