sound a (kind of) note
Of speech, to have or communicate a certain kind of tone or attitude. The president sounded an beleaguered note in his address to congress, as he tried to convince them to vote for the healthcare bill he is backing. The manager sounded a rather insincere note as he expressed his sorrow at the round of layoffs.
sound/strike a ˈnote (of ˈsth)
express feelings or opinions of a particular kind: She sounded a note of warning in her speech.