False Starts, by On the Water

False Starts

by On the Water

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LJ Brubaker Freak folk in the best way, full of roiling emotions and tumultuous melodies that force you to fall in deep. These are modern-day shanties for the rambling West Philadelphian in all of us. Favorite track: Dog Eat Dog.

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1.	Sealegs 01:57	lyrics	buy track
Wait just a minute baby, take your time with me. I gotta catch my breath before I dive right in to the stream. There's a big one abrewin' and yeah it's been a while since I've taken the plunge, bare with me please... Fare thee well to all along the way is all that I can really say.
2.	Tumor 03:07	lyrics	buy track
Take your time girl. Oh but take it wise and I think that soon you'll see that love is a rare fate. You stood by my side, don't you remember how the sun split the clouds just to light up your face? Born again with the dawn, we were children, weren't we? You took me for granted when you say you wont change. We're always changing, so swallow your fears and walk beside me. I'll help carry that weight when your knee is trembling. They're telling us to just walk away but we're both on our paths, two locks in a chain. Feels like we walk arm in arm to this day, I'm thinking of you whenever you're thinking of me. But I think that there comes a time when we've both drifted so far as to never get back where we were. You call to me in the night but when I come to you've turned out your light. You shut me out every time and I keep coming back for more and I don't know why. I've seen the void that we could get lost in, perhaps that is all that you've been fearing. Needless! Needless! All that is, all that was, all that could come with the joining of our hands. As we are, only stronger then.
3.	Eternal Husband (Wind Wizard) 03:11	lyrics	buy track
The old man, king of the wind, he is most cunning. To the quick he would cut you something wicked. The sting of his venom stays with you always. Counting the weeks since we've changed, it's not so easy to put on a happy face. When we forgave our hearts, we made a deal or don't you remember? At your first desperate urging, I fold, I know I'm a pawn in the game. But can you tell me, what was I saying? We seek old things over and over again. I can't say if that's really any good for me, I can't see through time. So what will it be, still will I not sober? It's not so easy to climb through the calendar. So far have I fallen before across the pages of yesterdays affairs. Sober or stoned, I cannot leave it alone.
4.	Dog Eat Dog 02:52	lyrics	buy track
Sometimes I wish I'd never been born, I guess its the pain of loss. Sometimes I don't feel anything anymore, I don't know why, I just get bored. Yeah and that's the funny thing about yesterday, it haunts me from beyond the grave. It's keeping me awake past dawn again and again. Until there came a great calming, it rose over my body, carried me back into the ether. They say to make your way, you've gotta crack a couple eggs. So it wasn't my fault but I'm still to blame for letting him fall. I cannot speak his name, I'm guilty. I'll never forgive myself for being a coward. And the words, they mean nothing. They are all worthless to me now. I fear the worst is still coming for us, dog eat dog. Dog eat dog.
5.	Dalliance 02:11	lyrics	buy track
What once came so easy now is gone, aint that the same shit story? I have loved and I've lost and yes my hand in anger struck another. Oh lord, there are somethings that I'd rather not recall. Hey, there they are, laid out plain for all to see. I don't want to be ashamed of what I am, whatever that may have been. When we see something's leaving us, we just can't let it go without a fight. Honey, you know that's right. Still, you can't blame us for trying.
6.	Screwtop 02:50	lyrics	buy track
I'd lose my head if it weren't screwed on, that's a saying, aint it? I've been a bit confused, trying to choose my words as best as they is gonna fit. Yeah, just as much of it is in the meditation as in the flick of the wrists. So when I get paralyzed by the white noise, I'll remember what she said. With a half cocked grin, "Can you hear nothing?" "It is all that is." At least that is something. You could have done a whole lot worse with picking your words, nah, you hit the nail on the head. Why do I despair my darling when it's as simple as we want it to be? Cause there is a faint flickering flame of evil that sparks in my thoughts, I cannot turn it off. There is a pale sickle swinging over our dreaming heads. When the clock strikes no time, that's as close to god as I can ever be. At least that is something. Yeah, what you get from it is less about the translation than the will to perceive it.
7.	Barnacles 02:33	lyrics	buy track
There goes your ship, the sun is setting. I'm still living landlocked, dry docked. I suppose that this is just the way of love and longing. I keep my eyes on the shoreline, I found you once if not a million times. It is true, I'm such a fool for your kind. I don't even know your name, I can't tell you what love means to me anymore. Give me a clue, I'll be all yours.
8.	Child 02:43	lyrics	buy track
Virtuous woman, come into my life. Girl of my dreams don't fade with the night. For you I am naked, born into each moment. I am a virgin, innocent, free from sin. Though I had my share, it feels so good to pretend. We can start over, I could be your father, your brother. These roles they never mattered, they are just words. I would be kind, I'd be good to your heart if you're good to mine and it is that simple.
9.	Balancing Act 01:40	lyrics	buy track
Will I ever learn that nothing ever balances? We're just roaming the earth and we can make the best of it, whatever that's worth. It's so easy to forget the lessons learned, taking your steps backward seems easier. But I don't wanna go back, cause nothing is ever quite the same, so there is no use in pretending. Everything has an ending.

credits

released March 1, 2013

Music written and performed by Fletcher VanVliet; Guitars, Harmonica, Voice. Morgan Jamison; Toy Piano, Glockenspiel, Voice. Dan Martino; Accordion, Voice. Robin Carine; Electric Guitar, Voice. Stephen Landis; Violin. Taylor Jamison; Upright Bass. Dan Timlin; Drum. Liana Moskowitz; Mandolin. Sean Cox; Banjo. Additonal performances by Jesse Sparhawk; Harp. Micah Edwards; Voice. Maxwell Lysobey; Saw.

Recorded at Sex Dungeon by James and Dan.
Mastered by Sam Cusumano.

Cover art by Fletcher. Lettering by Jessica Kramer. CD Art by Katie VanVliet. Liner note band Photo by Aubrey Richter.