Less photo

less


listen

less.

cover, protective, individual


[album]
 
01. patriot act
02. starvation
03. our sin
04. hey
05. flightline [ youtube ] - Robyn Ewing
06. buried in sand
07. down on the dead
08. all is well
09. drift marionette
10. meltwater
11. motionless
 
buy. [ apple | amazon | ebay | discogs ]
 
listen. [ pandora | spotify | youtube | bandcamp | soundcloud ]

less.

triad|abortion


[soundtrack]
 
01. trimester one
02. trimester two
03. trimester three

less.

painstripper


[soundtrack]
 
01. painstripper
 
video. [ youtube ] - Susan Bremer

less.

piano wire smile


[album]
 
01. it's over
02. garrotte
03. mortar
04. don't fear me
05. right cross
06. overpass
07. lie still
08. glad to no you ( intro: [ youtube ] - Matt Franklin )
09. another rapist
10. imp
11. pressure mining
12. tar
13. allah's collar
 
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listen. [ pandora | spotify | youtube | bandcamp | soundcloud ]

less.

christmiscarriage


[single]

01. bethlehem, by ass
02. christmiscarriage


reviews

Cover, Protective, Individual, Aquarius Records review

This is strange indeed. The last Less record (reviewed 2+ years ago) was a blast of MTV ready prog-gloom post-metal, equal parts Tool, Rage Against The Machine and Nine Inch Nails with strange and wonderful math rock filligree a la Don Caballero. We predicted that in a couple years we'd probably be seeing them all over MTV if there was any justice in this world. So you can imagine how surprised we were when we first threw this, the new Less record, on. A completely different beast altogether. Well, not completely. First off, there's not a distorted guitar to be found. Anywhere. And all traces of pounding percussion have been replaced by skittery brushwork and delicate whispery shuffles. The riffs remain, still sort of doomy and heavy, but slowed down, played on a steel string guitar, giving them a sort of backwoods mystery and acoustic urgency. This may be stripped down and acoustic, but it's definitely not wimpy. This is dark and heavy and groovy, grim and sinister, creepy and crawly. Slightly distorted/reverbed vocals wail minor key laments over dirgy minor key doomscapes, vocals slithering between the riffs, tense and intense. Lots of ambient murk, backwoods twang, and sinister groove. Think Sixteen Horsepower crossed with Deadboy And the Elephantmen, or Woven Hand mixed with Agents Of Oblivion, or an even darker, creepier version of Alice In Chains' acoustic record Sap. Recommended. - Aquarius Records

Cover, Protective, Individual, Splendid Magazine review

Depending on your tastes, when Less's Piano Wire Smile came around in 2001 you either loved the hard rock firepower or thought you'd been fooled into listening to Alice in Chains. While some folks had Less tabbed for The Big Time, that break never came. Now here we are three years later, with the band's second full-length portraying a stylistic shift and a musical maturity that may have been lacking the first time around. Probably closest in spirit to a Godsmack album—if Godsmack were smitten with a case of bardlike wandering—Cover, Protective, Individual is magisterial and disgruntled, filled with epic passages and low murmurs. It's not a theme album, but it does have a larger-than-life feel—it's a dark fable for a modern age. Each song is another tale woven into the sonic tapestry, flowing together as the track numbers fly by. The lyrics are intoned in classic Layne Staley fashion, but are always secondary to the nimble riffs and foreboding atmosphere. This isn't the sensationalized story of a dragon killer; this is the weak-kneed, sweaty-palmed gut check that is conveniently left out of the legend. Matching ornate, discordant guitars to staccato rhythms and spiraling song structures, Less grab your attention early and make it easy to lose track of time. The small moments pull the disc together—the vinyl scratches and escalating intensity of the topical "Patriot Act", the steely, Jimmy Page-worthy drone on "Our Sin". Granted, sometimes the songs blend together a little too well, but there's something to be said for crafting an hour-long opus from a collection of taut riffs and knowing growls. Perhaps Less' failure to conquer the world lies in their inability to be pigeonholed; record labels aren't exactly seeking out the Next Big (Unclassifiable) Thing these days. It doesn't help that their style has shifted between albums, from a Tool and Nine Inch Nails feel on 2001's Piano Wire Smile to a gypsy guitar grunge that's closer to Led Zeppelin circa "Kashmir". They're too nuanced for "industrial", but they're also too structured for "noise", too gothic for "folk" and too creative for the murky "DIY" blanket misnomer. Thus I find myself inventing genres in which to file them just so I can pretend I've wrapped my mind around this sonic gem. It's a false confidence, but it helps me cope. - Justin Kownacki, Splendid Magazine

