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Always Stepping into the Fray
Keeping demons at bay, it’s such a natural thing, and I saw you were flying so high but don’t forget how you got those wings. Fine lines and fine times we crossed those paths in fate now it’s too late and street after street we’re left walking in the rain, just walking in the rain.
Leave your heart in its comfort zone, visions blurred and you’re starting to fade, as you move from hunter to prey you’re always stepping into the fray
Crashing into these walls, there are bruises on your face, and it’s the novocaine that soothes there on your lips for all to taste. Jaded words from the wise, time to make a stand but it goes hand in hand with everything you’ve done to date. Don’t give in to fear, especially right here and never resort to hate, never resort to hate.
Different war, different neighbourhood, honing in on the great escape, and though you weren’t looking for a fight you’re Always Stepping into the Fray
Wonder and magic, beautiful and yet so tragic, making the most of every single hour.
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2. |
Everything Under the Sun
03:56
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Everything Under the Sun
We tore the world asunder, in our beautiful wake lay pyrrhic victories, we lost so much to get this far it’s how the story goes. Inside the space between us, there’s a chasm full of idyllic ventures, if time could have been so kind we might have seen them through.
Do we have to tell everyone, everything we’ve ever done, everything under the sun?
I grew bored of revolution, misanthropy did that for me, but the anger never leaves, it keeps on keeping on. We strive for education, a never ending hunt for information. It’s so hard to be written off by victims yet to come.
Do we have to tell everyone, everything we’ve ever done, everything under the sun?
And if you want to share your secrets it might be the last time
As this might be the last time
The courage of your convictions, a pen is crueler than any incision, we’re left wide open here, there’s nowhere left to run.
Do we have to tell everyone, everything we’ve ever done, everything under the sun? And if you want to share your secrets it might be the last time
As this might be the last time
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3. |
Inside Outside
04:10
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Inside/Outside
I don’t have comparisons; I don’t know what’s really out there
I know it’s good to have someone near to fight the fear when you’re living on the outside Time has left us near to listless, apathy crossed from our wish list
Open eyes and open minds, a need to change the world
I want to go over the wall, I want to be on your side of it all on the inside looking outside
I don’t have any answers, not even after all this time
I find a world and make it mine that would be fine never looking back again Regrets are overrated and should be left unstated
The past is gone we must move on, turn this all around
I want to go over the wall, I want to be on your side of it all on the inside looking outside Intelligentsia calling, just trying to get one foot in but will we really change anything for our lives
Where would we go then? where could we hide? we’ve been forever and ever and ever on the outside
Do we deserve this? Where’s our sense of pride, we’ve been forever and ever and ever on the outside
I’m past the point of no return with no real lessons learned
Well it was appealing but now I’m feeling I’m simply wasting time. Chorus
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4. |
Such a Fine Time
04:33
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Such a Fine Time
Spent to long trying to be a nice guy now I want to blend in with society, it seems you’re better off if you turn a blind eye if you want to be thought of nicely, that road is long and the days are cold and lonely, if keep my head down and toe the line and just let it go then no one will ever truly know me.
I occupy my space, not as a protest, it’s just what’s needed to look after number one, I won’t rock the boat or even get my feet wet, you see that’s my way now to get things done, We have nothing to lose but our cable, there’s reality TV for the mentally unstable, I see the bad things that are wrong with this world but they won’t be discussed at my table.
I should have come over to lend you a shoulder but I’m having Such a Fine Time here, I know you have needs but I think you’ll agree I’m having Such a Fine Time here, see no, hear no, speak no, hell no, having such a fine time here. Such a Fine Time, Such a Fine Time.
Have you ever really cared about anyone?
I should have come over to lend you a shoulder but I’m having Such a Fine Time here, I know you have needs but I think you’ll agree I’m having Such a Fine Time here, see no, hear no, speak no, hell no, having such a fine time here. Such a Fine Time, Such a Fine Time.
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5. |
Secret Weapons
03:42
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Secret Weapons
I want to go to sleep without the anesthesia, that’s crazy I know when it’s silence I crave, forgive the mess and please ignore the horse tranquillizers, it’s just a phase I’m told, you know we’ve all been there. You handed me a note on the Future of Extinctions, the spelling was vile and the grammar was poor.
I caught you on the phone when you thought you were alone and I saw you reaching for your secret weapon, even in a crowd, when you know you weren’t allowed, I saw you pulling out your secret weapon.
Secret weapons
Homeopathy is just an idiot’s wet dream, your vaccination fears are from poorly dressed lies, your inspirational quotes make me want to kill you but to be quite frank I just don’t have the time. Maybe I should just turn my back on you as if that’s going to solve anything at all.
Across a busy room I feel a sense of doom as I see you reaching for your secret weapon, in polite company you get down your eyes and brandish for all your secret weapon.
I just want to close my eyes and cherish the silence, when I think of your face I can only think of violence.
Found myself alone with my favourite megaphone ranting hard to right those wrongs (Rhyming with my favourite songs)
A crowd began to swell and as far as I could tell it was an apathy parade
(Surprised they even got those numbers)
I began to get bored and so I left the hordes in their tacit harmony (Fearful of their secret weapons)
I could say job done, but I think the masses won this time (Looking out for secret weapons)
I want to go to sleep without the anesthesia, that’s crazy I know so I’m just going to say The End.
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6. |
Monster Monster
04:44
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Monster Monster
There’s something to be said about a moving target, always going somewhere and never really looking back, because there’s never any going back, we all have that single moment of clarity, the same for you as it is for me, a message we’re trying to send as we speed our way towards the end.
