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Uneven Keel

by Invocal

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Bethan Thomas
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  • Streaming + Download

    Immediate download of 12 track album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.
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1.
As Life Dissolves 04:30
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She's woken up In the past To see it standing blank above her bed And good for her - The sun bleaches invisible The strange things that are said "I need to be near you and I don't know what it means, The more I adore you, the more rational it seems." A pounding thought, That ricochets between the two - Head, stomach, heart Head stomach And life dissolves, So neither are aware their words Are over-heard by others. "I need to be near you and I don't know what it means, The more I adore you, the more rational it seems." There's been a whole lot of talking, and I think you should know That they've heard all about you, and you've gotta go home There's a key in the kitchen And a torch you can borrow - You'll be fine across the gardens, if you do it alone. As for you, just be quiet because as you well know There's the same kind of hatred that just finished off all Of the friends and the lovers - Non-compliers and foes That dared to walk the world without their values in tow. (INS) They all arrive And make her bathe outside And hope the thought runs from her body: "I washed myself just like you said - I cleaned my thought until I bled I still don't feel that sorry. You over-hear my love and me And under-see me, naturally I'm so damn cold I'll freeze, God damn you." "I'm starting to fall I'm sick of it all I've sat outside everyone for years I don't even have a single intention. I'm missing the world, I'm missing my girl, You think we'll respond to all this fear? Well I'm sorry, but you're sadly mistaken." (INS) There's been a whole lot of talking and I think you should know, That they've heard all about you, and you've gotta go home, It'll spread like a sickness through the chatter and fear of it, You're running out of spaces that they'll let you just be, I always thought it would be different, thought you'd be free I always thought you'd be the things that I've forgotten to be 'Cause I remember you from years ago Remember thinking secretly, Friend and a lover Non-complier and above the ways of Others who are nothing without validation from a source of Questionable origin and questionable morals Don't forget to write a letter to the ones who will remember you Friend and a lover Non-complier and above the ways. I'm not evil, I'm not even near it.
2.
Small Anxious Waltz 02:51
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I've been stuck in the moment for hours, And still there's no sign of a hole in the ground for me No! What have I done? The words came out wrong My nerve has disowned me and gone. What have I done? You've a house full of unfinished things, Half an inch oh shampoo in a dozen containers I laugh! What chance have we? If you cannot see When something's as good as empty. What chance have we? When I met you I found you astounding So promptly behaved like a moron around you Oh God! Why am I me? Why can't I just be A bit less inept socially. Why am I me? My folks came to stay and saw you from the doorstep Mum said "he looks gorgeous, is he in the forces?" Oh Mum. That's not a man. You don't understand. Don't wanna go through this again. But that's not a man. (INS) When I see you I find you astounding So Promptly behave like a moron around you Although, When we talk you glow, Your nerves start to show You're not that cool either, you know. Perhaps we just go.
3.
Tinnitus and Me 04:55
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We were watching street performers in the sun And I cowered as you proclaimed "Oh the things you see when you've not got a gun" And wondered why I walked away You see, you're not comedic You're a let down You're a plagiarist at best and Either you learn now Or some juggler's gonna get you good The girl that works at alldays Will smash in your face And the man from Marks'll finish you - leave you with tinnitus and Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee You were born of those almost reptilian And with climate you can change I am colder now then you have ever been And you're conveniently deranged It seems that as an actor And a musician Your plans don't come to fruition But as an addict You're surprisingly pro-active You steal - you're not bohemian 'cos you've no freedom You can't leave the sleaze you're buried in You may well be running - you can't stop the ringing … (eeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeee ) "ooooh lets just get wasted, baby ooooooh you