Release date: July 2nd, 2021
SEES THE LIGHT
Available Now on all streaming services
The album "Sees the light" started when all the emotions started running rampant when the pandemic of 2020 hit. I had been wanting to create my sophomore album and had a collection of songs that I wanted to put together. The issue was I didn't have a concrete theme to bring all the songs together and tell a story. The shutdown kick started my brain into thinking the "what if's", "what's to come", and "what's most important" in my life. There was a lot of bad happening around me (and many others) and all I was looking for was a little spark or a light to focus on rather than the darkness falling around me. Some old songs were removed from the original setlist and new ones were created. This is when SEES THE LIGHT was born.
Album Production Notes:
Lyrics - Matthew Cochran Guitars - Matthew Cochran
Drums - Matthew Cochran Piano / Keyboard - Matthew Cochran
Virtual Instruments - Matthew Cochran Produced: Matthew Cochran
Mixed: Matthew Cochran Mastered: Matthew Cochran
Artwork: Mattie Cochran
1. Out on the Seas
This instrumental starts the album. The song is supposed to evoke the feelings of a passenger aboard a ship setting out to sea. The passenger is embarking on a voyage that creates a sense of isolation aboard a ship at sea. There may be calm water, there may be rough waves or even strong storms. The passenger is starting on this passage not knowing what's to come, but hoping for something good.
2. IN THE WILDERNESS
During the pandemic one of the feelings that was most prevalent has been, the feeling of isolation. That is the theme of this song. The wilderness is the symbolic place of loneliness and the isolation that has been felt during these times. When our passenger of the story is stuck in the wilderness he feels lost and alone and just wants to feel the presence of someone/something with him. It stands out most in one of the last lines of the song ("This loneliness can't last, so will you grab my hand and stay with me?") That line is one of my favorites of the entire composition because there is optimism with our character saying this can't last and then the longing of needing help or tired of being alone.
3. W.D.T.G.
This "instrumental" is more of a transition in between songs, but stands for "where did the time go". There's two sides of this statement. The first thinking "where did the time go" that we are now longing for. The time that we now consider what was normal pre-pandemic. The second stage of thought is where did the time go in terms of how fast life moves. It seems the older we get, the faster it moves and we wonder where did the time go?
4.FOR YOU
This is the first song that started this whole project. This song is also written for my wife. For You is the first finished song of the album that kickstarted my idea for the theme. For You deals with helping each other out in our times of trouble. During the start of the pandemic people started worrying can we do this and live like this for now on. So much so it became a breaking point for some. In this song, it is saying I will do anything I can to help you through this. The chorus sets the feeling of the song saying “I will give my all to you, just to help you through climb the mountains to the valleys below."
5.SHINE IN THE DARKNESS
One of my favorite songs from when I was growing up was the song This Little Light Of Mine. I love the symbolism of always keeping faith or being a beacon for others to see. It was really easy during the pandemic to look for the negative, but more of a struggle to look for the positives or "the light". As hard as it is I'm a big believer of keeping the faith and always trying to look for the positive. In the song, the main character is facing the negative and always seeking for the why. The first person telling the story though believes that no matter what, I'm still going to shine. Positive spreads positivity. From a deeper standpoint, I also believe that the problems we face here on earth are small. In the big picture they are little road hurdles to bring us closer to our final destination. The lady singing at the start and end of the song is a lady name Doris McMurrary who was spending time in a state penitentiary in Huntsville, TX. I think her version gives strength in that if she can sing This Little Light of Mine while behind prison walls, I believe we all can behind the walls we all build up around ourselves. When we do that we are no longer trapped.
6.FEAR ITSELF
In his first inauguration President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "there's nothing to fear, except fear itself." This is a mighty profound statement to a group of humans who rely on watching the news 24/7 nowadays. All around the globe people are tied to their phone screens, computer screens, and tv screens listening to the next bad thing happening. As if that's not enough, newscasters try to put a spin on each side of the story considering the "what if's". Nothing is certain and there are many things we don't know for sure. It sends us down a narrow dark path when we constantly look at the depressing stories all around us. It only makes us even more fearful. Sometimes it's best to just turn off the news and see for yourself the good in the world. Heaven knows the 5 and 10 o'clock news won't. Don't let your heart be troubled, there is good in the world.
7.ALL WE NEED (2020)
There's nothing more comforting than a hand you can hold. With everything happening in the world, the Beatles said it best, "all you need is love".
8. HOME
This song is a three part song. The first part of the song is a song I wrote about the joy of home. Home may not always be where your house is located. For me, home will always be Michigan because. I grew up there for 26 years of my life. Even though my wife, daughter, and I all live in Florida and we have built a life here, my heart will always be back up north. During these troubling times, the best place we can be is at home. It's where the most comfort is given when we are weary. It's the place where we can always count on being loved. Finally, as good as it is getting out of the house now, home is where we find comfort. The second part of the song is my rendition of How Great Thou Art. This is a song that always brings comfort to me knowing one day, when Christ comes the joy I'll be filled with when I'm taken "home". Free from all of this that we face here on earth. I recorded this part after I heard of someone I know passing from the virus. Throughout her struggles (and passing) all the family could keep saying is how great God is. It tore me apart how in such tragedy, instead of being angry, they kept their faith and praised God. It hit me hard.
The song ends, and the album ends where it began. The last minute of the recording is the same intro music from track 1 called Out on the Seas. Except lyrics have been added to be thankful we've made it through:
Through the storms and through the pain, there came a better day. All the rain was washed away to bring the light of day. You were there by my side through the good & through the bad. We made it through now we see the light.