“When we get done playing a show, we’ve given all we have to the point that we’re barely able to catch our breath,” explains Mitch, describing a potential catalyst for the group’s groundswell. “After two years of touring, we’re mobbed by people telling us they loved the show or that we’re their favorite band, which is very encouraging. But no matter how big or small the audience, we’ve always given everything we have and it feels great to see it grow to the point where fans sing the words louder than we do these days.”
Anyone who has caught After Edmund in concert can attest to the band’s visual and sonic precision - one that’s matched with unparalleled infectiousness and brilliant songcraft that comes from members’ musical education. In fact, band members are known to switch instruments throughout each set, proving to be equally proficient at anything attempted.
And for the first time in After Edmund’s celebrated career thus far, faithful can score an up close and remarkably intimate view of the foursome in action thanks to the DVD/EP set Spaceships and Submarines: The Lively Sessions. No matter the visual or audio format, the live studio performance is loaded with five brand new and engagingly explosive new cuts, along with electrifying re-arrangements of past favorites.
“Being on the road is a totally different creative atmosphere than being on studio and most bands don’t have the same kind of energy in the studio,” Ben observes. “After putting the tunes to the test live, you can watch people’s reaction, which is why our material is always evolving. That’s basically what inspired the DVD. We wanted to give fans something different than just a straight up concert recording. It still shows us performing live, but we thought it would give fans a more personal look to see us in the studio, especially because many of them have already seen our show.”
Besides the nine songs performed, Spaceships and Submarines: The Lively Sessions also includes mounds of behind the scenes footage, interviews with band members and even an audio commentary from the band. As for the new tunes packed therein, longtime listeners will notice the band incorporating a dance-inspired alternative pop sound into the project, perhaps akin to Mute Math, Shiny Toy Guns or Carpark North. In that regard, Spaceships and Submarines: The Lively Sessions could be considered an accurate bridge builder between Hello and the group’s forthcoming sophomore CD (hitting streets sometime in 2010).
“Subtitles are revealing, and the word ‘Lively’ has to do with the band’s stage presence, but it’s also meant to imply a live studio recording,” Yates says of the title’s impetus, before commenting on the band’s current direction. “'In the last year we’ve downsized to a four piece, moving Matt from bass to drums and Mitch from guitar to bass, which really changed the way we write since we now have only Ben on guitar player. It has pushed us musically and creatively while moving us in a new direction. And as for the feel good nature of the new tunes, well, life’s just too short to be Emo”
As is After Edmund’s tradition, the ongoing road trip will continue mixing up tunes from Hello, Spaceships and Submarines: The Lively Sessions and the upcoming album, all primed with plenty of towering guitar riffs, synthesized dance grooves, relentless percussion and monstrous melodies. And if the group’s history thus far is any indication, the gang’s stage antics, production and overall excitement is sure to mount with each future mile logged in its tour bus.
“We’re going for world domination,” Matt asserts with a laugh (though it’s quite possible given the band’s brilliant build-up thus far). “We’re looking to really pick up the momentum on all accounts. We’re actually starting to like pop music more than ever before, and while Hello is a record we’re all really proud of, it took listeners a little while to get to know. Our next chapter is going to be filled with more instantaneous familiarity, and while there will still be many of the musical elements we’re known for, our goal is to hook you in from the very first second you press ‘play.’”
Clouds
After Edmund Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This always happens to me
And I am caught between
I'm caught between Your love
And this world that's against me
I know that You're not that far away
Hello, hello
I'm not alone
Hello, hello
You're always lifting me above the clouds
Trouble's on the way today
Why does this happen to me
You see
That I'm left mixed up
Mixed up between Your love
And this world that's against me
You are the face of love
You are the face of love to me
I'm living here above the clouds
The lyrics to After Edmund's song Clouds seem to convey a sense of recurring difficulty and struggle in the life of the singer. The opening line, "The clouds are coming in again," seems to suggest a metaphorical storm is looming, leading to an air of despair in the song. The singer feels caught between two worlds: the love of God and a world seemingly against them. The phrase "This always happens to me" is a sign of the singer's frustration and perhaps even disillusionment with their own life events.
Despite the storm, the singer takes solace in knowing that God is not far away. The repetition of "Hello, hello," throughout the song, seems to suggest that God is there and can be reached out to in times of need. The line, "You make daylight from grey," also emphasizes that no matter how dark things may seem, God can bring light into the situation. The chorus repeats with the message that God is always lifting the singer above the clouds, giving them a sense of perspective and hope.
Overall, Clouds speaks to the difficulties and storms that we all face in life, but that, with God's help, we can rise above them and find solace in His love and grace.
Line by Line Meaning
The clouds are coming in again
I feel like things are turning dark and getting difficult again.
This always happens to me
I feel like I'm stuck in a pattern of difficulty and it keeps repeating.
And I am caught between
I feel caught in the middle, like I'm not sure which way to turn.
I'm caught between Your love
I'm stuck between what I know is right and the pull of the world
And this world that's against me
I feel like things are stacked against me and it's hard to move forward.
I know that You're not that far away
I know that, even though it feels difficult, God is near.
Hello, hello
I'm reaching out to God, letting Him know I'm here.
I'm not alone
I know that, even when things feel hard, I have God with me.
You make daylight from grey
God can bring light into dark situations and make things better.
Hello, hello
I'm still reaching out to God, knowing He can help.
You're always lifting me above the clouds
God can help me rise above my difficulties and see things from a higher perspective.
Trouble's on the way today
I know there will be difficulties ahead.
Why does this happen to me
I'm frustrated and wondering why things are so challenging.
You see
God knows what I'm going through.
That I'm left mixed up
I feel confused and uncertain.
Mixed up between Your love
I'm not sure whether to follow God's love or the things of the world.
And this world that's against me
I feel like the world is trying to pull me in its direction.
You are the face of love
God represents love to me.
You are the face of love to me
God shows me what true love looks like.
I'm living here above the clouds
With God's help, I'm able to rise above my difficulties and see things from a new perspective.
Contributed by Mila G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.