Cover, Protective, Individual, Skratch Magazine review

Dark acoustic guitars fill each track of the second album from Less' Cover, Protective, Individual. The sorrowful acoustic guitars that are very similar to that found in much of Latin music are accompanied with soft yet wounded vocals. Poetic and unsettling lyrics can be found in several tracks, as is seen in "Motionless": "I recognize these scars / from bedsores, not from whips / From lying, not suffering at all / The wind blows and it uproots the trees / Bodies blow like glitter in a breeze / You can dance or you can try to hide / But I know which way I'd rather die." Now, you probably won't be popping this album into your stereo while laying out at the beach discussing fashion tips, or probably not even when you are pumping iron at the gym while pondering what's for dinner—but that's okay. This album is rich, mysterious, and sobering, much how life can be at times. - Anthony, Skratch Magazine

Cover, Protective, Individual, Performer Magazine review

For those who consider themselves too indie for the likes of Tool, yet invariably intrigued by darker, more smoldering avenues of rock, here's one of two options to consider: Either (1) Bite the bullet and just listen to Tool you silly snobs! Where's the shame in it? Or, (2) take the scenic high road if you insist and listen to the talented three-piece Less. This San Francisco based group offers a compelling variant of the bruised, righteous indignation typified by Maynard Keenan's vocals and Tool's steady, driving artillery of art-steeped instrumentation. The differences come subtly; the music touches upon influences of Radiohead and Godspeed You Black Emperor, both in composition and production, yet draws upon inspiration in Middle-Eastern folk. The songs "Our Sin", and "Meltwater" are steeped in this latter influence; their hellish harem-tents peaking upon ancient, fevered deserts, their lyrics compounding this atmosphere: "Judas' lip my ears / kiss with the abuse of lullabies full of empty lies / today I went to let the others only see the halo / that I return with the empty hat of salvation / let my intellect be wrecked that I might expect resurrection / oh where have you gone?" The sinuous, bridged triptych of "Buried in Sand," "Down on the Dead," and "All is Well" is by far the most impressive portion of Cover, Protective, Individual. It is a vocally subdued, delicately layered epic, pinched with quiet, abstracted sampling, and busy with Eastern incantations. Less would be wise to focus on this as their definitive direction into fame's uncertain fray. Indie-rockers would be wise to put down their pretensions and entertain this album for all its worth. - Leslie Henkel, Performer Magazine

Cover, Protective, Individual, Left Off the Dial review

Less is a curious band. That is my first impression after learning that, according to my trusty press release, their previous album, Piano Wire Smile, is alterna-metal roughly in the vein of Tool, NIN, and Rage Against the Machine. That introduction certainly can't prepare you for the sounds contained on Cover, Protective, Individual (apparently Less obeys the time-honored tradition of naming albums by haphazardly combining three unrelated words). Cover, Protective, Individual consists mainly of lots of spooky Middle-Eastern tinged acoustic guitar melodies backed by bleak, droning, and equally spooky vocals. The percussion and other sounds are minimal and fitting of the dark Eastern vibe: a few occasional drum sounds, rattling on bells, occasional background electronics, and even a horn or two. This is slow-moving and absorbing stuff. There are really no hooks here, and nothing that could be described as catchy. Cover, Protective, Individual seems to run together at times but has its captivating and even hypnotic moments when given full attention. The album's dark atmosphere is well decorated by the beautifully recorded acoustic guitars which are upfront in the mix and crisp enough for you to hear fingers scraping the strings. Other facets of the album are fully congruent with the musical direction. The lyrics are opaque and have a frightening quality to them. Or maybe it's a "would be truly frightening if I could only decipher them" quality. As you would expect, the album art follows suit: dark, obscure, ambiguous. A blurry, tilted photo of a Victorian looking woman. A bunch of parchment with blurry, unreadable writing. Whatever. Add up the music, the lyrics, the artwork, the album title, even the band's name, and you'd have to try really, really hard to be more obscure. If Less goes platinum, I think we can be assured of thousands upon thousands of fans writing long philosophical expositions about its songs. These will be eerily similar to the legions of Internet message board posters who write treatises concerning the relationship between Tool songs, UFOs, and satanic geometry. That is all beside the point though. The bottom line is that Less have created a dark, engaging, and musically interesting album. Those who demand obvious and immediate hooks will run far away. For those who appreciate a bit of depth and experimentalism added to their brooding, acoustic rock album, then Cover, Protective, Individual is just about a must-listen. - Alex Baia, Left Off The Dial

