new (old) song: Cold Confession

[Kevin Davis]

I know Lanois isn't right for a lot of artists but I'd love PJ to experiment with a producer, even if it fails and they don't get anything immediate out of the sessions. I want them to get out of the Bo'B comfort zone.

Definitely. I think picking a producer who is completely out of left field for PJ would be the best possible move they could make at this point.

[Norah]

I know Lanois isn't right for a lot of artists but I'd love PJ to experiment with a producer, even if it fails and they don't get anything immediate out of the sessions. I want them to get out of the Bo'B comfort zone.

Definitely. I think picking a producer who is completely out of left field for PJ would be the best possible move they could make at this point.

You mean like Tchad Blake?

[oasisfan35]

I know Lanois isn't right for a lot of artists but I'd love PJ to experiment with a producer, even if it fails and they don't get anything immediate out of the sessions. I want them to get out of the Bo'B comfort zone.

Definitely. I think picking a producer who is completely out of left field for PJ would be the best possible move they could make at this point.

You mean like Tchad Blake?

For the current Pearl Jam not PJ of 2K... plus I'm at the point of anyone but Brendan o'Brien. The idea of Lanois with these guys would either produce something really amazing or fall totally flat/fail... I'll pony-up for the risk.

[Norah]

I know Lanois isn't right for a lot of artists but I'd love PJ to experiment with a producer, even if it fails and they don't get anything immediate out of the sessions. I want them to get out of the Bo'B comfort zone.

Definitely. I think picking a producer who is completely out of left field for PJ would be the best possible move they could make at this point.

You mean like Tchad Blake?

For the current Pearl Jam not PJ of 2K... plus I'm at the point of anyone but Brendan o'Brien. The idea of Lanois with these guys would either produce something really amazing or fall totally flat/fail... I'll pony-up for the risk.

My point was they'll be almost done and then call O'Brien in to make his own mix of 2/3s of the tracks and that's the album we'll get.

[rjfrik]

Could someone PM me Cold Confessions please. I love the song and would like to be able to listen to it without streaming it from the message forum.

Thanks.

[bustout]

Navy Seal, military personnel, etc??

[Norah]

Where's ruddo?

[bustout]

Where's ruddo?

pretty sure this site had the links hosted .. i'm just posing a question about the song ...

[stip]

we'd normally just throw a question like that in the song thread.

I believe CC predates his friendship with Young.

[stupidmop]

Instead we get a much darker resolution. He is united with what he lost (either in reality or fantasy, but it doesn’t matter), and finds no comfort there. Whatever came between them is still there. There’s a wall now, and there is no way it won’t keep them apart. And the song winds down on that realization—the illusion of the happy ending that isn’t fooling anyone.

I just read the intro post and found this interesting. Before i read this i thought the song was about someone falling into depression ( or alchoholism but maybe im focusing too much on the barstool lyric) but then having a moment of clarity and letting go of everything that was holding him back and finding his way back to safety and his love.

Where did you get that he's still finding no comfort, or that its an unhappy ending? I'm curious because the way i was hearing it, i did think the ending music was still dark for a seemingly happy resolution.

I also didn't pick up on anything indicating that it was about dealing with loss, but if you go with that interpretation, the entire end verse could be depicting the characters suicide, he meets 'her' on the otherside. Kind of like billie hollidays 'Gloomy Sunday', where i've always assumed the verse were she wakes up and realises she'd dreamed everything, was actually her waking up after her death.

Making depressing songs more depressing

Bump incase stip is about.

I wouldnt mind if a new version of this appeared in the album, it'd be interesting to see what they'd do. If it is linked to the intro music on that vid it could be pretty special, but its gonna have to be super special to improve on this version for me.

[harmless]

I know Lanois isn't right for a lot of artists but I'd love PJ to experiment with a producer, even if it fails and they don't get anything immediate out of the sessions. I want them to get out of the Bo'B comfort zone.

Definitely. I think picking a producer who is completely out of left field for PJ would be the best possible move they could make at this point.

You mean like Tchad Blake?

For the current Pearl Jam not PJ of 2K... plus I'm at the point of anyone but Brendan o'Brien. The idea of Lanois with these guys would either produce something really amazing or fall totally flat/fail... I'll pony-up for the risk.

There was / is exactly the same risk with Brendan. He's mixed some really good albums.

[stip]

Instead we get a much darker resolution. He is united with what he lost (either in reality or fantasy, but it doesn’t matter), and finds no comfort there. Whatever came between them is still there. There’s a wall now, and there is no way it won’t keep them apart. And the song winds down on that realization—the illusion of the happy ending that isn’t fooling anyone.

I just read the intro post and found this interesting. Before i read this i thought the song was about someone falling into depression ( or alchoholism but maybe im focusing too much on the barstool lyric) but then having a moment of clarity and letting go of everything that was holding him back and finding his way back to safety and his love.

Where did you get that he's still finding no comfort, or that its an unhappy ending? I'm curious because the way i was hearing it, i did think the ending music was still dark for a seemingly happy resolution.

I also didn't pick up on anything indicating that it was about dealing with loss, but if you go with that interpretation, the entire end verse could be depicting the characters suicide, he meets 'her' on the otherside. Kind of like billie hollidays 'Gloomy Sunday', where i've always assumed the verse were she wakes up and realises she'd dreamed everything, was actually her waking up after her death.

Making depressing songs more depressing

Bump incase stip is about.

