UMBRELLAS’ ILLUMINARE
(Latin; meaning to light the way or illustrate.)
When Scott Windsor and the timeless yet refreshing band Umbrellas released their debut self-titled record in 2005, they may not have guessed that one year later, they’d find themselves livening-up a drab, abandoned comedy club—recording songs on giant stages and in refrigerators for their follow-up, Illuminare. Umbrellas’ sophomore Militia Group release was recorded in two solid weeks of near fifteen-hour recording sessions, where Scott and his band’s musings were tested and brought to life.
When Umbrellas’ debut hit the shelves, it was recognized as a dynamic, eager offering. The band toured heavily and new ideas began swimming inside Windsor’s head. Those ideas formed icebergs—and the only option was to dismantle and re-conduct the near-avalanche of visions, abstractions, melodies and structures. The debut, birthed in decidedly artistic, collaborative ways, proved to be an even more cautious outing compared to Illuminare.
Hanging blankets across the empty, dusty and evocative shell of an old comedy club, Scott and his Umbrellas started tracking their new record Illuminare. They went forth in unsafe, less-than secure scenarios with nearby ‘06 tornados in Oklahoma. Scott recalls: “The old comedy club had an odd feel to it. Grossly low-lit, strange hallways, off-color backrooms good for nothing—right there in the middle of downtown Tulsa—dodging tornados in the midst of recording. We constantly heard sirens going off, went outside to piss-green skies, sideways rain and I thought to myself ‘maybe they’ll find these recordings someday after we were all carried off.’ One of the band members’ car was stolen during the recording process by homeless people who stole it just to impress their friends. The van got broken into- we had a stolen hard drive. But bad luck could not stop this record.”
James McAlister (Ester Drang, Sufjan Stevens) played the drums, percussion, programming, and added lively, innovative ideas like sampling Scott’s voice as the keyboard parts for the song “Again and Again.” On the song, Scott sings: “Where’s the piano? The big, big bass drum?” Well, in that song, the piano’s right there in his vocal chords—which were adamantly, angelically bared just as they are on Illuminare. “Most of these songs only had one take on vocals—80% of the record. Every record nowadays, it seems you can find some pretty blonde, put auto-tune on it and just go with it.” Scott modestly adds: “I’m not the best singer but at least when you see us live, what you see is what you get and I’m not lying to fans.” And it seems that’s what the general mood and stance of this record: reality, and a sense for the organic, raw, forgotten sentiments. In the song “Tests on My Heart, Windsor sings of ‘getting over the self,’ recording in the aforementioned refrigerator with cold vocal-shadows and a Vaudevillian piano interlude. Illuminare grapples with notions of solitude, life, death, and the plain old blues. Scott sings of realistic love, infatuation, satisfaction, disappointment, life-balance, the letting-go, appeasement, idealism, and grace—all with a backdrop of blustery fall-out tunes with strange swirls of sound, smatterings of echoes and pulsings, huge bass hammerings and bells to chime the gladness in being right there where one’s supposed to be. Weathering the storms, and taking on the shadows and memories of calmer times and warmer rooms.
The players: Chad Copelin (producer, keys, guitar, bass), Nathan Price (drums, percussion), Eric Arndt (bass), Scott Windsor (vocals, guitars, percussion) James McAlister (drums, percussion, programming), Ryan Lindsey (piano, background vocals)
Scott 09 Sep 2006
Taken from their Website:
www.umbrellasmusic.com
Broken Ice
Umbrellas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd pull your ribs apart
Like the bars on the jail cell
We'd make a clean break
I'd touch your racing heart
To control those anxieties
To calm you down
To stop you from pacing around
So let me do all the worrying
You know I'm so good at it
Just like skating on broken ice with you
I'm treading lightly
I'm watching my step
This ship has sailed
Our long morning walks
Our shadows stretched out in front of us
The new born sun buring away at our backs
The words were formed and spoken in relief
Just happy that the moments had been filled
So let me do the pretending
We will get better over time
Just like skating on broken ice with you
I'm treading lightly
I'm watching my step
This ship has sailed and we're pushing away
Always a song in your head
Always unfailing, always lovely
But you never bothered to sing
It's like skating on broken ice with you...
The song "Broken Ice" by Umbrellas is a beautiful and haunting ballad that appears to be about a complicated relationship, perhaps between two lovers. The opening lines of the song, "If I could I would, I'd pull your ribs apart, like the bars on the jail cell," suggests that the singer wants to tear down the walls and barriers that separate them and their loved one. Even though he wants to do so, he is also aware that they need to make a clean break and start building a new relationship from scratch.
The singer then talks about how he wants to help calm down his partner's anxiety and racing heart. He offers to do all the worrying for them because he's good at it. This line and the previous ones may suggest that the singer is trying to save the relationship and be the emotional support their partner needs. Perhaps his partner's anxieties and insecurities are making it difficult for them to move forward in the relationship.
The final lines of the song, "Always a song in your head, always unfailing, always lovely, but you never bothered to sing. It's like skating on broken ice with you," reveals that despite the singer's efforts, their partner isn't putting in the same amount of work. They have a beautiful mind and heart, but they aren't putting in the same effort to make the relationship work. Skating on broken ice feels like an apt metaphor for the tenuous nature of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could I would
If it were possible, I would fulfill your wish.
I'd pull your ribs apart
I would go to great lengths to alleviate your pain and suffering.
Like the bars on the jail cell
Just as how prison cells restrict freedom, your current situation inhibits you from doing what you want.
We'd make a clean break
It would be best for both of us to completely sever ties and start fresh.
I'd touch your racing heart
I would help you calm down and control your emotions.
To control those anxieties
I would do anything to alleviate the stress and anxiety you're feeling.
To calm you down
I want to soothe and ease your worries.
To stop you from pacing around
I want to help you overcome your restlessness and find peace.
So let me do all the worrying
You don't need to worry, I'll take care of everything.
You know I'm so good at it
I'm capable of taking on this responsibility and trust me, I'll handle it well.
Just like skating on broken ice with you
Our situation is fragile and uncertain, but I'll navigate it carefully with you.
I'm treading lightly
I'm approaching this situation with caution and care.
I'm watching my step
I'm being mindful of my actions and their consequences.
This ship has sailed
Our chances have passed for a successful outcome in this situation.
Our long morning walks
We used to have peaceful and comforting routines together.
Our shadows stretched out in front of us
Our past still lingers and our history is intertwined.
The new born sun buring away at our backs
Although we're moving on, the past still haunts us.
The words were formed and spoken in relief
We were able to express our emotions and find comfort in sharing our troubles.
Just happy that the moments had been filled
We enjoyed our time together and were grateful for the memories.
So let me do the pretending
I'll put on a brave face and act like everything is fine for your sake.
We will get better over time
Things will improve with patience and time.
This ship has sailed and we're pushing away
Our time together has ended and we're losing touch with each other.
Always a song in your head
You have a gift for music and creativity.
Always unfailing, always lovely
Your talent and beauty are consistent and unwavering.
But you never bothered to sing
You never fully embraced your talents and potential.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Grenonator
love umbrellas to no end, tragically their skill is unjustly unrepresented in mainstream media
Daniel Pz
I love this band =)
ouimer96
List to to Scott Windsor's (lead singer) early work titled "The Lyndsay Diaries". All acoustic stuff but awesome. Kinda like Spill Canvas (amazing indie band BTW).
jonathan sanchez
super awesome
Abby
umbrellas style:)
tara colleen
no, its Umbrellas
Michael Trevino
@daviddiaz17 theyre from oklahoma i think