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Up And Down The Highway

from Vol. IV: Independency by Plaid On Flannel

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*Song Description By Noles*

"Up And Down The Highway" is an acoustic ballad that offers a more delicate sound for the Independency album. The music for the song was written on November 15, 2015. Which was around the time I was recording the Rising Above EP with the Plaid On Flannel band. I was also finishing up my third album Primitive Normative. Racing towards the end of the year to have it finished. The concept album was released on New Year's Eve, and the Rising Above EP with the band was finished shortly after the new year. Eventually being released on May 14, 2016.

In March of 2016, the Plaid On Flannel band went a mini-tour of Eastern Ontario. Playing Live At Elgin in Ottawa on March 11 and Lola's in Cornwall on March 12. Ottawa is my old stompin' grounds, having gone to school there for Radio Broadcasting at Algonquin College from 2007-2010. Cornwall was a city I had never been to before, but enjoyed my stay. We met some awesome people and fans on that tour. Traveling Ontario in March of 2016 with the Plaid On Flannel band was what inspired "Up And Down The Highway". I always wanted to write a song about travel. Then I had the idea of using that acoustic music I wrote in November of 2015 as a travel song.

I wrote the lyrics for "Up And Down The Highway" on April 3, 2016. They were influenced by the lyricism of Win Butler from Arcade Fire. Songs from their 2010 concept album The Suburbs have some themes about driving. But I was also influenced by other Arcade Fire lyrics. The line "As it moves into the afterglow" came from "Hanging on to the dead lights of the afterglow" in "Afterlife" from their 2013 album Reflektor.

I didn't start recording "Up And Down The Highway" until February 20, 2017. As I was recording many other songs from the ones I had handpicked for the album in 2016. Throughout the acoustic track, different elements are added. There are sound effects to create imagery behind the lyrics. The beginning starts with the sound of one car moving slow, and another one moving fast. The 2nd chorus is preceded with the sound of a siren from an emergency vehicle. After the 2nd verse there is an instrumental section with a french horn. The horn is largely playing the melody of the chorus while different sound effects of cars driving are played in the background to give it ambience. There's even the sound of a train going down a track. Some other vehicular sound effects can also be heard at the very end of the song.

The 2nd chorus of "Up And Down The Highway" has a chamber choir effect added that continues for the rest of the song. Giving it almost a medieval sound. There is an electric guitar added before the instrumental section that plays arpeggios with a delay effect. That same type of electric guitar sound is used in the remaining choruses of the song. A string section is added in the 3rd verse and 3rd chorus to take the song to the next level. I finished recording "Up And Down The Highway" on March 13, 2017. Exactly a year after getting back from the tour that inspired the song. It's a song that was added to my solo acoustic performance repertoire and is one of the more calming songs from the Plaidalog.

lyrics

Words and music by Nolan Randall

Up and down the highway
With all the places that we wanna go
Livin' off the backseat
And now I'm lookin' for a stone to throw
Drivin' down the valley
But now I'm thinkin' that it looks as though
Times are getting warmer
As it moves into the afterglow

Moving from town to town to find a living end
With all the energy and money that we'll spend
You have to find a reason why it takes so long
It doesn't matter when you have done nothing wrong

Up and down the highway
With all the places that we wanna know
Livin' off the backseat, and now I'm fallin' like a domino
Drivin' up the mountain, it's so easy to let it overflow
Up and down the highway
As it moves into the afterglow

Gazing the scenery to find a way to live
Looking at what you have from what you've got to give
The world is moving, and you'll have to follow suit
Results are based on the nature of your commute

Traveling for this fleet with more than meets the eye
Leaving to bind the keys, and find a reason why
Some say the road is long, it always takes awhile
Seems like the hardest thing to do is go the mile

Up and down the highway
With all the places that we wanna go
Livin' off the backseat, and now I'm fallin' like a domino
Drivin' down the valley
But now I'm thinkin' that it looks as though
Times are getting warmer
As it moves into the afterglow

credits

from Vol. IV: Independency, released July 29, 2018

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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

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