I first recorded this Arthur Russell song nearly 4 years ago. Hated it, scrapped most of the vocals. Still hated it. Fail again, fail better. Here's something I'm satisfied with.

Keeping Up (Arthur Russell Cover)

My love letter to the great musician Arthur Russell. Been working on this one for a long time, with a lot of false starts and stops.

Arthur's Cello

Get Around to It (Arthur Russell Cover)

Cover of one of my favorite Arthur Russell songs. I have too many favorites, but this one feels especially inspirational to me. I used my bass guitar to mimic Arthur's playing.

Me For Real (Arthur Russell Cover)

Cover of an Arthur Russell song. This took me months to work on, and you can kinda hear the point where I gave up trying to recreate Arthur's synths perfectly and just decided to wing it. Still, I'm proud of it, and imitation and interpretation are two different things, and too much imitation can lead to dullness. Yeah, that's my excuse...

That’s Us/Wild Combination (Arthur Russell Cover)

Song I recorded several years ago and decided to release for old time's sake.

Oh Baby (LCD Soundsystem Cover)

When you’re down and out
I’ll be coming round
To pick you off the ground
And send you on your way again

When you’re down and out
Washed up in the lost and found
Falling with an awful sound
And you wish that it would end

Nothing you can do, nothing you can say
To make these feelings go away
Hold on tight, reach for the light
Night will soon fade into day
And everything will be okay

When you’re lost at sea
Please hold fast to me
I’ll pull you with my teeth
And carry you back to the shore

I’ll say it once again
Your mind is not your friend
You’ve got to buck the trend
How to do it, I’m not sure

Nothing you can do, nothing you can say
To keep these hungry wolves at bay
Hold on tight, reach for the light
Night will soon fade into day
And everything will be okay

When you’re feeling blue
I’ll be there for you
I’ll be your perfect fool
To make you laugh and smile

If you could only see
This perfect tragedy
If only you could see
That it’s all worthwhile

Nothing I can do, nothing I can say
Can free this cardinal from its cage
Try to fly, reach for the light
All these thoughts will fade away
And everything will be okay

Reach For The Light

I'll Still Destroy Myself

Learning to Fly

Languid cover of Arthur Russell's 'Let's Go Swimming' I cooked up one sleepless night.

Let's Go Swimming (Arthur Russell Cover)

Reupload 

All the old punk rockers
With their canes and walkers
Talking ‘bout how things have changed 
Since the golden days

Always looking back
Off the beaten track
Saying things were better then
But they can’t remember when

Shoot me with your six-gun
I’ve been shooting off my mouth too much
But it ain’t my fault, all the old punk rockers
Never shut up, never shut up, never shut up
Never shut up

All the old punk rockers
With their castles conquered
Always trying to say
Things were better in their day

Summoning the dead
Through blown-out speakers
Toothless wolves
Washed-up creatures 

Quick to talk shit when they’re just not with it
Looks like the zeitgeist passed you by
Perish the thought
Looks like you’ve lost the plot

Shoot me with your six-gun
I’ve been shooting off my mouth too much
But it ain’t my fault, all the old punk rockers
Never shut up, never shut up, never shut up
Never shut up

All the old punk rockers
Blather on, big talkers
Trying to get their way
But they’ve had their day

All the Old Punk Rockers

You were born in a blackout
On the edge of the night
And ever since you’ve been chased by the light

When you were young you tried so hard
To play the part, to shift your shape
You threw all your childhood toys away

They branded your palm with a cross
Impossible to hide
Here in the dark, you’ll wear it with pride

You touched my face to trace the scars
To prove I was real
It’s only a blackout, there’ll be time to heal

Someday you’ll find a way to survive
On the edge of the night
You’ll find the darkness fits just right

It gets better if you can believe
These memories will never go away
But maybe someday the scars will fade

You were born in a blackout
This isn’t the end
Everything that falls will someday rise again

Born in a Blackout Pt. II

Day to day
Nothing ever changes
Draw a picture of a face
Cut and paste and rearrange it

My life keeps piling up
I can’t keep it in the closet
I don’t want to wake one day
To find out that I’ve lost it

Blue skies will swallow us
Blue skies will swallow us whole
Blue skies will swallow us
Blue skies will swallow us whole

I stand up straight with open arms
Hoping it will take the bait
It’s only a matter of time
I can wait, yes I can wait

Day to day
The hours just crawl by
Everything is different, now
I couldn’t tell you why

I’m following instructions
But I’m not getting anywhere
Maybe I should’ve read the manual
But what’s the point of splitting hairs?

