TRACKLISTING
01. The Magician
02. Early To The Party
03. Twist Your Ankle
04. Quite Like You
05. Being Again
06. The Worst In You
07. To You
08. Eyes Of Them All
09. Alexander All Alone
10. Martha Sways
CREDITS
Songs written, performed, arranged and produced by Andy Shauf
Strings performed by Colin Nealis
Recorded by Andy Shauf at Studio One in Regina, Saskatchewan
Mixed by Noah Georgeson at Banner Mountain Studios in Los Angeles, California
Mastered by Philip Shaw Bova at Bova Lab in Ottawa, Ontario
Additional recording at Castle Röhrsdorf in Dresden, Germany
All songs published by Songs of the Mothership (ASCAP)
Illustrations by Meghan Fenske
Layout by Josh Daignault
Photos by Chris Graham
THE MAGICIAN
do you find it gets a little easier
each time you make it disappear?
oh fools the magician bends the rules
as the crowd watches his every move
just a shaking hand without a concrete plan
side steps to a death-defying feat
wait for him to reappear
look close, you’ll see him sweat the most
each time his options disappear
just a shaking hand without a concrete plan
just a shaking hand without a concrete plan
I’m a shaking hand without a plan
EARLY TO THE PARTY
early to the party, you’re the first one there
overdressed and underprepared
standing in the kitchen, stressing out the host
pulling teeth ’til anyone arrives
excuse yourself and smoke a cigarette outside
there’s three new faces coming up the drive
exhale nervous greetings as they shuffle past
can’t he ever show up on time
bird on the wall
catcher calling all the shots
catcher tying you in knots
won’t let you leave
what happened to manners?
I guess he’s had a few
he’s talking shit, he never thinks of you
so bite your lip and watch him walk off with his friends
leaving you all alone once again
bird on the wall
catcher calling all the shots
catcher tying you in knots
won’t let you leave
TWIST YOUR ANKLE
last night, dancing slow in turning light
with you caught in my eye
well twist your ankle, leave my side
goodnight, I’m tossing in the towel again
go laugh with all your friends
oh I don’t really understand them
everybody’s laughing at me
just let me walk home
oh god, stumble over to the door
trashed and out of line
oh I don’t think the fault is all mine
last night, dancing slow in turning light
I watched you walk right by
well twist my ankle, stay by your side
everybody’s laughing at me
I can’t make a sound
everybody’s laughing at me
I wish I’d just stayed home
QUITE LIKE YOU
Jeremy’s so stoned
I’d be surprised if he saw the tears in Sherry’s eyes
she’s standing in the corner staring at the floor
I wonder what the hell he did this time?
normally I wouldn’t care to be so bold
tonight I think I’ll ask her what is wrong
she seems a bit embarrassed and I understand
I say “I wish that you were having a good time”
she says “you know I’ve never really met someone like you”
I’m not one to speak up but I’ve had a few
so I start cutting Jeremy right in two
I say “I don’t know what you see in him
it seems to me that all he ever does is bring you down”
I’m spilling my drink as I really start
tearing one of my best friends apart
she’s getting uneasy and my drunken speech ends
as my hand finds it’s way to hers
and I say “you know I’ve never really met someone like you”
Jeremy walks over
and to my surprise
Sherry puts her arm around his side
BEGIN AGAIN
begin again
this time you should take a bow at the very end
it’s quite an act you put on
wait ’til the cameras roll
you’re the leading man
in a film where the end of the world
is decided by you, whenever you choose
oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
begin again
and tell me all about the one that you love
and all about the other one
that you’ve got on the side
I don’t give a damn
about you fooling around behind Sherry’s back
it’s just the one that you found
is one that I need
oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
listen to this half-wit
spilling his guts after a bottle of wine
thought this would be a good time
now I can’t finish my drink
let him laugh it off
‘hey, it’s a city the size of a dinner plate
it’s hard not to overlap
what could you expect?’
oh from the sky a brilliant light will dissolve us all
now I’m kicking leaves
cursing the one that I love and the one I don’t
I wonder who you’re thinking of
THE WORST IN YOU
I stepped out the front door
went out into the night
took out a cigarette
then I felt for my light
in my front pockets it was nowhere to be found
I went back in the door
kicked off both of my shoes
looked around for your coat
and then went looking for you
thought that I heard your laughter stepping down the stairs
I walked carefully up
til I was almost half way
I saw two closed doors
so I let my heart break
are you running around or just running away?
why do I always find the worst in you?
do you always find the worst in me?
or do I only find the worst in you?
so I stood still for a while
trying to hear again
but then from the living room
I heard you calling my name
I found you smiling, asking me where I had been
oh why do I always seek the worst in you?
do you always seek the worst in me?
do I only seek the worst in you?
TO YOU
Jeremy can we talk a minute?
I’ve got some things
that I need to get off of my chest
I know that we’ve had a few
and it’s far too late
but if I wait I might never tell you
can’t we find somewhere quiet
let’s go outside
I’ve got some smokes if you’ve got a light
it’s just that sometimes when I’m by your side
it feels so right
it feels like nothing could go wrong
does it ever feel like that to you?
oh I don’t know what I mean
that sounded wrong
man I’m just high, I’m not being weird
I just mean that you’re a good friend
it’s hard to explain
just forget I said anything
oh get over yourself
I’m not in love with you
it just came out all wrong
yeah tell the guys
and laugh it up
why am I even surprised?
that it never feels like that to you
I guess it never feels like that to you
EYES OF THEM ALL
camera kisser fakes another smile
bends my ear so I stay awhile
oh I know this town can feel so small
I need to stretch my legs
find some big mistakes
find some big mistakes
dream maker takes another sip
starts a fire with her fingertips
head to toe I’m falling into light
oh it seems like truth
I could fall for you
I could fall for you
oh you’ve got the eyes of them all
when you’re just dancing on your own
she’s talking circles
start to feel her words
float on past without being heard
I’m awash poured out into night
I’ll keep my eyes holding onto hers
holding onto hers
oh you’ve got the eyes of them all
when you’re just dancing on your own
I light another so that I can breath
deep in the cracks when she finally leaves
ALEXANDER ALL ALONE
Alexander all alone
smoking a cigarette
the last pack he’d ever buy
at least that’s what he said
he stood up to stretch his back
and fell down to the ground
Alexander all alone
til the neighbour caught a glimpse
cried out for his wife
to call the ambulance
Alexander all alone
felt them check his pulse
he heard them pronounce him dead
hell is found inside of me
and nothing else will set me free
if hell is found inside of me
then open me up and spill me out
Alexander wondered why
no life flashed before his eyes
why his soul did not depart
why he found no peace of mind
would it take a little while?
was it the same for everyone?
Alexander realized
that hell is found inside of me
and nothing else will set me free
if hell is found inside of me
then open me up and spill me out
MARTHA SWAYS
Martha’s thin
and pretty just like you
I held her close
like I held you
Martha sways
and I follow suit
she fills my glass
and I toss it back
into the space that once held you
and dance dance to the radio
while the devil takes control
there’s a weight
holding me down
Martha says
it’s all in my head
I look at the lights
dancing in her eyes
I wanna die
dancing in her eyes
dance dance to the radio
while the devil takes control
Martha spins
and I catch her hand
she smiles and laughs
bringing me back
