Cause & Effect is an electronic fusion of cleverly crafted pop arrangements against a backdrop of layered synth textures and acoustic rhythmic flourishes. Intelligent, thought provoking lyrics and pleading melodies embedded in lush sonic soundscapes that are sure to captivate the senses of even the most discriminating listener. Cause & Effect’s Rob Rowe (co-founder) and Keith Milo return with their fifth studio album, “ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT.”
After developing and perfecting their own brand of electronic pop for nearly two decades, “ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT” marks a new level of maturity songwriting, and new way of thinking about how music is released and sold. Breaking with tradition, “ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT” has been designed as a three-part series to be released as individual EP’s over the course of 2010 and 2011, rather than a conventional ten to twelve-song album release.
“We wanted to try a new way of putting out our music this time around,” says Milo. “There are no rules anymore. The digital age has turned the entire industry on its head and it’s made us all rethink things. Are we artificially constructing an album by releasing it in “parts,” or is the 12 song album as we’ve come to know it just an ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT?
Led off by the deeply contagious first single “HAPPY?” where Milo’s sleek electronic bed of synth driven melodies lay the foundation for Rowe’s silky smooth vocals and sardonic lyrical content. “Everybody’s happy dreaming of the future,” Rowe croons seductively in a tale about finding a sense of purpose and meaning in the mundane mediocrity of corporate life. And while “HAPPY” bridges the gap sonically between previous C+E albums, it also sets the tone for the rest of the EP’s emotionally charged tracks which range in style from the electro-acoustic lover’s ballad “View of the Sea,” to the nostalgic teenage New Romantic anthem “This Is who I Am,” to the dark and brooding closer “Sleep,” which tells a deeply honest and emotional tale of love lost.
. . . . . (HAPPY?- DIRTY 8VA Remix can be downloaded for FREE at Cause and Effect’s Official Website.)
“There’s a bit of everything we love in there,” says Rowe. “We’ve never easily fit into a specific genre and that gives us the freedom to always blur the lines while being true to our roots. We can put a song like ‘HAPPY?’ right next to a song like ‘View of the Sea’ and it still feels cohesive. It still sounds like C+E.”
Cause & Effect was originally formed in Sacramento, California in 1988 by Robert Rowe and Sean Rowley. Their debut album, Another Minute, stormed onto the music scene in the early 1990’s scoring two top ten dance-pop singles and a Billboard top 20 singles hit with “You Think You Know Her.” After the tragic loss of friend, writing partner and co-founding member Sean Rowley in late 1992, singer Rowe took a step back to re-evaluate the band’s direction and the hopes he had for the future.
“Performing the tribute to Sean at the KROQ Acoustic Christmas Show in LA was a turning point,” explains Rowe, “The overwhelming support from the fans and audience made me realize that giving up just wasn’t an option.”
Determined to pick up the pieces and move forward, Rowe called upon Keith Milo, an Orange County-based electronic musician and friend to finish the remaining leg of the tour with himself and drummer Rich Shepherd (the Adored).
Although that initial tour was plagued with equipment malfunctions, thefts and travel mishaps, it was to become the start of a new beginning for C+E. Upon returning home, Rowe and Milo quickly went to work writing new material and redefining the sound of Cause and Effect.
“Coming in to Cause and Effect after Sean’s death was a scary thing to do,” says Milo, “there was so much uncertainty. Sean was a genius with melody, he was irreplaceable. I think there was solace in the fact that we became a very different band at that point and we all felt that we were doing the right thing by continuing on.”
Six months later, the three found themselves in London recording the band’s critically acclaimed sophomore album “Trip” with producer Martyn Phillips (best known for his work with Beloved, Erasure, and Jesus Jones).
A seamless integration of Rowe’s evocative vocals and economical guitar, Milo’s melodic soundscapes and Shepherd’s inventive percussion, “Trip” was an “affirmation of life and hope.” The aptly named album documents the band’s journey towards self-discovery that they made in the London flat they shared, in the studio, and in underground dance clubs they frequented between recording sessions. In addition to receiving overwhelming critical praise, the album spawned the thundering cross-over club hit, “It’s Over Now,” which respectively climbed to the #7 spot on Billboard’s modern rock charts and was C+E’s fourth release to make it onto the Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.
Despite the success of the “Trip” album, Cause and Effect’s label Zoo Entertainment was in severe financial turmoil as a result of growing too quickly. After parent company BMG MUSIC pulled funding and distribution, the indie-run label soon folded. Rather than look for another major label contract, the band built their first Web site, formed the label, Liquefaction Records, and decided to embrace the digital DIY world brought about by the explosion of the Internet.
