"ALONE" - Where We Land album

[shimmery]

Damien's original song, "ALONE" from the new Album "Where We Land" (on sale Aug 18) is available as a timed download from Today's Sunday Telegraph. Here's a home for discussion about this new song!


From the 'Track by Track' with Damien Leith


Alone
I wrote this for a friend who lost somebody he loved dearly. This song came about from seeing his pain.

[shimmery]

For me, "Alone" is a really perfect 'pop' tune (as in structure, not boppyness) - it combines a beatuiful sweet melancholy with such a heartfelt & hopeful soulfulness. From what Damien said in his track by track you can see how close it was to his heart and that definitely comes across.


Damien's going from strength to strength, his new material is so exciting, his own sound is devleoping more and more. Just a gorgeous vocal and arrangement too - I love this one, my favourite along with "I Still Miss Us" from what I've heard of the new album so far!!!!

[Mi chiamano Kami]

'Soulful' is how I'd describe this one too. I love the combination of uplifting lyrics and a slightly melancholy tune.

The start of it reminds me a lot of Bobby Flynn's 'The Boy Had Trouble', and then it blossoms into something a little bit Crowded House, a lovely full sound, and that chorus effect in the background is so lovely. I think it's a great indication of what Damien is as a musician - alternative, but accessible as well. 'Pop' isn't something I would have said about it at first, but after examining the way it progresses I think your assessment of it is right, Shims. As I said in the other thread, I really want to see how this comes across live.

[Womby]

I agree Shims. I love ISMU soooo much I was a little worried that I had heard the best song on the album and that I would be disappointed with everything else but I didn't need to worry. I love Alone just as much - the vocals are pure, the melody perfect from beginning to end - another beautifully structured song that I can't wait to hear live! I'm so happy that this album will be showcasing what a brilliant talent this man is

[Roxy]

I love this song sooo much. I heard it once, and that was enough for me to know that this was the 'one' I had been waiting for. My *goosebump* song so to speak. I can't rave enough about it, it just shows how amazing a musician Damien is.

Come on August 18th.....I need this in the Car & Ipod, actually I just want it everywhere. ;D

[Spud]

Ah yeah Kami, it sounds like The Boy Had Trouble at the start, doesn't it? There's also a part of Alone that reminds me of These Days. It's only a little bit, at about 1:34. Compare that bit with 2:12 of These Days. Does anyone else hear the similar sound?

The first time I listened to Alone, the bits where he sings "be" at a higher pitch sounded out of place, but now that I've listened to the song some more I see that it actually does sound good with the high notes. They mix up the tune a bit because they're unexpected, and it keeps it from getting boring. There's other bits like this where the melody changes and it's interesting. It's like how there's a change in melody in the bridge of 22 Steps. (So now I've compared Alone to three other songs.)

Yeah anyway, what I really like about Alone is that you can hear the sadness of it, but it's still kinda pop. I like the tune.

[shimmery]

Isn't it so exciting guys!!! It's like that interviewer we saw a while back who heard Damien's new songs and said how incredible this album was going to be! I'm going to wait to hear the rest of the new songs too now, just hearing this one, but I'm just so happy for Damien how beautiful they all are. I hope he's so proud of them, they're amazing amazing songs and this is an album everyone will want to sit and listen to over and over.

The sound is really rich and full, I agree - and still there is that delicate spareness Damien brings to his arrangements. That really captivates me, I think that's a real feature of his own sound we are hearing evolve before our ears!!

[astrokath]

Loving this one - I think the background chorus is quite 'Beatlesque'

[dmac]

Love this song...the strong guitar, drums, the rhythm and changes, the high notes-especially the last one siiigghhh

[jenny]

This is my fav from the album so far, out of the songs I've heard.
I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT! ;D
The first time I heard it, it reminded me of Coldplay's earlier music
However, what I love about D is that although he has subtle influences in his sound, he will always be that unique individualness about his music that isn't a blatant copy of other artists like a lot of music in the charts right now.

[shimmery]

I agree jenny - you can hear where whispers of where Damien's music has come from and it's not just a blend of other sounds, he has really gone to another level again I think - these songs are sensational!!! I get tears in my eyes listening to this one - there's something in the gentleness of it at the start, it's so touching.

[Leithal Dame]

I agree with all these reviews! I love this so much. I can't pick an all out favourite though. I've got NJFTW, Alone, ISMU and WYA on a loop and have been playing them for 2 days now. Cannot stop! Every time I hear one I think, this is the best and then the next one comes up and that goes into first place.

[Crazy]

This is most definitely my favourite so far. It didn't grow on me, it didn't have to - from the opening bars i was totally hooked. it's beautiful, haunting, uplifting, sad. i just keep pressing the replay button - and i still can't get enough of it. For me Who You Are was my favourite from the album .... closely followed by .... all of them. But this one just goes somewhere that not many songs are honestly able to go. If Damien were to release this as a single i feel sure it would be a hit and would live on way beyond the average No.1's use by date

[shimmery]

It's great isn't it how good all these songs are!! Crazy this song got me from the first bars too, it's the sort of music I love.

[Crazy]

shimmery said:

It's great isn't it how good all these songs are!! Crazy this song got me from the first bars too, it's the sort of music I love.

with Damien's explanation of what the song means to him, i wonder if it would be too personal to release as a single. but i do feel - more so than with the others that i've heard - that it would be a real success if it was released. i can really see the song appealing to the UK market too