"Slow Backwards"

say it slow
say it backwards

these words are
these words are
shades of pink and they're on the diagonal
art for art's sake, knowledge is power
when I was a bird I sat on the power
lines in the rain or the sunshine
got lost in the wow and flutter of life
then I closed my eyes and moved past it
I got a taste for the old things now
and I've fallen in love with the classics
this is the analog prolog
I've got protagonist syndrome
wash your hands twice before you think about kissing him
divide up the nights into equal temperament
bottom shelf whiskey with a hint of cinnamon
don't say it so fast, don't say it so fast
once it's out there, you can't take it back

slow down
I wanna hear it like you spoke it backwards
slow down
I wanna hear it like you spoke it backwards

these words are
these words are
the deepest of blues and almost as soothing
everyone feels like their life is a movie
I almost wish that time would stop moving
uncomfortably close and you see right through me
I painted a bird
when I was a bird I loved to travel
collected abstract sentences and put them together
pinky swear that we'll spend time together
indian giver you think you're so clever
drink with your hands and share some with others
cracked screen, bad dreams, ripped sleeve, take these
pills out of your medicine cabinet
the story is fiction does it make it less tragic
it's not an addiction, just slow down

slow down
slow down
slow down
slow down

make sure to repeat it because it's important
repeat it for those who missed it
repeat it, you said it to fast
say it again
repeat it so they know you're serious
did they hear you
repeat it if they don't understand
repeat it because you like the way it sounds
tell 'em again
repeat it because you like the way it sounds
tell 'em again
when I was a bird I sang as loud as I could
I wanted everyone to hear me
when I was a bird I sang as loud as I could
I wanted everyone to hear me
when I was a bird I sang as loud as I could
I wanted everyone to hear me
when I was a bird I sang as loud as I could
I wanted everyone to hear me
when I was a bird I sang as loud as I could
I wanted everyone to hear me
when I was a bird I sang as loud as I could
I wanted everyone to hear me

Slow Backwards

"Old Drugs"

teach me 'bout your old drugs
I wanna feel some new things
tired of this same buzz
swimming 'round in my brain
just pick me up or hold me
wrap me up in cellophane
and hug me 'till I cant breathe
put me in your microwave

until I'm warm
and cavin' in
felt the sun
filled my skin
I'm given in, oh I'm
I'm letting go
lost my job at the
corner store on Main

old drugs
old drugs

and I know about your old drugs
opiates and novocaines
I'm drowning in this new buzz
it's saturated my brain
set me down or drop me
just throw me through your windowpane
I'm staring out the front door
I smell you on my pillowcase

I know I'm soft
and I've given in
now the sun
burns my skin
and I've given up, oh I've
I've let go
built a home behind the
corner store on Main

old drugs
new pains
old drugs
new pains
old drugs
new pains
old drugs
new pains

Old Drugs

"Alright Okay"

alright okay

apathetic altruism or patriotic patriotism and
sink your teeth into the apple that you paid for
songs sung not as often when they rhyme less
choosing language over pictures, cause to misconception
right handed leftist sneak into the press section
bloody nose from the space heater
broken clock above the sleeper sofa
steamer truck passed up, generational let down
overdose on gasoline, bus stop amphetamine
invasive alchemist killing home grown agriculture
historic snake oil worth less than what you paid for
brown out, upcharge, cash cow in the sandbox
rich ass banker buying boats for the landlocked
I don't know words, but I sure know how to speak them
I don't know people, so I fake it when I greet them

oh my god I can't stand it
swimmin round with the likes of the lion fish
spillin wine in the Lexus
give some pocket change, voluntary left hand
what a mess, thought we planned this
prescription drugs and some gold designer glasses
sugar ants in the cabinet
I got a lot of things and all of them are plastic

poor broke college kid at least you learned economics
business majors you can stand up, environmentalist you can sit the fuck down
and I'll tell you what you can do though, you can um, you can
cast your vote for the chosen leader
centimeters, centigrade, underworked overachievers
asexual reproduction, bought by
transcontinental wire transfers
WiFi passwords made from short hand abbreviation
lost dogs and gem stones brought home without investigation
border town drama with misplaces ambition
determining my moral code on a set of old inscriptions
Wikipedia in binary, postcards from libraries
double blind study carried out by big tobacco
indicator species, canary in the coal mine
I don't care for the truth I'll take the cancer and the tan lines

oh my god I can't stand this
runnin round with the likes of the lion fish
spillin wine in the Lexus
spend some pocket change, voluntary left hand
what a mess, thought we planned this
prescription drugs and some gold designer glasses
sugar ants in the cabinet
I got a lot of friends and all of them are plastic