A year later saw the release of “INNERMOST STATION," the band’s third album. Nine extraordinary, introspective tracks including the epic single “World is Ours,” which instantly became a favorite amongst many of their adoring fans and college radio programmers alike. Soon after the recording of “INNERMOST STATION” was completed, drummer Richard Shepherd amicably left the band to pursue personal interests.
Meeting up at Milo’s LA studio for “THE SUNRISE EP” sessions marked the second major musical turning point for C+E. Sonically inspired by the laid back loungy grooves of the underground, “THE SUNRISE EP’s” lead single “Into the Light” went on to become the band’s fifth single to chart in the Billboard Club charts reaching the #20 spot in Summer 2004. The EP also featured the acoustic-driven “Stay,” which has become a fan favorite. C+E toured throughout 2004 in support of “THE SUNRISE EP” playing in 23 cities across the US and South America.
2010, today’s Cause and Effect are brimming with a renewed vigor and a surging confidence. In addition to the newly released “ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT PART ONE,” the duo is hard at work on the follow-up releases, “ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT PART TWO” is slated for release 26 July, 2011; and “ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT PART THREE” is to be released at a later date, with shows beginning soon after. The first track from AC2, Happiness Is Alien from was released on July 8th, 2011.
Cause and Effect is: ROB ROWE and KEITH MILO
DISCOGRAPHY: )
• Cause & Effect - CD Album (1990; Nastymix Records / Liquefaction Records)
• What Do You See - CD Single (1990, Re-Release 1992; Nastymix Records / Exile Records / Sedona Recording Company / Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• You Think You Know Her - CD Single (1990, Re-Release 1991; Nastymix Records / Exile Records / Sedona Recording Company / Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• Another Minute - Album (1991; Sedona Recording Company / Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• Another Minute (Single) - CD Single (1992; Sedona Recording Company / Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• South Paw: Zoo's Left Wing '93 - Compilation [C+E’s “hollow”] (1993; Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music)
• It's Over Now - CD Single (1994; Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• Alone - Label Promo Only (1994; Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• Inside Out - Label Promo Only (1994; Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• TRIP - Album (1994; Zoo Entertainment / BMG Music / Liquefaction Records)
• Innermost Station - Album (1997, Re-Release 1999; Liquefaction Records / Jarrett Records)
• World Is Ours - Digital Single (1999; Liquefaction Records)
• World Is Ours V2 - Digital Single (1999; Liquefaction Records)
• The Sunrise EP (2003; Liquefaction Records)
• Into The Light Remixes - EP (2004; Liquefaction Records)
• Cause & Effect - Album Digital (Re-Release 2010; Liquefaction Records)
• Happy? (Dirty 8VA Mix) FREE Single - Digital Single (2010; Liquefaction Records)
• Artificial Construct Part One - EP (April 2010; Liquefaction Records)
• Artificial Construct Part Two - EP (July 2011; Liquefaction Records)
• Artificial Construct Part Three - EP (tbd 2011; Liquefaction Records)
• Artificial Construct - Album (tbd 2011; Liquefaction Records)
Digital Albums are available for purchase at Cause and Effect’s Official Website.
OFFICIAL WEBSITES:
http://www.causeandeffect.com
http://causeandeffect.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/CauseAndEffectMusic
http://www.twitter.com/_causeandeffect
http://www.youtube.com/causeandeffectmusic
http://www.myspace.com/causeandeffectmusic
http://www.reverbnation.com/causeandeffectmusic
http://soundcloud.com/causeandeffectmusic
http://www.last.fm/music/+noredirect/Cause+and+Effect
http://www.last.fm/music/Cause%2B%2526%2BEffect
It's Over Now
Cause & Effect Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think we've seen the end
When our common dream
Falters in the betweens
Though I've tried so hard
To make it real
It's doesn't matter now
And it's alright with me
And it's alright if that's how you want it to be
I learned through weaknesses
And through the web of your lies
That everyday I live
Another piece of me dies
And in the black and white
I found a need to move on
To find a road of gold
A throne to live upon
If there's a reason for the pain then let me know
If I'm the reason for your pain then let me go
The lyrics to Cause & Effect's song It's Over Now reflect the pain of the end of a relationship. The singer acknowledges that the dream they both shared has failed and they have reached the end of the road. Despite having tried so hard to make things work and overcome the obstacles, the relationship has fallen apart. The phrase "falters in the betweens" suggests that the relationship suffered due to the small moments of disconnect and disagreement that added up over time.
