The songs on Moda Spira evolved during a period of intense emotional turmoil that led Phillips to a greater understanding of her personal and musical journey. “Loving someone has deep challenges, because we’re all a mess, but it’s a worthy path. The songs flowed out of a scary, hard, complicated, wonderful, growing and loving season. I’d capture ideas on a voice memo, or record melodies walking down the street, whenever I had a moment of inspiration. After two years, I had a full record.”
As the music evolved, Phillips began collaborating with producer and multi-instrumentalist Jordan Brooke Hamlin (Indigo Girls, Lucy Wainwright). Together, they crafted arrangements and finished writing songs that embraced ‘90s R&B, ‘80s pop and cinematic indie rock. They stayed open to finding new sounds that moved them. “We discovered a lot of new sounds and techniques,” Phillips says. “Some were terrible; some were amazing,” she laughs. “We kept the amazing stuff.”
The songs on Moda Spira follow a relationship as it moves through infatuation, passion, familiarity and tribulation, finally emerging triumphant, infused with a renewed belief and hope in the growing process of learning to love yourself and others. “She Whispers” opens the album with warm, wistful piano tones and the gentle heartbeat of a kick drum, suggesting the calm before the storm. Jordan’s aggressive guitar and a funky percussion loop back a vocal full of hopeful melancholy as Phillips embraces the light slowly emerging from the darkness. “Love is the light no shadow can touch,” Phillips says. “It’s the faith that the darkness can not consume you.”
“In the Fight” describes the dawning realization that intimacy, despite it joys, is never an easy path. “Opening yourself exposes everything, good and bad,” Phillips says. “You have to decide how to reveal the things that often go unsaid.” This tension is expressed by a swirling, multi-tracked vocal, chiming piano and cinematic washes of synthesizer. A thumping, hypnotic kick drum loop gets more and more funky as Phillips takes the song home with a fervid vocal. Ominous keyboards support Phillips on “Playback,” the darkest song on the album. “When you’re in conflict, you have to be careful about the words you say,” Phillips says. “You can apologize, but can’t unsay what has been said.” The song grows chaotic and intense as it progresses, mimicking the frustration of a quarrel, with waves of competing vocals and drum loops. The smooth groove of “Bet on Me” pays tribute to Sade and other R&B icons, with muted guitar, subtle bass and bubbly toms. “I wanted to get a sonic sensibility that referenced some of my favorite artists,” Phillips says. “I especially love Jordan’s bluesy, B.B. King style guitar solo on the coda.”
Near the end of the album, Phillip’s hushed piano drifts into “Stillness,” a classically flavored instrumental that provides a moment to reflect and absorb the emotions she’s been stirring up. The slowly unfolding, waltz-like sonata has a soothing effect, suggesting the effortless slide into peaceful, dreamless sleep.
“Shaking the Walls” is pure pop, the album’s most jubilant track. Its dreamy verses build to a soaring bridge, marked by multi-tracked, call and response vocals, accented by live tom toms that suggest the crumbling of the walls that keep lovers from making genuine connections. Phillips shows her gospel roots on “The Hard Way.” Her hushed vocal, and sustained notes from her Juno Arp, cast a hypnotic spell, as she slips into a soft moan to express feelings beyond words. The track concludes with her multi-tracked vocals, mimicking the ecstasy of a Sunday morning choir, promising unconditional support, even in life’s darkest moments. “We’d like to believe we don’t have to learn life’s lessons the hard way,” Phillips says, “but nobody’s perfect. We all learn the hard way.”
Phillips has a long resume that includes time as a solo artist and work with Page CXVI, a band that reinterprets traditional hymns, the indie rock band Autumn Film and Sola-Mi, an experimental trio. She has produced albums for indie artists, including A Boy & His Kite, helping them place “Cover Your Tracks” on the soundtrack for Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part II. Her songs have been featured on One Tree Hill, The Gates, Lifetime Films and the film The House at the End of the Street. She’s also composed incidental music for MTV and E! Moda Spira is her return to solo performing. She plans to support the album with selected dates, both alone and with multi-media pop up shows, featuring video, dancers, live painting and other surprises.
“Moda Spira is my first solo venture in ten years,” Phillips says. “The songs are all dear to me, so I gave myself permission to be vulnerable. If you’re feeling down and lost, this record will let you know that you’re not alone and help you to keep moving forward.”
Shaking the Walls
Moda Spira Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Carrying my sails across the tide
I have to try, I have to try
I will do anything and I
Never close my eyes through the night
The glowing sky, will be my guide
And I, will go, cross lines
To worlds I've never known
And I, will overthrow divides
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
The waves are crashing at my side,
Never giving way through the night
Can't close my eyes, won't close my eyes
I'll keep them fixed on the mark,
Keeping me from drifting away
And I, will go, cross lines
To worlds I've never known
And I, will overthrow divides
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
Hear it loud, falling to the ground
Here and now, walls are coming down
Hear it loud, falling to the ground
Here and now, walls are coming down
And I, will go, cross lines
To worlds I've never known
And I, will overthrow divides
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
The lyrics of Moda Spira's song, "Shaking the Walls," tell the story of someone who is determined to break through barriers, both physical and metaphorical. The first verse speaks of the singer hearing an echo in the wind, which motivates her to take action and cross the tide. She is determined to go to unknown worlds and overthrow any dividing walls that stand in her way. The waves crashing at her side represent the obstacles she faces, but she keeps her eyes fixed on her goal and does not let anything distract her. She is determined to break through and make her way to the other side.
As the song progresses, the chorus repeats the lyrics "shaking the walls" four times, emphasizing the idea that this protagonist is determined to break down any barriers in her way. The line "hear it loud, falling to the ground" makes it clear that the walls are literally crumbling around her, and she is succeeding in her quest to break through. The song ends with a repeat of the chorus, emphasizing the singer's stubborn determination.
Overall, "Shaking the Walls" is a powerful anthem about perseverance and determination in the face of adversity. It's a song about never giving up and pushing through even when things seem impossible. With haunting vocals and a driving beat, Moda Spira delivers a powerful message of hope and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear your echo in the wind
I feel your presence everywhere, even in the most subtle of signs.
Carrying my sails across the tide
Your guidance can help me navigate through the most turbulent of times.
I have to try, I have to try
I cannot give up even when the odds are against me.
I will do anything and I
I am willing to go to great lengths to achieve my goals.
Never close my eyes through the night
I will not rest until I see the result of my hard work.
The glowing sky, will be my guide
The beauty of the world will inspire me to keep going.
And I, will go, cross lines
I will challenge boundaries and explore the unknown.
To worlds I've never known
I am open to discovering new things and learning new skills.
And I, will overthrow divides
I will break down barriers that separate people and prevent them from understanding each other.
Shaking the walls, shaking the walls
My efforts will be so powerful that they will make a significant impact.
The waves are crashing at my side
I am going through a difficult time, but I will remain steadfast.
Never giving way through the night
My commitment will not falter, no matter how long it takes.
Can't close my eyes, won't close my eyes
I cannot afford to give up or lose focus.
I'll keep them fixed on the mark,
I will concentrate on my objective and not let anything distract me.
Keeping me from drifting away
I am determined not to lose sight of my goal.
Hear it loud, falling to the ground
The obstacles in my way are crumbling down.
Here and now, walls are coming down
I am breaking down barriers that were once thought impenetrable.
Contributed by Nathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.