Blue skies will swallow us
Blue skies will swallow us whole
Blue skies will swallow us
Blue skies will swallow us whole

I stand up straight with open arms
Hoping it will take the bait
It’s only a matter of time
I can wait, yes I can wait

Blue skies will swallow us
Blue skies will swallow us whole
Blue skies will swallow us
Blue skies will swallow us whole

Blue Skies Will Swallow Us

Let My Love Open the Door (Pete Townshend Cover)

We were broken but we kept ourselves together
With tacky glue and safety pins
We were broken down, under the weather
Waiting for the sun to rise again

In the soft light
Of the fireside
I whispered your name

And like a spirit
From the darkness
You rose from the flames

In the soft light…
In the soft light…

We were broken but we kept the fire burning
We made it last all night
We were broken but the world kept right on turning 
Grabbed each other and held on tight

In the soft light
Of the fireside
I whispered your name

And like a spirit
From the darkness
You rose from the flames

In the soft light…
In the soft light…
In the soft light…
In the soft light…

All this time
You were at my side
All this time
You matched my stride

We were broken but we kept ourselves together
I used you like a crutch
Who’s to say whether things will get better
We’ve never asked for much

In the soft light
Of the fireside
I whispered your name

And like a spirit
From the darkness
You rose from the flames

In the soft light…
(All this time)
In the soft light…
(You were at my side)
In the soft light…
(All this time)
In the soft light…
(You matched my stride)

(In the soft light…)
All this time
You were at my side
All this time
You matched my stride

In the Soft Light

May you live in interesting times
May you live in interesting times
The kids outside are singing nursery rhymes
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
All fall down

Here we go, boys, brace positions
This will be our last transmission
We’re falling off the edges of the map

No visible means of support
We don’t know what we’re heading for
We’ll bend the willow branches ‘till they snap

May you live in interesting times
May you live in interesting times 
Fruit is rotting, falling off the blackening vine
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
All fall down

Ashes, Ashes

Cover of one of my favorite tracks from Revolver. Recorded a loooong time ago.

I’m Only Sleeping (Beatles Cover)

Straw man at the head of the line
Dark horse sneaking up from behind
Dark horse up against the odds
Dark horse calling all the shots

Lone Ranger on the narrow ledge
Dark horse living on the edge
Swan dive into the river of sin
Will he sink or will he swim?

Dark horse in a government car
Dark horse driving fast and far
All alone to the bitter end
Dark horse can’t afford a friend

They say he doesn’t stand a chance
Dark horse don’t give a good goddamn
It’s all going according to plan 
He’s got the whole world in his hands

Dark horse smoke Lucky Strikes
Slides a clip in his Armalite
He’s whatever you want him to be
Rising up against the bourgeoisie 

Straw man in the motorcade
Dark horse mans the barricade
Cobblestones and Molotovs fly
Dark horse gonna hang ‘em high 

They say he’s trying to make a buck
Dark horse don’t give a flying fuck
Line ‘em up against the wall
But dark horse won’t take the fall

Straw man running for the coast
Dark horse follows like a ghost 
It’s all going according to plan
He’s got the whole world in his hand

Dark Horse

All the rage
All the shame
Washed away
In the rain

Are you feeling better, now?
Let it all come rushing out
Are you feeling better, now?
Let the walls come crashing down

I used to cross the line, every time
I’ve left that all behind me, now
It’s in the past, and there it will stay
I try and try to push it all away

All the rage
All the shame
Strike a match
Spark the flame

Are you feeling better, now?
Let it all come rushing out
Are you feeling better, now?
Let the walls come crashing down

Try as I might, I welcome the fire
See how hard I cling to righteous rage
I’m an animal, feral and hostile
Breaking the bottles, pushing the throttle

All the rage
All the shame
What remains
Can’t be made whole again

Does that make it better, now?
Maybe you could show me how
To chase away the rage
Wipe clean the slate and turn the page

All the rage
All the rage
It’s all the rage back home

All the Rage Back Home

I sang a song for you
Into the telephone
Tried to sing it in person
But you weren’t home

Don’t lie about it
I can read you like a magazine
I know you’re scared
You shouldn’t have to be

Don’t let them tell you
How it’s meant to be
You never looked more alive
Then when you were kissing me

Pay no mind to 
What your father says
If it felt so right 
Then it can’t be bad

When you came to my door
Missing your front teeth
I knew it couldn’t last
I knew we had to leave

So pack your bags and wait
I’ll grab my mother’s keys
We’ll leave tonight
I will set you free

Run fast and free
Young runaways
It gets better
Wait and see

Young Runaways

I couldn’t help myself
The look on your face
I couldn’t help myself
Now I cannot look away

Blame my curiosity
I make no apology
I just had to see
What it was he didn’t want us to see
Now look what he’s done to me

I couldn’t help myself
The look on your face
I couldn’t help myself
Now I cannot look away
You don’t even remember my name…

He wanted us to believe
But I just had to see
I just had to see…

No one deserves blind faith from me
Not even a deity
Now look what’s become of me

I couldn’t help myself
The look on your face
I couldn’t help myself
Now I cannot look away
Do you even remember my name?

