Video-Live #4 "No Surprises" ~ Radiohead
Fourth song in our Video-Live series on our YouTube channel!
While waiting for the rest of the Studio-Clips, we are maintaining the rate of at least one new video per month posted on the networks. And FOUR!
I'd like to remind you that those subscribed to our Newsletter not only get to choose the next song featured in these Video-Lives, but they also receive the audio the following month. 😮 You wouldn't want to miss out on that, right? And it's completely FREE! 🎉
1. The poll
This month, there were 20 of you helping us, even though the thinking period was very short!
Thanks to Frezlover, Magalilou, LaFamiiiiille, MagicIronSam, Adma357, Rower, BK_Chester, Amanova, Kreposucre, Goozeberry, E.Masegosa, Noella19300, LucMarcheCiel, Hermione, Embabo_, F5PBG, Fofffie, Celia8603, Kahn08 et CoccinelleMauve for your participation 😘 !
Like last month, we clearly had a title that stood out from the others. Most of you preferred a Radiohead cover! We were very surprised by the result. We thought that a song in French would stand out, well, not at all!
2. Song Introduction
We find "No Surprises" on Radiohead's third album, the famous OK Computer released in 1998.
What does this song say? Wikipédia states: "Yorke identified the subject of the song as "someone who's trying hard to keep it together but can't". The lyrics seem to portray a suicide or an unfulfilling life, and dissatisfaction with contemporary social and political order. Some lines refer to rural or suburban imagery. The gentle mood contrasts with the harsh lyrics, and Yorke described the song as a "fucked-up nursery rhyme". [Yay! 🥳] One of the key metaphors is the opening line, "a heart that's full up like a landfill". Yorke said the song "stems from my unhealthy obsession of what to do with plastic boxes and plastic bottles ... All this stuff is getting buried, the debris of our lives. It doesn't rot, it just stays there. That's how we deal, that's how I deal with stuff, I bury it."
Another very happy song, as you will have understood. We have a weakness for creations that are both beautiful and powerful, but also gut-wrenching. 😇
No Surprises
A heart that's full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won't heal
You look so tired and unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us
I'll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide
No alarms and no surprises (x3)
Silent, silent
This is my final fit, my final bellyache with
No alarms and no surprises (x3)
Such a pretty house, such a pretty garden
No alarms and no surprises (x3)
Get me out of here! (x3) Please...
3. Our version
A cover of guitar, piano and two voices (the little originality is on this last point). Greatly inspired by this live duet version with Johnny Greenwood, we added our touch with a slightly more extensive piano which supports our two voices which evolve in crescendo.
Of course, we could have kept this "lullaby" atmosphere, but the idea of bringing this evolving contrast during the song seemed relevant to us. Especially with this last chorus where I get the lead and this terrible, completely desperate “Get me out of here” which ends with a “please” which will probably never be heard...
Once we knew that "No Surprises" had been selected among three other titles, we looked more seriously at the vocal harmonies, the small variations of melodies and the accompaniment. Two big, intense days to agree and rehearse all these new features and subtleties before starting filming.
Finally, as we wanted this contrast of lullaby towards heartbreak, Alex offered us a softer piano sound than the one you have heard so far.
4. Filming
For this video, we kept this configuration where Cloud is on the left of the screen. But since the hierarchy of voices was still different from previous reshoots, we positioned the cameras even differently. And for a change, Cloud chose to offer split shots on the screen to see our two faces specifically. It changes from previous edits.
Another epic shoot! 20 takes for this song. There were a lot of details that we cared about and seemed like nothing, a particular attention to be given to the voice with intervals towards the bass to be respected, a piano/voice independence that was still fresh for me. It was only towards the end of filming that I decided to free up one ear to be able to concentrate on my very soft choir and outside of my comfort zone, to the detriment of a thin piano sound in my ear RIGHT. We will eventually find the best way to check in comfortably! 😅
Story INSTAGRAM de fin de tournage (bloopers)
Cloud was very apprehensive about this song. At first, he didn't even want to put it forward in the survey. But too late, it had already been launched and you wanted to have this title. In the end, it came out very well, and even though we struggled to have THE most perfect version possible of what we wanted to obtain, we really like the result.
Here again, we had to hurry to review the arrangement, rehearse it and do the filming before the departure of Cloud who would not return to Lorraine before September 27... Alex, for his part, was able to take his time (well, a little more), to do the mixing and mastering, unlike the 3 previous titles. We need to find a more interesting balance between the time to think about the arrangement, the solo and duo rehearsal work, and the mixing/mastering time, in order to be sure to be effective without being in tight flow. But all this depends on the intensity of the “other” work to be provided during the month and the availability of each person. What will the song of the month of October have in store for us? 😁
5. To wrap up
Do you like our version of “No Surprises”? You could receive it for free in high quality in your mailbox if you subscribe to our Newsletter (max one per month and we do not sell your data) before October 7, 2024... Afterwards, you will only be able to listen to it in loop on our Youtube channel (which also suits us).
Thank you so much for your invaluable support 🥰. These Video-Lives are funded thanks to Twitch subscriptions and bit donations during our live streams (Mix/Mastering + equipment). Additionally, your comments on YouTube, likes, and shares help us gain more visibility and lend us credibility with event organizers. 🫶
What are we preparing for the 5th Live Video? My lead voice this time and always an arrangement revised for improvement, hehe... You will discover the titles in the next welding sent in the October Newsletter. I'm very curious to see what you choose!
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