Breathe Appreciation Thread

[Shortman45]

I don't post here often and I am sure it has been posted somewhere already, but I have to say I am loving the preview of Breathe.



It clearly has the sound of the ODR record, and I think it has something that their later songs are missing. Not sure what it is though.

Whilst I love the progression they have made musically and I am eagerly awaiting the record to come out, hearing this preview just reminded of those days.
Is it that Mark wrote the melody, music and lyrics?
Is it changes in their experience/skill that has changing their style?

Just thought it deserved a thread for some healthy discussion.

[antiwal]

Its been discussed enough in The Last Hero thread in my opinion.

[The Plotblocker]

I have to be honest. I wasn't aware of the ODR elitism in the fan base until recently. I love all the albums and how the band have evolved into the beast they are today. ODR is a fantastic album, but is essentially a slightly heavier Creed album. Blackbird is where the true AB sound began for me. Once Myles stepped into more writing duties and picked up his axe, everything just came together so amazingly well and has just kept on growing since.

[antiwal]

I have to be honest. I wasn't aware of the ODR elitism in the fan base until recently. I love all the albums and how the band have evolved into the beast they are today. ODR is a fantastic album, but is essentially a slightly heavier Creed album. Blackbird is where the true AB sound began for me. Once Myles stepped into more writing duties and picked up his axe, everything just came together so amazingly well and has just kept on growing since.

[Timotheus]

I don't think they've really grown. They've been going in different directions. I'm taking Blackbird as a beginning point here, because I agree that's the "first" Alter Bridge album. Technically they might have grown and have become a tighter band, I'll give them that, but when it comes to lyrics, production and essence I don't think they're doing a more mature job now they than they used to.

And I say that with all the respect in the world, because I absolutely love Fortress.

[Lotha]

^ Agree completely. If anything, when it comes to lyrics, they've regressed on TLH (judging by what we have of the lyrics so far, of course).
Maybe I'm just not the fan of the overall theme, but I just don't feel it.

[Crumbso]

IMHO Myles doesn't paint as vivid a picture with words as Mark does but the sheer sincerity, compassion of the subjects and all-round good dudeness of Myle's delivery is what makes the songs.

Even now, Burn it Down is as good a description of depression I've ever heard. Myles is the king of delivery though.

[Sparky]

...the sheer sincerity, compassion of the subjects and all-round good dudeness of Myle's delivery is what makes the songs.

This. Exactly.

I realize my perspective on this band might be slightly atypical, but I'm the type of music fan in general who could not care less about technical details. I don't care about how something is recorded or produced or what was used to achieve this sound or that effect or what have you. The only thing that matters to me is the end result and the unconscious impact it has on me as a listener.

I think truly great music, that which is capable of reaching its listeners at a level below the superficial, can only be achieved when the musician deeply cares about what they're addressing. That element of pure honesty always finds a way to manifest itself through the music, and that makes all the difference. It doesn't even have to be a subject I care about at all myself; the passion of the writer directly feeds my appreciation of their work.

On the surface, Alter Bridge is not at all the type of band I would normally be a fan of. They're very much unlike the black metal that makes up the majority of my collection. In fact, I often even find myself in fundamental disagreement with a lot of their lyrical themes. But the thing that roped me in and keeps me hooked to this band is the magic in the performance and delivery. The sincerity, the vulnerability, the wholehearted commitment with which they put their souls into what they create. That is a rare gift, and it's just as present today as it ever has been.

[facelessman07]

For me, it's the vocals. Listen to this versus the new songs such as MC & SMAL

Night and day honestly

[Fish Tacos]

I have to be honest. I wasn't aware of the ODR elitism in the fan base until recently. I love all the albums and how the band have evolved into the beast they are today. ODR is a fantastic album, but is essentially a slightly heavier Creed album. Blackbird is where the true AB sound began for me. Once Myles stepped into more writing duties and picked up his axe, everything just came together so amazingly well and has just kept on growing since.

I wouldn't really describe it as elitism. As the first album, it set the stage and precedent for the sound people expected to hear from the band. Bands change sounds over time, a good example is Trapt's first album Amalgamation which in my opinion is just plain awful, but then their second album did well and had their signature sound. I think a similar thing happened with P.O.D. The difference between these two instances is that ODR went gold and wasn't some garage demo before the band was known. If that's the sound that let you fall in love in the band in the first place, it makes sense that people would hold it in higher regard than the albums where Myles had a heavier hand in the music and before a lot of the extra mixing layers were added. And it's not to say Myles shouldn't. I remember an interview where Mark was walking past Myles' room one night and heard him doing some bluesy lick and he was like "hey! you can play?! why didn't you tell us?" and Myles said he didn't want to overstep his bounds with how the group saw him fitting in. So yeah, I understand why the sound changed because they rightly wanted full collaboration amongst all the band members. It's just that some people really loved that original sound. I also think ODR has a much heavier introspective theme than the other albums.

[Jim]

For me, it's the vocals. Listen to this versus the new songs such as MC & SMAL

Night and day honestly

Tru dat. But time passes, Myles has picked up new techniques and learned a lot about his voice in 12 years. I love the growth they've shown as artists in the progression of the albums. Blackbird will always be my favourite rock album of all time, but I can absolutely recognise the night and day differences between then and now

[Fish Tacos]

I would like to say though that I really appreciate the guys getting together and giving us a ODR track. It sounds like on some level they recognize how many people love ODR and they want to give them something in addition to their new work. Maybe we will get On My Way Now, Cruel Sun and Solace in the future as well.

[The Plotblocker]

I think the case with Breathe being released now has more to do with how long it took to gett he masters back from Wind Up (I may be wrong on this one). As for the lyrical side of things. I hear what you are saying in regards to Myles lyrics being more simple in nature. Mark paints a really vivid image.He is just a little too preachy at times for my liking.

[Them Bones]

Them releasing On My Way Now would be monumental. Those folks at that show were extremely lucky.

Just gonna post this again because its so awesome.

[The Plotblocker]

Them releasing On My Way Now would be monumental. Those folks at that show were extremely lucky.

Just gonna post this again because its so awesome.

Yeah, adore this song so much and dream of a day we may hear it properly. Was it even recorded though? I though Breathe was the only unreleased b-side they had actually completed recording for.

[Ubik]

Pretty sure they recorded Solace as well, but not totally certain. Still think my idea of a one-off all acoustic performance would be immense.

[ToNsOFuN88]

Am I the only one who wants to hear the Mark version of all the songs? I know he has some in his possession. He confirmed he had breathe with him singing.

[Felypesh]

Here's a cover of Breathe by me, it's the first minute of the snippet on YouTube, hope you like it

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLPf-C9giUf ... uEOAYHkM0/

[alterchris]

The snippet of this song is amazing! It takes me back to the days of old AB... oh man the goosebumps.

[AB23]

It's alright. It's just 4 minutes of the first minute snippet.

I can see why it's a B side on ODR. Think they could have done a lot better on the chorus, but the verses are amazing