Translucent "Deep Purple" vinyl in a beautiful gatefold sleeve, printed "Reverse-board" for a matte finish. Lyrics printed on sleeve that houses the record. Limited copies. *Final product doesn't look identical to the above mockups*
Includes unlimited streaming of Laugh On Me
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 4 days
$20USDor more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Limited opaque "Grimace Purple" record housed in beautiful gatefold sleeve with lyric sleeve.
Includes unlimited streaming of Laugh On Me
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 4 days
$20USDor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Minimal promo CD in printed sleeve. No lyric insert.
Includes unlimited streaming of Laugh On Me
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 20 days
$10USDor more
about
(For Mariah)
This song is a plea or prayer spoken directly to the body. Like many of us I struggle to be present in my life, to stay in my senses. There are so many ways and reasons to check out, to go numb. In the song I beg my body to pull me along, to keep me awake and engaged. I tried to express a deep urgency and a powerful longing. Life is so short! I want to feel as much of it as possible but I often go dim. Maybe I have my reasons. I was raised in a devout mormon home where I was taught to distrust my own sexuality, taught that masturbation was a grave sin that offended god. As if the body is something to defend against. There’s another layer too. I’ve been recently diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, an auto-immune disease that causes mysterious pain and terrible stiffness. My body is attacking itself. It’s been difficult at times to trust my own organism, to release into it.
I want be alive during my brief chance. I want to lengthen this time by feeling more of it. It’s not easy. I usually fail. I’m trying.
“In The Body” began as a birthday present for my girlfriend. My wallet empty and her birthday approaching, I decided to gift her a melody. I put it into a voice memo while wandering San Francisco. For many subsequent years I developed the tune, creating various iterations. But despite my efforts I couldn’t solve the song’s riddle so t came with me to Iceland in 2022. Úlfur Hansson invited me to Reykjavik to make an album. The timing was right so I did. He took a strong liking to “In The Body” and had clarity about what it needed. I fidgeted nervously while he dismantled all of my work. He laughed and reminded me that I could always undo his changes, that he wanted to “subvert” the tune for me, to try a different direction. I reluctantly accepted but left the room to leave him to it. After 2 days of work It was clear that the song had found it’s form. We worked to create contrast between the acoustic—more earthy—verses and the expansive choruses with their layers of astral synths. Everything locked into place once Samuli Kosminen—working remotely from Finland—added his dense percussion and explosive crashes.
lyrics
All the other boys sit on me
On my belly
All the other girls rest with me
All the other kids huddle me
At the body
All the other girls laugh on me
Body don’t let me check out
Don’t let me numb the feeling now
Gladden the blood
Arouse
Surround me
Body I’m so afraid
Let up a mood that I can brave
I wanna be awake
Hover easy song over me
Over the body
Bellow and belong beside me
When I carol too
I improve
I am better
So let the singer happen to me
Body go big and bright
Open the treasure on my life
Suddenly realize
Promise of breath come true
Loosen the love and pull it through
Happen to me so soon
A chorus of mothers
hold me as I open up
Several others there watching
Body parade me through time
Marry their voices into mine
I think I’m willing to try!
Scatter a smile on me
Every touch a tambourine
Every face is sweet
Don’t hold back tonight
Spill every bell against my life
Treble into me and move
Like streams giggle through
Spangle my chest with happy dew
Flower into me and bloom
C’mon wake me up
Pull my blood quick enough
How many trys until I get to move?
Don’t leave me stuck in here
Tangled in time
Stiff with fear
Muscle into me and plume
Dance my body through the noise
Cheering my friends as they join
Laughing into me they move
credits
from Laugh On Me,
track released July 26, 2023
Blake Aaron Henderson: Sounds, words
Úlfur Hansson: Spirits, Acoustic Guitar, Moog synth
Samuli Kosminen: Much more than drums
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