Vol. 1

Alright Okay

"Chain-Link Fence"

and if you're not careful
you'll spend your whole life climbing fences
and it's not what you paid for
but the right eye sees what the left cant now its permanent

roof tiles and thumb tacks
blood blister from the chain-link fence
asphalt and black cats
tear your shirt at the top where they cut it

and if you're not careful
you'll spend your whole life digging ditches
and that's not what you signed up for

a jaded heart, some callus palms, and a workers pension
thought the words now you speak them
burned the roof of my mouth when I spoke it
let's find a box you can preach from
the soils rich, let's break this ground, and snap the tension

knuckles grip through holes in the chain-link
fingers pierce woven steel, it's twisted and coiled

roof tiles and thumb tacks
blood blister from the chain-link fence
asphalt and black cats
tear your shirt at the top where they cut it
roof tiles and thumb tacks
blood blister from the chain-link fence
asphalt and black cats
tear your shirt at the top where they cut it

roof tiles, scotch tape, thumbtacks
asphalt, a stolen lighter, blacks cats 
roof tiles, scotch tape, thumbtacks
asphalt, a stolen lighter, blacks cats 

holes in the street packed with gravel
drainage ditch overrun with weeds
a grocery bag held taught to the fence as the wind presses against it
bits of broken headlights
scattered, scattered
sun-baked plastic, its all fake decay
rain soaked cardboard mixed with construction sounds
noises of pollution
birds sing to the nature
nature has its own movement
fences put down to separate
a chain-link ladder, a chain-link fence

Chain-Link Fence

"Crooked Straight"

it's the purpose
it's an art
it's the purpose
it's an art

the purpose of meditation to attain divine grace
once this grace has been attained in a measure
it takes over our experience and lives our life
preform those things which are given us to do
make the crooked places straight
we no longer live by bread alone
but by the inner grace

it's the purpose
it's an art
it's an art
the purpose

Crooked Straight

"Ghost Notes"

ghost notes at the bottom of this conversation
dropped my keys and phone against the rough pavement
screen's cracked but I still can hear alright
string of words that I think I've used before
can't think of another creative way to twist it
you feel safe locked behind your bedroom door
I don't think that I'm ever gonna change that

above bellow
can anybody hear me
these strings ghost notes
they don't work in theory

thrift store guitars and improvised drum sets
the kids are looking for a sound they haven't herd yet
ghost in the woods will you come out
string of words and I found a new ending
think I found a creative way to twist it
it's swelling up just keep on pretending
the truth seems the only thing you wanna mess with

above bellow
can anybody hear me
these strings ghost notes
they don't work in theory
they don't work in theory

Ghost Notes

"Line Spacing"

landline and paper maps
pieces from the past
breezeway, desire paths
easy, let it pass

I wrote you a letter
I picked out the typeface
you're taking my sweater
I'm packing a suitcase
this house is a burden
it's windows are airways
linoleum tile
it's cracking, it's sun-baked

backdraft and postage stamps
headline, reading lamps
loose change, a yellow cab
far out, get some rest

I wrote you a letter
I picked out the typeface
you're taking my sweater
I'm packing a suitcase
this house is a burden
it's windows are airways
linoleum tile
it's cracking, it's sun-baked

single spaced, double spaced
single spaced, double spaced
double spaced, double spaced

Line Spacing

"Neighbor's Yard"

it's the everlasting ultimatum
a self sustaining tired eardrum
violin strings played for pyramid schemes
long words from an older bible
a broken tower and a language we can't understand
cooling fountain, warm colors, and desert sands
fill it up, pack the trunk, let's hit the open road
empty wine bottles, stolen mobile phones
keep the rod I'll take the fish
half a gram short and a broken wrist
it didn't happen but it's still written down
home-schooled fossil fuels in a small town
it's the everlasting ultimatum, said that
a self sustaining tired eardrum
violin strings played for pyramid schemes
long words form a really, really old bible

and like a seed coming up from the underground
or like a child raised up tall under clouds
beat up pickup truck
parked crooked in your neighbor's yard
and like a child coming up from the underground
or like a seed raised up tall under clouds
beat up pickup truck
still parked wacky and crooked in your neighbor's lawn

old growth forest versus new ministries
poisoned blankets traded in for a set of gold teeth
caught on film but it didn't get developed
Uncle Sam's asleep, so is Mother Nature
split the pack of Newport's, nineties Cadillac
forget about the times we spent hanging out before the internet
spoiled fruit served to rotten people
I don't mind the pinch, I just can't stand the needle

and like a seed coming up from the underground
or like a child raised up tall under clouds
beat up pickup truck
parked crooked up in your neighbor's yard
and like a child coming up from the underground
or like a seed raised up tall under clouds
beat up pickup truck
still parked wacky and crooked up in your neighbor's yard, lawn

they still there
they still there
crooked and wacky
crooked and wacky

Neighbor's Yard

“Particular Pace”

