Vague Souvenir – The Quietest Whisper
This is a text I wrote as Your Favorite Enemies were recording the song “I See A Darkness”, in the Upper Room Studio. This text was sparked by a tweet from Jeff I read that night, a tweet he did as he was sitting with me in studio, listening to Alex & Miss Isabel record the vocals for the song… Once again, this is only a little spark of emotions I lived, as I was witnessing what was going on around me…
– Stephanie
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The Quietest Whisper
June 28th, 2012
8:00 pm
Hearing @umitohanasuhito & @Miss_Enemy sing together, is something I’ll always be amazed by… Fills the church with so much soul
– @Jeff_Enemy
Today was the vocal recording for a song on “Vague Souvenir”, song called “I See A Darkness”. The band recorded the song together 2 nights before, but as Miss Isabel was then playing piano, she needed to record some back vocals, to support Alex’s.
Reading Jeff’s tweet, I thought about how amazing it was to be able to listen to them, rehearse together, with Ben playing acoustic guitar beside them, as the sun was setting down showering the whole church in a deep, autumn-like orange tint as it shone through the stained glass windows. It gave everything such a bright, cheerful, warm feeling that contrasted sharply with the sad tone of the song that is almost like a whisper. But even the quietest whisper can be enough of a sound to make life bloom out of despairs… And somewhat, this is what “Vague Souvenir” is all about… A scream for life that started as a whisper…
Not only are Alex and Miss Isabel singing beautifully together, but it is when they are in harmony with the band’s organic sounds, well blended together, that they reach their climax. Because the soul of all of the band members becomes one…
Comments (5)
Anna
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This song is simply amazing!! Every time I listen to it I simply close my eyes and let myself drift away! The melody and the voices are in such a perfect harmony that’s it quite impossible to not stop what you are doing to fully enjoy every delightful note of this song. I remember when the band performed this song during the 14th episode of the ”Bla Bla Bla: The Live Show” how the sounds just filled the set with such deep emotion and feel… it was truly a mesmerizing moment… every time this song plays I feel a sense of peace and calm… Thank you for sharing your experience with us and how you lived this truly magical moment!
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Chris
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”Because the soul of all of the band members becomes one…” I find it so incredible to read that! I know how intense it was to get there… The band members had to fight so much for their relationships and intimacy! I see it as a miracle to witness that now, that they are able to be ”one”… Sometimes, in my relationships, I’ll remain on the surface or hide between denial in stead of digging deeper to touch this intimacy… Too afraid that it might just break my comfort, make me feel powerless or not lead anywhere… Reading this blog feeds my desire to have a larger perspective and to commit more… Allowing my ”soul to become one” with the ones I love.
Just as it says in ”I See A Darkness”:
”Well you know I have a love, a love for everyone I know And you know I have a drive to live I won’t let go”
I guess it’s not a coincidence that YFE decided to appropriate themselves a song like ”I See A Darkness” , they have been through it and they know what each word means when lived in reality… it’s an inspiring testimony!!
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Mary
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So many people love the uniqueness of the band because of the soothing harmonies with Miss Isabel and Alex… I remember, the 1st time that I heard a spark of the song in the promotion video… we hear Miss Isabel’s voice like a whisper in the mic and I wondered how this subtle sound would be sensed when mixed with the other instruments… but when I heard all the elements together… wow!! It became so powerful…
You couldn’t detect her voice as a unique sound, but it melted in so well with the rest and I’m sure that if it was not in the song… there would be an emptiness… as you say, when the voices are in harmony with the band’s organic sounds, it reaches a climax! We could compare this to so many lessons in life concerning the impact we can have… just like Miss Isabel’s voice, even if faint it has a big impact in the song! Same goes for us, even if we’re just there to support, be a whisper, a dim light… we can have an impact!
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Elizabeth
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Oh Steph…every line in this blog is its own little miracle and when I look at the “picture” you have painted in words as a whole, my heart almost explodes with wonder and awe, hope and joy!!!
thank you so much for sharing this!!! and thank you dear YFE for allowing Light to continue to transform every darkness you have faced, and then allowing that grace to flow through you and into this music…miracle seeds for hearts around the world!!
love you all so much!! mom eliz
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Marjo
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I totally agree with the last sentence of your blog Stephanie!! Actually, when I first heard the notes of this song… which were introduced in the promotional video of the album… I felt “teased” (so good job on the making of this video guys…lol)!! To hear Miss Isabel singing in such a fragile way, on only a few of the musical layers of this song… it gave me goosebumps, right away!! So, I guess you can imagine how impatient I was to hear the full version of the song! Right? Lol! It obviously left me speechless!! I just can’t help it… Your Favorite Enemies’ unique synergy has the ability to amaze me every time!! Thanks guys for making music such a delightful experience… from the very first notes that are sketched… to the whole melody you share in the end!! 🙂
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