I wouldnt mind if a new version of this appeared in the album, it'd be interesting to see what they'd do. If it is linked to the intro music on that vid it could be pretty special, but its gonna have to be super special to improve on this version for me.

apologies. I missed this post. Its a few things. There is basically no change in the music or delivery--nothing to indicate growth or a change in context or circumstances. There is no confrontation or resolution. I dont' have the song in front of me but the bridge hardly seems to work through anything, if I am remembering it. And lyrically the happy ending is unearned, sudden, abrupt. Falling apart...falling apart...falling apart...oh good, we're back together. That seems far more likely to be a cyclical moment in a destructive relationship than a new chapter, especially given the fact that the song gives us no cues that anything has changed. So putting all that together I don't see this as a happy ending. Plus Boom's jaunty little thing at the end is too subtle to really indicate a parting thought that is dramatically different from the rest of the song. It sounds more like a sarcastic happy ending in that end.

My best friend broke up and got back together with the same girl in college about 7 times. Towards the end we all knew (both of them, included) how this was all going to end, and the last minute of this song could have soundtracked it

[stupidmop]

Thanks for the response! Yeah it's mostly the music that leads me to think the endings not too happy, though i still can't help but think the charcter himself thinks it is.

[Mine]

already on the 2nd page of the forum and such a genius piece of work

I made that 1st post here for arguments sake and I'm really surprised that so few take in consideration that this is just a never finished work in progress. I really think Ed sounds this way because he was sick. I suspect a decent chunk of their released songs sounded similar when they were worked on.

I know that often even alternate takes of released songs sound better than the proper take on 1st listen but that is usually because it's just different and fresh compared to the better known version.

[Cold Confessor]

After listening to CC for more than 20 times now, the song even gets better.
Brilliant tune.
I want to see a tracklist that includes this baby!

[Blenheim Augustine]

already on the 2nd page of the forum and such a genius piece of work

I made that 1st post here for arguments sake and I'm really surprised that so few take in consideration that this is just a never finished work in progress. I really think Ed sounds this way because he was sick. I suspect a decent chunk of their released songs sounded similar when they were worked on.

I know that often even alternate takes of released songs sound better than the proper take on 1st listen but that is usually because it's just different and fresh compared to the better known version.

It doesn't sound like a work in progress. It sounds like a fairly advanced mix from the studio - they may have wanted a new vocal on this but the music sounds final. I expect like songs like Education once they decide that it isn't going to be released they don't do any post production on the songs so this is the artifact that is left from the session.

[stip]

yeah this feels pretty complete to me.

[Jaeti]

Reattempt!

Cold Confession Lyrics:

He scared himself, into a trance
Tucking down with her, secretly
He floated out, into the ocean
of his worst dream, of his rough sea
of all the men he could trust
he was not one of them, always certain himself
the scars unseen, the wounds untold
whatever time had healed, it still took hold
A life washed away, like words in the sand
and when the high tide came, so went his plan
a troubled past, a troubled future
a troubled weight leaning on a bar stool
one strobe-like star, he finally saw
navigation towards a brand new course
but to himself the memory clear
cold confession only, that only he could hear

He let himself scream, he let himself cry
let himself reach the other side
there was no christ, there was no cross
just forgiveness, allowed himself
accepted the past, then set it free
oh and it ran off like an animal released
he holds the proof, he holds their star
in his pure arms, in his clear heart
He's safe now, he's back in her breast
he saw his path, and changed it, chased it, at last

That's pretty much what I get out of it, and it's awesome. The only potential change I can think of is "Navigation towards a brand new coast", but it might just be because I like it that way. I don't know if I actually hear it that way, and I can't listen right now... but it fits with the rest of the song.

It's still very much sounding like 'course' to me. However, I'm hearing the previous line now as:

one strobe-like star, he finally saw

One minor change in red above, reflecting what I'm hearing.

[Jefrey with One F]

Reattempt!

Cold Confession Lyrics:

He scared himself, into a trance
Tucking down with her, secretly
He floated out, into the ocean
of his worst dream, of his rough sea
of all the men he could trust
he was not one of them, always certain himself
the scars unseen, the wounds untold
whatever time had healed, it still took hold
A life washed away, like words in the sand
and when the high tide came, so went his plan
a troubled past, a troubled future
a troubled weight leaning on a bar stool
one strobe-like star, he finally saw
navigation towards a brand new course
but to himself the memory clear
cold confession only, that only he could hear

He let himself scream, he let himself cry
let himself reach the other side
there was no christ, there was no cross
just forgiveness, allowed himself
accepted the past, then set it free
oh and it ran off like an animal released
he holds the proof, he holds their star
in his pure arms, in his clear heart
He's safe now, he's back in her breast
he saw his path, and changed it, chased it, at last

That's pretty much what I get out of it, and it's awesome. The only potential change I can think of is "Navigation towards a brand new coast", but it might just be because I like it that way. I don't know if I actually hear it that way, and I can't listen right now... but it fits with the rest of the song.

It's still very much sounding like 'course' to me. However, I'm hearing the previous line now as:

one strobe-like star, he finally saw

One minor change in red above, reflecting what I'm hearing.

he was not one of them, always certain himself----> I thought this was "he was not one of them, always hurtin' himself"

Edit: on second listen, it does sound like "certain".

[Jaeti]

I can't find where this discussion was happening, either in this thread or the 86-page one about the new songs, but someone was saying it would be a good concert closer.

I disagree with that entirely, but, in line with someone comparing CC to Immortality, I think it could successfully serve the same function that Immortality does in a live setting. The outro could be extended, maybe hear more of Boom's organ, maybe explore more of the "resolution" that the organ suggests, etc. Also in that vein, it might be a good replacement for Crazy Mary, which for me has kind of worn out its welcome.