SOAR 2011 DISCOGRAPHY - CD3

Eighteen days to go before 2012 but we have enough songs for our third virtual CD release of the year. There may be more songs written before the end of the year but the last burst of songwriting in late November has left me feeling as if there are none left. This is rubbish hopefully :)
All but one of these songs was written in October and November (Dearest Caroline snuck into early December). In writing order (pretty much);
Home Again
The Edge
The Favourite Daughter
The Flame and the Arrow
The Hippie Retrospective
All of the Pieces
Comes the Wind
Into My Arms
You Stopped Listening
I Can be Your Fortress
The Promised Land
Hold On To Love
Dearest Caroline


"Love" in many of its variations features strongly on this album. Home Again speaks about what it feels like to see a friend being hurt by love and knowing that you can doing nothing about it. Dearest Caroline tells one of the many stories about the reasons why people can be left waiting for the person they love. The confusion of love and the rewards and risks of taking love to the edges of what we know rumbles around in The Edge. Comforting friends who have fallen out of love is the theme of I Can be Your Fortress, while You Stopped Listening wanders around the theme of all the songs that have been written for someone or about particular situations where the subject never hears the song.  And perhaps All of the Pieces and The Favourite Daughter are the hardest love lessons of them all - moving on when you feel it is what is best to do, while Hold On To Love mixes both the heartache of separation with a resonant message rising out of despair, to hold on to what you have.
Add to these the less challenged emotions of Into My Arms, Comes the Wind and The Flame and the Arrow, and the usual SOAR excursion into ecopolitical content in The Hippie Retrospective, and The Promised Land (yet to be debuted in SecondLife), and the album is complete.
I particularly like these songs as a group and i think they belong together. There were many other part songs written during this period and for now they live in the SOAR vault. Perhaps when i am next holidaying on a beach somewhere, or on that romantic hotel balcony in Geneva, cold bitter lemon drink or iced tea in my hand, sunglasses on, the twins fussing around me looking after all of my commands :) i will go digging into the vault and revisit October and November 2011.
I hope there are songs amongst these that you enjoy. I love what The Flame and the Arrow means to me and how the music of it lifts me up, so it shall be the name of CD3.
As always, thank you for reading!
Hugs
Bright

SOAR 2011 DISCOGRAPHY - CD2

Hehehe - the heading sounds vaguely impressive!
This blog entry covers the songs that make up SOAR's second imaginery CD in 2011 and features songs written between May and August and listed here in a rough order of writing.
Spirit
Love Letter
Love Wins
Wild Winds

The Sunflower
Tell Me About Tomorrow
All Through The Night
Fragile Notes
Kismet
From Another Page
I Used To Hear You Say A Prayer
If I Could Fly (Lalita's Song)
The Ballad of Hope and Prime
Three common threads in SOAR's songwriting are revisited in this album, secondlife based songs, ecopolitcal, and of course love songs which dominate this album. It is true that much of SOAR's earliest material sought inspiration, indeed thrived upon sweet naive love and the torment of relationship break down but this album sees SOAR reaching further into the pool of love related writing. The songs are matched with sparser and more intricate arrangements overall which helps gives this collection of songs a common identity.
I have an inkling that SOAR's upcoming Christmas CD compilation will be named Fragile Notes so i shall choose another title for this album - then let it be, Love Letter.
All but one song has been debuted in secondlife gigs (Wild Winds) and all songs except If I Could Fly, words written by Lalita Graves, were penned by SOAR.
Forgive the complete absence of a she-doggone-up-and-left-me song from this album - we will overcompensate for this in a future album :)
Thanks for reading and for being part of our reasons to write.
Hugs
Bright

The SOAR DISCOGRAPHY, of sorts.

