A few more words to come after I put in on repeat a few more times and gather my brain together. That voice is just unfuckingbelievable.
EDIT: After about a zillion listens and an attack of lazy-itis, I've finally managed to get enough of my brain together to give you my thoughts on the song.
After a strummy soft-rock start, which isn't what I associate with Adam, the first verse kicks in and that's all forgotten because it's all about THE VOICE. The voice that is all-enveloping. It starts off pretty - silken chocolate melting, luxuriously smooth and creamy until 'thinking' and 'ain't broken yet' where we get to the exquisite velvety texture of the praline wrapped inside. On 'stop' we get to the fine grains at the core which have a rougher sensation between tongue and mouth that is simply divine. Mmmmm. I love this timbre of his layered voice and its rich texture, which never fails to make me tingle. The first verse tells me that I need not worry about surplus processing with artificial colours or flavours.
The chorus sees the crashing drums and full orchestra kick in, in suitably dramatic fashion. The harmonising is full and resonant, adding another sumptuous layer that hits a sweet spot that I just want to sink my teeth into. The instrumentals are complementary to the voice if just a touch loud but the keys just after the chorus I think could be a little softer.
Time for another chocolate - did I mention that the voice has a synaesthetic effect on me?
The ascending crashing chords and sweeping strings build the tension and you can feel the drama and anticipation leading up to the bridge. When I first heard it, it sounded very familiar and highly reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir' or the opening chords of Rage Against The Machine's 'Wake Up' that was featured in the Matrix. At the bridge, the powerhouse vocals are let loose, soaring up to an explosive crescendo. The overlaid wailing afterwards is a little too smoothed for my liking, removing some of the rock grit, but at least it's still there in the main part and I love it in the penultimate 'up' and the bluesy riffing at the end.
Everything about the song is grand - the instrumentals, the vocals, the production, the blockbuster film it's the soundtrack to. It sounds anthemic and I can see it sticking around for a long time. I can even imagine it being butchered by future karaoke-show contestants with Simon Cowell telling them 'That song's just too big for you'. It is a bit of a formulaic power-ballad and isn't something I would normally choose to listen to were it not for Adam's vocals. But appreciation of music is much more than simply liking melodies and rhythms - it's also about the memories and emotions imbued in them that give them that special meaning and this song is ripe for absorbing them. Adam manages to somehow bypass cheese overkill, and I'll use one of his own quotes back from the disco results show to explain how: 'The lyrics, as long as they were sung honestly, that it would work.' and work it does. What do you think of it?
Please feel free to correct me but here are the lyrics according to my ear:
It's late at night and I can't sleep
Missing you just runs too deep
Oh I can't breathe thinking of your smile
Every kiss I can't forget
This aching heart ain't broken yet
Oh God I wish I could make you see
'Cause I know this flame isn't dying
So nothing can stop me from trying
Baby you know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
No i ain't giving up on us
I just wanna be with you
'Cause living is so hard to do
When all I know is trapped inside your eyes
The future I can not forget
This aching heart ain't broken yet
Oh God I wish I could make you see
'Cause I know this flame isn't dying
So nothing can stop me from trying
Baby you know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I aint giving up on love
No I ain't giving up on us
Baby can you feel it coming
You know I can hear it
Hear every soul
Baby when you feel
Me feeling you
You know it's time
Baby you know that
Lately it's time for some miracles
'Cause I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for miracles
'Cause I ain't, I ain't giving up on love
You know that
Maybe it's time for a miracle yeah
'Cause I ain't, I ain't giving up on love
No I ain't giving up on love
I ain't giving up no
Oh I ain't giving up on us
I have no words.
ReplyDeleteIt's just so beautiful.
I'm getting uncontrollably emotional right now...
I love him so much!
Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteAdam Bomb, This is wonderful. Thank you for all you do. You have a great ear, you didn't miss a word.
I love it. I love his raw voice. Hearing it just made my weekend...heck it made my week. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Adam Bombed.