Cover, Protective, Individual, Ink19 review

Cover, Protective, Individual is a pretty drastic turn for Less, the San Francisco trio that released the psychedelic metal record Piano Smile Wire back in 2001. On their debut disc, Less allowed post-grunge to make out with progressive metal. This time around, the curiously named Foot and friends have toned down their more outgoing elements to create an even darker, more sinister affair; sweeping and droning textures have replaced the metal attack of its predecessor. There is little traditional rock drumming on the disc; the percussion is moody, invocative and careful. The vocals, too, are buried deep in the mix, and no single part really sticks out. The whole thing reads like some big painting where every fragment is equally central to the general motif, giving no clear indication on what to look for as the main theme. Upon first listen, then, Cover, Protective, Individual is a bewildering record, the music translating as chants as much as conventional rock music, sounding like an Alice in Chains-infused Tool covered by acoustic Led Zeppelin. It starts to make sense after a while, though; the recurring guitar lines, the anguished vocals, the repeated patterns gain meaning when regarded as a whole. Certainly, Less is no single band. This album is best understood as an entity, rather than a collection of tracks. It's a challenging album—annoying even—in the way it sticks to the idea of never rushing things and taking its time. But the album is all the more impressive for going through with it. Less are still too idiosyncratic to appeal to a wider audience, and they must not have been looking for hit singles when they cooked up this one. But for those willing to give the album the time and the energy, Cover, Protective, Individual could prove to be a true gem. Not for the impatient listener, but anyone else could do worse than give this one a chance. - Stein Haukland, Ink19

Cover, Protective, Individual, Impact Press review

These are bleak times, my friends, and Less has served up the perfect soundtrack. Sure, you could do the big, heavy, over-the-top guitars to usher in the end of the whole freakin' world, but on Cover, Protective, Individual, Less opts for the more haunting acoustic guitar and sparse percussion route. The songs churn uneasily with Layne Staley-like vocals lurking in the mix. It's dark, it's depressing, and still you can't turn away. - Chris Lupton, Impact Press

Piano Wire Smile, Aquarius Records review

Local three man band Less (not to be confused with Lesser) spits out a caustic blend of Tool and Don Caballero and Rage Against The Machine. I can't really figure out what these guys are doing releasing their own CDs, when they should be on MTV and touring with Tool or Nine Inch Nails or something. Super well recorded, heavy and catchy with great vocals way up in the mix. Weird chugging riffs, relentless rhythms, bizarre squiggly leads, convoluted song structures. Lots of sinister ambience and dark fury. Stretched out melancholy instrumental passages explode into jagged shards of acidic guitar and stuttering syncopated fills. I wouldn't be surprised if in a couple years we saw these guys all over the place, MTV, Spin, whatever. If this were a magazine I might say 'next big thing'. But it's not, so I won't. Not for those of you underground rock snobs, but for those of you who dig Tool, A Pefect Circle, Rage, NIN, that sort of thing, should definitely check this out. Pretty great. - Aquarius Records

Piano Wire Smile, Wrapped in Wire review

Less is a dark heavy rock band that would most likely appeal to those who enjoy bands such as Alice In Chains, Disturbed, A Perfect Circle, System Of A Down, Tool, etc. I'm actually quite surprised that they're not played on the radio or have videos on MTV. They have a big budget sound with a well produced recording quality. The music here is created with guitar, bass and drums. These instruments are played very well and show that the musicians in Less are indeed skilled. The singer has an appealing rock music voice and sings as well as shouts. Most of the songs are fairly aggressive with harsh guitar strumming and slamming drum beats. But there are also calmer moments to be found here as well. So there's a good amount of variety offered throughout this recording. While Less doesn't really do anything new or different, I like the fact that they're not jumping on the so called "nu metal" bandwagon just to become popular. Less is an honest rock band. They set out to make solid rock music, and that's exactly what they accomplish on this album. While I've pretty much given up on the entire commercial rock music scene due to so much cookie-cutter marketed crap, it's nice to see rock bands like Less prove that there are still musicians out there who want to do their own thing without following any trends. I expect Less to become rather popular in the near future. With a little more exposure, they could easily become one of the bigger rock bands of today. - Darklight, Wrapped in Wire