So far this year SOAR has had another year rich with new songs. We pretty much play them as we write them because that's why we write them - to play for people. I am ok with missing out on the thrill of a new CD launch and all the hype that can go with that but I am starting to feel that something else is missing - hence this blog entry.
I love going to allmusic dot com whenever I am trying to find out some info about a muso or band. It is a great resource of full discographies and thoughtful reviews. For me there is something interesting and revealing about the musical journey of a band as measured by their album releases, and this is something SOAR doesn't have. SOAR has only made one album of new material, our album titled, A Girl Like You, though we are coming up to our fourth compilation album this Christmas.
For a while now Experiment and I have been piecing together SOAR's collective songwriting into chronological order. This is made easier because Experiment has been the long time keeper of the SOAR music vault, and the history, recordings and dates that are important to our chronology. While it is an imperfect way to decide upon album groupings, it is the best we can do after the fact.

When I look over my own songwriting I know that there have been particular phases and influences that have resulted in a bunch of songs being written from the same burst of creativity. I see them having a context when grouped together over and above what they have as individual songs so I am going to try and put some structure to this. Thought I would begin with songs written this year, 2011 and attempt some kind of allmusic styled review as I go.
The first few songs from 2011 I am leaving aside to be added to the songs written in the latter part of 2010, these include Rise, Silently, and Cathedral because the first burst of concerted song writing in 2011 began with the bunch of songs I blogged about in late February.
Gonna Give You Reasons
On Our Knees
My Wandering Muse
Songbird
The Hummingbird and Bee
Story of Love
Straight From the Heart
Flying Back to Canada
Paris Hilton's Cell Phone
It's a Sad Moon Too
Your Candle Burns
Gina Gracemount
The Highs and Lows
This batch of songs was written between February and April - and may be added to if a couple of incomplete songs from then, such as The Mountains Where We Live, Life Goes On, and My One Tomorrow are finished. Thinks of an album title, mmm, let me see, I'd go with, My Wandering Muse. Yes :)
In my mind the foundation songs in this period are My Wandering Muse, Songbird and Flying Back to Canada. Each explores the reaches of sweet sweet love where fate rather than disaster or the falling out of love has intervened. From mystical enchanting encounters as in "Muse", to chance encounters with a lover from the past, in "Songbird", to the maddening intrusion of reality into blissful youthful love, as in "Canada", to the reflective look at immature mistakes in "It's a Sad Moon Too".
To these songs were added "The Highs and Lows" and "Gonna Give You Reasons" two songs about two kinds of mess people can get into, and the love and the years that can be wasted in doing so, and three songs, two lightly weighted love songs, "Story of Love" and "Straight From the Heart", and one exploring a more intense attraction, "Your Candle Burns".
The album is completed with four special purpose songs. The first, "The Hummingbird and Bee" was written in time to be sung at Relay For Life events in SecondLife, while "Paris Hilton's Cell Phone" was written as the 2011 follow up to the Juliette Trilogy, Bright's fruitless 2010 search for a girlfriend named Juliette, and "Gina Gracemount" was written for our sensational friend, Gina to try and gain the upper hand in our gig flirting war! SOAR WINZ. "On Our Knees" was written to augment our group of songs about the state of the world.
Now I feel better! OMG it's an album. Mmmm, now to decide a track order :) Perhaps i will do that separately. Ahhh - perhaps we will let others suggest a track order. Go right ahead :)
I will do the next two 2011 albums, in due course.
Thanks so much for reading.
Hugs
Bright

What became of "The Mountains Where We Live"?

