After two albums for Tooth and Nail where the band explored more anthemic avenues, the quintet found itself re-examining its hard rock and metal roots on its third record for the label. The resulting album is an 11-song sonic attack that knows when to slow down the pace and when to pounce back like a slap to the face. "We didn't intentionally go for a heavier sound," guitarist Jef Cunnigham said. "We just wrote what came to mind and I think it turned into some of our best material."
Late last year the band's hectic touring schedule slowed enough for them to start working on the record, though they had a few geographical obstacles to overcome before starting. With members spread across four states, each created a secret Myspace for a non-existent band where they would post song ideas for the others to listen to.
Singer Matt Baird would download these parts to his iPod, where he began to craft the lyrics for the record. His finished work centers on topics like redemption and restoration, and reaches its pinnacle on the album's tenth track, "When Hope is All You Have," which began as a phrase he used during his father's funeral just before recording began.
"There are songs about healing and hope and about moving on after we've made mistakes," Baird said. "I felt some pressure in writing, hoping my parts would turn out as good as the music. But I think it all came out better than I could've imagined." After their internet-aided pre-production, the band decided to set up shop in a one-room cabin in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee for over a month to mold those song ideas into the core of the album. After three weeks of work, Baird joined the band for the final two weeks to add his lyrics to the fray.
With songs in hand the band then headed to Lakeside Studios in Knoxville for a month-long session with producer Travis Wyrick (P.O.D., Disciple), who also produced 2005's "Last Chance to Breathe," a record that helped the band expand its fanbase as it ventured into poppier leanings.
"I'm blown away by the finished record," Cunnigham said. "We wrote these songs to please ourselves, to write songs that we wanted to play live and we ended up with a few that were heavier and harder than anything on the last two records." Wyrick and the band have created a sound less reliant on overdubs and layering and more focused on bringing the band's live show to mind with a more sparse sound that still rocks as hard as ever. Maybe more so. "We wanted to experiment with heavier songs and think further ahead in the lifespan of the band," Baird said. "And with these heavier songs it really feels like a step toward the future and a reflection of the past."
Louder
Spoken Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got to keep it cool and let the people know.
Kick it harder and harder,
Each time you bring the noise, it gets louder.
Speak your mind, and tell me how you feel,
You've got to keep it cool, come on and keep it real.
False lies and false accusations
Leave no room for intelligent conversation.
Don't you want more out of life than to be tied down.
You keep begging me to come back to you like I did before,
But I'm not going to do that anymore.
Once upon a time, a long time ago,
A man came to earth to
Let the people know he kicked it harder and harder,
Each time he brought the noise, it got louder
The above lyrics are from Spoken's song "Louder", which is an upbeat and motivational song about staying true to oneself and being honest. The opening line, "Keep the rhythm pumping through your soul," sets the tone for the song, encouraging the listener to let music be their guide and to stay true to themselves. The next line, "You've got to keep it cool and let the people know," suggests that while staying true to oneself is important, it's also important to share that truth with others.
The chorus, "Kick it harder and harder, each time you bring the noise, it gets louder," is a powerful message about the power of perseverance and hard work. The lyrics suggest that the more effort one puts in, the greater their impact will be. This is reinforced in the next verse, where the lyrics encourage people to speak their minds and be honest, rather than relying on false accusations and lies that prevent intelligent conversation.
The final verse references a man who came to earth to "let the people know," possibly a reference to a spiritual figure or an influential messenger. The lyrics use this figure as an example of someone who kicked it harder and harder, getting louder with each message they imparted. The song ends with the lead singer stating that they won't return to a past relationship, suggesting that the lyrics may have a personal meaning for the artist.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep the rhythm pumping through your soul,
Maintain the beat of music that fills you inside.
You've got to keep it cool and let the people know.
Stay calm but also project your message to others.
Kick it harder and harder,
Play music with increasing intensity.
Each time you bring the noise, it gets louder.
As you play louder, more people start to hear and feel it.
Speak your mind, and tell me how you feel,
Express your thoughts and emotions, don't hold back.
You've got to keep it cool, come on and keep it real.
Stay calm but also be honest and true to yourself and your message.
False lies and false accusations
Deceitful stories and untrue blame.
Leave no room for intelligent conversation.
These behaviors prevent meaningful discussions.
Getting higher, then you fall down to the ground,
Experiencing highs and lows in life.
Don't you want more out of life than to be tied down.
A desire for freedom and something more fulfilling than feeling limited.
You keep begging me to come back to you like I did before,
Someone repeatedly asking for a past relationship or situation to be restored.
But I'm not going to do that anymore.
The artist has moved on and won't return to the previous state.
Once upon a time, a long time ago,
A situation in the distant past.
A man came to earth to
Someone came to the world with a specific purpose.
Let the people know he kicked it harder and harder,
This person played music with increasing intensity to reach and affect more people.
Each time he brought the noise, it got louder
As the music got more intense, the effect it had on people grew stronger.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MDroid Gaming
Saw Spoken the other month on City Rockfest tour. Matt's only gotten better with age.
contiuum3D
Rage against the machine right here. Great stuff
MLG LKID
The drummer for this is my stepdad
bovferten
Ronnie Crupper?
McCline89
Do you think you can download the whole album?
ẞad Boi
Wol