I’ll be hanging with the trees
you’ll be outside of my leaves
we can talk again next winter

whistle Dixie for the crows 
feel the ground and decompose
grab my limb and get a splinter

lost your watch but found your way
woke up late again today
burned your hand and got a blister

read the news and checked the date
slow it down it’s not a race
back and forth just take the picture 

penmanships the native tongue
feed the pigeons and the doves
runny nose your fingers shiver

I’ll be blowing in the breeze 
you’ll be outside of my reach
we can talk again next winter

with no particular pace
with no particular pace today

weathers great let’s misbehave
tear our clothes and carve our names
we can talk again next winter

I read the news and checked the date
slowed it down it’s not a race
back and forth just take the picture

out of ink and in the trash
aluminum and broken glass
fresh cut flowers near the window

penmenships the native tongue
ror the pigeons and the doves
runny nose your fingers shiver

with no particular pace
with no particular pace today 
with no particular pace 
with no particular pace today

come find me
upside down
out of tune
broken sound

renew, renew again
renew, renew again
renew, renewed again
renew, renew again

Particular Pace

"Primary Colors"

honestly the surroundings here
give me something to think on
a fuzzy scene made of grey-scale shapes
you dream the colors of this song
some memories that your stuck between
washed clean of their detail
ideas bleed over blurried seams
stumble blindly through though trails

and honestly the surroundings here
give me something to think on
a fuzzy scene made of grey-scale shapes
you dream the colors of this song
some memories that your stuck between
washed clean of their detail
ideas bleed over blurried seams
stumble blindly down though trails

we're working with
primary colors
you picture this
in blue, and red, and yellow

as far from town as you want to be
ten minute drive it will take us
the present scene won't be trapped or caught
ran once before and you lost trust
I don't think we're equipped to see
color broken from spectrum
tucked inside a metal container
where they know you can't find them

as far from town as you want to be
ten minute drive it will take us
the present scene won't be trapped or caught
ran once before and you lost trust
I don't think I'm equipped to see
color broken from spectrum
tucked inside a metal container
where they know you won't find them

and it feels like
it feels just like I'm cheating
and it feels like
it feels like

we're working with
primary colors
you picture this
in blue, and red, and yellow
we're working with
primary colors
you'll picture this
in blue, and red, and yellow

Primary Colors

"Queen's Lodge"

Queen's Lodge motel and apartment building

cracked incandescent street lamps near turnpikes
I got a nondescript place that I'm telling you you should spend the night
where the waters warm, and the chemicals they flow out like poison
where the girls have boys, and the boys they have their husbands
meet Captain Jack, he can get you high tonight
there's Beth and Susie too, they'll share the room if the price is right
Art Deco brickwork and neon signage
inside the nights are long and security is violent

Queen's Lodge motel and apartment building

humidity and make believe
they sell powders made from strange trees
your Addereall it's the same thing
I walk through the mall on pain pills
laundromat district with the artist and the hipsters
there's a lovely girl that walks the street in a sequined miniskirt
so play nice and stay humble
keep your business out the alley
only drink dark beer from a bar called O'Shea's or O'Maley's
guest arrive and it's usually minus their luggage
whispers out front broken up by the plants near the guardrail

Queen's Lodge motel and apartment building

if these walls could talk, they'd probably speak in Spanish
if these walls could talk, they'd share secrets of hidden indiscretion
if these walls could talk, they'd ask for a pack of cigarettes
if these walls could talk, they'd scold the new tenants
if these walls could talk, they'd tweet about what they've seen
if these walls could talk

Queen's Lodge

"Say Goodnight"

grind your heels into the sheets
grit your teeth and get some sleep this evening
counting sheep

restless feet in a tangled heap
a cotton blend, a mystery unwoven
fraying at the seams
brightest colors, muted light
let's say goodnight
say goodnight

coiled strings stand in line
hold me up hide my lies unspoken
rusting metal wires

signal lost to the in-between
broadcast to an empty screen
the viewers ask what does it mean
under squeaking fans and tangled sheets unwoven
fraying at the seams

they're muted colors
they're lacking light
let's say goodnight
let's say goodnight
let's say goodnight
let's say goodnight