The singer realizes that it doesn't matter anymore and it never really did. They have come to terms with the inevitable outcome of the relationship and have accepted it. The line "I learned through weaknesses and through the web of your lies" suggests that the relationship may have been toxic and plagued by lies and deception.
The singer expresses that the pain of the breakup has taken a toll on them and a piece of them dies every day. They have come to the realization that they need to move on and continue their journey in search of a better life.
Overall, the lyrics present a bittersweet message about the end of a relationship and the importance of accepting the past to move on to a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess it's over now
I am convinced that our relationship has ended
I think we've seen the end
I believe that all the signs point towards the conclusion of our relationship
When our common dream
Our shared aspiration
Falters in the betweens
Disintegrates amidst the uncertainties
Though I've tried so hard
Despite my earnest efforts
To make it real
To make our relationship succeed
It's doesn't matter now
It is irrelevant now
I guess it never did
Perhaps it was never even important
And it's alright with me
I am okay with it
And it's alright if that's how you want it to be
If that is your decision, then I accept it
I learned through weaknesses
I obtained knowledge through vulnerabilities
And through the web of your lies
And from the complex network of your deceit
That everyday I live
With each passing day
Another piece of me dies
A part of my soul withers away
And in the black and white
In the stark contrast
I found a need to move on
I realized that it was necessary for me to move forward
To find a road of gold
To search for a path that leads to prosperity
A throne to live upon
A position of power to occupy
If there's a reason for the pain then let me know
If there is a justification for the agony, please enlighten me
If I'm the reason for your pain then let me go
If I am the cause of your suffering, then allow me to depart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KEITH MAGUILIO, ROBERT ROWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SOLSUNOFFICIAL
IT’S OVER NOW celebrated a 25 year release anniversary last week. It’s not a SOLSUN song, It’s very much a C&E song, but it is the first song that I wrote that was ever commercially released, and It definitely reached the most ears! So a fitting day for a little history on the song.
Though it was released 25 years ago, I actually wrote the original version of ION when I was 18 years old, about a year before I joined C&E in late 1992. I was living in a shared bedroom with a friend from high school at his parents house. The heart & soul of ‘Its over now’ has always remained true to the first rudimentary demo the night I wrote it, but it definitely evolved into something better bringing it into C&E. It evolved for the second time and became yet again even BIGGER and more polished when we brought it to London to work with producer Martyn Phillips. Over the years, I’ve heard and read many interpretations of “the breakup song” and I love doing so. Perhaps the strangest was recently when I was reminded of an interview with ‘Rick Dees.” I don’t remember much about what was said, but apparently Mr. Dees had suggested the song was about the demise of the Prince Charles and Princess Di marriage. I was so nervous to be on national radio, apparently i just smiled and nodded... (gestures which don’t necessarily translate well to radio,) so I guess he went with it. But no, the song was definitely not written about the royal breakup!
The first and only time I talked about the intention behind it was in a 1994 interview with OUT magazine. Which for me, as a young gay man coming to terms with who I was at the time, the song was about closing a door, yes. But much less about an ending, and much more about a new beginning… Much like SOLSUN became again so many years later, a new beginning. ;) Happy Anniversary to ‘IT’S OVER NOW!’ Released May 23,1994. Keith Milo x
@SyntheticFilms
Thanks for sharing Keith!! I have to ask...did you guys sample a car alarm for "It's Over Now"?
@SOLSUNOFFICIAL
@@SyntheticFilms Yup.. It's a bona fide "clifford" car alarm, sampled to a Roland S50. ;)
@Poochipup
Milo you wrote the song yourself? No collaborators? I still love the song to this day!!!
@voxboutique6564
This song still sounds so current , thanks for sharing!
@timothyjseitz
Grew up in the 80's and loved dancing at clubs to songs like this, great stuff man, keep making awesome music! God Bless!
@felixvargas7132
My brother would blast this song and all of TRIP often in 1994. Whenever he wasn't playing it or was at work I would sneak in and take the cassette and listen to it. When he moved out of town he took everything and before he said goodbye and drove off he told me to look in his room- and there was the cassette all to myself. 25 years later I still had the cassette and decided to give it back to him for his birthday. We had both had this nostalgic smile on our faces.
@jayrusty2012
Epic story bro 🙌🏻
@Yuri-tq4oc
wonderful wholesome story
@pzmkvg
Still one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Such an underrated group.