Following the somber opening of the Pandemic Suite, this hymn of hope begins to rise. Echoing Mendelssohn’s chorale from Elijah— "Wer bis an das Ende beharrt", engl: “He that shall endure to the end”— the brass instruments proclaim a steadfast call to persevere through the weight of troubled times.

Pandemic Suite – 02. Hymnus

Cover interpretation of 'Train Leaves Here This Morning', written by Gene Clark and Bernie Leadon, and originally performed by Dillard and Clark. This track arranged, recorded and produced by Alan Neale.

- Alan Neale: Drums, Vocals, Cabasa, Temple block
- Chris Nunn: Electric Piano.
- Peter Theobald: Bass Guitar.
- Gary Lindley: Electric and Acoustic Guitars.
- Elena Matucci: Finger clicks.

Train Leaves Here This Morning (Dillard & Clark cover)

Sparks (For two + guitars)

Second song from the rock opera Five Thousand Sasquatch. A musical comedy about a genius toy inventor who is searching for Bigfoot and UFO's in Bellingham, Washington.

The Slurp

Written by James Geer

Let’s go to the mountains
Let’s go to the beach
Let’s get on the highway 
Somewhere out of reach

Don’t mind the destination
Don’t mind the time in the car
Let’s have some recreation
Get away from where we are

Climbing walls when we
Could be climbing mountains
Let’s go get a different 
Point of view

I don’t really care
I’d go anywhere
With you
Doesn’t matter where
As long as I am there
With you

Let’s jump in the car
Let’s board a plane
Let’s climb on a bus
Let’s hop on a train

Never mind the destination
We can leave today
Throw some clothes in a bag
For an overnight stay

Let’s go

Lyrics:

I was king of the world, walked the land so free
Mountains bowed to me, no danger to see
But I felt the winds change, heard the sky break wide
A fireball’s coming, there’s nowhere to hide

The ground shakes beneath my feet
The air's grown stale, yet bittersweet
And I can see the end, it’s written in flames
Nothing we built will ever remain

I called the comet just a spark
A flicker meant to light the dark
I said that God would let us be
That fire was never meant for me
We crowned the beast and closed one eye
Then dared the world to split the sky
But soon the leopards bare their teeth
And tear the lies from underneath

We carved our thrones from wax and pride
Then struck the sparks we couldn’t hide
Laughed at crows that lined the wires
Mocked the smoke before the fires

The fireball splits the skies
To advertise my lies
are just maggots and flies

Now I see the end 
is written in flames
Nothing we built will ever remain

First came silence, fear and dread
The world shuddered and mourned the dead
Crows took flight with silver cries
To peck the rot and eat the flies

Then came the dawn, with truth ablaze
Children yelled through smoke and haze
Science grew roots, the wise made rain
And broke the world out from my chain

They scrawled my name on walls of shame
Unmasked the lies that fed my name
My echo burned, my shadow banned
No idols left, no thieving hand

I fed the lies until they screamed
I kiss the storm I make-believed
The old wax throne, just melt and bone
Ground to dust by minds full grown

The fireballs coming
I made it so
Truth is not a democratic show
It is a force of nature though
It doesn’t ask
It only shows

Fireball

Sticks and stones they crack the air
Splinters flying everywhere
But words they cut like jagged glass
Shards of venom dressed in sass

She whispers sharp she bites the night
A tongue of fire no end in sight

Sticks and stones might bruise your bones
But her words they carve through thrones
Venom in her tone sting in her spit
Every syllable a dagger hit

Sticks and stones .mp3

Torbjørn: vocal, instrumental and vocal composition https://soundcloud.com/tobbenv
Oddrun: vocal and vocal composition
Mastering: Njål Frode Lie
Poem: William Blake
"Ah! Sun-flower" is a poem by William Blake, published in his collection Songs of Experience in 1794. The poem explores themes of longing, weariness, and the human desire for something beyond earthly existence, using the sunflower as a symbol. 

A big thank you to you Torbjørn, what a great joy to sing this beautiful poem.

Poem: William Blake

Ah! sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun,
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done;

Where the youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves and aspire;
Where my sunflower wishes to go.

Ah! Sun-flower. Torbjørn Vagle. Oddrun Eikli

No Rehersals

Beyond Time

Lush Atmospheric Guitar Centric Lofi Rock Pop ;-)

Long Live Love

Only very slightly evil hippy of the old tradition.
1 guy, strat, Yamaha acoustic. iPad. substances.
I’m no Conway Twitty. 😕
Listening pleasure proportionate to cannabis intake.