Say Goodnight

“See Through”

window panes lined with plastic water bottles,
you only took a few sip's out of them
brand name but you bought the floor model,
standing guard by the sliding glass door
I've got some cash on my card
got some room in the garage
I cut your picture out,
with my scrapbook scissors

everything's filled with holes
everything is see through
everything's filled with holes
I guess I'm see through too now

warm light fills a mason jar,
sorry I didn't see it sooner
I heard the birds from the neighbor's yard,
calling out from the sliding glass door
I saw the bed sheets breath
I felt the floorboards scream
I pulled the story out,
from a work of fiction

everything's filled with holes
everything is see through
everything's filled with holes
I guess I'm see through too now
everything's filled with holes
everything is see through
everything's filled with holes
I guess I'm see through too now

See Through

"Sid's Ballad"

flea market flannel and a pair of wrangler jeans
if you know what I mean
he's got a pair of old boots, he's kicked every rock down the street
yeah you know what I mean 

I mean he wants to be a cowboy
yeah he calls himself redneck Sid
he's just looking for adventure
picking fights with the neighbor kids
yeah he dreams about the outlaws
six shooters and spittin' dip
startin' fires in his front lawn
you can tell he's not fittin' in

a little bit older now he's wishing he was dead
smoking marlboro reds
but the feeling never lasts he's skipping classes on monday
and getting drunk with his buddies

and he still wants to be a cowboy
but now he calls himself heartthrob Sid
he's just looking for adventure
getting trashed with the neighbor kids
he dreams of Becky and her blonde hair
man her parents really hated him
he's doing doughnuts in her front yard
you can tell he doesn't give a shit

but there's no horses in pittsburgh
he's got no pasture to roam
he'll end up trapped in the suburbs
in a modular home

and that's the ballad of Sid
that's the ballad of Sid
and it's a ballad of sin
it's a ballad of sin
and that's the ballad of Sid
that's the ballad of Sid
and it's a ballad of sin
it's a ballad of sin

Sid's Ballad

"New Home"

plain Jane
bird cage

new face
rib cage

plain Jane
time's right to build a new home
bird cage
time's right to build a new home
new face
time's right to build a new home
rib cage
time's right to build a new home

New Home

"Medium Weekend"

medium weekend

peculiar imagination and selective memory
you've replaced all the ugly with folklore imagery
you replaced all the monsters with princesses and chivalry
gone to a place with low light and low density
the type to cut up a flower and stick it in your kitchen
more like the type to slice your finger cutting a fresh picked lemon
misplaced the blame
forget all responsibility

medium weekend
eyes wide, pretend
medium weekend
eyes shut, breathe in
you're not my friend

you're not my friend I'll take back that spare key
blissfully lost my problems during two days of festivities
blissfully left the real world using pill form make believe
went to a place with high contrast that was new to me
full dynamic range with three preset combinations
helpful in low light or when traveling without a destination
I dislike the truth
forget all responsibilities
when using the camera do this or use these
sensitive to temperature, check the subjects luminosity
sensitive to criticism, be gentle or I just might leave

medium weekend
eyes wide, pretend
medium weekend
eyes shut, breathe in
you're not my friend

you're not my friend
we just hang out on the weekends
you're not my friend
we do things that I'm ashamed of
you're not my friend
we have a medium amount of fun
you're not my friend
you're my friend on the weekend

medium weekend
it's a medium weekend
medium weekend

Medium Weekend

"Wavy Daisy"

drank some special tea
hung with Wavy Daisy
and she told me "you're doin' alright"
grocery shops at night
likes the muted light
rides the cart down the frozen food isle

nonsense
sundress
barefoot
princess
loose fit
Kurt Cobain sweater
she wears John Lennon sunglasses just to pull back her curly hair

wrote some poetry
hung with Wavy Daisy
and she told me "I like how you write"
tattooed on her wrist
she wears a seashell necklace
says her mood is affected by tides

nonsense
sundress
barefoot
princess
loose fit
Kurt Cobain sweater
she wears John Lennon sunglasses but she thinks the Rolling Stones are better

love a mystery
so does Wavy Daisy
we watch Twin Peaks, I laugh and she smiles
thrifted cardigan
natural medicine
reads your palm when you tell her goodnight

wavy days
she'll teach you how to make a flower crown
Wavy Daisy
and she'll teach you how to skip around the park like you're in The Sound of Music
wavy days
she says that the hills are alive, and she tells me that she can prove it
Wavy Daisy is

filled with sympathy
that's my Wavy Daisy
holds my hand and she looks in my eyes
I'm in disbelief
while she's fast asleep
and I think that we're doing alright
we're doing alright
doing alright
I think we're doing alright

Mild Wild

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