look like you need it, darling oooooh lets just erase this, baby ohhhh and go somewhere seedy… darling" (spoken) Well now I have a headache And I didn't want this anyway The squalor in the attic And the death in the living room I didn't want the sound of a key in a door to cause a rush of despair And a bolt for the first floor The man who we owe money to's Not even in the country And the bitch who shares our House won't stop complaining 'bout the humming And I dunno how you're doing this, But she can hear your tinnitus And I can just hear promises that bond us then evaporate You've really done it now you know, You've gone and got it wrong again The sea's full of disease and all the streets are full of people Who would kill you soon as see you And they'll hurt me if they hear you so just Keep the ruddy noise down and just drop it and Christ, let's just GO
4.
Dear Friend 03:16
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Dear friend. *Sigh* I've been trying to figure out exactly how to let you know That you're awful and I hate you, Without hurting your feelings. Should I… Write it in a letter, P'raps a poem in a card, Should I wait until you're unawares And punch you very hard? But 'cause I don't agree with violence - I think it's wrong (ish) I've taken all my twisted bile And put it in a song! (ish) There's a reason you don't see me When you do I'm not on form, It's not because I'm over-tired, A bit stressed or forlorn, It's not 'cause I'm hungover (though in fairness that's not helping), It's actually because I've been Pretending that I like you, and I don't. These thought as yet haven't actually left my head So it's not long before I hear the words that fill my very soul with dread: "Would you like… Would you like… Would you like to come to my house for tea tonight?" What are we, ten? Anyway. Before I've thought about it, "Yeah! That'd be lovely!" I've answered. Obviously what I should have said was… There a reason you can't see me although thanks for the invite, The problem being of course, the fact that my life is finite. To spend a night with you When I've so few Here in the first place Would be a waste of precious time, and possibly a crime to all mankind. See, why couldn't I have just said that? Thanks very much mouth! Now I've got to go to her stupid HOUSE and eat her stupid FOOD and look at her STUPID FACE ALL NIGHT! Oh. How long had you been there? "Were you just talking about me?" No! No-ho-ho-ho! I was talking … About My… Rabbit. "oh! That's alright then! Don't be late tonight, we're having tofu and henna with cous-cous!" I've got my conscience on the left it tells me "Sarah, just be nicer - She's very sweet, It's not her fault I don't want us to fight her" My bad side on the right says I've been "being far too reasonable - It makes more sense to lay a trap, And poison her if feasible…" Oh no! What should take precedence? (bearing in mind my bad side's twice the size of my conscience) Oh no! Should I be nice for once? And then, I hear a voice - It's kinda, like, spritual Like an angel or The baby Jesus - I dunno But it's inside me Like this one true voice That makes more sense that anything else in this world… "Just tell her to cock off."
5.
Girl 00:45
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Girl paints a picture and the morning turns surreal Her room slants sideways, there's an odd, uneven keel So what if fall forward and So what if I fall back, I just want you. Girl throws her hands up and the days become unused She burns the pictures and No longer breathes the fumes So what if I've been stabilised, So what if I've been good, I don't have you.
6.
Floating 05:27
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Inconceivable - they're unbelievable, I hadn't planned to come this way at all But they shouldn't expect you To drop what protects you Without it you're tiny and soft and accessible Please don't let me fall Please don't let me fall Life has a habit of Suddenly grabbing, of Lifting you high above all you can fathom Then dropping you facing The place you escaped from And launching you over the top For the hell of it So why I was partly an ocean I could not be entirely sure They truly disrupted my floating By asking me what I was floating for At times it's kicking up evenings That should be sunken and gone Of you incredible hero And me incredible con You soon become a real person As heroes frequently do And I just gradually worsen, Remain enchanted with you I'm tired of answering questions, You know full well that I lie And I'm not in the position To tell you anything nice Cos now you sleep with a stranger And I just sleep in the sea And though I know I'm no better You know it's meant to be me (you may float - I may fall you may hold other worlds…) How predictable That we can't shift it all Mountains of baggage - your luggage