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
Dignified Exit Society
Umbrellas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It knows of the history here
The windows are rattling, they are cracking
The air, it just wants in
I want thunder and I want lightning
I want to be taken away
But only with my girl at my side, as we softly float away
I've found a place where I can go
Where I fit in and I forget I'm living in this town
I could drive us all around
'Cause I've found this place where we can go
So I'm just an unconscious vessel that you steer through the storm
I'm tired of being invisible, I'm tired of being forgotten
So I'm twisting things around so we'll fall through the cracks
The page is full, so don't panic
[Chorus]
In Umbrellas' song "Dignified Exit Society," the artist describes their desire to escape the monotony and struggles of everyday life. The lyrics speak of a longing for thunder and lightning to take them away, to a place where they can forget their troubles and find inner peace. The wind beating at rooftops and rattling windows represent the intensity of their emotions and the need for release.
The chorus offers a hopeful note of relief, as the artist sings of finding a place where they feel they belong and can escape the confines of their current town. The desire for a sense of purpose and identity is evident in the lyrics, as they express feeling tired of being forgotten and invisible. The artist wants to take control and navigate the storm of life with a loved one by their side.
Ultimately, "Dignified Exit Society" is a poignant meditation on the human need for connection and purpose, and the desire to find a place where one can feel at home.
Line by Line Meaning
The wind is beating at the rooftops
The harsh wind symbolizes the challenges and struggles the singer has faced
It knows of the history here
The wind acknowledges the singer's past and the situation they are in
The windows are rattling, they are cracking
The constant pressure on the windows shows how the singer feels trapped and wants an escape
The air, it just wants in
The air symbolizes the new opportunities and experiences the singer wants to embrace
I want thunder and I want lightning
The singer desires a thrilling and exciting way out
I want to be taken away
The singer wishes to leave their current situation
But only with my girl at my side, as we softly float away
The singer wants to leave with someone they love and have a peaceful departure
I've found a place where I can go
The singer has found a new place where they belong
Where I fit in and I forget I'm living in this town
The new place makes the singer feel like they belong and forget about the restrictions of their current town
I could drive us all around
The singer can take their loved ones with them to explore the new place
'Cause I've found this place where we can go
The singer is excited to share this new place with loved ones
So I'm just an unconscious vessel that you steer through the storm
The singer is placing trust in their loved ones to help them through the challenges and the journey to the new place
I'm tired of being invisible, I'm tired of being forgotten
The singer is tired of being ignored and wants to make a change in their life
So I'm twisting things around so we'll fall through the cracks
The singer is willing to take risks and make changes to leave their current situation
The page is full, so don't panic
The situation may seem overwhelming, but the singer is trying to remain optimistic and not get overwhelmed
[Chorus]
The chorus reiterates the message that the singer has found a new place where they belong and can take their loved ones
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SCOTT WINDSOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ShootTheRadio
The whole illuminare album is amazing.
Diegocito
The wind is beating at the rooftops
It knows of the history here
The windows are rattling, they are cracking
The air, it just wants in
I want thunder and I want lightning
I want to be taken away
But only with my girl at my side, as we softly float away
I've found a place where I can go
Where I fit in and I forget I'm living in this town
I could drive us all around
'Cause I've found this place where we can go
So I'm just an unconscious vessel that you steer through the storm
I'm tired of being invisible, I'm tired of being forgotten
So I'm twisting things around so we'll fall through the cracks
The page is full, so don't panic
I've found a place where I can go
Where I fit in and I forget I'm living in this town
I could drive us all around
'Cause I've found this place where we can go
Izzy Is Busy
love this song!!!!! <3