Piano Wire Smile, Satan Stole My Teddybear review

First things first. The packaging for this CD is too clever for its own good. I'm sure the guys in Less wanted to strive for a very mysterious, impressionist look, but unfortunately their logo is so indistinct that I didn't even know the name of this band until I put the CD into my CD rom drive to get the information off cddb.com. If someone came across this CD in a used store, there's a good chance he or she will pass it over due to lack of any recognizable features in the artwork. Enough of my moaning and bellyaching. Less is a trio that has come about due to the crop of bands that either fell into the grunge wave or the nu-metal wave. However, before metal purists immediately discount Less as Slipknot wannabes with obscure artwork, it should be heavily stated that Less' sound is derived from the better bands who got lumped into those categories. Most prominently is the Tool influence. Whether you like them or not, Tool is a credible and creative act and it's no badge of dishonor to have them as an influence. I'd be more worried if a band said Avril Lavigne was an influence. In fact, I'd probably would recommend locking anyone who said that into an indie record store and force them to expand their CD collection beyond the twelve free CDs they got from that record club deal. But I digress. Back to Less. Less' vocalist also has that despondent, morose Alice in Chains approach to his singing without the "whoa-whoaaaaa" inflections Layne Staley specialized in. For Less' purposes, the singing works. The songs are fairly well written and constructed, but definitely not immediately catchy. The one drawback, however, is the seventy minute length of this CD. After so long, the songs tend to blend together and lose my attention. Piano Wire Smile might have accomplished more with, er, um, less. A forty minute release may have had a bigger impact. Less might be a little excessive with the quantity of music and a little miserly with the artwork, but they've at least established themselves as a potentially impressive act. While I'm not blown away by Piano Wire Smile, it is certainly a good effort that deserves a little attention by those who absolutely love the Tool effect on hard rock acts. - John Chedsey, Satan Stole My Teddybear

Piano Wire Smile, Sorted Magazine review

This mysterious San Francisco three-piece has released what surely must be one of the greatest 'growers' this year. At first I dismissed this entirely, listening to it once before throwing it into a corner immediately afterwards. Compelled to review it, I dug it out once more, put it on and, surprise, surprise, haven't taken it off since. Musically a cross between Tool and Soundgarden, the album kicks off with the groove-fest 'It's over', an angst-ridden tale of a broken relationship - "I have these beautiful sharp teeth/I will chew my leg off/just to put a stop to this pain." Nice. Elsewhere you have the weird and wonderful 'Lie Still', the musical equivalent of a slow-burning fire, complete with some gorgeous banjo-plucking flickering near its climax. This leads straight into 'Glad to no you', with its almost Hawkwind-ish instrumental intro. Highlight has to be the atmospheric 'Pressure Mining', a 7-minute plus vocal piece de résistance, reminding this listener of a lone, haunting Gaelic voice which will surely make the hairs on the back of your neck stand if you listen to this in the dark. It's not all atmosphere and banjos, though; Less can rock with the best of them. See 'Tar' and 'Another Rapist' for mosh-friendly bouts of violence. (You have to please the kids, right?) It will take many listens to absorb the hidden depths littering this album, but, take it from me, if you give it time you'll be pleasantly rewarded. - Ken Blackmore, Sorted Magazine

