[Jambrains]

Just to make things clear for "new" members. I'm know here since a few years as Jambrains but I also have a joint venture with Karen (who is not a member) under the Ashes for Dreams label. I try to keep the two apart but sometimes things get a bit confusing even for me  

Edit: Hahaha!!!  See? I managed to post this from my Jambrains account even though I intended to post it as Ashes for Dreams. Confusing indeed! 

Anyway, Breathe was the very first Jambrains song I posted here exactly 3 years ago (well, 3 years yesterday but...). I figured it was time to do it right so we re-wrote parts of the lyrics, made it a duet, re-recorded some parts, kept others and re-mixed the whole thing and here is the 2.0 Ashes for Dreams version of Breathe. Imho this version is superior to the Jambrains one.
All and any input welcome.

https://soundcloud.com/ashesfordreams/breathe

All I can do
is sit and watch the sunset
waiting for my world to come undone

A great flood of outrage
Swept all reason a way
It overthrew logic
Let ignorance take centre stage
A maze of emotions
Where sense of direction is lost
A fear fed by anger
Demanding change at all cost

I just want you to breathe
New life into me
I'm tired of the chaos around
In you I have found
The peace that I need
When you hold out your hand
I am suddenly calm
My fear falls away
You put hope in its place
You help me to breathe

When hearsay and rumours
Are taken for facts and for truth
And ages of wisdom
Renounced by the passion of youth
Views are distorted
Opinion and mindset askew
And the weak voice of reason
Is lost in a sea of untruths

I just want you to breathe
New life into me
I'm tired of the chaos around
In you I have found
The peace that I need
When you hold out your hand
I am suddenly calm
My fear falls away
You put hope in its place
You help me to breathe

All I can see is the afterglow
of violence
I'm dragged down in the undertow
of lies
All I can do
is sit and watch the sunset
waiting for my world to come undone

I just want you to breathe
New life into me
I'm tired of the chaos around
In you I have found
The peace that I need
When you hold out your hand
I am suddenly calm
My fear falls away
You put hope in its place
You help me to breathe

[Yodasdad]

Hi,

Can't remeber whether I heard the original or not, but I liked this one.

Very nice piano at the beginning and nicely produced. Good separartion on the vocals, clear bass, yep it all works well.

Sounds like something from a rock opera maybe...

Well done both.

Yodasdad

[pompeyjazz]

Hi JB - Yes, you've totally confused me as well 

I do remember listening to the other version of this a while ago. Think that you've really done this justice. The dual vocal idea works very effectively. There's a lot of traditional JB styleee here but there's also another dimension added. It's an unconventional, slightly vaudeville feel to the song which works extremely well IMO 

[Martinswede]

Confusion maybe. I've heard other song you've posted that might be similar. Only more confusion.

Honestly, this is not my type of genre but I appreciate the work and effort.
You've managed to get good dynamic structure throughout the song and all the parts work well together.

Martin

[Paulski]

Lovely piano playing and then raunchy guitar - stellar.
Great vox as usual and I'm getting used to the duet vocal differences - such contrast between your vocal styles! But it works!
Epic song Jambrains and Co. 

Paul

[Silver Machine]

I found this hard to get into, man, though I suspect a lot of listens would open it up to me.
At the moment it sounds a little overdone/ overblown.
No disrespect dude, but it sounds like a song you got bored with, so youve pumped it full of steroids till it's musclebound and interesting again to you, but everyone else is left searching for a hook.

It sounds like youve taken it into the realms of classical/ rock opera territory.
I admire your musical vision  and dedication but I dont think think the song is accessible anymore.

[montydog]

Hi,

Once again, I find myself echoing what Silver Machine has said - he's a pretty perceptive dude!

It definitely sounds like it has been lifted from a musical. It's a little overblown and trying too hard for my taste but I appreciate the craft and effort that has gone into it.

M

[Skub]

Yo Jams.

This reminds me of a track that could have been from 'Nursery Cryme',early Peter Gabriel Genesis. It's an epic in the true sense of the word,very prog rock.

Fine singing from Karen and guitaring from yourself.

I love it just for what it is. 

[2tuoo]

I'm impressed by your will to re-do an existing song. That takes a lot of willpower!

I feel that this song is overcompressed which made it difficult for me to focus on specific parts of it.

The instrumental work is tremendous, I like listening to songs that change and progress and this one has it all.

[refusedrevival]

Hi,

This sounds really good ... old school prog song ... I like this a lot.
Nice piano parts and then harder parts again. Excellent bass sound.

Well Done!

refusedrevival

[mickyplankton]

Hi JB.

This is an awesome piece of prog rock. Sure it's over the top at times but if you've got it flaunt it! My only criticism would be the fade out at the end. This is a cop out when you consider the grandeur and technical brilliance of what precedes it. I would have gone for an epic grandstand finish to do the end of the song the same justice.

Cheers Micky

[Cazrolina]

Yup, I'm with Micky. It is a shame that it fades out. But its a fabulously prog rock piece nonetheless. Loved those chord progressions at just past 1 and 2 mins, and the lead guitar at the end. Great stuff.

[PaulyX]

Yes, I was getting a dramatic "rock opera" vibe too... a bit of Meatloaf.
To me it felt a bit like exposition, part of a larger story, more than a song that grabs you by itself.
Technically though it's hard to fault - so many transitions, layers and segments stitched together very well, and played impeccably.
Got to concur on the fade out though - a song this ambitious should reach a big crescendo, no?

[beckylucythomas]

What a beautiful piano intro. And intriguing on the opening lines of lyrics. Totally wasn't expecting what happened next! Like how it has a little reprise of that later that segues right back into the rock opera style again.

Maybe your female singer could put a bit more grit into the performance in the raunchy sections?

The lyrics felt very apt for today's Trumpy madness, fake news, populist revolutions etc etc etc - the great flood of outrage sweeping reason away, overthrowing logic and letting ignorance take centre stage.... hearsay and rumours taken for facts and for truth... the weak voice of reason lost in a sea of untruths... and the afterglow of violence...

I'm with the others on the fade out......

Excellent piece of artistic endeavour here!

[Jambrains]

Thanks all for taking the time! A little mixed feedback but I'm not surprised, this one is a bit "different" and one mans "epic" is the other mans "over produced".  Rock opera is probably not to far fetched, some extended instrumental parts and we could easily be looking at 10 minutes . I do confess being a fan of prog rock in general and Rush/Dream Theatre in general, something that may not show much in my music but this one is probably a glaring exception.

Re the lyrics, yes they are as relevant today as when I wrote them 3(!) years ago.

Consensus at least re the fade out, we will look into that.

Cheers!
/JB