The Raw and Powerful Emotions Behind “Pause, Rewind” and “All We Were” by Arcadia Sun and How Can You Relate to Them

Ever since I was little,  I have been influenced by many musical genres. My mom always listened to songs from different eras and various genre in the car or the house. Also, TV programs, the radio, and even going to the mall let me discover new acts and love new ones. Many people think I am a mainly Japanese pop person, but I genuinely love all genres, especially rock.

I was given the opportunity to listen to two songs by Alternative rock band Arcadia Sun from Liverpool, England. The experience of listening to these two songs are powerful with emotions deeply embroidered in every note and word.

Reminiscing About a Lost Love With “All We Were”

“All We Were” was the first tune I picked to listen to. The introduction reminds me of a soft post-grunge tune from the likes of Nickelback without Chad Kroeger’s vocals, Puddle of Mudd, or something like the Britrock band Radiohead. Although these bands have a more commercialized and general rock sound, “All We Were” doesn’t share the share characterization. Instead, this tune is barer as it features a stripped, gentler tone.

The tune opens up with an acoustic guitar fingerpicking the opening melody. The bass aids the guitar by adding more depth to each chord. Sometime late, the lead vocalist begins the first verse by singing with a subdued, bare tone in his vocals. This section of a song is very calming. The intensity of the vocals and the instrumentation are kept at bay to ease the listener into the song. But, don’t confuse this as a lack of talent as you can hear there is plenty of that ever since the first note was strummed.

The mood gets elevated when the chorus kicks in. Gone is the acoustic sound of the guitar. In its place, an electric one with grunge sounds. I love the guitar solo during the bridge; it roars with plenty of emotions. Meanwhile, the bass picks up the pace with the changed of the tempo and the addition of the drums. The texture of the vocals also change. The vocalist changes from a soft tone to more gravelly, gritty timbre. I love this change — which is a signature vocal technique in (post-)grunge music — because these different vocal tones help the listeners feel the emotions of the song wholly.

Pausing and Rewinding in a Crucial Part in Our Lives

Arcadia Sun’s newest tune is called “Pause, Rewind”. An acoustic piano plays an ambient opening for the first twenty seconds. It is a perfect way to open a mid-tempo rock ballad. This opening sets the mood and eases the listener into next part of the song, which changes from an ambient, soft opening to a heavy rock chorus. I love the piano opening the piece; it is so mellow and calming.

Then, the mood of “Pause, Rewind” shifts into a mid-tempo rock tune. The drums kick off the change. The vocals then take charge of the main melody by singing emotionally-charged lyrics. The guitarist supports the singer with performing the sub-melody with blazing arpeggios.

“We must get it right, right now” are the words the listener hears during the chorus. These lyrics are very emotional: the listener can imagine that the main character is eager yet in despair to fix a mistake in a relationship that is dear to them. The singer’s gritty vocals aid the listener to feel these feelings found in the depth of the lyrics. These lyrics, as well as the singers and instruments, are paramount to any song. They help to portray a message as well as emotions. For “Pause, Rewind”, the lyrics are beautifully crafted to tell the need of pausing and rewinding in one’s relationship. The singer and the instruments help further solidify the emotions with the soft piano introduction, the blazing guitar arpeggio, and the gritty vocal tones.

Overall Thoughts

“All We Were”  and “Pause, Rewind” are must-listen pieces as they are mellow yet powerful. The musicality is top-notched; each note full of talent, emotions, and musical dedication. The emotions found in the lyrics are bare. You can hear heartbreak, hope, sadness, love, and other emotions oozing from each note. We all can relate to these emotions to a moment to our lives. “All We Were”  and “Pause, Rewind” are raw and powerful songs that are well-crafted by talented musicians.

Take a listen of “All We Were”  and “Pause, Rewind”. Can you relate to either of these songs? Tell me what you think in the comments below.

You Can Check Out “All We Were” and “Pause, Rewind”, as well as other songs, below on the band’s playlist:

---

About the Band

As stated above, Arcadia Sun is an alternative rock/indie rock band from Liverpool, England. The band members are Anthony Manley (Vocals), Adrian Nally (Guitar), James Marc Donnelly (Bass), Gareth Robert (Guitar), and Bart Gazdowicz (Drums). The band first performed this year. The band currently plays at various venues around the Liverpool area.

You can follow the band on these platforms:

Twitter //  Instagram // Facebook // Reverbnation