nowhereusa

This is my first post. Expect a lot more lyrics and demos in the coming months. However, all my demos are very low quality, as they are recorded in my bedroom with a cheap mic etc., so try and keep that in mind.

Love In Transit

Crumbling into a cab like my body's made out of sand
and this car's the sea
her face is melting in my mind like she was painted in dim light
blurry and cheap

I'm gone before the dawn

no promises on my fingers. my eyes live lives of drifters
begging to leave.
her scent is tapping on my coat like dancers on a parade float
along my sleeve

I'm gone before the dawn.

my life is solo and my love's touch and go.
my life is so low and my love's touch and go.

scaling my apartment stairs as if it's mount Everest
empty and cold
crash into my temperpedic. my obituary's reading
"survived by none"

I'm gone before the dawn

my life is solo and my love's touch and go.
my life is so low and my love's touch and go.

please let me know what you think.

nowhereusa

Alright, here's another song for anyone who's interested. Again, feedback is appreciated, whether positive or negative.

You slept, I rose
your arms stretched upwards
in invisible benediction, consecrating shadows on the wall.
You looked reposed
heaven comatose.
I flipped a coin in contemplation,
tried studying what it means to fall.

If this aint love then I'm afraid of what it's called,
'cause for me it's terrifying, new.
If this ain't love, love's over rated
Nothing beats this, yeah nothing beats...

Crimson and pure,
the sun bled profuse
soaking through the cracked venetian blinds, outside birds sang like bells.
Hymns, I was sure
I heard from you
yawning transubstantiation
like ocean waves crashing inside shells

If this aint love then I'm afraid of what it's called,
'cause for me it's terrifying, new.
If this ain't love, love's over rated
Nothing beats this, yeah nothing beats...

You, I am unworthy to be near you
you need only say the word and i am yours
You, I am unworthy to be near you
you need only say the word and i am yours

If this aint love then I'm afraid of what it's called,
'cause for me it's terrifying, new.
If this ain't love, love's over rated
Nothing beats this, yeah nothing beats...

nowhereusa

Jack thinks he's clever
throwing rocks in the river
thinking up new euphemisms he can use
his lines never work right
he says the girls 'round here are uptight
they blush wish bottled innocence of rouge
yeah, he's got morphine city slippin' blues

(chorus)
In the city everyone's gorgeous
burnin' both ends of their torches
if you've got nothing, they'll find something for you to lose.
In this three mile isle i'll waste my youth
squandered in the pointless pursuit
of girls that've got worse things to do.

back in the nightclub
playing girls getting drunk
Jack mistakes dance floors for arcades
The sharks in the corner
can smell the blood in the water
the bar aint serving anything they crave
and I can't tell the predators from prey.

(chorus)
In the city everyone's gorgeous
burnin' both ends of their torches
if you've got nothing, they'll find something for you to lose.
In this three mile isle i'll waste my youth
squandered in the pointless pursuit
of girls that've got worse things to do.

nowhereusa

We are the casualties of heatwaves resurrected by the cool night air
onto these streets, our shallow graves.
We spend our summer nights drinking in parking lots
after dark and praying we won't get caught
this time of life's like this part of town
where all the businesses are closing down
and they're closing down for good

Chorus
It's safe to say good things like dreams may die
in between the time it takes a heart to beat
or you to bat an eye
the nights we spent and rules we bent
the end was written in the stars.
like sailors in a storm we failed to see that far.

you and me and our close friends we all lived by the motto don't look back and never look to far ahead
hey, who needs college, who needs a career?
"I'll get back to you on that" she said,
"in four more years". if this is the crossroads of my life
then why is one street closed
and why's the other one got ten red lights?

Chorus
It's safe to say good things like dreams may die
in between the time it takes a heart to beat
or you to bat an eye
the nights we spent and rules we bent
the end was written in the stars.
like sailors in a storm we failed to see that far.

Bridge
Last October we were sitting in the bleachers
of the home coming game
you were wearing a cardigan sweater so loose
that it hid your tiny frame
your breath rose slow, illuminated by the florescent lights
in the stadium glow.

nowhereusa

What's a hero with nothing left to save?
That's how I'm feelin', a part for a car that they don't make
what's potential, if unrealized, unseen
What's a promise, if it's one that you can't keep?
if you're leaving, that's cool
but i can't say you won't be chased.

here's to realizing i'm still naive
less jaded, than i am green
was through with trouble kicked it clean
but trouble aint yet through with me
am i fated to be wasted?

Words you said stuck, like a stain on my jeans.
I've been scrubbing, i can't seem to make 'em clean
still i've got aching doubts that i cant shake
is it better to be loved, or loving to be praised?
i wanted to be rich
but gold aint the only thing that gleams

here's to realizing i'm still naive
less jaded, than i am green
was through with trouble kicked it clean
but trouble aint yet through with me
am i fated to be wasted?

nowhereusa

Did you hear it last night over the hum of your AC?
It sounded like an ambulance was rushing,
playing a siren symphony.
There was a shoot and run on I-90,
I caught a bullet with your name,
and when the medics found me,
I was flat lining, DOA.

