“When I was a kid I used to wait in anticipation for new episodes of MTV’s ‘Unplugged.’ I loved how artists would sit on stools in an intimate venue and perform their otherwise electrified songs on almost entirely acoustic instruments. At its best, ‘Unplugged’ versions of songs could outshine the ‘official’ versions,” Brett says. He reminisces on the incredible artistry and imagination of episodes featuring Nirvana, Neil Young and Jay-Z, all of whom showcased how a good song could be arranged in many ways, with different instruments, tempos, and altogether different life. When he and Josh were asked to do an acoustic tour in 2019 – the tour that led to their ultimate comeback – the duo began to strip back and reimagine their most well-loved songs much in the spirit of ‘Unplugged,’ laying the foundation for A Dream Away. He continues, “It was a very fun challenge to try and honor the pure, creative spirit these songs were originally made with while building upon the acoustic foundation with mellotrons, pianos, glockenspiels, woodwinds, and a healthy dose of strings. I hope that the love and care and time we put into these arrangements shines through.” – Brett Detar on the origins of A Dream Away
The band also released two incredible videos for tracks off of A Dream Away this year. “We’re At The Top Of The World” (Reimagined) starts out by turning the band’s most popular track into a grungy black metal song and video, complete with The Number Twelve Looks Like You’s Jesse Korman in corpse paint rocking out in the woods being filmed by The Dillinger Escape Plan‘s Ben Wieman. After “CUT!” is called, Korman pops his headphones back on and dances through the woods to the real Reimagined version of “We’re At The Top Of The World” – complete with woodland animals singing along.
The moving video for “Better Now” was released on New Year’s Day and seeks to look towards a brighter future and better days ahead – a resonant message in 2021. “This video tells three separate stories of humans battling their own monsters,” Detar says. “Maybe their stories aren’t exactly your story but as the lyric says ‘everyone’s got issues just creeping underneath – secret sleeping demons – no one even sees them – but you can show yours to me.’ Maybe I’m a dreamer but I still believe in the power of art to help us heal so If you’re looking for some encouragement please watch this beautiful video. Here’s to new beginnings.
A Dream Away
1. “Better Now”
2. “Into The Dark” (Reimagined)
3. “Is Patience Still Waiting?” (Reimagined)
4. “We’re At The Top Of The World” (Reimagined)
5. “If I Told You This Was Killing, Me Would You Stop?” (Reimagined)
6. “Bring It Low” (Reimagined)
7. “Constellation” (Reimagined)
8. “Duane Joseph” (Reimagined)