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.
It's All Over
Scala & Kolacny Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a discordant rhyme
So "forever" was really "for now".
We demolished that place
Where our souls could embrace
And instead we embrace nonchalance.
It's all past tense
It's all over
Oh, God, it hurts.
Through the lust, love and lies
There was no compromise
Now we drown in the pastel luke warm.
And with everything said
You resound in my head
As I close my eyes one final time.
Now it's over
It's all past tense
It's all over.
There's nothing good
About this goodbye.
The lyrics of Scala & Kolacny Brothers' song "It's All Over" tell the story of a love that has ended in confusion and pain. The first verse speaks of how a beautiful love song has turned into a discordant rhyme, showing how the relationship has deteriorated. The line "forever was really for now" suggests that the couple had grand aspirations at the start of their love but it proved to be short-lived. The second verse describes how the relationship was a safe space for the characters' souls, but it was demolished, leading to a coldness in the relationship.
The chorus expresses the pain of the break-up, with the repetition of "It's all over" emphasizing the finality of the situation. The line "through the lust, love, and lies, there was no compromise" suggests that the relationship was unbalanced or toxic, as neither partner was willing to meet the other halfway. The contrast between "pastel" and "luke warm" paints a picture of a faded and tepid connection. The final line of the song, "there's nothing good about this goodbye," brings to a close the narrative of the relationship's collapse, with the singer acknowledging that there is no silver lining to be found in their sorrow.
Overall, "It's All Over" is a poignant, melancholic song that captures the pain and confusion of a love that was once great but has now come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
From a love song sublime-
Our romantic relationship started off perfectly, like a beautiful love ballad.
To a discordant rhyme
But over time, it turned into something chaotic and disruptive like a melody that is out of tune.
So "forever" was really "for now".
We thought our love would last forever, but it turned out that it was only meant to be temporary.
We demolished that place
The place where we used to find comfort and solace in each other's arms was destroyed.
Where our souls could embrace
That place was where we'd go to connect on a deeper level and weave together our emotions and spiritual selves.
And instead we embrace nonchalance.
Now, we accept our separation with a casual, indifferent attitude instead of clinging to the feelings we once had.
Now it's over
Our relationship has come to an end.
It's all past tense
Everything we shared is now in the past and no longer exists in the present.
Oh, God, it hurts.
The pain of losing what we once had is overwhelming and unbearable.
Through the lust, love and lies
We went through a phase when our physical attraction disguised itself as love, and our dishonest intentions made our bond weaker.
There was no compromise
We had our own ideas and refused to meet each other halfway, which ultimately led to a lack of trust and consequences that we can't undo.
Now we drown in the pastel luke warm.
We're stuck in a limbo where everything we shared is now bland and uninteresting, nothing like the vivid and lively moments we once had.
And with everything said
Despite all that has transpired between us, after all our talks, arguments, and reminiscences.
You resound in my head
You and your memories still echo in my mind, and it's hard to let go or move on.
As I close my eyes one final time.
We've said what we needed to say, it's time to end this chapter of our lives.
There's nothing good
There's no silver lining or positive aspect to take away from our separation.
About this goodbye.
This farewell is painful, as it symbolizes the end of a once-beautiful relationship.
Contributed by Ruby P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.