Way back in February 2011, it's a long time for a songwriter, i invited some close friends over to the MP3 Lounge at the Colour Factory to test out some new songs i was working on. I will forget someone i expect, but let me see, Experiment, RebelMum, Precious & Mari sounds about right. This blog entry is about one of those songs, "The Mountains Where We Live" which is yet to find it's way into SOAR'S shows in SecondLife.
I routinely test my songs out on other people even when i am happy with them - because i get too close to them, and too close to them very quickly when i am writing them to be objective about their merits. Over a long period of time Experiment has been this person for my songs and i also do it with others from time to time - like this time. This was a songwriting period that saw the writing of a bunch of songs that have already made their way into SOAR shows, Songbird, My Wandering Muse, Story of Love, Straight From the Heart, On Our Knees, Cathedral, Flying Back to Canada, The Hummingbird and Bee, Paris Hilton's Cell Phone, and Gonna Give You Reasons, and a bunch of parts of songs such as "The Mountains Where We Live" (see the FEB 25 blog entry).
Some of the demos i played that day at the Colour Factory were more complete than others. With Songbird and Wandering Muse and Straight From the Heart i was sure the songs were complete enough to be properly considered by my friends, not so "The Mountains". I had 61 seconds of that to demo.
I still have 61 seconds of the song - exactly the same 61 seconds and yet in my mind and some of my friends this song was the most enticing of all. So what became of it and why isn't it finished? 
In the beginning i was so happy with the 61 seconds and so sure i could turn it into a good song that i put it aside while SOAR put the finishing touches to the songs closest to being finished. This is one of the greatest pleasures of songwriting, playing them in our SL shows. And i think they have worked out pretty good and still make regular appearances in our shows. But songwriting also takes a lot of nervous and creative energy and a self belief that is rarely constant for a week or more. And it is this factor, the self belief i think, that was the downfall of "The Mountains". Add to this our desire to get songs finished and into our shows, and our hectic performance schedule, and then even newer songs coming along and it is easy to see how this happens.
Throughout the years Experiment, Charles and i have been writing songs we have had plenty of songs end up in the SOAR vault to await the return of inspiration. Many are still waiting, including 'The Mountain".
But, this song, this one was one of the two i was most anxious to see survive the demoing to EX, Mari, Rebs and Precious, and i really want to finsih this song and for it to have its chance in our shows. I need pressure to do so - and you can help pressure me if you like :) Just ask me from time to time "how it is going" :) And then sound disappointed if the answer is still 61 seconds.
There's a place in my heart for you
and i know in my hearts it's you
in the mountains where we live
by the rivers and the oceans and the seas
Who knows whether these lyrics will survive the completion of the song - we shall all see, one day, perhaps....
The photos. One of Lake Tekapo in NZ, and one of what we actually call a mountain, where i live!
Thanks for reading.
Hugs.
Bright

THE FLAME AND THE ARROW across the USA

Once upon a time someone special in my life and i planned a road trip across the USA and Canada together. No matter what route we decided upon it always began and finished in the loving arms of our wonderful friend, Enchantress :)
Now and forever the latest SOAR song, The Flame and the Arrow will remind me of their sweet love. And if they don't like the song i just don't know what i will do!
Clicking on the title of this blog entry will let you hear the song.
Thanks for reading and listening.
Hugs.
Bright

BAD BLOGGING BRIGHT. I do love B's, but i still don't do B chords!

Hi Gang. Here is an update for you about some SOAR type things you may be noticing. I have just begun a series of solo Bright shows in which i will be singing some of the SOAR songs that have fallen off our regular playlist. I'm calling these the FORGOTTEN SESSIONS.
About six months ago we realised that some songs were starting to be forgotten and we have been keeping a list of the songs we sing at each show ever since. And, it is true. For a month or so we have been trying to include at least one of these songs in each of our shows but now with my Forgotten Sessions we hope to bring many more of them back to your ears, in a gig.
The first of these gigs was on Sunday at the Colour Factory. I sang our way through the following songs and finished off with our newest song, written the same day, called All of the Pieces.
Cry the Lucky Country
The Farmer
Rise
Cathedral
Did I Ever
In the Clouds
Traces
The Favourite Daughter
If I Could (Lalita's Song)
A Girl Like You, and
All of the Pieces


The Forgotten Sessions will likely be short notice impromptu shows, and promoted mostly in the SOAR group and SOM. So please get yourself into one of these if you would like to know when these shows are on.
As always, thanks for reading, and thank you for giving us so many reasons to write songs :)
Hugs
Bright

ART, the teacher.....

The Ministry of the current Australian Government.

A painting by Gustav Klimt.

