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Perhaps a more fitting title for an album has never been conceived... good old Martsch...
These are truly ancient melodies of the future, ancient melodies infused with that sense of melancholy present in almost all the songs of the three from Boise. (In this album, they were three...). Of the future, however. Because this album is difficult, precisely because it is ancient and future, acoustic and electric, delicate and rough. Divided into two but only one... A contradiction in song terms.
"Strange" starts and we are in the future, intertwining guitars, decisive drums, and keyboard embroidering a text about daily alienation (work, relationships, interpret as you will...) It's the single. Past and the usual melancholy in the beautiful "The Host", emotional, disorienting, narcotic. "Happiness", dobro guitar and a scent of American folklore, with a pinch of electric Neil Young. "Alarmed" and "You Are". Two slow, touching, pure, unsettling songs. Future and hence "In Your Mind", "Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss" that reminds me of Camper Van Beethoven, live, at the smallest country fair. Almost a divertissement...
This "Ancient Melodies" is not an immediate album, as the previous "Keep It Like A Secret" might be. It's from 2001 but has also been released in 2011, and even in 1911. It's timeless. Not because it’s a classic, but because it is temporally unplaceable.
I understand why it took five years to release another masterpiece. For forty minutes, there are no more minutes.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Strange (03:59)
this strange
plan is random at best
this strange
how much more can I take?
this strange
change in atmosphere
and in gravity too
and it's severity
this strange
day is almost over
just started to
get sick of it
and it's strange
but not all that strange
that it's strange
but what's so strange
about that?
yeah it's strange
but why is that strange
that it's strange
but oh, well
this strange
plan is random at best
this strange
how much more can I take?
this strange
sound you said I said
you're not listening or
I'm not saying it right
this strange
war of promises
let's call us a truce
and call it the truth
and it's strange
but not all that strange
that it's strange
but what's so strange
about that?
yeah it's strange
but what isn't strange
yeah it's strange
but oh well
02 The Host (03:55)
they never feel
they dont even seem real
they never try, so why should i
something is wrong
something invisible is gone
they never mind, so why should i
dont you get hurt
dont you ever need a cure
dont you get tired
and why and why
after awhile
after _____
they wont decide, so why should i
when they hand it over
give it all away
well how can you explain
when they hand it over
noone gets their way
noone gets their (plane?)
dont you get tired
of everyone that you admire
theyll never die, so why should i
something is wrong
something invisible is gone
they never mind, so why should i
when they hand it over
give it all away
well how can you explain
when they hand it over
noone gets away
noone gets the (blame?)
03 In Your Mind (03:46)
the symptoms of our getting older
the problems that say we don't mind
that most of us never get over
the memories mingled with lies
coincidence gave a confession
that no one's allowed to forget
I don't wanna give the impression
that predestination is set
the distance will increase the danger
where certainty's never enjoyed
regarded as equal yet stranger
embark then embrace then destroy
observing the process will change it
and afterwards even if you
subconsciously rearrange it
it doesn't seem any less true
remnants of thought disappearing
and even transcending concern
disturbing but somehow endearing
conditioned to never unlearn
and no one can tell me to listen
and no one can tell me what's right
'cause nobody has my permission
and no one can see in your mind
in your mind
in your mind
in your mind
when magnifications explore
there slowly emerges a pattern
the details you normally ignore
you notice really what matters
there isn't a time or a place
only an ebb and a flowing
a permanent repeating space
occuring, connecting and growing
and no one can tell me to listen
and no one can tell me what's right
'cause nobody has my permission
and no one can see in your mind
in your mind
in your mind
in your mind
04 Alarmed (05:06)
in the hurry of the past
i forgot to make it last
simple choices made too fast
vie or die, i didn't count
i'm alarmed and i can't help from
crashing onto this island we've become
words for fighting, words for fun
they've all melted into one
on the tip of every tongue
like the new name for the sun
i'm alarmed and i can't recover from
crashing onto this island we've become
alright now, don't decide about that now
oh how can you blame the only one
ever stay, ever stay, ever stay around and you would
never say never say all the harms been done
and you were
all so gone oh so long, so long
did you make it all wrong, so wrong
did you wait oh so long, so long
did you take it all wrong, so wrong
05 Trimmed and Burning (04:19)
Take it on and
Take it over
Take in as much as you can see
I can almost
Think about it, but
I cant arrange for you to see
Didnt know what
Im afraid of
I had to learn it from a dream
Theres a light that
Never goes out
Burning a hole inside of me
Keep your lamps all
Trimmed and Burning
Might be alarmed with what you see
Ive agreed to
Always love you
But never enough to set you free
06 Happiness (03:40)
havent had a half a hand
its half of what i am
havent heard of half the things
ive heard of in the past
havent given half the time
to half the people
half the things ive planned
you dont have to be so cruel cause
all i do is a little less than what i can
happiness will only happen when it can
happiness will only happen when it can
havent had the half of mind to stay
and start to take a stand
havent held on half as long as i had hoped
as i had hoped to plan
happiness, half the shit they said i had
in half didn't have a chance
you dont have to be so cruel cause
all i do is a little less than what i can
happiness will only happen when it can
happiness will only happen when it can
happiness will only happen when it can
happiness will only happen when it can
10 The Weather (04:34)
Do you want him to be outside, in the cool night, where the stars gravitate toward you.
Do you want him to be outside, in the cool night, where the fog wraps itself around you.
Do you want him to be outside, in the sunshine, where the clouds take their places for you.
The wind and snow, and the rain that blows; none of those would matter much
without you.
As long as it's talking with you, talk of the weather will do.
Do you want him to be outside, in the cool night where the stars gravitate
toward you.
Do you want him to be outside, in the sunshine where the song keeps itself
inside you.
And the wind and snow, and the rain that blows; none of those would matter much
without you.
Nobody's hoping for better days;
Noone knows what to do.
You're okay in your secret place,
Noone bothering you.
It might save time if I meet you there,
but I don't care, I'd rather wait for you .
When noone's home and the weather's fine,
I'd rather wait for you
When noone's home and the weather's fine,
I'd rather wait for you.
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