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The Clearing

by Nigel Barnes

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mitch dum
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mitch dum Nigel Barnes is a very exciting artist! Not only does he play the drums in the fantastic punk band Don Blake but he also writes stuff like this, a stunning collection of alternative/ indie/ acoustic goodness! Highly recommended! Favorite track: My Future Self.
Theresa’s Sound World Music Blog Collection
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Theresa’s Sound World Music Blog Collection What can I say- BUY THIS ALBUM! Punky notes, reminiscent of noughties power punk bands at odds with complex and very delicate acoustic playing, which brings to mind Nick Drake & the acoustic outings of Led Zep. Each track has plenty of ideas going on, such as the strings on 'Papercuts' & keys on Track 9. Great lyrics & a very honest & effortless vocal delivery. If you're a fan of 90s US & UK acoustic/alternative/punk bands that were overlooked by Grunge & Britpop (I'm thinking Mega city 4, Levellers, Buffalo Tom & China Drum) then this is for you! Nice slick production, a very well put together album, full of hooks and memorable moments, go on, have a listen-you'll like this 'un! Favorite track: The Clearing.
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1.
I woke up late this morning cos I slept right through, My alarm clock but you could say that is nothing new, But I found myself in a house I didn't recognise, In a bed that felt familiar but wasn't mine When I saw my future self I couldn't understand, Why he brought me to this time and what he had in mind, Well you're always dwelling on the past; It's been and gone, And you keep on looking to the things that might go wrong. Eyes sunken and, my face was weathered, Just be content with now, the moments just get better, Please take your time, this must be scary, And I found I was struggling to place the emotion he was wearing I'll wake up in the morning and I'll start again, The sunlight brings me round and gets me out of bed, I'll remember how I looked and what I said to me, It's a wisdom I won't be forgetting easily. It's a long way home, From this place, When you're feeling so low, You'll make mistakes, Just dig in deeper, and ignore, The ones who say there is no other way.
2.
The Clearing 02:11
Let me set the scene for you, We’re standing by the fence, Eyes fixed on the distance now, As things are getting tense, “I reckon we can make it Just keep an open mind” Try and go along with it, And don’t get left behind You can’t burn-out just because, Things are going right for once, But I’ve a feeling that you will Some of us are eager, Others not so much, Some are shelved into the past, While others keep in touch Fast forward to a different time, things are making sense, Rules that we had broken then, Are rules that we can mend Here goes nothing, To The Clearing, You’ll need your courage again today I know it's long, I know it's rough, They'll chase us down, But we won't give up And we'll sleep easy
3.
The chances of being rescued, Are fading to dust we all know that, We're dying to see the Sun come back. The voice has become a whisper, The eyes are filling up with mild concern, You’re dying to see the Sun return. Was it the worst you’d ever known, Cos it was years since you had grown, And yeah, you questioned all along, What the hell? Where the hell did I go wrong? But you know that you’re not alone, this feeling will go It's only a little difference, A minor advance on yesterday, But I’m pleased to say - we can’t complain And I know we can go the distance, ‘cos we’ve been there before, And we’ve beat it before It was the worst I'd ever known, Cos it was years since I had grown, I found I questioned all along, What the hell? Where the hell have I gone wrong And I know that I’m not alone, this feeling will go… We’re gonna stay here as long as we need to, Then we’re gonna leave it ‘cos we’ve got a reason, We’re gonna say it, we know you can take it, Then we’re gonna leave it ‘cos we’ve got a reason This feeling will go.
4.
No Stars 01:44
You can have too much of a bad thing, Remind myself so I won’t sink, I’m feeling better, Well I’m feeling different than I did, I’m counting sheep while I’m waking, I see no stars while I’m gazing, I’m feeling better, Well I’m feeling different so to speak You won’t, You won’t, You won’t believe it, I wish, I wish I could have seen it, I would be done with it all, But I’m too stubborn to give it up. I’m getting another ‘cos I want one, I’m making trouble where there is none, I may feel better now, but I’ll feel shitty tomorrow, Yeah I’ll feel shit You won’t, You won’t, You won’t believe it, I wish, I wish I could have seen it, I would be done with it all, But I’m too stubborn to give it up. I don’t, I don’t, don’t think I need it, I wish, I wish I would believe it, I’ll try and turn this around,, But I’ll be too drunk to figure it out
5.
Don't Say It 02:53
