Tonight We Fly!

When theaudience were recording their second album, they didn't have Billy Reeves with them in the studio. In fact, he didn't contribute to lyrics on any of the songs either, except two or three older songs which he had written which they recorded. The band were on the verge of losing their contract, so they decided to convince their label by coming up with some really catchy pop tunes instead of experimental intelligent indie songs. Their self titled debut album saw a band which was grammatically correct, flaunting songs about glory, alcohol and the mundanity of life. But the second album, in terms of sound, took a whole different direction. Britpop is the sound the adopted, catchy tunes and modern sounds.

It´s brilliant work. The lyrics, the sound, the melody. Everything is very nice. Ten years ago this was recorded and one year ago that were published on youtube, but its still is so fresh. That just goes to show that the band was way ahead of his time. Had this been released then, the band might have survived and would be very famous.

Headcase, Day And Night, How It Should Be Done, Repetition Kills, King Of Action, You Will Do For Now are all tracks which can rock out a show if they performed it live. You should know, these are only demos. I think many of these songs dont sound like demos. But there would have been changes if the songs were to be released, and they would sound so much clearer and sexier!! You'll notice that the guys have done a lot of backing vocals on most of the songs.

Anyway, I made this tracklist, cos the flow of the songs is good this way

1. Headcase (Butler/Hedgens/Hannon)
2. Day And Night (Butler/Mollett/Ellis-Bextor)
3. So Clever (Boyd/Ellis-Bextor/Ross)
4. Twilight Of The Teenage (Boyd/Ellis-Bextor/Ross)
5. You Will Do For Now (Ellis-Bextor)
6. Out With The Old School (Mollett/Smith)
7. The Greatest Gift (Mollett/Butler/Ellis-Bextor)
8. Grey With Dusty Rain (Butler/Mollett)
9. King Of Action (Mollett/Butler)
10. The Fool Will Rise Again (Mollett/Butler)
11. Repetition Kills (Butler)
12. Two Way (Mollett)
13. Sanctuary Hill (Butler/Hannon/Smith)
14. Hey 17! Am I Off My Head Again (theaudience)
15. If You Don't, Someone Else Will (Billy Reeves)
16. I See A World (theaudience)
17. How It Should Be Done (Mollett/Butler)

Headcase
Headcase I think is a good and catchy song, this might be a good opening for the album and both choirs as the frame of the song seem very good, Sophie's voice is perfect. The drums and keyboards are very good.

Day And Night
It's a great song, the first time I heard it went straight to my heart, this song in particular kills me, especially in the lyrics, (Hey Dean, you´re amazing for writing songs) is a devotional love song, sad. The instrumentation always stood out from the first album debut.

So Clever
This song really fell like a demo, is another love song. Good beats.

Twilight Of The Teenage
Strange and sticky this song, especially in experimental sounds that they added to the song, the lyrics say and yet not quite understand what says. From what I understood is to accommodate the desires of this girl and do crazy things.

You Will Do For Now
I dont know what instrument are in this song but it sounds like an organ, the more certain is that is on the keyboard, has something psycodelic this song and I can imagine the entire sequence of going out with friends in the night or with a girl at a club or bar and see what happens later.

Out With The Old School
It´s amazing song. This is the only song that really has an official release 10 years ago, all 33 songs that were recorded for the album. It's about a breakup. Dark, emotional, and also has a bit of black humor. But its all well hidden behind a cheerful melody and gentle voices of Sophie. I dont know why but I imagine for a final alternative of breakfast club movie. When Dean wrote this song, it was called "Out With The Old School". For some reason, Billy wanted it to be called "Wisdom". Skillfully prepared background music, no harsh sounds that the song sounds more like a sarcastic joke of losing a loved one!