Piano Wire Smile, Powerslave review

From the San Francisco region, the harder edged, deeply dark overall ambient sound of Less pulled together this full length effort which highlights their penchant for the the high wailing turned dark vocals and mostly strum based rock guitar. Featuring (and these names tell the story) bassist shamash, drummer blang, and guitarist / vocalist foot, Less has a sound that intrigues, not quite walking into any one specific genre but rather holding a distinct sliver of their own musical niche. Of the tracks on this disc, some of the highlights include "Garrotte" which works with a dark, depressed theme and moves well come chorus time, "Don't Fear Me" which offers a fish hook guitar curl to open with foot's deeply melodic voice setting off the entire track, "Glad To No You" which opens with a creepy feel and works itself through an instrumental type approach, "Another Rapist" which opens with some chunky type rhythms before working at an even clip, and "Tar" which opens on a mellow note before moving into the Less trademark, dark, moving, thematic music. Right from the outset, Less provides such dark imagery, guitar orchestrations, and overall ambient feels that this sound depresses and entertains in one small space of time, breaking in these creeped out musical sections before jumping the sound to a quicker clip. Less works with a harder edge rock sound but never full swings in the territory. There are some obvious metal tendencies here as well, but they never approach that sound altogether either. Rather, Less is a combination of each of the above mentioned, but yet, uses heavier guitars and a melodic vocal approach that at times heightens into a semi-bark in line with the faster rhythms. Less has done a superb job with this disc, combing the sound to the point of confusion, but yet applying enough different, dare-say traditional cliche "weird" structures to make this sound accessible. Just something about this band and sound that sparks an interest, but they seem to have kept that intangible vague enough to hook the ear. Nicely done. - Mario, Powerslave

Piano Wire Smile, Ink19 review

From improbably almost-ripping off AC/DC's "TNT" on "Imp" to harmonizing, Alice in Chains-style, over slow, grinding chords on "Mortar," Less play brooding in-your-face grunge/nu-metal, all heavy riffing and Eddie Vedder-vocals. Epileptic tempo-changes make you count at least 24 songs rather than the 12 listed on the cover, but they're still far less adventurous than System of a Down and more approachable than Tool. Certainly sharing a kinship with the more eerie grunge bands through the obvious shadow that Black Sabbath cast over them, they're also seemingly influenced by Sisters Of Mercy and similarly styled '80s goth. At times, the over-dramatic, almost Krautrock vocal delivery becomes a bit too much, but those kinds of songs probably wouldn't have it any other way. Too self-indulgent both musically and lyrically to be considered a fully realized album, this is nevertheless a promising effort from a band who's still learning. - Stein Haukland, Ink19

Piano Wire Smile, CustomHeavy review

San Francisco's Less are full-on into Tool mode. Not to say that the band themselves are tools, no. I'm pretty sure they are nice kids trying to make themselves a niche in the cruel music business. Although I can name quite a few bands who are tools... nah...haha... This is a self-release, and everything from the packaging to the recording quality is class all the way. Even their arty website is premium hi-grade quality, although for the most part, the art gets in the way of useful navigation. At least it looks nice. Some serious money was spent on this project, so either one of them is a trust fund kid or they went heavily into debt putting this together. Musically, Less is good. They've got that same dark, arty feel that Tool came up with. And therein lies the problem. It's too much like Tool. Darkly atmospheric rock combined with Middle Eastern vocal inflections and arrangements. I mean, there's nothing wrong with the music. It's compelling, maybe a bit too long at 71:29, but it's a great soundtrack for an evening of serious mopery. It's just a little too much on the Tool side. Like your older brother or an annoying friend. Don't let this discourage you though. Visit the site, download some tracks (if you can find 'em...but then again I'm not the brightest candle on the cake) and judge for yourself. The band has chops, I just think they need to incorporate a little bit more of themselves into the mix. - Chris Barnes, CustomHeavy

Piano Wire Smile, San Francisco Examiner review

Like your music dark and borderline psychotic and your musicians ticked off? Then, local trio Less is your kind of band. The bitter stench of frustration emanates from its latest release, 2001's Piano Wire Smile, a heavy, hardest rock homage to great guitar-driven bands like Metallica and Tool. - SF Examiner

 

lyrics

piano wire smile

·

it's over

· i am like a rat in a trap · don't you fucking get near me · i will bite your hand · if you reach towards me · you can't help me now · i don't know who you are · but i have these beautiful sharp teeth · i will chew my leg off · just to put a stop to this fucking pain · i am like a clown down your street · dancing keeping you happy · i can distract you amuse you · keep you occupied · but you can't see my face under paint · you don't know what i'm feeling · i am walking off i'm leaving · i'm getting out of this parade · it's over · i am like a lie in my room · counting and pacing the walls · i know how many bricks there are · stacked up like burning witches · they scream and they cry · and finally escape when they die · but i remain here, my jailer · waiting for the day when i say · it's over ·