If one word to express how i felt, it would be - hypnotized.
ReplyDeleteAdam's voice is just - miracle.
I read on line that when you get the downloaded version and listen with headphones, the music and voice come together. I think youtube makes it sound really tinny right now. I can just imagine what it will be like in a theater. Anyone see the new photos of Adam in Details mag? Oy-vey.....
ReplyDeleteThankyou, thankyou, thankyou for this site. Adam has made the world a brighter place, don't you think? And this song from him is fantastic. Good work Adam Bombed.
ReplyDeleteThank you Adam Bombed! I've been listening to the song almost non-stop for the past 30 hours but wasn't able to intelligently verbalize my feelings. I have to agree with Lisa that the best way to describe the effect of Adam's voice on this song is being hypnotized. When I was reading your post, each and every moment you choose to highlight were the ones that made my heart stop. But I needed you to explain this sensation in words. Thank you!
ReplyDeletead
Adam Bombed, you paint pictures with words. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes, the first and second verses are beautiful. I feel like ear dropping over a conversation of his with someone and he means every single word of his. I don't even need the pictures of people dying and buildings collapsing to convince me how helpless the situation are. I then realized I get this helpless and pain purely from Adam himself. It is real, that is why my heart melts.
There are three parts in the chorus, which I love. At 3:03, when he start singing, "Baby can you feel it coming", my head pops up with the part he sing Cryin' live. That is breathtaking and of course the vocal of "with you know it's TIME", stuck in my head for so long. And it's like that is not Adam enough. At 3:33, we get the many layers and texture of Adam's voice. When I close my eyes, I see pictures of many little hands raising up and crying for help. At 4:12, the ending is actually my favourite part. It is pure and sad. It is like the last hope we have.
~k65535 ooo
Hi Adam Bombed, glad you liked your pressie. It was a small way to say 'thank you' for your beautiful and eloquent blog. I loved your observation that musical appreciation is also about the feelings and memories evoked. I know that I will always love this song because it was the first offering to us in the life Adam dreamed for himself and fought so hard for. I will always remember the pace and rhythm of my heart before I pressed "play" that first time. And how I was holding my breath for I don't know how long during the first verse because I was overwhelmed by the tenderness and longing in his voice. So, I, too, am a proselyte to this power ballad. But you know, in the end, I simply love him. Nicole.
ReplyDeleteLove to come here for your intelligent, well written blogs...so refreshing! You described ATFM so well. I listened, then read, then listened again, then read while I listened :-)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely added to my experience....thank you!!!!
Thank you all for taking the time to comment, you've added to my listening experience. I'd never been so excited about the release of any music before and I'm so glad to be experiencing it with all of you. Good headphones and tweaking the graphic equaliser make a considerable difference to the sound quality.
ReplyDeleteI've just made a surprising discovery - my grey matter contains a in-built mp3 recorder/player because TfM's been on continuous loop in my head! Especially useful since it's getting pulled from YouTube.
I also remember well that pause between finding out it was available and listening. Everything seemed to fall silent and stop, with the world holding its breath until a few seconds after the end. My favourite part of Adam's voice is the slightly scrapey tone he uses in the penultimate line. Mmmm, praline! He really does sing the shit out of that song because I'm sure he feels every bit of it, and feels us feeling it.
Oh and those photos - Oy-vey indeed!
Thanks Adam bombed.I Loved the song and agree with your insightful comments. Adam's voice is of EPIC proportions on this song!..incredible vocal range and capacity,rich and velvety tones, powerhouse and emotional intensity in the delivery...why does this guy absolutely blow us out of the water every time he sings?
ReplyDeleteit's because "That voice is just unfuckingbelievable"!!!
Anonymous, I would love an Adam jukebox - put in some coins and he serenades with anything of my choosing. He can sing anything better than almost anyone else with that voice of his. Plus I'd love to hear his interpretation of even the crappiest songs!