and rubbish I know that you're in there You must be there somewhere - if I remove one part, another might crush you though. Please don't let me go Please don't let me go Often at night there's A recurring nightmare Life's got you again By the scruff of the neck And I can't move at all While you're flung against walls And I'm helpless to help you I can't even see you there. Iiiiiiii I cannot sink now - asleep with a stranger Iiiiiii I cannot sink now - I've too much to tell you They truly disrupted my floating By telling me what I was floating for I started picking up signals Which I assumed were from you A psychological taunting Of signs imagined and true The scraps of poems you've torn up And ends of paintings you've burned that dance and dash down the river all reach me just to confirm that you're not properly living and I'm not properly gone 'cos I've been picking up signals and you've been hearing those songs but now you sleep with a stranger and I just sleep in the sea and I can't shout any longer you know it's meant to be me.
7.
The Worst Thing I've Done This Year 03:32
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Regret and Regress Are very close neighbours, Remorse stunts your growth - Don't breath in the vapours This is by far The worst thing I've done this year When I took your heart I forgot where I left it, dear I found it tonight Along with some lighters That also aren't mine -Must have been in my bag all this time Our time was fun - I wouldn't retract it… Though you underplayed, And I overacted. This is by far The worst thing I've done this month When I took your heart I used it in badminton I found it tonight Along with a frisbee I hope you don't mind Must have been on my roof all this time Well I've heard some things But this is ridiculous You say that I'm fickle - I quickly lose interest Well this is by fa….(loses interest and starts texting) This is by far The worst thing I've today When I took your heart You asked for it back again And I said ok (and I thought oh God) It must be here somewhere (I know that it's not) Could not bear to say That I've already sold it on ebay This is by far that worst thing I've done this year….
8.
Hornswoggled 04:25
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We've been had We've been duped somehow Been deceived and cheated Outwitted and gullible We've been screwed We've been stitched up good We've been led A merry dance, The garden path And by the nose (wu-ho) So we walked for miled and miles with millions more in London This is awesome - it's amazing - this is so exhilarating It's the new style, Sadly futile. (It) doesn't take a lot for things to seem improved and brighter Like when even our Northampton can seem gorgeous in the sunshine- Well it can - sometimes. We've been wronged We've been fooled and conned Been naïve Been easy prey Born yesterday Kept in the dark We've been strudled Gone and been bamboozled Been sucked in Confounded Surrounded + Gullible (wu_ho) Says something when folks agree from every known religion: "this is crazy, this is madness, this will only bring disaster" And it has - well fancy that. When your average men and women say with quiet despondence "I can see just what you're up to but I don't know how to stop you" -We've been had - for now. (we've been strudled…) Hook, line sinkered Boggled, tricked, hoodwinkered Been deluded, Swindled, skinned, Been taken in And Another thing: We're been humbugged And weirdly out-numbered Double crossed Been laughed at Been shafted But dry your tears - It's just another four years.
9.
Madalini's Aversion to Smalltalk Had Become Really Rather Extreme 04:51
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a-1 a-2 a-1 2 3 4! I heard a woman took carrying a cross-bow, That way no-one was inclined to try and speak to her Small talk, niceties and tittle tattle only made her mean Good girl It wasn't that she was averse to interaction, More that years of serving beer and bar banalities Meant her tolerance had wavered over certain things Over most things actually. "Oh shame! Symptom of society or Some same sentimental piety This country's just gone down, down, down. I say - another scary tale have you Read, in The Daily Mail is this Seat free?" I wouldn't recommend it. Peyow! Peyow! Pwyow! (INS) A-ha-ha-ha-hha-ha-ha-ha hoh! Now don't you worry Madalaini's little cross bow Only launches rods with little orange sucker pads She makes a point of never using actual weaponry Not since the accident But even still, poor Madalini gets an ASBO, Who'd have thought her charming silence loving subtlety Would lead to an encounter with a WPC I don't think they're called that anymore. Shut up, Rachel. "Oh shame! Symptom of society or Some same sentimental piety This country's just gone down, down, down. I say - the world's gone mad and everybody's gay And have you seen the weather Is this seat free?" I wouldn't recommend it Peyow! Peyow! Peyow! (INS) No fair - they took away the cross bow Life's tough but you gotta learn'a let go We all do - it's kinda good for you These towns'll get ya if ya let them Close you in with fumes and threats then punish When ya get a small bit screwy and Oh GOD enough - I don't want this fuss Maybe read my look Let me read my book……..or die.
