Lyrics of the Day

verse/chorus/verse need not apply

i’m working on my backwards walk
walking with no shoes or socks
and the time rewinds to the end of may
i wish we’d never met then met today

i’m working on my faults and cracks
filling in the blanks and gaps
and when i write them out they don’t make sense
i need you to pencil in the rest

i’m working on drawing a straight line
and i’ll draw until i get one right
it’s bold and dark girl, can’t you see
i done drawn a line between you and me

i’m working on erasing you
just don’t have the proper tools
i get hammered, forget that you exist
there’s no way i’m forgetting this

i’m working hard on walking out
shoes keep sticking to the ground
my clothes won’t let me close the door
these trousers seem to love your floor

i been working on my backwards walk
there’s nowhere else for me to go
except back to you just one last time
say yes before i change my mind

say yes before i…
you’re the shit and i’m knee-deep in it

Lyrics of the Day

At RethinkPopMusic we listen to lyrics. Yes, songwriting is an art form and unfortunately often overlooked when artists are interchangeable and at the mercy of trends rather than talent. As a result we will feature the lyrics of an artist we admire on a relatively regular basis in hopes of… increasing literacy at the very least. Teasers go on Twitter and the answer is revealed here. If you knew the artist just from the lyrics congratulations, you win some self satisfaction and a free download from our store.

It’s empty in the valley of your heart
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you’ve left behind

The harvest left no food for you to eat
You cannibal, you meat-eater, you see
But I have seen the same
I know the shame in your defeat

But I will hold on hope
And I won’t let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I’ll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I’ll know my name as it’s called again

Cause I have other things to fill my time
You take what is yours and I’ll take mine
Now let me at the truth
Which will refresh my broken mind

So tie me to a post and block my ears
I can see widows and orphans through my tears
I know my call despite my faults
And despite my growing fears

But I will hold on hope
And I won’t let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I’ll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I’ll know my name as it’s called again

So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence
When you know the maker’s hand

So make your siren’s call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say

Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it’s meant to be

And I will hold on hope
And I won’t let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I’ll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I’ll know my name as it’s called again

RethinkPopMusic CMJ Showcase at Crash Mansion

Our friend Jessica shot some great videos of Young Mammals, The Aviation Orange and Miniboone at our CMJ showcase 10/22 at Crash Mansion.

Brooklyn Based interviews Not Blood, Paint… kinda

Receiving Transmissions with Not Blood Paint

My evening with Not Blood Paint was honestly unlike any experience I’ve ever had before, or am likely to have in the future.

Not Blood Paint, called the band “most likely to start a cult” by FREE Williamsburg, is four adventurous men who are often found in skirts and glitter: George Frye, Mark Jaynes, Seth Miller, and Joe Stratton. Their music is a stunning combination of tight harmonies, complex rhythms, and a heavy dose of fun.

After a succession of emails, I made plans to meet the boys at Saint’s Alp Tearoom in Williamsburg, which fit their request for a place where they would be out of their comfort zone. Recalling their sweat-soaked extravaganza of a show at the Loom in June, I somehow couldn’t picture them sipping cups of bubble tea.

But at 10 PM, their desired witching hour, I was not greeted by the members of the band. I sat alone at a table for five and waited. At 10:07, a grimy gentleman came through the door, holding a manila envelope. A manila envelope with my name on it.

Inside was a letter, which began, “We apologize, but Not Blood Paint has left the space-time continuum and is unable to attend the interview as such.” It went on to inform me that due to an attempt at manipulating orgone energy, the members of Not Blood Paint had left the perceivable plane. In their stead, they would be sending representatives to meet with me.

Five minutes later, the representatives arrived: in white shirts, dark leggings, and dark overcoats, they were a solemn and impressive bunch. They sat down with me, we ordered five teas (three fruity black peach black teas, and two fruity passion fruit green tea), and the interview began. Naturally, they introduced themselves as George, Mark, Seth, and Joe, and assured me that they were equipped to answer my questions.

We had just completed a warm up lightning round (zebras or leopards? – they all chose leopards), when an alarm went off, and before I really realized what was going on, we were all running outside. I realized that I was no longer an interviewer, and but rather the audience for whatever scheme was about to unfold before my eyes.

On Bedford Avenue, in the rain, the representatives of Not Blood Paint took out a toolkit that included what looked like mini light sabers and a spray bottle, and attempted, somewhat successfully, to receive a message from the true members of Not Blood Paint. This mission was repeated several times throughout our conversation: the message took the form of a string of numbers that the representatives promised me was the return date of the band.

We discussed high school superlatives (the representative for Joe is most likely to be angry), their pending Halloween costumes (they’re planning to dress up as themselves), and the recipe for creating a Not Blood Paint show (any number of ingredients were offered as options, including baking soda, vinegar, glitter, and fire). We swapped bubble tea for beer when it became clear that the patrons of Saint’s Alp were less than thrilled with our entrances and exits. The grimy gentleman who had delivered the initial letter paid our bill.

Not Blood Paint defies lineage. They’ve had a MySpace music profile since June 2008 and a steady stream of shows since then. But they’re as much of a strategy as they are a band. The representative for Seth summed it up in a few words as “the New Suits” concept. The band members are constantly putting on new suits (literally and metaphorically) as an attempt to access different ways of looking at the world around them and interacting with their own music. To say that they never put on the same show twice is perhaps the understatement of the year. I’m not even sure I could recognize them out of makeup.

Our evening together resolved itself with an interpretation of the message: 10-21-10, N. 7 and Bedford, 00 o’clock – fear not, music lovers. The true members of Not Blood Paint are due to arrive just in time for their next show. I’ll certainly drink to that.

A few days later, I received an invitation to a hypnosis session at NBP headquarters. I wasn’t able to attend, but I look forward to seeing the results on Thursday night. With or without hypnosis, I’m mesmerized by this band.

Not Blood Paint @ CMJ
Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg
Thursday, October 21, 12 AM. Free!
Prepare for hypnosis, disguises, and sweat.

Chloë Bass is not a music journalist, but she loves adventures.

Unparalleled Lyricist Eyedea Found Dead

In the past 18 months it seems we have lost a abnormally large number of indie musicians across the genre board. Whether its the struggles of being on the cusp of stardom that leads to suicide or the pressures of being a struggling musician that leads to escape through narcotics and almost inevitable overdose, it’s all equally heartbreaking. While the investigation into Eyedea’s death is ongoing, the intention of this blog post is not to speculate, but rather feature the work of one of Rhymesayer’s best.