Rise has leaked. What do you think? Just as a reminder--songs cannot be offered publically on the site, and begging for pms is discouraged. If you do your homework and read the appropriate threads you should be able to track down a copy for yourself without too much trouble


Thanks to Badradio for transcribing the lyrics

Rise Lyrics

Ah... Such is the way of the world
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow

Gonna rise up
Burning back holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold

Such is the passage of time
Too fast to fold
And suddenly swallowed by signs
Low and behold

Gonna rise up
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole

I should preface this by saying that I really just don’t care for the ukulele, and I don’t think it works as well here as another instrument would have. It is a bit too playful for a song like this, which is optimistic, but too weighty for a song like this.

This is definitely the song I like the least thus far of the 4 that have leaked. Eddie sounds a bit too much like Bruce Springsteen here. I like Bruce so this is not a bad thing in and of itself, but I think it hurts him a bit in this song. It gives the whole song, and the rise up chorus especially, a bit of a beaten down and weary feel that the chorus never manages to overcome. The vocals never quite give the song the release the lyrics seem to promise.

It is possible that this was an artistic choice—since it is a promise of escape sung by someone obviously not yet free and so the extra weight makes some sense, but I think it makes for a less compelling song as a whole, especially since the ukulele isn’t that interesting so the vocals will have to do the heavy lifting in this song. Plus it drags on a bit in the end—and the song is only like two minutes long to begin with. I would have liked another verse and chorus instead of the ukulele—or even some humming like at the end of guaranteed.

I like that one the least too, and that's really becasue of the instrument (it sounds like a Uke to me but I read in one of the threads something about it being a banjo).
I think it wuold be a much better song with a guitar.

*-up

someone PM the website

He sounds like Bruce? I have to find the song!

I really like this song, and it actually sounds pretty damn good on the Ukelele.

Good Jorb Ed,

I have to disagree about Bruce. Yes, he uses the word Rise but melodically this isn't Bruce. This melody rises and descends in a turn you don't hear from Bruce but you can and do from Ed. At least to me.

I can't say I have a favorite yet. I love them all but this one feels so hopeful, it's painful.

I love the Uke. I love banjos. I love lutes. I love strings that you strum and pick so this doesn't get in my way at all. In fact, I enjoy his level of mastery on the instrument. He's quite good on it.

I am so loving these songs. They are simply gorgeous. Just beautiful.

I've created a mix of material of these three including the "bonus version" of Dead Man, No More and You've Got To Hide Your Love Away and I'm loving it. I chose these because they're studio recordings and just him with himself so they fit together.

I hope we don't have to wait 5 years for more.

He doesn't sound like Bruce. It's not a "Brucian" melody. It's Vedder.

.

I guess it's all opinion. I'll know in a second.

stip, you shock me. Here you are a dude who loves guitar solos any time, any place, and you're finding this virtuoso uke playing boring. I could listen to this whole song even without the vocals. There is just so much happening, from those sparkling opening argeggios to the crashing, descending verse chords. There are no accompanying instruments. And there are just four strings on this little beauty, and he uses every one of them to develop both melody and harmony. And listen to the timing. It's a waltz of all things. It's really quite a performance and quite an unusual piece of songwriting. When, since Richard Rogers, has a waltz felt so completely contemporary?

Great song, and I really like it. Though he doesn't sound like Bruce, obviously from my reaction, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

For the most part, all of the ukelele stuff we've heard from Ed in the past has had a touch of pessimism to it, hasn't it? Songs like "Soon Forget," "Can't Keep," and "Goodbye" all have that quality. I'm loving the optimism in this as well as the tone of the instrument. The ring in some of the chords he hits is so clear and perfectly produced that right now, this owns me.

This owns me too. Most of the previous uke stuff from Ed all seemed to be about his life falling apart. I think that this is a good direction for him to go.

edit: Ed isn't as frickin' brilliant as I thought. He's actually playing a mandolin on RISE. It probably has eight strings, so, no wonder the piece sounds so complex.

i think stip is right on in his analysis. and yet, reading SLH's first post, i am compelled to give this another shot.

are you sure? And is there a banjo in guaranteed?

I don't know what it is SLH. I listen to this every time I play the other tracks, but I just want to tune out with this one

I have a mandolin. Deceptive, it's not easy to play well. I think coming from a guitar it would present a challenge for some. The tuning is quite different, the chords etc. Clearly that's been overcome. We have no idea how long he's been messing with the instrument.

It would be awesome to see Ed whip out the mandolin on stage and play this song live, it kick ass.

I think Rise and Long Nights are the two songs that I really enjoy right now.

stip, I don't like Brahms' Requiem Mass, one of the great pieces of Western music. We don't all like all the same things. Don't feel bad. I still love you.

Good ears. I just figured he was playing an electric uke, but listening to it now, you're right.