Carpe Carmina: Christmas giveaway & riddle fun: Wullae Wright

Christmas is here, bringing good cheer - and carpe carmina raises the christmas spirit gleefully by putting on its first giveaway. It's with deep-felt gratitude towards scottish singer/songwriter Wullae Wright that this novum on carpe carmina comes upon its audience - however, it does so with a little twist. In order to receive a digital copy of 'The Orange Line' (2013) for free the inclined reader and listener needs to prove himself 'worthy', i. e. he/she has to solve a lyric puzzle. 7 songs of the artist's repertoire have been chosen, 5 from 'The Orange Line' (2013), 2 from previous albums/EPs, and ought to be lyrically complemented. In the right order, the marked letters reveal the answer that is required to win 1 out of 3 digital copies of 'The Orange Line' (2013).

Wullae Wright

This way, those of you who are not acquainted with Wullae Wright's singular and sonic style, his lyrical suspense and expressivity, his poignantly yearning, soulfully haunting vocals, will get an insight in what makes his musicianship one destined to be appreciated and applauded to. Whereas those of you, who already know his musical signature and artistry, get the chance to indulge in his melodic gems once more - and it is undoubtedly rewarding to do so as the singer/songwriter's expansive and eventful music reveals new facets with each listen. The scottish artist's powerfully staggering, dynamic songs thus leave room to be musically interpreted, altered and to eventually come in a new musical livery. Picking up on this very characteristic and potential of Wullae Wright's music-making, 'Superhero', taken from 'The Orange Line' (2013), has been released as a charity single in 2014, alongside remixes, alternative versions and live recordings of songs from his 5th album, topped off with some yet unreleased compositions, in their entirety demonstrating both the singer/songwriter's mutability as a musician and the imposing aftermath of his artistry.

'Superhero' takes the listener's heart away by storm: whimsical and ardently longing vocals govern a melodically apollonian and mellow ballad fraught with tonal tension - brazen, sonorously clashing cymbal accents soar in an unsteady but all the more reverberative manner and add to a dynamically heady, nonetheless gently floating sonic soundscape.

'Any Minute Now' strikes a mellow, vibrantly rising musical chord likewise, sticks in the listener's mind primarily by means of tensely gripping, soulful vocal layers and harmonies.

'You Never Said Anything' (1999-2002) charms with its unaltered, raw acoustic style and Wullae's powerful, insistently absorbing, at times huskily fragile voice, complements the charity single release by embodiment of a genuine and firmly ringing composition, that needs to be heard to understand the haunting vocal prowess Mr. Wright possesses.

Artwork by Wullae Wright

Among a sensitively stirring acoustic and a warmly resonant, atmospheric live version of 'Superhero', 'Roadtrippin' is featured as a live recording (rehearsal, 2011) too and delights with harmonious, breezy acoustic guitar serenades, showcases an emotive and passionate vocal performance, ranging skillfully between poignant vulnerability and shaking, pushy vehemence.

Artwork by Wullae Wright

Belly Full Of Stars, Ambrose Chappel, Indigo Outlaw and Stuart Carroll stage their own creative take on Wullae Wright's music, array 'Superhero' and 'A Story of a Wall' in a bluesy and gloomy, nebulously swirling, briskly ponderous and emotionally involving fashion: 'The Sky Above And The Earth Below' - a remix of 'A Story of a Wall', created by Indigo Outlaw - opens in a suspensefully swooning tonal mood, pulsates with vivacious inconsistency in instrumental stream, installing dashing beats and elusive, fuzzy, bouncily stinging electronic friskiness in equal measure, and thereby makes for a zestfully spirited and strongly divergent rendition.

Artwork by Lee Fereday

Listening to Wullae Wright's music is as exciting as colourful and worthwhile, foremost invites the audience to embark on a diverse and dramatic musical journey. Has wanderlust enthralled you already? Then, what are you waiting for?! Start listening here and now, solve the riddle and stand a good chance of winning 1 out of 3 digital copies of 'The Orange Line' (2013).

(send your answer to @NessiHolt on twitter until january 31st 2015. Winners will be picked randomly and contacted in early february on twitter)

Let the riddle fun begin!

'The cops won't kill anyone, actually who cares, live free, die young and spend some time looking after _ _ _ _ _ _ one.' (Stand Alone (TOL))

'Sleeping, sleeping in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ under bridges, under bridges near the job I had on the banks, banks of the riverbed.' (Red Bridge (Opus. 1))

'Lights after dark, soul in the sky, playing all along, rivers run dry, picking up the pieces of good times _ _ _ _ _ _.' (A Stage with your own Fears, (TOL))

'Discovered something I had never found, discovered something I had never seen, discover what I needed to know, discover what I know or _ _ _ _ . Come on down without a sound. Come on down without a sound.' (UFO, (TOL))

'When they're _ _ _ _ _ _ _ around with their _ _ _ _ _ held proud, get every brick from the wall.' (A Story of a Wall (TOL))

'Here we are, strains and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ through life, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , _ _ _ _ _ melodies.' (All The Time (TOL))

'You want to believe in the same _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ lies, all in good humour.' (Sleight Of Hand (Under The Pyramids))

riddle hint: the sought answer consists of three words ( _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )

Reach out & listen to Wullae Wright on ...

.. twitter ...
.. the artist's official website ...
.. soundcloud ...
.. bandcamp ...

Read a detailed review of 'The Orange Line' (2013) here.