ReplyDeletek65535, I wouldn't say I'm crazy about chocolate, my tastes lean towards savoury rather than sweet but I do love a quality chocolate. I just can't think of anything that better represents the texture of his voice!
Can't wait to see the video even though I expect it to be formulaic - camera shooting the lonely figure of Adam from the front, walking slowly towards the camera, destruction and explosions going on left right and behind in slow-motion. Maybe Adam moving out of the way to avoid a piece of flying debris here and there... I do hope I'm pleasantly surprised though!
Oh, Adam Bombed - any formulaic video of Adam is welcome, welcome, welcome!!!! This is what I have been tap...tap...tap...waiting for! Give me more, more, more. Even cheesy Adam will be a treat - and a great source of joy. I can be the mouse to Adam's cheese. Oh, man....that was cheesy. Long day. Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteAdam Bombed, TMF's video is OUT !!!
ReplyDeletehttp://idolforums.com/index.php?s=36ef867f9c2ac9c60317e56399a78b68&showtopic=630982&st=0
~k ooo
Yes, the video is formulaic, but the sound quality is much better than the previous one on YT. When I am watching the video, I can't help myself but to think this is Adam Lambert's first video. How long has he been longing for this? And OMG, it is HOT. ~k6
ReplyDeleteYOWZA!!! That was amazing! -k ooo Thank you and Bless you! I can't wait to watch it again after I read what Adam Bombed has to say about it..My only complaint thus far is...They didn't keep the camera on Adam.
ReplyDeleteThe video may be formulaic, but lets not forget it's the theme song from an epic disaster film which is bound to have massive marketing appeal!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, who the fuck can sing like that, and look that good? the answer is, no one that I can think of lately comes close to Adam? I predict this video is going to be 'explosive' in more ways than one.
I'm sorry but he is just so fucking beautiful. There.
ReplyDeleteOoh thanks everyone! That'll teach me for living in the wrong time zone! The trenchcoat returns! I'm digging that rugged look. Can anyone tell me if that's Leila who makes an cameo at the 1:58 mark? The aspect ratio stretches her a bit, she looks younger and has longer hair but I think there's a strong resemblance and hers is the only other face that features prominently in the video.
ReplyDeleteLOL Adam Bombed. I saw that this morning at 9:00 am my time zone and the music vid thread was already on page 2. I quickly dropped a message here knowing the mod would remove it. She had already left a mess. earlier saying IDF will get into trouble for thread with file attached (sendspace etc), and she will for sure remove it. Oh, thanks to the time differences, it is still there. :D Just got home, will take a look in a minute. ~k6
ReplyDeleteFor me there is no connection between Adam, the actions I see in the TFM video and the song lyrics. Maybe it’s because of the story behind the song. I read in RS forum that the song was written by Alain Johannes Moschulski and Natasha Shneider (both are musicians) when Natasha was struggling with cancer. She died last year... Therefore I prefer better to listen to this song, enjoy amazing Adam vocal and feel the story behind this song. Diana
ReplyDeleteP.S. I’ve been visiting this blog since I found it in May. And I’m big fan of it :)
P.S. P.S. Sorry for my English... it’s not my native language...
Diana, your English is fine! I didn't have high expectations for the video as it wasn't Adam's creation. I understand the point you made - the song seems to be a very personal one sung to someone close and the video doesn't really demonstrate that well. It needs to tie in with the movie though, and it does by the title of the song but not the lyrics. Maybe if you ignore what's going on in the background and focus on Adam singing straight to you it might work better?
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling it'll probably be used to great effect in the movie itself which will help to establish more of a personal association.
I was wondering, does the translator tool on the left work well for your native language?
Lynn, your comment made me laugh! It's so cute when you swear!
I've decided that it's not Leila after repeated viewings. Too young.
Adam Bombed, I get your point. And after all I’m looking forward to Adam’s album. I’m really curious how it will sound.
ReplyDeleteBy the way translator tool makes very funny sentences :)
Best wishes,
Diana