garrotte

· god is missing two fingers · and won't say how it happened · smoke curls above · like the hair of · the most beautiful ghost i've never seen · smell paint burning, dead fish warming · misfiring my wiring · copper wire wrapped tight · bent in two in pain · a fly carves lines around her · a slot car spinning out of control · in arabic polygonal circuits · with the trigger down · today is another day that i'll forget · walk around in a daze again · drinking from the neck of the wolf · and dream twitching of safety · i awake when the earth heaves · crudely nailed in assent · and she brings me the things i need · a stack of books up to the sky · walks blinking blind into the dark · demanding to medicate me ·

mortar

· surrounded by the dull and slow · i just want to die · but i amuse myself · unconsumed by your wealth of lies · i despise you · everything that you do · i will define myself · by destroying you · and my moorings start to corrode · i begin to list · all the reasons i · have to take your breath away from you · i fuck you · seduce you · to make you · listen and ·

don't fear me

· i am weak and helpless · you could take me down · if you wanted to · if you caught me alone · i don't think i could · put up much of a fight · let's wait until no one · is around then you can start it · if you come closer · you'll find that it's easy · touch me with your hand · you'll get everything you want · don't fear me · don't fear me at all · don't fear me until you fall · paint a red picture · of me on the bricks · no one can see us · you should strike quickly · stuck with you like an itch · just beneath your face · a scratch in your skin · that you can't erase · why are you crying? · why do you plead? · i thought you wanted · to see somebody bleed ·

right cross

· you are the worst thing · i could believe in · the devil looks just like me · you know how to prey on yourself · you know how to pray to me · if i could pick one thing i did wrong · i probably wouldn't change a thing · if i did you'd see right through me · and drag me down again · if you think i am anything like you you're wrong · if you think there is anything left here you're wrong · if you think i am empty as you are you're wrong · if you think i am suffering for you or · thinking about you you're wrong · if you think your words mean anything now you're wrong · if you think you can take anything back you're wrong · if you think you know how much this hurts me you're wrong · if you think at all i'd be impressed that you · had me convinced for so long · don't get me wrong i respect you · like death row finding jesus · like a drunk on the wagon · like myself ·

overpass

· angels never cry · staying dumb within their wings · vacant in the light · hollow melting wax · devils shit at my feet · in sweaters like toy dogs · they dodge all of my my kicks · and laughing they remain alive · thunder on the overpass · knowing these feelings will pass · i won't fall tonight · three girls follow me · holding a ball of twine · two want to string me up · one wants to cut me down · waste from above anoints me · caresses my smiling mouth and · flows into my wide eyes · reminding me that i'm still alive · freedom when the power fails · watching you all disappear · i won't fall tonight · i will fly tonight ·

lie still

· i brushed my teeth · after morning meal · i used colorless language · to describe how i feel today · i recall a · glimpse of the sun · high above me · through the wire glass · i recall a · time when i would run · before they took · my reason away · let me lie · use my device · of disguise · let me lie still · i look at the wall · and practice my face of innocence · a knife from a nail · to measure my strength against · again · i recall the · sharp smell of gasoline · burning brightly · enlightening me · now i'm stuck here · and i flip through magazines · in the waiting room · of my memory ·

glad to no you

· i am so fucking glad · so happy that i met you · i am so fucking glad · that you're a part of me · i am so fucking glad · so happy that i know you · i am so fucking glad · so proud to know your name · aren't you? · aren't you so happy to know me too? · i am so fucking glad · it really warms my heart up · i am so fucking glad · just to see you · i am so fucking glad · i love to hear you laughing · i am so fucking glad · you'll never go away · every minute i give to you is · another piece of my life · that i'll never get back · every minute i give to you · to do with what you will · i don't think you understand · you can buy my ass and · you can buy my time · but you can not buy my mind ·

another rapist

· she sends me · poetry i can't read · she looks at me · with eyes i can't see right now · and she said · static voice · i stopped dead · hearing · i am another rapist · i am her father · i am the sum of her fears · in all my anger · i am ignited desire · and she is burning · i am another rapist · i am her fucking father · she told me · what she thought i was · and i said · i don't want this anymore · she wants me lonely · i won't feel · she pulls at me · with lies i don't believe ·