Last night I saw you,
like the devil in the desert
just as cruel and twice as clever
saying "you know you can't do better than me"
And I still adore you
you've been tearing up this room
like something wild on the loose, Cailin [pronounced Colleen].

Did you see it last night, the fire burning across town?
everyone just listened to their scanners
imagining what's burning down.
Did you see the smoke, hear the timbers howl
or wonder if I was safe?
Well I don't know who struck the spark,
but I know you fanned the flames.

Last night I saw you,
like the devil in the desert,
just as cruel and twice as clever,
saying, "you know you can't do better than me".
I still adore you,
though you've been tearing up this room
like something wild on the loose, Cailin [pronounced Colleen].

Last night I strapped myself with dynamite
under my tuxedo.
Outside the prom I drank a Jager bomb
and waited to explode.
My love for you has got a fuse
and it's been getting pretty low
I guess it's time that I got used to being here
but I can't get used to being alone.

Last night I saw you,
like the devil in the desert,
just as cruel and twice as clever,
saying, "you know you can't do better than me".
I still adore you,
though you've been tearing up this room
like something wild on the loose, Cailin [pronounced Colleen].

nowhereusa

Standing on a corner in Pittsburgh,
buses like a mobile, undisturbed
Here I could rest
a child fallen asleep on his mother’s breast.

Now the Candles lit by the matches,
here the streets lay out like scratches
across my knees
You never felt it, till you saw it bleed.

Smash the glasses in the fire,
under the wine’s haze we conspired,
we wouldn’t change
But the suburbs offered us no escape


these are our waning hours
when intents become regrets
its always balloons or flowers
when lullabies and goodbyes are said

with this puddle I could vanish,
down storm drains to the Atlantic,
Jump from the curb
like we’re spilling our lives out an urn

Here the factories birthed the steel
that made that cars that spun the wheels,
our parents drove
You always wake up as soon as you got home

Here I am the dust still in my eyes,
I’ve got two tickets to the sunrise
but one seat
On the porch just you and me

these are our waning hours
when intents become regrets
its always balloons or flowers
when lullabies and goodbyes are said

Could we settle for the mundane?
Turn postage stamps to paper cranes
and play roulette
for hot tubs or bassinets


...if you liked any of these lyrics, check out my band. facebook.com/steelstringmilitia

VEGANGELICA

Hello nowhereusa,

I read all your posted lyrics and listened to some of your demos on YouTube. I'd like to give you my feedback on both.

Your lyrics often strike me as very poetic with fresh visual imagery, which I like. I can see you enjoy using similes and metaphors! Sometimes I don't understand the meaning behind references you make in the lyrics, such as when you write of Cailin that she is "like the devil in the desert, just as cruel and twice as clever." That's a strong image, but while reading it I wondered why the devil would be in the *desert* and what makes Cailin so clever. My point is that I want to understand the significance of details you use, otherwise they become confusing to me and obscure your meaning.

The lyrics sound strongly as if they describe the viewpoint of someone who is transitioning from high school to beyond...probably because you mention high school ! I feel that avoiding references to high school or prom, etc., might make your songs speak to a larger audience.

Examples of poetic descriptions that I enjoyed the most in your lyrics are the following:and...

"Hair like unmade sheets"...that's a lovely image.

I especially liked your lyrics for "Trouble with a Capital Me," which is also the song I listened to several times to give you feedback on it.

I like that the lyrics describe one of the most disheartening feelings in life, which is that one's potential was never used or may never be used. The song also acknowledges and embraces that all people, when young, are "green" due to inexperience.

My favorite line is the haunting question, "Am I fated to be wasted." When I read that, I thought of the double meaning of "wasted" because it made me think of how so many high school age kids allow precious time to drain away while they are wasted from using alcohol/drugs. I don't think you considered the double meaning of "wasted." If not, then you may want to think about how the word's dual meanings might color someone's understanding about the song. Even though I don't think the song is about drugs, "wasted" makes me think it is!

Now, the recording of "Trouble with a Capital Me" -- nowhereusamusic's Channel - YouTube

I like the tune and the length of the song. I especially like the chorus when the energy picks up and you have a duet. My favorite moment in the song is when you sing the line, "Am I fated to be wasted." It sounds exactly like how someone might shout the words inside his mind. That line haunted me a little after listening to the song, which is a good thing.

BTW I'd drop the reference to Cailin from the song. I'd prefer the song to be more general in its self-questioning and not addressed to a single person. She figures heavily in your songs, I noticed!

I know it is a demo and so the instrumental section is just a guitar and you would probably have more instruments if you could, but I'll still comment on the guitar: I feel the strumming pattern gets very repetitive. I like the chord progression during the chorus, which makes it sound quite sweet.