GRAND OPENING OF THE COLOUR FACTORY

What can i say about this place except that it exceeds my craziest hopes for it. This is the third build of the Colour Factory done by the sweet, hehe, and exquisitely talented, Scarletti Laval. It is very much it's own place but also a wonderful evolution of the previous two builds. It is a masterpiece Letti - thank you so much.
Letti and i set out to build places that add to the wonderful tapestry that is SecondLife and given Letti's particular interest in art, and my interest in music, to build a place where music and art combine, wash over each other other, clash, inspire, soothe and entwine in ways that shouldn't be defined. You will love it, or hate it, but you are unlikely to be ambivalent towards it. Sobeit.
On the top floor is Letti's gallery and the gallery stage, and on the mid floor is a cavernous space that nonetheless draws you irresistibly towards the main stage. You really should come and experience the effect for yourself! I love it!!! Musos walk up to the stage from the musos private green-room beneath the stage. The photo is of me looking down towards the main stage and through the windows to the mountains beyond.
The official opening features seven hours of live music, beginning at 5am Friday 16 September SLT with three shows, SOAR, MichaelJames Magic and Avantegarde Frequency, and concludes with four hours of live music from 5pm Friday SLT featuring Damian Carbenell, Christopher Quan, TerryLynn Melody and Gab Nyoki (dual streaming), and SOAR. Damian, Chris, TerryLynn, Gab and SOAR are presented by virtue of a wonderful gift from Precious Rallier and her venue Under the Willows, to the people and the place that is the Colour Factory. I can't thank you enough Precious (not to mention the time you spent hunting down lag here :) )
We have some wonderful plans for the Colour Factory and i will blog about them in future posts. But for now i wish to thank the people who have helped the place live and breathe and whose energies have got us to this day. I know you will continue to make it a place of art, music, community and all manner of wonders - in particular Letti, Rebs and Whis. Big hugs for you girls. It wouldn't be what it is without you!
Thanks for reading!
Bright

FRAGILE NOTES

It falls short of fact when a band member and/or songwriter tells the world that their latest CD or song is fantastic. Roll your eyes and begin to get skeptical i say. And should you read anywhere in this post any hint that the guys just had a whole lot of FUN recording this, or that we have gone back to our roots to create magic. Then i say switch off. Tune out. Throw up.
This song, Fragile notes, is the latest song written by Experiment and Bright. Mostly the beautiful lyrics from Experiment's hand, and mostly my music. It took a month or so to finish because after i recorded the first demo of it Experiment had some different ideas for the phrasing of the song and it took me some weeks to get the original phrasing out of my head so i could sing it without reverting to the earlier version.
I believe this is some of Experiment's finest work and i am sure the song will fit wonderfully into many of our gigs in SecondLife. May you especially enjoy the lyrics, below, and also the song. Click on the title of this blog entry for a link to the song. I hope.
Hugs.
Bright

Fragile Notes

Words Are Falling From The Sky

Like Tears Upon The Stage

Thoughts That Lie Beneath Life’s Dust

Escape Onto The Page

i Take My Heart and Lay it Bare

With Fragile Notes, Upon The Air

My Winter’s prose, Turns Into Prayer

Never cry,  For I’ll Be There (i'll be there)

Salt Adorns His Tired Eyes

Like Rust Around His Heart

Mem'ries Made of Broken Glass

Reflections From His Past

Hear Soft Voices From My Soul

With Stories That They'll Leave

I Take The Feelings From My heart

Place Them Gently at Your Feet

Paper Blank With Written Words

Yet No Words Can Describe

The Music Weaves Itself Into

A Love I Cannot Hide

Take My Heart and Lay it Bare

With Fragile Notes Upon The Air

My Winter’s prose Turns Into Prayer

Never Cry For I’ll Be There (i'll be there)

It's Not Time To Let it Go

Though The Winter Winds of Age Blow Slow

And I’ll Be There For You

It's Not Time To Let it End

For The Winds of Age Won’t Let Us Pretend

But I’ll Be There For You

It's Not Time To Watch it Go

Though The Winter Winds Will Let Us Know

And I’ll Be There For You

Incredibly 150 songs

Hi folks. The SOAR song TELL ME ABOUT TOMORROW is about to become the 150th original song sung by SOAR in SecondLife. It is a song especially for anyone who has ever wished for just one more day with a parent.
Clicking on the title of this blog, and/or the following link will take you to where you can listen to it.
http://www.box.net/shared/490fjumdk4n445s3dyd2


Warm hugs
Bright