imp

· i've got enough shit to put me down · i don't need to see the sun again · let the warmth seep into my veins · i've got all night to let my body cool down · you don't get anything from me · you don't mean anything to me · you can't see anything i see · i know two that see the beauty in me · if i believed a word you said · i'd wear a body around my neck · i've been lied to more than once · when i die we'll both be dead · you are being left out you are nothing · and everybody else has something that you want · you are still all alone you are unloved · and everybody else just wants to lie to you · i am still alive you will never beat me · and every single day i will tear you out · i feel your work in me you will never beat me · your claws leave marks in me · but i can make the sounds that make you go away ·

pressure mining

· she's my only friend · and she comforts me · when i lie awake · watching the ceiling decay · she frightens · normalcy away · from me · for me · for me · she chokes me · and i cough up · everything · the shards the blood · drains away · i've atoned · for the · things i have done · the wounds · have been · washed away · i've risen above · my own usefulness · so i'll cut my legs · out from under me and lie · six dark feet · wait for me · to dream · my life · away · away ·

tar

· now i know how he · got caught up in the junk · my god it helps, it helps · comfort forgiving · everything ever done · and ever will, my will · why don't god come down and · swim in the tar with me · see if you make it out · your son walks on water · can you tread it with me? · i don't think you know how · i am so tired i am · shaking but i know that · i'll get no sleep tonight, tonight · squatting mad with these · alkaline confessions · dripping from my head, liquid · open up my heart and · pour the fuel right in · just before it stops, it stops · downhill like an engine · fire stall kick fire before · plowing dead into sand, insane ·

allah's collar

· like the flea leaps from dog to dog · feeling thunder when the titan scratches · bite down and ride · monstrous voices i don't understand · i might as well be comatose · flat line my future · smooth sailing makes me seasick · it's no wonder i crave allah's collar · like the leaf falls from the tree · becomes brittle its veins collapsing · turn brown and die · no one told me that this would happen · i defy my ignorance · my fatal embarrassment · i maintain my artifice · the filth crawls out from under allah's collar · i carry this stink with me · everywhere just like a badge · constant source of distraction · pulling me away from allah's collar

cover, protective, individual

·

patriot act

·

starvation

· penance strapped to my ribs · scratches away the negative · clipped like mercury's · wings strapped to my feet · this slow pure starvation · threatens everything i've done · this is not a phase · nothing grows through things like this · waiting for it to pass · polishing brazen mistakes · this slow pure starvation · threatens everything i've become · wait a while · i might be late · i'll wipe that smile · right off your disgrace · the only way to serve is: defy · you were here first, so first you will die · commit one small high speed crime · the world will breathe a parental sigh · this slow pure starvation · threatens everything we've done · spend long days · with treason · one inch spent · six feet of man went away ·

hey

· hey, how you doing? · it's been quite awhile · me, i can't complain around · this pistol in my mouth · i guess you heard she left me · that's not really true · she still comes around · but she thinks of someone new · hey, i didn't mean to disturb you · but really that's all i have now · the ceiling gets closer · and my eyes stay open · until the sun burns them down · then i get up and walk around · but i don't remember a thing · my dreams can't find me · and that just reminds me · how far my ascent will be · would you believe if i told you · she stood right outside our door · she lost her housekey · and wouldn't wake me · slept somewhere else once more · hey, where you going? · is that too much for you? · i thought you meant it when you asked · what i was up to · sorry, i'll leave you alone · you didn't ask for this · i can fix this on my own · i probably won't be missed ·

flightline

· the last time we just cleared the trees · failsafe engaged reading · pull up now · before you hit · drop excited eyes and run away from me · shut them tight · we'll get it right · we'll be down soon · i wonder if i've made a mistake · how long can i wait til i · pull up now · before i hit · i'm not ready i don't want to go this way · i apologize · for all my lies · please set us down · the last words i hear will be these · mechanical voice pleading · pull up now · before you hit · unignited fuel sprays away from me · i won't complain · when the weather's changed · and i rain on you ·

our sin

· the rules have changed again, i see · so i don't know · what the fuck you're talking about · tiny fans whine · disspassionate stab and a vicious twist · and i'm twice as alone was i was before · my other friends return · when you've gone · my blanket of safety and warmth · holding me, holding me · choking me · and i'm twice as alone as i was before · why don't you believe? · why don't you leave? · what did you expect? · you let me in · i'm locked in you · i am your sin · this doesn't feel very good · for what you're telling me it is · truly i don't believe you · except · when you're touching me · and i'm twice as alone as i was before ·

