Blog Posts - Listen Above

Track #6 - Words Come To Life

8/16/2016

You can sum up this lyric in one short sentence: "History is real". Or maybe, "Turn off the TV and read a book". Or possibly, "Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it". (These are no longer short sentences).
It's good to remember that although we know far more than our ancestors, we can always learn from them.

Words Come To Life
©2016 David J. Lauria (BMI) all rights reserved

Ancient kingdoms never fall,
Long-gone ruins still stand tall,
Forgotten prophet voices call,
Words Come To Life.

Hear the words of wiser men,
Heroes save us all again,
For that was now and this is then,
Words Come To Life.

Words Come To Life;
Words Come To Life;
Stories from so long ago are lessons for today;
Words Come To Life.

Maps will change and language die,
Stars and planets flee the sky,
Forsaken ages, hear the cry,
Words Come To Life.

Words Come To Life;
Words Come To Life;
Stories from so long ago are lessons for today;
Words Come To Life.

Raised on faith,
Fed by truth,
Like a song,
Words Come To Life.

Track #4 - Your Love Prevails

8/15/2016

One of the heavier songs on the album, this is the one that gave us the description "Linda Ronstadt fronts Deep Purple." It's also got a Black Sabbath drum groove, for those of you scoring at home.
As I look back at the lyrics to the songs, I'm taken by how many times a phrase from Douglas Adams wanders across my brain, in search of something to connect with. (I think it just happened again, in fact). The 'music of the world' bit comes from the first Dirk Gently book, where Reg steals the music from the spaceship and passes it off as being by a non-existent composer named 'Bach'.

I need to get out more, evidently.

Your Love Prevails
©2016 David J. Lauria (BMI) all rights reserved

We hear Your love,
The music of the world,
All around us,
The sound...
We see Your pow'r,
The current in the air,
Right beside us,
Inside...

When sharp the day has blinded us,
Your Love Prevails.
Where injured faith has guided us,
Your Love Prevails.
Time and time again,
We sing your praises when,
Your Love Prevails.

We feel Your voice,
A summertime of warmth,
Deep among us,
Unsung....

When sharp the day has blinded us,
Your Love Prevails.
Where injured faith has guided us,
Your Love Prevails.
We join hands to declare,
Someday we'll meet You where,
Your Love Prevails.

We hear Your love;
We see Your power;
We feel Your voice;
Your Love Prevails!

Track #3 - Forgiveness Prayer

8/11/2016

Our wordiest song is our simplest: if we fight to treat each other with kindness, the world will be a different, better place. There's a Douglas Adams quote (which doesn't fit the context, AT ALL) that was a huge help in writing this. We'll let you try to figure out which one.
A short clip of the song is available on the YouTubes.

Forgiveness Prayer
©2016 David J. Lauria (BMI) all rights reserved

If we can't find the words to ask,
will forgiveness live?
When all our lifetimes come to pass,
will forgiveness live?
Casting stones, the walls were built,
crumbling with the weight of guilt;
If we can't find the words to ask,
will forgiveness live?

If we begin to doubt the light,
what is there to see?
When silenced voices rule the night,
what is there to see?
Carving worlds, the rivers rise,
flooding blind our newborn eyes;
If we begin to doubt the light,
What is there to see?

If we can find another path,
will forgiveness grow?
When armies fight to quell the wrath,
will forgiveness grow?
Gracious children deep inside,
clear of voice and void of pride;
If we can find another path,
Will forgiveness grow?

Track #2 - The Sound of Universal Praise

8/10/2016

This song, sung beautifully by Emily, reminds us that there is really only one world. We may be separated by small things like language and locale, but we are united in hope and love.

The Sound of Universal Praise
©2016 David J. Lauria (BMI) all rights reserved

Halfway 'round the world,
In a country near a sea,
In a town set in a valley;
Halfway 'round the world,
Where the sounds that fill the air,
Where the words of love and laughter,
Seem so different;

I can almost see it.
I can almost feel it.
I can almost hear the sound of universal praise,
The sound of universal praise.

Halfway 'round the world,
There are friends we'll never know,
There is beauty in the shadows;
Halfway 'round the world,
All the love that's in our hearts,
All the love that is in their hearts,
Not so different;

I can almost see it.
I can almost feel it.
I can almost hear the sound of universal praise,
The sound of universal praise.

We are united in You;
We are united by You;
We are united with You,
With You...

I can almost see it.
I can almost feel it.
I can almost hear the sound of universal praise,
The sound of universal praise.

Halfway 'round the world...

Track #1 - Save Us With Your Grace

8/8/2016

With the new album nearing release, we thought it would be handy to have a place to reference all the song lyrics. Considering that some web sites want to charge the band for the privilege (!) it seemed like a few posts on our own blog would be appropriate. Of course, seeing them without hearing them is silly! Come to our CD release party on 8/21 so you can hear them, too.

Save Us With Your Grace
©2016 David J. Lauria (BMI) all rights reserved

Brilliant light, shining down,
darkness flees from you.
Each of us, just a spark;
burning for the Word.

Lead on, to a higher place,
save us with Your grace!
We are safe in your embrace,
save us with Your grace!

Age-old song, chiming out,
silence shouts your name.
Each of us, just a breath;
pleading with one voice.

Lead on, to a higher place,
save us with Your grace!
We are safe in your embrace,
save us with Your grace!

Through the desert, we will follow;
Across the ocean, we will follow;
Out of the valleys, we will follow;
Atop the mountains, we will follow you...

WE LIKE GUITARS

7/29/2016

Track 4 on the album is "Your Love Prevails", and it kind of crystallizes what the whole project is about. We like to describe this album as, "Imagine Linda Ronstadt fronting Deep Purple, doing songs by Lindsay Buckingham". (If none of those references make any sense to you, please go listen to this, this, and this. Have one of these while you're at it).
This is a clip of the guitar solo, which is pretty heavily influenced by Ritchie Blackmore. The transcribed bit is something he does all the time, which is to stick an extra pull-off in the middle of a triplet. Sounds like he's quadruple-picking, or maybe he has an extra finger. This was the 3rd take on the solo, and that bit came out entirely by accident, so that's when we knew we had a keeper.

Written in the Sky!

7/27/2016

Track #7 on the new cd is the hardest-rocking song we've recorded, thanks in large part to Luke Imbusch and his incredibly inventive drumming. The bass doubles the two rhythm guitars (or would that be 'triples'?), and the verses are a call and response between the singer and rhythm section. It's heavy. I sang this one, and the lyrics are about an entity that sees and hears every 'whisper, every shout, every trust, every doubt'. God, or the internet: you decide. NOT THAT YOU CAN HEAR ANY OF IT ON THIS CLIP, HAHAHAHA! The album comes out on August 21st. Until then, enjoy this...

Second YouTube clip

7/12/2016

Here is an excerpt from "Forgiveness Prayer", track #3 on the new album. Comments welcome!

First clip available on YouTube

7/12/2016

We have a short clip from the single, "Save Us With Your Grace", now available on our YouTube channel. Check it out, and let us know what you think:

The album is done!

7/12/2016

We had to work around college acceptances, new jobs, members of the group moving across country, and (worst of all) old computers running Windows XP. We are now delighted to announce that "Listen Above", the first album by the worship group at St. Luke's Church, is finished and is out for duplication. The CD release party will be on August 21st at Barrington Beach. Put the date aside now!