Bishmanrock - Ambient Signals

[Bishmanrock]

Hope you're all well and warmer than I am - currently trying to type this out with fingers that don't want to do much because they're too cold! This is another track from an upcoming project I've been working on. It's probably taken over two years to get it to this point, as I basically spent six months sat with creative burnout on it. I'm happy with the final result though - and I'm glad I did all the studio work in the summer sun! Not much to say about this one, I think (hope!) it carries itself.

Bishmanrock - Ambient Signals

Writing - Bishmanrock, brna92
Vox/lyrics - Bishmanrock
Backing vox - Jessica Blaise Ward, Iain Archibald
Guitar - Raffaele Iovino
Bass - Stryfer
Drums - Winifred Tan
Mixing - Jan Hauschen

On the shore there stands a man
Ragged and forlorn
Stares to the skies for hope
Hasn't left in days

His shape begins to part
Shifts into the dark
The sky now cold and blank
Our future blurred

Won't you help me see it clear?
Won't you help me see it clear?

Did you see the signals?
Did you turn a blind eye?
Did you silence it out?
Did you silence it out?

I thought I saw him one more time
Dragged out into the cold
The air stirred, his spirit broke
Faced the shore alone

Won't you help me see it through?

Did you see the signals?
Did you turn a blind eye?
Did you silence it out?
Did you silence it out?

Did you see the signals?
Did you turn a blind eye?
Did you silence it out?
Did you silence it out?
Did you silence it out?
Did you silence it out?

[StephenM]

oh goodness gracious!  I am melted to the floor... this is having that same effect on me that back in the mid 70's bands like Boston, Kansas, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Journey, etc.... this is so amazing... wow...
the vocals remind me of another SC but are so friggin great.... this is like a modern day Ian Anderson that melds into the machine.... I would almost cuss this is so good.  I can see where this would take so much attention to detail.  A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS!  on how good this is....  truly amazing work... beautiful, intense, motivational, powerful!

[StephenM]

wait, upon further review, this is Toto on steroids....damn

that pause there... at the 3:50?  wow...so cool

[Farrell Jackson]

This is very good songwriting and production Bishmanrock! Great vocals and harmonies. That long carried, harmonizing notes made me gasp for air. The keys also sound excellent. Two years in the making can be heard in the attention to the details. Very nice!

[Ted]

The change to this phrase felt like a  Greeny change.

Won't you help me see it clear?
Won't you help me see it clear?

There's a lot to say about this song – many things stand out – but I'm particularly impressed by the drums. They are tasteful and subtle without being boring. If you've listened to this song just once, you may not remember the drums – which is kind of the point.  Listen again and hear how Winifred avoids becoming the focus of the song, while being absolutely essential to the song.

I'm reminded of one of my favorite drum albums – Suzanne Vega's debut album, with Sue Evans on drums. People probably remember that as solo acoustic album. But the drums on that album are divine.

BTW: I wrote this comment before I looked at the drummer's name and saw a traditionally female name. Winifred is female then? I assumed at first that I was complimenting a male drummer for playing with the subtlety of a favorite drummer who happens to be female. Hats of to Winifred.

[Bishmanrock]

Thanks for the feedback!

That long carried, harmonizing notes made me gasp for air.

An admission on this one: this is one of the few instances in the album of studio jiggery. As a whole the album was meant to be recorded a purely as possible, "to sound like a bunch of people in a room jamming together" was the initial brief, which sits in contrast to most of my other work which is quite heavily computer-based. The extended harmonisation is something I artificially extended across mine, Jess', and Ian's vocal takes. It went against the brief, but it just felt so right to do it for that section.

BTW: I wrote this comment before I looked at the drummer's name and saw a traditionally female name. Winifred is female then? I assumed at first that I was complimenting a male drummer for playing with the subtlety of a favorite drummer who happens to be female. Hats of to Winifred.

Yup, Winifred is female and based in Singapore. In a previous post I detailed as part of this project I wanted to get a good diverse set of musicians in to work across the tracks. She does a lot of styles, but when we were initially speaking she was showcasing her work on mathrock tracks specifically. I personally hate mathrock with a passion, but I can appreciate the technicalities of the players, and I couldn't get the idea out of my head of bringing such a player into such a completely different project. It appealed to me more than bringing someone in who was probably well-versed in this sort of music, but also likely to just do a by the numbers expected performance for the genre.

Winifred does have a YouTube where she posts drum covers, although it seems she hasn't updated it in a year.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkIF61VLVT0


There's some more recent activity on her bands YouTube, Altoduo:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql5jwxvWdmU

[Blooby]

Very cool tune. The 6/8, piano, and vocal harmonies really jump out to me. Reminds me of something Steven Wilson might do. Loved it.

Blooby

[StephenM]

The change to this phrase felt like a  Greeny change.

Won't you help me see it clear?
Won't you help me see it clear?

There's a lot to say about this song – many things stand out – but I'm particularly impressed by the drums. ...
 Hats of to Winifred.

um, yeah...those drums are monster...reminds me of Toto's Jeff Porcaro.  For those that don't know he played on many, many big stars albums.  Stuff like Thriller from Michael Jackson, Boz Skaggs Silk Degrees... hundreds of others.... that is wicked good drumming...
those videos were awesome...  you picked some great help Bishmanrock.... I am so blown away by this track.... well done.

The fact you worked for 2 years on this is remarkeable.  It takes a special person to do that in itself.  If I work on a song for a week I am pulling my teeth out. 
I need to learn something from this...

[TPB]

This track is so well put together vocal are outstanding and I love what you did on the extended vocal this really set the track some songs are 15 min wonders and other just have to stew to come into their own. This song has been simmered to perfection
Tim

[SteveB]

Bishmanrock, I got here after reading your probing comments on the A.I. Copyright thread, and boy am I glad I did. I can only listen on a mono speaker at the moment, but even with that disadvantage, I'm immediately back in the glorious 1970s with the Uriah Heep & Jethro Tull, possibly Genesis influences? Anyway, it all sounds quite wonderful and professional. I hope your endeavours in this area are successful, and I hope to listen to more when stereo availability occurs – for me.