I couldn’t help myself
The look on your face
I couldn’t help myself
Now I cannot look away

Lot's Wife

He’s leaving home
He’s in a borrowed car
He’s heading west
He’s travelling far
His is alone for the first time in his short life
Alone with the road and the stars

He’s leaving Ohio
Past cornfields and silos and barns
He leaves it all behind him
In the trunk is his father’s guitar
He sees the sun set on the Rockies in the distance
Soon he will be with the stars

Traveling Song

Surrender, sweet surrender
Don’t fall back just yet
I give myself completely
I swear I’m not a threat

I’m running up the white flag
I’m throwing up my hands
You’ve taken me your prisoner
I am at your command

Surrender, sweet surrender
I gave myself away
Who cares who won the battle
Who cares who saved the day

Surrender, sweet surrender
I made this mess for you
To occupy your time
The long night through

The fighting’s got me tired
I’m almost at wit’s end
I’m looking for a conqueror
To fence me in

Surrender, sweet surrender
I’ll lay my weapon down
I’m giving you the city keys
Surrendering my crown

Take me to your dungeon
And chain me to the wall
It’s nice to have a torturer
At my beck and call

Surrender, sweet surrender
I gave myself away
I’ll let you have it all
If you lead me astray

Surrender, sweet surrender…

Sweet Surrender

In the grand scheme of things, you never had a chance
Now there’s only enough time left for one last dance
Nothing really matters at this point, so why complain
Step into the spotlight of the oncoming train

All the friends you threw aside to get this far
They’ll expose you for the wretch you really are
There’ll be no more secrets left for you to hide
You’ll be ruined, that is, if you can last the night

Tell me no more lies
Nothing I haven’t heard before
Is there more to the story than at first glance?
When you fall apart
Shattered on the marble floor
Who will be the one to lead the final dance?

Everything you worked so hard to build will be erased
All your careful crafted loyalties will prove misplaced
Now the stormtroopers are breaking down your door
This is the fateful climax it’s all been building towards

Tell me no more lies
Nothing I haven’t heard before
Is there more to the story than at first glance?
When you fall apart
Shattered on the marble floor
Who will be the one to lead the final dance?

The time has come to reap the seeds you’ve sown
And you’ll find this time to your surprise you’re on your own

Tell me no more lies
Nothing I haven’t heard before
Is there more to the story than at first glance?
When you fall apart
Shattered on the marble floor
Who will be the one to lead the final dance?

One Last Dance

Come in From the Cold (Joni Mitchell Cover)

No one knows what the future holds
It’s a mystery
And no one cares what the past can teach us
Ancient history 

I’m losing touch with my six senses, one by one
I’ll be set adrift in a paper boat once you’re gone

And if I ever catch Father Time I’ll throttle him
Think I’m going overboard for a little swim
But after every darkest night comes the brightest dawn

Here comes the sun…
Here comes the sun…

No one wants to face the truth
That’s a fact
And no one wants to save the girl
Tied down to the tracks

It’s so easy to cut to the chase, to jump the gun
I was cut from the team before I had a chance to run

And if I ever catch Harlequin, I’ll knock him out
But you can’t slow the torrent from the river’s mouth
And you know, deep down, this race has only just begun

Here comes the sun…
Here comes the sun…
Here comes the sun...
Here comes the sun...
Here comes the sun

Here Comes the Sun

Hazel eyes, amplified
The wallpaper is starting to peel
On a roll but we lost control
Too many hands on the steering wheel

Where to go, I don’t know
I’m on the sofa, fast asleep
Carry me out, roses in my mouth
We’ve forgotten how to breathe

That’s just life in the bush of ghosts
That’s just how it goes out here
That’s just life on the haunted coast
You have nothing to fear

Underground, there’s no sound
Except the grand cacophony
Rock and roll, swallowed whole
The echoes of eternity 

Trouble come, cut and run
Take the bug-out bag and go
Off the grid, careful kid
You’ll reap just what you sow

That’s just life in the bush of ghosts
That’s just how it goes out here
That’s just life on the haunted coast
You have nothing to fear

That’s just life in the bush of ghosts
That’s just how it goes out here
That’s just life in the lost outposts
You have nothing to fear 

Life in the Bush of Ghosts

Funny Weather

Passing Through

Graceland On Repeat

Looked out the window, there they were
A thousand blackbirds on the lawn
They came and went like red alerts
I blinked my eyes and they were gone

Fly away, far from this town
Where all these troubles weigh you down
Fly away beyond the wood
We would join you if we only could

Followed a path, away it led
Into the wood where the blackbirds flew
Past the barren garden beds
Where the marigolds once grew

There was a parliament of birds
Discussing tariffs in the trees
I tried to get my opinions heard
They paid no attention to me

Fly away, far from this town
Where all these troubles weigh you down
Fly away beyond the wood
We would join you if we only could

When everything is said and done
The birds will take to the skies
Fleeing from the farmer’s gun
The murmuration starts to rise

Fly away, far from this town
Where all these troubles weigh you down
Fly away beyond the wood
We would join you if we only could

Fly away, my blackbirds
Things ‘round here can only get much worse
Fly away into the blue
I’d give anything to go with you

Blackbirds

Sad songs you can dance to. 
Anyone hawking promo can piss off, please. 
‘Bleak Horizon’ out now!

Connemara

Pinned to spotlight

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