2012 has started at the same amazing pace as 2011 for Scala & Kolacny Brothers, with a tour of Northern Spain, dates in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Ireland, an upcoming trip to Korea as well as TV appearances at ITV's Dancing On Ice (UK) and at the famous San Remo Festival... But 2011 was the breakout year for Scala & Kolacny Brothers as they conquered the United States and Canada with a major tour, in support of their first North American CD release, including headlining stages at SXSW and Coachella. This success was immediately followed by a first record release in the U.K., a sold out show at London's Union Chapel in June and a triumphant “special guest” performance at the Latitude Festival, where they played the prestigious Sunday noon slot. In June the group headlined at the Heineken Dia De La Musica in Madrid, in November the album ‘Scala & Kolacny Brothers’ was released in Italy, where it immediately hit the top 10 (!) and in December the group returned to 4 sold out shows in Berlin, as well as a Radio Eins very special-alternative-Christmas-songs special. 2011 has brought Scala & Kolacny Brothers the status of international phenomenon and it all seemed to start with a simple email.
When the email arrived in May 2010, the Kolacny brothers thought it was some kind of joke. “Yeah”, the brothers thought, “right.” But the request was genuine. And the film turned out to be The Social Network. It transpired that the director, David Fincher, is a huge fan.
The song in question is a hauntingly beautiful acoustic reworking of Radiohead¹s Creep. In July 2010, two months after the brothers received the email, the Social Network trailer was released. The powerful music was center stage, heightening a growing sense of unease like a chorus of fallen angels.
Like the film itself, the trailer has been a huge global hit more than 250m people have seen in the Cinema, on TV or online. Thanks in part to the subsequent buzz on social media, traffic to the brothers’ website went through the roof: their interpretation of Creep is an internet phenomenon, watched in various forms well over 25m times.
A record-label bidding war erupted in America but the brothers chose to sign with Atco, a subsidiary of Warner, with whom they had been negotiating. They released an eponymous album in in the US in March in the US and in the UK and most of the rest of Europe - 6 June 2011 (on Wall Of Sound). Italy followed in November of this year and the album was re-released in December in the UK, with two additional titles. In 2011 Scala & Kolacny Brothers also released 2 acclaimed video clips, for their versions of Use Somebody (directed by Inti Calfat) and Everlong (directed by Mark Woollen, who also directed the The Social Network trailer).
In September Scala & Kolacny Brother’s version of U2’s With Or Without You, was featured in the trailer for Season 2 of the British hit drama series Downton Abbey (broadcast in the USA on PBS where Scala & Kolacny Brothers also have their new special ‘Live From Bruges’ airing from December). And in December Scala’s version of Last Christmas was used in the trailer for the Downton Abbey Christmas special, while the group performed at Downton Abbey’s VIP Christmas special launch party in London.
But even with numerous TV shows (including 'the Simpsons'!) using Scala & Kolacny Brother’s music in 2011, it was the Social Network trailer which shone a spotlight on the unique musical project that is Scala & Kolacny Brothers an indie-rock choir, comprising of the two Kolacny brothers, Steven and Stijn, and Scala, their all-girl choir. Steven plays the piano, Stijn conducts the choir. The brothers usually work with 20-30 singers, aged 16-26, at a time, but these days have more than 200 girls on their books, ensuring plenty of cover for their increasingly busy schedule.
Scala & Kolacny Brothers take rock and indie songs and reinvent them as elegiac hymns to breathtaking effect with the piano often the sole accompaniment to the voices. On occasion they also use drum machines, sequencers and synthesizers, and also often perform with a full rock band.
The new album includes versions of Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana), Champagne Supernova (Oasis), With or Without You (U2), Use Somebody (Kings of Leon), Everlong (Foo Fighters) and more. Creep also features, as do three original compositions Seashell, Masquerade and Our Last Fight.