buried in sand

· lying in bed · waiting for the sun · to come undone · i can't run · i don't want to wait · for us to fall apart · again ·

down on the dead

· being the last to · go down on the newly dead... · ...hello? ·

all is well

· moses molding clay · wonders what he's lost · searching in the dirt · lord, i'm not the first · i'm below · royal jealousy · all is well · all is well · jesus hanging up · marvels at the view · father, how it hurts · lord, it could be worse · i'm above · all your leprosy · all is well · all is well · lord spare me from staying in control · take the reins, lead me astray · i don't want to be this way anymore · tell me holy ghost stories until · i lie shivering · in fear and belief · take me in your hand, lord, and pull me · until i spray insanity · as you like your flock to do · mohammed takes the blame · for kali's wedding gown · murder in her smile · lord, spare me this trial · i'm so confused · don't know where to turn · all is well · all is well ·

drift marionette

· i play such a good · sane game · nobody believes · where i go · you know i hoped i would grow · but i just got old · and my paint blooming off of me · is exposing all these holes · heaven, a museum of dead angels · and in my mind they do what i tell them to · fallen in impossible angles · and unable to do what they're built to do · drift away · snares and lines behind · catch nothing on me · that i need · comes a time when the last bit · of skin yields to scar · and that tissue is all you've got · keeping you here · dancing with invisible anglers · and when i'm done carefully remove the curl · sinking far past the surface · and the net drops me from rafters to underworld · string me up · high as god · so i don't · fall again ·

meltwater

· it's a long road down here · and i'm suprised that you made it · but now you'd better find an exit · before you find yourself locked in · you know, just like the last one · just like the last one to be here with me · she looked me right in the eye and said · hey, don't preach with your mouth full · i'm sorry that it's so cold · it was like that when i landed · i don't think i could stand it · if i wasn't already ice · but she don't even hear me · she's not even near me anymore · she must be on her way out of here · climbing all up over me · she's silent · doesn't hear the drip · of meltwater come round judas' hip · my ears hiss · with the abuse of · lullabies full of empty lies · today i went to · let the others only see the halo that i return with · the empty hat of salvation · let my intellect be wrecked that i might expect resurrection · oh where have you gone? · somewhere down below me · somewhere up above me, once · you've got yourself turned around · don't end up like me · don't find yourself face down in the filth · for the crime i committed was · thinking only of myself ·

motionless

· turns out what i thought was · lucifer plummeting from above · smoldering away · was just an ashtray · these nights stretch so long · nothing seems to move without you · i recognize these scars · from bedsores, not from whips, · from lying, · not suffering at all · the wind blows and it uproots the trees · bodies blow like glitter in a breeze · you can dance or you can try to hide · but i know which way i'd rather die from this · it gets into your eyes · like the holes in my arms define · how i care for you · i prepare for you · motionless

christmiscarriage

·

bethlehem, by ass

· oh mother mary, won't you tell someone? · just admit all the fucking you've done · you can't really believe i'm god's son? · a scared little girl above any sin · but it seems pretty clear that you let someone in · and i know it's not joseph, for i look nothing like him · being a bastard isn't so bad · i don't need to know my real dad · but i don't think you see what's in store for me · maybe you're crazy and believe what you've said · but how will you feel after i'm dead · knowing you could have saved me? · i'll have no chance to grow quietly old · i'll have to answer for the story you told · i still can't believe they bought the line you sold them · how much longer 'til they take me away · all for what you continue to say? · you got lucky and i have to pay for it · i'm no savior of man · i just want to hold nails in my hands · and work the wood in front of me · how much longer until they ask me to build · the very thing that will kill me? · why did you lie?

christmiscarriage

· i didn't do as i was told, so all i got was a lump of coal · i think santa must be getting old · because he brought me something · to fight the cold · "he knows when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake" · but i get the idea that he might be a fake · if he knew if i'd be naughty or nice · then he'd have brought me a chunk of ice · it's freezing in here, and i've been bad all year · if this coal keeps me warm · then i'll be bad next year · i'll be bad next year