[montydog]

Hi Folks

Something a little different from me - I like to try something new which I hope you like. I wrote this before anyone had heard of Coronavirus so it's a little spooky. All feedback greatly appreciated.


https://soundcloud.com/alan-walker-4/something-wicked-this-way-comes


The bleachers are all standing empty
There’s a strange silence in the air
Somebody said they'd heard sirens sounding
I was too wasted to care

There's a red coupe on the driveway
Shutters are drawn against the sun
I heard a rumour on the radio
The ending had just begun

Something Wicked this way comes
It's there in a million lies
The tattooed man's been watching the skies
Waiting for the stars to align

My brother was born as a free man
Back in 1965
The last thing he said as he held out his hand
Don’t let them take me alive

The wires are humming in the July heat
Highways are rammed interstate
10 million people are moving
Something tells me it's too late

In my hotel room the shadows are talking
Back and forth in rhyme
I love to listen to the words they use
But you know I'm running out of time

The neon sign's still swinging
Screaming and banging in the night
The tubes are dead no green, yellow or red
No liquid, luminous light.

The roads now empty slick with rain
Stop lights like blood on the street
The night wind stirs the dust in my veins
Can you hear the marching feet

[Neil C]

Alan,
Well it all really works for me with, the insistent atmospheric backing.
It’s got a good gentle grove for vocals. Love the vibes(?).
Going to have a proper read of the intriguing lyrics but they sound pretty arresting to me.
And that fab harp at the end.
It’s a different Alan musically but love it. Going to have proper listen later. Production sounds a notch up too..
Good to have  you back
:-) neil

[pompeyjazz]

Yes, very different from your usual style Alan. I think it works very well. Great atmospherics combine with your vocal which is very well suited for this style. I like the driving beat that seems to be almost hypnotic and adds to the overall atmosphere. Great stuff 

[Wicked Deeds]

@montydog

Such an interesting soundscape Alan.  I like the instrumentation and the crystal clear vocal that allows us to tune into the story telling. Love the imagery of motel rooms, coupe, highways and neon signs.  It's very accessible but I also think it will really grow with repeated listens. Excellent work on the chorus and those beautiful string pads!

Great work

Paul

[diademgrove]

Hi Alan,

wow, what happened whilst I've been away? This is so different to the songs I remember you writing, where do I start.

The vocal is spot on, captures the mood of the lyrics perfectly. The drums and synths compliment the vocal and words by building up the tension throughout. I was waiting for an explosion of noise to break the tension at the end. Sadly for me it didn't come. I thought the ending was good just not what I was expecting in my head.

Feel free to ignore me its a great song,

Keith

[Andi]

love the drums and the mix of the low end! Very well job and atmosphere!

[Andreas]

AMazing athmosphere round the song. You have a terrific voice, and the production and drums is spot on!

[Jamie]

Hi Alan, your arrangement and soundscapes have evolved massively over the time I've been hearing your songs.This sound scape world very well with the bleakness of the lyric. Very good, and of course your vocals are excellent.
Good stuff.We'll have to start calling you Nostradamus .

Cheers
Jamie

[adamfarr]

Lovely atmospheric track - so many interesting things going on. It gives the feel of a mystery story a la Twin Peaks... Lots of Americana and twists in the lyrics which probably add to that.

"the shadows are talking Back and forth in rhyme" and "Stop lights like blood on the street" are fabulous images and lyrics.

Drums and harmonica really set everything off.

A great success I think!

[MichaelA]

Hi Alan, this is a successful departure for you into a less structured backing track that is very soundtrack-to-a-movie-like, all very hypnotic and moody. You still kept the narrative out front, as usual,  and that worked well, and it's easy to fall into the languid trance of the thing. Very cool, thanks for putting it up 

[Cawproductions]

Hi Montydog,

A way different vibe from you but, yeah cool, sit back and get the headphones on, zone out track.

Bloody smooth vocal delivery as always.

Cheers

[rightly]

You consistently produce quality n this is no exception
smooth, lovely and poetic all the way through.
 Well done!!

[Furry61]

Wow Alan, this is a real belter lyrically and a departure from what we would probably expect which is great, AND it delivers for me, so great stuff.

I like the repeating 4 line stanzas, bizarre but my most recent lyric started off this way too, something I had not done for a long time. It worked out OK but was changed eventually to incorporate a chorus, yours is better (that was hard to say!) Geoff :-)

[PaulAds]

This is super, Alan. Lyrics are brilliant...a real sense of foreboding. The bit where the instruments drop out on the last verse is particularly splendid.

When Springsteen brought out "streets of philidelphia" it knocked me sideways and was something i never expected from him...this had a similar effect on me.

Fabulous.

[MonnoDB]

Very interesting song @montydog - as you and others have said, a very different style to what we're used to from you. Loved the lyrics and the mood of it. Only crit really is the vocal was too up front/too prominent for me - I think the style would be served better with it brought down in the mix a bit..

K