Also, I know you probably know this, but in this song sometimes the vocals were a little out of tune. I suspect this issue would resolve itself with additional practice.

I enjoyed your creativity and determination. I can tell you have many observations about life and living that you want to share through your music, which sounds very personal. When musicians have those qualities, I like their music the best. I look forward to hearing more of your work, especially completed songs rather than simply demos.

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nowhereusa

Hi Vegangelica, thank you for taking the time to listen to my music, I really appreciate it. I just wanted to address some of the questions you had and comments you made.

First, I agree with your observation that my meanings sometimes obscured by allusions and metaphors. It's somethings I've got to work on. As for the line about "the devil in the desert", that's an allusion to Christ being tempted by the devil during his fourty days in the desert. So, while that doesn't improve the relate-ability of the song, I figured you might want some sort of explanation.

I realize some of my songs are somewhat angsty and stuck in a highschool mindset, that's because these are songs that I've written over the past ten years. I'm now 23 and not so angry/melancholy.

As for Cailin, Cailin is the Gaelic word for Girl. I was inspired by bands such as The Counting Crows, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruce Springsteen to use the names of girls to represent archetypal figures (Maria, Dani California, Sandy are examples those bands use) that embody an idea. For me, Cailin is a collage of many girls I've met/known over the years.

"Fated to be wasted": I was well aware of the double meaning here. It's a reference to Baba O'Reily by The Who. I read somewhere in an interview that the line "Teenage wasteland, they're all wasted" referred to the wasted potential of youth, but that it was frequently misinterpreted to mean wasted on drugs. I liked the idea of using it to mean both at once.

My singing: I'm not a very talented singer (to put it mildly) and those rough demos do little to make me sound any better. If you are interested in hearing some better quality demos, you can check out my new project, facebook.com/steelstringmilitia. Thank you, very very much, for even giving my music the time of day.

VEGANGELICA

Hi nowhere,

You're welcome for giving your music the time of day. I'll check out your band's facebook while I respond. I actually visited there earlier, but for some reason I didn't see the demos, and so I resorted to listening to songs on YouTube.

Thanks for the explanation about the allusion to the Biblical devil in the desert. I missed that because I'm not well-versed in Biblical references. Now I understand.

I don't mind the anger and melancholy in your earlier songs. I think those emotions can stay with a person throughout life! (although probably they *do* tend to fade with age, as problems can be better seen in perspective and recognized as more minor than they might feel to a teenager). I would just rid those earlier songs of direct references to high school so that they aren't as easily written off as "teenage angsty."

I understand now about Cailin. I didn't realize it is Gaelic for Girl. I was going to say that if Cailin existed, she doesn't sound good for you! Now you won't have to dump her, at least.

I'm glad you were aware of the double meaning of "fated to be wasted." It was my error in assuming you weren't. I'll listen to Baba O'Reily by The Who again. Oh yes! I remember that song, now. That's one Who song I like!

* * * * *

About your singing: I wouldn't say you aren't talented or capable. I think there are only moments when you get a little out of tune.

I listened to "Say Hi To Virgil" on Facebook, a song I like with its peppy acoustic guitar and playful electric guitar, and I hear that same issue with the vocals: sometimes the vocals are just a little out of tune. I'm assuming this vocalist, whom I'll call Vocalist #1, is you.

The next song, "John Henry," is sung by someone else with a lower, deeper voice. I'll call him Vocalist #2. I like the electric guitar in "John Henry."

It's great that the two of you are taking turns singing lead vocalist for different songs, and I recommend you continue doing that, because it doubles the different "sounds" your songs can have.

I feel that at this point Vocalist #2's voice is the stronger of the two. Your voices have very different sound qualities. Vocalist #2's has greater warmth and resonance, although (based on the song "John Henry") perhaps not the range of Vocalist #1. Vocalist #1 may put more emotion into the vocals.

"Hallmark" -- nice acoustic guitar! This song is sung by Vocalist #1. Your voice (if this is you) sounds a little "thinner" than Vocalist #2's, and again tends to get out of tune sometimes. However, the final, loud singing of "me" is excellent, in my opinion! Vocalist #1 sings that word with the even tone and perfect pitch that would be terrific to have on every note in the song.

I'm not an expert vocalist, but I know there must be exercises you can do to practice regulating your pitch more carefully, such as perhaps singing the main vocal line a couple times with a piano playing the melody to practice matching pitches. I recommend you focus on this aspect of your vocals as a top priority, because everything else about your recordings and music sounds very professional.

Unless you are recording your vocals separately, you won't be able to rip out the vocals and replace them with new ones that you sing at a later date, so this is one reason to solve the pitch issue now. Are you recording tracks individually?

A final comment: it's wonderful that the two of you are making music together as college roommates. Your band's story sounds like the successful stories of many bands one hears about after they are famous. You are both very lucky to have found each other to share your creativity with in this way.

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