The Greatest Gift
is a rock tune. Again a song about a relationship. "I will be the complication in your plan" - very tongue-in-cheek. Sophie's vocals have improved over the years, but if you listen to this song, concentrating carefully on just Sophie's vocals, it seems like its a small girl singing this.. Cute. There's one downer in the song though. There's a line in the song which goes "the look in your eyes is a sight for all the others to see" but originally, it was "the look in your eyes is a sight for all the suckers to see", but Sophie changed it cos she felt it was too strong. I wonder why?! She was quite a bitch when she was in the band, and it wouldn't really have upset her image, cos she was just fronting an indie band. Anyway, i would have loved to hear the original lyrics. It's better off that way.

Grey With Dusty Rain
The most experimental song on this album, why say this? drumming in the sample. Looped voices. Amazing production. Sophie sounds excellent in this song. Excellent point but I've always wanted to know when they are inspired bands such as type something like this, it is somewhat safer lived or some anecdote, and it's because the song is about a relationship with a drug addict! lol, is dark and deep. It´s a song that would have to listen several times to konw what it is, or be in that position to understand the lyrics in question.

King Of Action
In this song the keyboards are more evident. It's running out of space in this album. But it is a lot more than that song. Its a bold piece, but the sound fits the lyrics. Wonderful for a single. Its melody is catchy, with a few times to listen.

The Fool Will Rise Again
Cool track. Compared to the preceding this song I cant imagine to be a single, but who knows ... Its instrumentation is simple and goes very well hand in hand with the letter.

Repetition Kills
The Manic's influenced song. The chorus is what made me decide that they must have been inspired by the Manics. I swear i can imagine all band singing "repetition kiiiillss". So Manic's.... Brilliant production. Brilliant lyrics. Sophie sounds brillant.

Two Way
The melody of the song has such a beautiful flow through the verses and the bridge. Then suddenly the chorus snaps in and you're like "whoa".. But its actually very very good. If you keep listening to it, you'll actually fall in love with the song, its very cleverly written. Its a song about frustration about departure (......). Again here, the lyrics were supposed to be:

"Not pleased with the lot you've been given
but you make it clear you're on the hunt
for new talent, and that Jesus loves you,
but everyone else thinks you're a cunt"

but Sophie changed it to:
"Not pleased with the lot you've been given
You make it clear you've got the eye
For talent, and that Jesus loves you
but wolf is to easy to cry"

Both the lyrics are fine, i wish we could have them both on the song, and someone told me that this song is dedicated to someone...

Sanctuary Hill
Is a very good song from start to finish. But there is some instrument in the chorus that bothers me. Before bothered me, but achieves digest. His sound generated a keyboard that I'm not really impressed. Maybe they tried to experiment with it. Sounds like the sound of bells processed .. Sophie gets a lot of feeling in this song. Beautiful lyrics, reminds me Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths.

Hey 17, Am I Off My Head Again
This is the second song that most Manic's influenced, also experienced a lot in this song, sounds like a ska band or something, also this is a demo because the original appears in Schadenfreude (Go Jerry) album. I like more this version.

If You Don't, Someone Else Will
This is one of the few songs that Billy Reeves wrote before leaving the band, a sad and beautiful song about love, the piano and violin make this demo one of the best I've heard. I love this song.

I See A World
This song would have been potentially a b-side, trying something a relaxed song playing, experimenting, the skips are intentional..

How It Should Be Done
To finish the album this is the perfect song. It's so amazing! Probably one of the best tracks on the album. Its got simple lyrics, simple melody, and instrumentation is just perfect. Good use of guitars. Its an almost perfect song, I think it would have sounded brilliant when finished.

In total, I think the album is beyond amazing! I wish you had received a notice of the time. Definitely would have done really well on the charts! Good work! Really good work, all of you - Nyge, Dean, Kerin, Patch and Sophie. She began with some co-writing on this album. Congratulations! So credit is equal to it too .... I hope That one day take out this album because I would be of the first to buy the material.

This album is already part of my life, i give special thanks to Dean for giving me permission to do this post and for being my friend, thank you very much Dean!, Pmffland for posted on youtube and all other members for making such great music, I think this will be the only post in English, my english sucks.

Happy anniversary
and waiting for more songs...

Opss i forgot, and thanks to Sophierazzi blog for many manny info XD. Thanks Kaushik!