The story is based around the world of a fictional character named Grace, who on the eve of her 50th birthday begins to question her happiness and the choices she's made in her life. When she receives news that her estranged father, a failed inventor, has died, she returns to her childhood home to help settle his affairs. While cleaning out his study, she uncovers early designs for a paper raincoat, the invention on which he staked their family fortune, and that subsequently tore the family apart when it failed to sell. She is flooded with intense memories of a pivotal day in that very room, when she made the conscious decision to give up on her dream of becoming a writer in order to avoid the disastrous effects that happened as a result of her father’s choices. She starts to question whether there might have been a better way for her life to unfold, and decides to find out by rewriting her own story in a novel she titles The Paper Raincoat.
The songs are a cinematic blend of pop-folk orchestral arrangements, peppered with electronic textures, and overflowing with unforgettable melodies. "Our goal was to create songs that were enjoyable on any level…” adds Alex. “…Catchy and meaningful enough for listeners to relate to whether they knew the back-story or not. Once they liked the music, we felt discovering the story hidden inside the songs would only increase their connection to them."
Alex and Amber have been collaborators and friends for several years, starting with a chance meeting at a wintry show in Buffalo NY and Amber's subsequent decision to become the first official stalker of Alex's previous band, The Animators. Nowadays, both Amber and Alex are experienced and thriving musicians in their own right. Amber is creating an international buzz as a solo artist with over 1,000,000 plays on MySpace, three month-long European tours, the most recent with guitarist/songwriter Adam Levy (Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman, Amos Lee), and a First Place Award in the International Songwriting Competition (Lyrics), which was judged in part by her musical hero, Tom Waits. Amber's new record will be released this summer, and she will be touring all over the nation and again in Europe this Fall. Alex has since signed up on the long waiting list to stalk her in return.
Meanwhile, Alex has been cultivating a reputation as a sought-after artist, composer and producer in NY and LA. His former band, the Animators, achieved much national attention and critical acclaim before their 2007 breakup. He now writes, performs and records with several prominent NYC artists, including Vienna Teng (Rounder/Universal), and will co-produce her upcoming record this spring. His original score for the play, Everyman For Himself won a 2006 LA WEEKLY THEATER AWARD for best original music. Alex co-produced Amber's first solo record in fall 2004, as well as her 2006 EP, Unfinished Art, as well as produced and arranged the Paper Raincoat's debut EP.
The group celebrated the release of Safe in the Sound in March with a string of concerts at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles, Canal Room in NYC, and Club Passim in Boston. IndieSoundsNY.com describes their live show as “bringing a sense of wonder and whimsical optimism into life.” Rubarth adds, “The live shows are quirky, too, with all of the different instruments and harmonies. It feels cinematic… but not in a goofy way.” New York is quickly embracing the band and in just a few months they have graduated from selling out 2 NYC residencies at Rockwood Music Hall, to booking their follow-up show at Bowery Ballroom at the end of July. The band is being embraced out of the gates by industry and fans alike, and in addition to having music currently under consideration for TV/film placements, one can expect to see their touring schedule come alive in late summer.
Rough Cut
The Paper Raincoat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and now you're crumbling away, but this isn't like you.
It doesn't stop till it breaks down, oh you know
you're breathing locks and your balance goes
And la da da da da...
It takes a minute,
la da da da da
la da da da da
You're breaking faster,
la da da da da
You're nothing after,
There's nothing after all.
You try to make your escape, but the blows keep coming
And as the dust clears away, you start to notice something
Each time a piece crashes down into the floor,
You're a little lighter than just before.
And la da da da da...
It takes a minute,
la da da da da
It doesn't finish,
la da da da da
You'll see it after
la da da da da
When you look backwards,
When you look backwards, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh.
And now your eyes shift from negative spaces,
To contours that light up this rough cut design,
And now you see it, your sculpture in motion.
Your unfinished art that keeps going, and keeps going,
and keeps going, and going, and going, and going...
la da da da da
la da da da da
la da da da da
la da da da da, da da da da da,
da da da da,
la da da da da,
la da da da da
la da da da da, da da da da da,
da da da da da da.
The Paper Raincoat's song Rough Cut is a powerful and emotional reflection on going through difficult experiences and coming out the other side with a new perspective. The lyrics describe the pain and discomfort of being caught up in a situation that seems to be overwhelming, with the individual feeling like they are "crumbling away" and losing their balance. However, the song also contains a message of hope, as each time a piece of the individual falls away, they become "a little lighter than just before" and begin to see the beauty in their "rough cut" design.
The repeated refrain of "la da da da da" adds to the feeling of uncertainty and shakiness in the verses, but also serves as a reminder that the situation won't last forever and that there is still beauty to be found even in the midst of struggling. The second verse of the song shifts towards a realization that each blow taken makes the individual stronger and more resilient, with the line "You'll see it after/When you look backwards" driving home the idea that growth often takes time and perspective.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most empowering, as the individual's eyes begin to shift towards "contours that light up this rough cut design." The use of sculpture as a metaphor for personal growth is a poignant one, highlighting the way in which even the roughest edges and bumps can come together to create something beautiful and lasting. Ultimately, the song Rough Cut is a testament to the power of resilience and the way in which difficult experiences can shape us into stronger and more compassionate individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Suddenly you're shaking with pain, shooting down inside you
You feel sudden pain that seems to penetrate your entire being
and now you're crumbling away, but this isn't like you.
You are falling apart, which is uncharacteristic of you
It doesn't stop till it breaks down, oh you know
The pain doesn't relent until it completely wears you down
you're breathing locks and your balance goes
Your breathing becomes constricted and your sense of balance is lost
la da da da da...
It takes a minute,
There is a pause in the lyrics, followed by the acknowledgement that the experience takes time
It doesn't finish,
The experience doesn't end
You're breaking faster,
You are deteriorating more quickly as time goes on
You're nothing after,
After the experience, you feel like you have lost a part of yourself
There's nothing after all.
Eventually, there is nothing left
You try to make your escape, but the blows keep coming
You attempt to get away, but the pain persists
And as the dust clears away, you start to notice something
Eventually, you can begin to see past the chaos and recognize something new
Each time a piece crashes down into the floor,
As you fall apart and pieces of yourself are lost, they hit the ground
You're a little lighter than just before.
While you may have lost parts of yourself, you also feel lighter and freer in some way
la da da da da...
You'll see it after
Another pause in the lyrics, followed by the promise that you'll see the effects of the experience eventually
When you look backwards, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh.
You'll see the changes when you look back on the experience
And now your eyes shift from negative spaces,
Your perspective changes from seeing only the negative aspects
To contours that light up this rough cut design,
Instead, you begin to see the beauty in the raw and unfinished parts of yourself
And now you see it, your sculpture in motion.
You recognize that you are a work in progress, constantly evolving
Your unfinished art that keeps going, and keeps going,
Your journey of self-discovery and growth is ongoing and ever-changing
and keeps going, and going, and going, and going...
It's unending, constantly in motion
Contributed by Mila O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.