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The Year Of Steinbeck

by Build Us Fiction

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    Michael Schenk wrote every word by hand, no photocopies.

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1.
Gave me a common ground A talking topic with my dad Joints and joists we made From ideas forged close to the heart It's better to know Blood is still more than a will It's a way to fill Gaps and gorges. This is the year of Steinbeck How to be good and how to be new It's important to you Understand that you can comprehend This is the year of Steinbeck When I arranged to enrage A past of adolescent thought And didn't even know it This is the year of Steinbeck Communications are blocked We've got to open up Or the siding will fall. Oh, teach me to..... Cringe my teeth Buckle my coat We're moving on Taking any whisper Any inkling for The gleam of hope To dig our feet in Make roots out of toes. This is the year of Steinbeck How to be good and how to be new It's important to you Understand that you can comprehend This is the year of Steinbeck When I arranged to enrage A past of adolescent thought And didn't even know it This is the year of Steinbeck Communications are blocked We've got to open up Or the siding will fall. What I'm doing has lungs behind it The more I take in, the more I exhale This isn't a test for what's next The more I believe it, the more I live If there isn't a second bloom, I can't miss the first watering...... And I'm okay to be what I may.
2.
Settlers 03:13
Could we be settlers? A simple place on a good lot Functional features And no lack of honest beauty It could be ALL we need I'd like to learn new skills Make an attempt at building Peace with our own hands. It's all about the pieces And how much we can gather It's all about the pieces And how much we can gather. So take flight! My whispering wondering heart! So take flight! A raging miraculous life! And wake to sights! Of what you love, what you need! And shout with might! No one can ignore! We twist like rivers And peak out like a new sprout Invitations to touch, see, and smell Are ALL around us The world, me, and you Time can slow I hope you know So take flight! My whispering wondering heart! So take flight! A raging miraculous life! And wake to sights! Of what you love, what you need! And shout with might! No one can ignore! When I planted my dreams You gave me a pail of water When it started to grow We rode the bean stalk together.
3.
Brave Boy 01:44
4.
Partial Lung 05:38
Sign your life to surgery Coughing blood, heartbeat weak But as you said, "Don't take it for granted." You breathe deeper with a partial lung Understanding the efforts it takes to take it all in Understand to take the time To breathe deeper with a partial lung. Inspire me, friend Teach me how your inner voice says, "BREATHE BOY, BREATHE!" And everything else listens. You breathe deeper with a partial lung Understanding the efforts it takes to take it all in Understand to take the time To breathe deeper with a partial lung. Nightmares when you might die Panic attack and it's serious But you turned around Said, "LIFE IS FUCKING GREAT!" AND BREATHE BOY, BREATHE!
5.
Little One 05:10
I'm teaching little kids in South America When I saw something I didn't expect One little boy, shy and afraid And two others running a mockery parade. "Feel like shit little one, Feel like shit little one. I'll topple your tower you haven't built yet." Why would innocent things say this? It makes me want to scream With every ounce of impact Every bit of influence I have. Don't make this little boy feel like scum Because of a difference you don't know Or a similarity you're afraid to show I know all to well your bad words I'm not fat anymore At least I hope not But I had to work really hard Hit my own head with a fist Step, punch! STEP, PUNCH! In time with the jog. Carrying images of you demons For inspiration birthed from hate Sadly, I had to crush me Before I'd be something I'd see. Stop. I said stop. I REALLY SAID STOP!

credits

released March 9, 2016

Guitar and vocals - Michael Schenk
Drums - Jon Coontz
Rhodes piano, bass synth, bass guitar, backing vocals - Jon Delvaux

Written in Michael Schenk's tiny apartment in Santiago Chile during 2013. Arranged in Cincinnati during 2014.
Recorded at Audiogrotto in Newport, KY and Audiodidact in Cincinnati, OH in 2015.

Mixed and mastered by Ashley Shepherd at Audiogrotto in 2016.
Cover art by Jon Evans.
Art direction by Jon Delvaux.

This is dedicated to South America and Ohio.

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Build Us Fiction Cincinnati, Ohio

These songs were written in Santiago, Chile. They are from a time of learning, exploring, teaching English, adventure, and growing up. Many moments are about coming to the realization that I wasn't as strong as I thought I was, mentally and physically. The rest is about finally taking the steps to migrate towards what I'd imagined.

Jon Coontz and Jon Delvaux joined on drums and Rhodes/bass.
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