Rock and indie music works best because “the beating heart of the songs is often very black and very emotional, and the female voices of the choir add a certain melancholic touch”, says Stijn. “Sometimes they bring out whole new dimensions in the songs our version of Nothing Else Matters could be
classical music; its sound is nothing to do with Metallica anymore.” Other influences range from Sigur Ros to Nirvana and include the dark electro-pop of Goldfrapp and Depeche Mode, and the brooding mini-symphonies of Massive Attack.
California Dreamin'
Scala & Kolacny Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the sky is gray (And the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (On a winter's day)
I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (If I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (Got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher liked the cold (Preacher liked the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay (Knows I'm gonna stay)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
All the leaves are brown (All the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (And the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (On a winter's day)
If I didn't tell her (If I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
The lyrics of Scala & Kolacny Brothers's "California Dreamin" tell the story of a person who is struggling to get through a cold, gray winter's day. They long for the warmth and sunshine of Los Angeles, dreaming of escaping their dreary reality. The first verse describes the scene of the gray sky and brown leaves, setting a melancholic tone that emphasizes the person's current mood. Even though they have been for a walk, they cannot shake off their winter blues. The refrain "California dreamin'" is a repetitive, almost mantra-like phrase that emphasizes the person's longing for escape.
The second verse has the person stopping into a church, perhaps in search of spiritual guidance or solace. They kneel down to pray but admit that it is just pretending. They are not really seeking divine intervention, but rather a temporary escape from their current situation. The line about the preacher liking the cold indicates that others in the area may be more accustomed to the winter weather, making the singer feel even more out of place. However, they have made the decision to stay in California and continue dreaming of a better life, further emphasizing their dissatisfaction with their current reality.
The final verse suggests that the person is considering leaving their current situation and heading to California. They realize that they could leave today without telling anyone, further emphasizing that they feel trapped and not in control of their life. However, the dream of California is a powerful one, and the repetition of "California dreamin'" underscores their desire to leave their current reality behind.
Line by Line Meaning
All the leaves are brown
The leaves have turned brown, indicating that it is autumn and winter is just around the corner.
And the sky is gray
The sky is overcast and gray, signifying the cold weather of winter.
I've been for a walk
I have taken a walk to enjoy the cold winter day.
On a winter's day
The day in question is a winter day.
I'd be safe and warm
If I were in Los Angeles, I would be safe and warm, protected from the cold weather I am experiencing now.
If I was in L.A.
If I were in Los Angeles, I would be warm and protected from the cold weather I am experiencing now.
California dreamin'
I am dreaming of being in California, where it is sunny and warm, contrasting the cold climate I am experiencing now.
On such a winter's day
On a winter day like this, my thoughts drift towards California, where it is warm and sunny.
Stopped into a church
I stopped by a church on my walk to take a break and reflect on my thoughts.
I passed along the way
The church was on my path, and I saw it as an opportunity to rest and reflect.
Well, I got down on my knees
I knelt down in prayer to meditate and ruminate on what's bothering me.
And I pretend to pray
I acted as though I was praying and communing with God, but my mind was still wandering and distracted.
You know the preacher liked the cold
The preacher in the church I visited enjoyed the colder weather, but I did not share his sentiment.
He knows I'm gonna stay
The preacher assumes that I will stay in the colder weather since I haven't left yet, but I am still dreaming of being in California.
If I didn't tell her
If I didn't tell my loved one about my dreams of being in California, I could leave today without any hindrance.
I could leave today
I could leave for California and pursue my dreams today without any obstacles if I kept my desires to myself.
On such a winter's day
Despite the chill of the winter day, my thoughts still revolve around my California dream, and I aspire to make it a reality.
California dreamin'
My mind keeps drifting towards my dream of being in California, where it is warm and sunny, and I yearn to fulfill this dream one day.
On such a winter's day
On this cold winter day, my desires and aspirations still revolve around my dream of being in California, a place where I can escape the cold and live out my dreams.
Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.