BACK TO SKULL

Technically, this EP came before John Henry, but we listened to John Henry first because we thought that made more sense.

Ondine has a swingy feel to it, and it continues the themes from John Henry about dreams and intrusions, especially dreams about death and car crashes. I genuinely think this one's about a weird sadomasochistic relationship crossing the lines into reality, which I doubt is intended, but whatever. I adore it.

I think the confusingly named She Was A Hotel Detective is about being a stealth trans woman, and the narrator being uncomfortable with that fact (if you look at it as a sequel to (She Was A) Hotel Detective). She read that motel directive, and it told her it was defective? Me too, sis.

Mrs. Train gradually gets faster. Like a train. Get it? I genuinely think this one's about John Henry itself, predicting the issues that many have with that album: that of pacing. TMBG songs didn't really have choruses until the full band, so here's a song that's almost entirely variations on the same verse.