We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Rising Above

from Rising Above [EP] by Plaid On Flannel

/

about

*Song Description By Noles*

While 13 different songs were recorded with the Plaid On Flannel band from 2015-2017, "Rising Above" was the only tune that I didn't previously record by myself. Because of it's time signature and tempo changes, "Rising Above" was too challenging for me to record on my own DAW without a drummer. I came up with the music and lyrics for most of "Rising Above" on November 29, 2013. The guitar riff uses a lot of hammer ons and pull offs as it moves through the chord progression it is accompanied with. For the lyrics, I didn't really know what it was about when I wrote it. But like a lot of my other songs, "Rising Above" seems to deal with overcoming adversity and staying the course on life's pursuits as far as the song's subject matter goes.

A few months after I wrote most of "Rising Above", the Plaid On Flannel band started as a 3-piece on February 15, 2014. "Rising Above" was not included in the first batch of my original songs that we played. It wasn't until about September of 2014 that we started to rehearse "Rising Above". I knew the song had potential, but I felt like there was something missing from it. The tune originally started with the main guitar riff that comes back 2 more times in the song. After that first riff came the first verse. However, it seemed to me like the song needed a proper introduction to come before it. I spent some time at home trying to come up with ideas for some kind of intro for "Rising Above". I then realized I had an instrumental piece consisting of 2 different sections that I came up with years earlier. It also happened to be in the same key of B. Starting with a riff that uses a lot of different chord punches around it. That part was influenced by both the Tragically Hip's "Twist My Arm" and Radiohead's "Just". The next section uses a 6/4 time time signature and was greatly influenced by a part of "Cygnus X-1" by Rush. I came up with this instrumental piece some time in the fall of 2007 when I was in my 1st year of college in Ottawa. I always knew I wanted to eventually use it on a song. I jammed it with my Ottawa band the Scarecrowz some time in early 2010, but kept it in the vault for awhile after that. "Rising Above" was the perfect opportunity to use that instrumental as an introduction. So in the fall of 2014, I brought it to the Plaid On Flannel band and "Rising Above" turned into a progressive rock anthem.

Keyboardist Jen Doyon joined Plaid On Flannel on February 22, 2015, and her combination of organ and piano on "Rising Above" really brought out it's minor-based qualities. We started recording our 1st EP on November 28, 2015, and did not hesitate to include "Rising Above" on it. In fact, it became the title track of the EP. Which fit in well with the battlefield concept in the EP's eventual theme that surrounded it. As Plaid On Flannel's most progressive song, Minas Hatzigiannatzoglou's drums are quite active and diverse throughout "Rising Above". I always loved his powerful drum fill at the very end of the tune. The chorus of "Rising Above" does not happen until the back half of the song before the closing guitar solo that goes into the closing guitar riff. It's unlike any song I've ever arranged before. As it's a challenging song to play, I feel like "Rising Above" will live on in POF's live repertoire for years to come.

lyrics

Words and music by Nolan Randall

We walked away from a messy situation
Our minds are filled with ghosts
We fall apart while there's nothing left to mention
Our feet are on the coast
Is there another way to find
exactly what we're looking for?
Is there a reason why we can't ignore
while no one's keeping score?

It's all a matter of your destination
The feeling of some kind of love
It doesn't matter if you leave the station
The feeling of rising above

We're on a journey that seems like it's never-ending
Our fears, they interfere
We're always spending a lot of time comprehending
Our fate will reappear
Are we another estimation they can't get a hold of?
Are we to act upon the things we desire?
So we keep rising above?

It's all a matter of your destination
Something is not what it was
It doesn't matter if you leave the station
The feeling of rising above

Rising above, rising above, we're all just rising above
Rising above, rising above, we're all just rising above
Rising above, rising above, we're all just rising above
Rising above, rising above, we're all just rising above

credits

from Rising Above [EP], released May 14, 2016

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Plaid On Flannel image

Plaid On Flannel Toronto, Ontario

Plaid On Flannel is an alternative indie blues rock act from Toronto, Canada. With 80+ original songs recorded since 2011, singer-songwriter Nolan Randall has remained the sole constant member of the band. POF's music is known for guitar riffs/solos, memorable hooks, catchy melodies/harmonies, evocative lyrics, & superb musicianship. While keeping a focus on originality and songwriting quality. ... more

contact / help

Contact Plaid On Flannel

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like Plaid On Flannel, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now