10.
Photograph 04:00
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Before you got here I think I might have been just Staring out of and into nothing If you use clichés Then you'll get nowhere near me Please use real words when you're speaking I've told you of A small tin of objects That help me to remember who I am And you think that I'm Bizarre and pretentious And I think you're amazing all the time. There is a story With a simple irony Children - one young, and one is older The older cries at night For fear the younger one will be Taken harshly away forever The younger one Is crying now most nights Because the elder's actually gone And you'd rather I Said nothing of either So I would rather say nothing at all. Silence is bad enough It's bad enough But nothing's worse than speaking without real words And I've had enough I've had enough The next thing that you hear will be the door. 'Cause I've told you of The people in my life The ones I love all in a photograph And you think that I'm A long way from virtue And I think I'm a long way from your heart.
11.
Wondergirls 02:45
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They told me I had to tone it down Stop getting distracted by things and Something else that I can't recall - I'd seen a cat by then You are a weirdo. But I'm glad that you're my friend You talk to yourself And sing when you want to I've been on a motorbike and I've had me some stupid fights and I'm all full of great ideas so Phone in sick and We'll do some silly things We'll get on a train to somewhere new Think of the places we could move Show off and think that everyone Finds us hilarious You are a weirdo. But I'm glad that you're my friend You see things I can't And say things I want to I'm wearing some brand new shoes they're Good for dancing, And for kicking. I'm all full of great ideas so Phone in sick and We'll do some silly things Da da-da da da da-da dun Da da-da da da da-da dun You are a weirdo. But I'm glad that you're my friend You never give in And rarely stop laughing I'm going on an aeroplane and I've played me some stupid games and I'm all full of great ideas so Phone in sick and We'll do some silly things
12.
Ha Ha Ha Ha 05:34
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Ha ha ha ha you said, I've shot you down and now you're dead So let the actress now enjoy her final, fatal, finest hour Hee hee hee hee says me I'm wearing lots of Kevlar, see, And where I'm standing, this is home, You know full well you're not allowed'a Shoot me when I am standing on this stone Cos on this stone I Have made a little home where I am safe from You and your kind And if I happen to fall off it Then I guess you might just get me and I'd hate that. So through the streets and over streams and in and out of houses running over fields and moors and shocking sheeps and scaring cowses Jumping overt things and falling in recycling bins And hiding down a manhole - I can't believe the council allow this Shoot me when I am standing on this stone Cos on this stone I Have made a little home where I am safe from You and your kind And if I happen to fall off it Then I guess you might catch get me and I'd hate that So come close, I need to tell you something Come hear and close the door So come close I can't keep saying nothing… Shoot when I am on this stone 'cause on this stone I am at home Come here and face it, dear I'll get my own back Ha ha ha ha I said I've shot you dead so let the actress now enjoy her final fatal finest hour Hee hee hee hee says thee I'm wearing lots of Kevlar, see And where I'm standing this is home You know full well you're not allowed'a (repeat) So come close, I need to tell you something Come hear and close the door So come close I can't keep saying nothing Shoot me when I am standing on this stone Cos on this stone I Have made a little home where I am safe from You and your kind And if I happen to fall off it Then I guess you might just touch me and I'd hate that.

about

The highly acclaimed full length album.
"An eccentric, eclectic masterpiece" - Out Northwest

"Buy it. Buy it, buy it, buy it. It's a corker. If you get chance to see them live, do that too. Funny, cutting, full of pathos, self - deprecating and extremely talented." - Rhythm Thief

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released March 30, 2006

Music & lyrics by R. Swayne

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