Monster, monster, get out of my head, I’m feeling your wrath, I’m filling with dread, I don’t want to talk to you anymore.
At the briefest glimpse of dawn before I slip back into sleep, I sense the pain to come as if it was all mine to keep, take a look around there’s so much to mystify, I need to detoxify. Chaos spins around and around inside my head, there are many roads I know I still have left to tread, to make things stable, but I think I’m able.
Monster, monster, get out of my head, I’m feeling your wrath, I’m filling with dread, I don’t want to talk to you anymore.
Monster Monster (get out of my head)
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7. |
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The Tales of the Broken Hearted
I haven’t heard a word you’ve said, you’re talking in silhouette, in shadow lands we make big plans and hold our heads up high.
The clouds move in and suffocate the light that shone so bright, with heavy hearts right from the start it’s too much to bear tonight.
Sadness as a cornerstone (Of all those left behind alone)
Is better to have loved and lost (And was it worth the heavy cost)
Is there someone there to sooth the pain (bring you back to life again)
Is there someone there to make you whole again?
Tears under the moon it all just came too soon for the day that has just departed, there’s nothing left to see just left with memories and The Tales of the Broken Hearted
Let’s take a moment to step outside being an observer being off the ride, the dust of stars that power us all and everything alive, life is one long stream of dreams shattered for the broken hearted.
Sadness as a cornerstone (Of all those left behind alone)
Is better to have loved and lost (And was it worth the heavy cost)
Is there someone there to sooth the pain (bring you back to life again)
Is there someone there to make you whole again?
Tears under the moon it all just came too soon for the day that has just departed, there’s nothing left to see just left with memories and The Tales of the Broken Hearted
If took a journey to the end would it make you appreciate now?
Sadness as a cornerstone (Of all those left behind alone)
Tears under the moon it all just came too soon for the day that has just departed, there’s nothing left to see just left with memories and The Tales of the Broken Hearted
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8. |
Undercover
03:28
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Undercover
Never go on after Che Guevara, he whips the crowd into a frenzied mood, I tried to lecture with my conjecture as Alberto Korda manned the T-Shirt booth, his sales were doubled and I was in trouble, so this is how it feels to be ignored, I summoned passion but lost to fashion as Castro swanned in wearing Christian Dior.
I’m on the edge of my seat and I’m biding my time paying attention like I never have done before, I’m undercover and undiscovered so far.
The lines were growing and so unknowing the sold out sign was up in record time, from revolution to cat walk movement they all end up in some fashion line. I danced with danger, a perfect stranger, turned out to be safety dressed in drag. I faked the moves though and didn’t let it show I have to say but I don’t like to brag.
I’m on the edge of my seat and I’m biding my time paying attention like I never have done before, I’m undercover and undiscovered so far.
It’s another perfect day with our plans to get away that’s if making sense, I’ve tried and failed I know, but didn’t let it show; now everything’s intense.
I’m on the edge of my seat and I’m biding my time paying attention like I never have done before, I’m feeling the heat but I’m not proud I was always told you should leave them wanting more, I’m out of ideas I think I should go there’s thing left here really worth waiting for, I’m undercover and undiscovered so far
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9. |
That Ship has Sailed
03:50
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That Ship has Sailed.
The first thing you should learn when you open your eyes is you’re on your own, I wish I’d known, I bit off the hand that fed me and spat out the bones. I sold my soul, which doesn’t exist onto a devil, who doesn’t exist, now I’m right back where I started hoping for a way out of this.
Would it have worked for me anyway? You know I have to ask, I was willing to seize the day.
That ship has sailed and never before I have I felt less lonely, never looking back again, never looking back again.
We measure the space between us and seems like time is speeding up, we still have so much to say and learn, we just hope that that times enough.
The first thing you should burn, is all those old ideas, the ones that brought us tears for all those years, to side with change, to face the strange, reject the past, that held us fast and never really breaking with the fear.
Would it have worked for me anyway? You know I have to ask, I was willing to seize the day.
That ship has sailed and never before I have I felt less lonely, never looking back again, never looking back again. We stumble through this life with all its ins and outs, all those fears and all those doubts, everything that ever held us back.
That ship has sailed, That ship has sailed. (never looking back)
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10. |
Always Never
04:24
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Always Never.
Shaped and formed by the city, it means more to me than just memory lane. I wish I had time for nostalgia but all it shows is nothing’s changed, a callous disregard toward suffering, the very core of Conservatives, fear and greed and bigotry, they take, take, take and never give.
I’m no stranger to the danger; you know I learnt my lessons live. Nothings changing, so I’m debating in the hope we will survive.
Fairy tales and dominant males from the pages of a deadly book, obsolescence influencing the feeble minds of greedy crooks. It all serves to keep the fire burning
I’m no stranger to the danger; you know I learnt my lessons live. I’m just waiting, anticipating, in the hope we will survive. We need to turn things around.
Spent a whole life trying to plan their downfall but the tyrants still they roar.
I’m no stranger to the danger; you know I learnt my lessons live. I’m just waiting, anticipating, in the hope we will survive. We need to turn things around.
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sound/s/lab Calgary, Alberta
SOUND/S/LAB was an Alternative/Electronic act, formed in 2010 and ended in 2015, as a studio based project for Calgary
musician Barry James McCarthy. Originally from London, England, McCarthy emigrated to Canada at the turn of the millennium.
McCarthy is the sole member of Sound/s/lab, playing Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Synths, Piano, Bass Guitar and drum Programming as well as all vocals.
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