You seem to make jokes out of every situation We await your thoughts with intense anticipation But we know, you don't communicate like us We know that you love but you don't like to show We know that you care behind those doors you try and keep closed You can’t make it right with the wrong communication, Consider this some kind of passive intervention, But you won’t even mention it We know that you love but you don't like to show We know that you care behind those doors you try and keep closed Why don't you say what you're thinking Or think about what you don't say? Why don't you say what you're thinking Or think about why... You don’t, you don’t say it, Cos you won’t, you won’t say it, Cos you think, you can’t say it, So you don’t, you don’t say it
6.
Papercuts 02:30
I've got paper cuts from this book that I have read, The protagonist is questionable at best, Never been reviewed, It's never won any awards, It's boring me to death, A long time ago, in a place not far away, We watched our dreams unfold, based on promises we made, We didn't keep them all, doesn't matter anyway, 'Cos we'll make some more Will you read the sentences that I wrote? Will you turn the pages after I'm gone? We've got time to kill, We've got ideas in our heads, Could be dangerous, but our intentions are the best, Put this book away, and draft a new one every day, And each morning we will sing Will you read the sentences that I wrote? Will you turn the pages after I'm gone? All the post-it notes that stick in my mind, Refer to places I prefer to spend time, Help me proofread paragraphs I've worked on, So they'll be remembered after we're gone It's OK, It's alright, It's gone.
7.
I once found myself conceited I know you can't quite believe it, it all makes sense Overcompensate in my mind, I still made friends, Same shoes and same belief system I look back to that time And I'm always horrified, Can't stop from feeling guilty, Cos I was out of line, But if it was up to me, well I wouldn't take it back, And I can't take it back, even if I wanted to I'm still searching for that feeling, I'm still searching for a meaning, in my life, Raise my voice so you can hear it, ill do it again It's something different I can feel it I look back to that time And I'm always horrified, But I'm done with feeling guilty, my outlook 's been refined If it was up to me, well I wouldn't take it back, And I can't take it back, no I can't take it back
8.
Dugouts 01:39
You were all OK, You were fine, But you were a dreamer then, Most of the time. I knew what your thoughts were, The cause of the pain, You were one in a million, Did you stay the same? This was meant to be for life this, The dugouts where we played, we’ll never see again I was all good, I was fine, You were a tearaway, But so was I, I wrote you a letter, You gave me a call, But following on from this, We’ve done nothing at all, This was meant to be for life this, The mischief that we made, we’ll never make again You were meant to stick around here, But then circumstances change, The good old days, Will never be replaced. No, So will you tell me, Do you think that we can do, Better than this?
9.
All the rowboats in the paintings They keep trying to row away And the captains’ worried faces Stay contorted and staring at the waves They’ll keep hanging in their gold frames For forever, forever and a day All the rowboats in the oil paintings They keep trying to row away, row away Hear them whispering French and German Dutch, Italian, and Latin When no one’s looking I touch a sculpture Marble, cold and soft as satin But the most special are the most lonely God, I pity the violins In glass coffins they keep coughing They’ve forgotten, forgotten how to sing, how to sing First there’s lights out, then there’s lock up Masterpieces serving maximum sentences It’s their own fault for being timeless There’s a price to pay and a consequence All the galleries, the museums Here’s your ticket, welcome to the tombs They’re just public mausoleums The living dead fill every room But the most special are the most lonely God, I pity the violins In glass coffins they keep coughing They’ve forgotten, forgotten how to sing They will stay there in their gold frames For forever, forever and a day All the rowboats in the oil paintings They keep trying to row away, row away First there’s lights out, then there’s lock up Masterpieces serving maximum sentences It’s their own fault for being timeless There’s a price to pay and a consequence All the galleries, the museums They will stay there forever and a day All the rowboats in the oil paintings They keep trying to row away, row away All the rowboats in the oil paintings They keep trying to row away, row away…
10.
We can make it tonight, If we just hold on tight, And I'm feeling alright, Crack a window it's fine. Well make it in good time… Maybe too complacent, But you weren't to know, The painful confirmation, The sad scenario You at least said goodbye, When you held her hand high, I was moved by the story she told Time won’t go slow, On your ‘say-so’. And time won’t go quick, And I can’t make it. Were you sleeping? Were you dreaming? I wonder if you heard them say, ‘is he breathing?’ Was the room cold? I was three years old, When your actions said it all, (You) didn't have to say it

credits

released April 29, 2016

© 2016. Written*, performed, recorded & mixed by Nigel Barnes. Mastered by Bob Cooper.

*Apart from track 9 'All The Rowboats' written by Regina Spektor from the album 'What We Saw From The Cheap Seats"

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Nigel Barnes Bolton, UK

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