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Medusa EP

by Hemlock Smith

supported by
tiphmac
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Philippe Simon
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cvrin
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mathias_romailler
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arthurh
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fpitt
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Nicolas Nadar
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/
1.
(Slight) Disappointment 03:51
lyrics
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(Slight) Disappointment Philosophy is a stellar dream We’re gonna kill the seed with our self-esteem The speed of light is no alibi For the apocalypse of the torch song tribe We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. We’re the superstars of the low-class bars We’re the koala bears with cellulars Design your scars with the knife of God We’re the sorry drunks – we’re the sullen sods We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. It’s ironic It’s ironic It’s ironic The asthmatic glee of our diatribes Don’t mix too well with the groovy vibes The human race has a lack of bass Let the trebled faith sink without a trace We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. *** We’re the holy ghosts of the great divide On our leper boats from the other side A lack of heart – and a lack of base We’re butterflies and we leave no trace We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. It’s ironic It’s ironic It’s ironic
2.
Let Go (with "The Worst") 05:34
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Let Go Step by step, in cold dismay The convalescence barricade And the cars just pass there on the freeway And all they do is drive; away. Step by step, towards the day The anger comes and goes, in spades And the cars just pass there on the freeway Oh, just like you, they drive away. Why don’t I, Let, Let Go ? Why don’t I, Let, Let Go ? Why don’t I just, Let Go ? Why don’t I, Let, Let Go ? They let me out so now I’m home Waiting by the telephone And the cars just pass there on the freeway But who is really free, these days ? Why don’t I, Let, Let Go ? Why don’t I, Let, Let Go ? Why don’t I just, Let Go ? Why don’t I, Let, Let Go ?
3.
Spiders are Here (17f feat. Michael Frei) 04:09
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Spiders are Here My father was a prisoner of the moonbeam Never would he venture, sorta, upstream The TV anchor said: “They’re all a different colour, they Let the lightning strike and the thunder holler!” In the jungle In the jungle… My mother was a prisoner of the treadmill Never would she venture, kinda, downhill Everybody claims they really saw the gold She’d rather have her dreams for the dust to hold It’s a jungle Oh! It’s a jungle…out there… CH A foot in the jungle A lifetime of fear A man in the trap – get ready The Spiders are here! The Spiders are here! My brother was a prisoner of the cave bear Never would he venture, you know – outta there Everybody claims they really got it all If we had something missing, we’d make a call - Build a wall - If we had something wanting, we’d order from the mall ‘Cos it’s a jungle, out there ‘Cos it’s a nightmare… CH A foot in the jungle A lifetime of fear A man in the trap – get ready The Spiders are here! The Spiders are here! The Spiders are here! The Spiders are here!
4.
Whipper Willow (Demo) 03:14
lyrics
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Whipper Willow Whipper Willow’s the name On the 4th of July On the porch, all the same The year Beauregard died Down in old New Orleans They forgot about the war Offering gumbo and beans Just the same as before Whipper Willow, oh Whipper Whillow Whipper Willow, oh Whipper Whillow Carry on… Whipper Willow she heard From the woods, near the lawn Ole Whippoorwill bird Sing his song before dawn Louisiana survives The whole world and the flood Damp trees touch the skies It’s in our blood Whipper Willow, oh Whipper Whillow Whipper Willow, oh Whipper Whillow Whipper Willow, oh Whipper Whillow Carry on…
5.
Medusa (Demo) 02:51
lyrics
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Medusa In the deep blue sea No one else but me In the deep blue sea No one else but me In the deep blue sea No one else - No one else but me I’m a Medusa I just burn all that I touch I’m a Medusa I just burn all that I touch I just burn all that I - All that I touch… I’m a Medusa I just burn all that I touch I’m a Medusa I just burn all that I touch I just burn, burn, burn, all that I touch In the deep blue sea No one else but me In the deep blue sea No one else but me
6.
(Utter) Disappointment 04:44
lyrics
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Disappointment Philosophy is a stellar dream We’re gonna kill the seed with our self-esteem The speed of light is no alibi For the apocalypse of the torch song tribe We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. We’re the superstars of the low-class bars We’re the koala bears with cellulars Design your scars with the knife of God We’re the sorry drunks – we’re the sullen sods We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. It’s ironic It’s ironic It’s ironic The asthmatic glee of our diatribes Don’t mix too well with the groovy vibes The human race has a lack of bass Let the trebled faith sink without a trace We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. *** We’re the holy ghosts of the great divide On our leper boats from the other side A lack of heart – and a lack of base We’re butterflies and we leave no trace We’re such a disappointment Such a disappointment. It’s ironic It’s ironic It’s ironic

about

Dear Friends.

My last record “The Ghost Parade” was released just one year ago. Usually, after an album comes out, the well goes dry for a moment, you don’t write any songs as there are so many other things one should do when there’s fresh music. This time, though, I kept on working because a small idea crept up in my head; record a few demos just like when I started back in 1985 on my 4-track cassette recorder; doing everything myself, exploring, getting there through failing a thousand times, succeeding with limited means. I thought a lot about “Nebraska” by Bruce Springsteen, a record I so admire. And as my mind went back to the 80ies, I started thinking about those old rhythm machines I used (because I’m not a drummer). They were still lying around so I hooked them up and started pushing buttons. The end result is very close to what I did when I was a teenager. Far from perfect, badly recorded at times, with loads of mistakes and white noise. Sometimes, these tracks are songs, sometimes they’re more like an idea of what a song could be.

Lyrically, I found myself very focused on the difficult times our world faces daily, in my village, around the globe, politically and socially. These are tunes that talk about how disappointing we are as a human race, how thin our values have become, how disappointing I can be myself at times, as a husband, friend and a father because I am, too, caught in this maze, not knowing where I am or where to go. The title of this EP mentions a faceless beast that eats everything in its path, leaving a trail of desolation and void. Our leaders are that faceless beast, as I am personally every now and then.
And so I finished three tracks, which I lay down as well as I could, with a few additions from my friends. And I added two bonus recordings on which I sung but didn’t initiate, made by fellow artists who often use the same work ethic as I do, who experiment in their own particular cellar. They were cool enough to let me present them to you in this package and they’re great tunes, much better recorded than mine;)))
Please listen to their music as well (links below)…
Finally, as these are sketches drawn from my notebook, I’d like to offer you these songs for free, as a gift because gifts are nice and necessary in this world. Bandcamp allows you the possibility to support this project anyway (if you wish to do so) but I’d really like you to consider this as a present. Thank you for listening, taking an interest in my music and sharing.

Love
Michael

here's a link to the song "Disappointment", on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A_gvd5HVFU&feature=youtu.be

and here's a link to listen to the whole EP, YouTube again:
youtu.be/OCP1JJL32pg

Please check our website for other news:
www.hemlocksmith.ch

and check ou the music of my friends: they deserve it:
www.goodbyeivan.com
17fmusic.bandcamp.com
lespoissonsautistes.bandcamp.com
everestrecords.ch/artists/the-worst

credits

released June 30, 2018

Hemlock Smith.
Medusa EP

1. (Slight) Disappointment 3:51
2. Let Go (with ”The Worst”) 5:34
3. Spiders are Here (“17f " feat. Michael Frei) 4:09
4. Whipper Willow (Demo) 3:14
5. Medusa (Demo) 2:51
6. (Utter) Disappointment 4:44

1/6 written by Michael Frei, Philippe Simon & Chris Diggelmann
recorded at home. Edited, Mixed and Produced by Chris Diggelmann
for DasKlangereignis.

2 written by Arnaud Ivan Sponar, Michael Frei, Stéphane Babey
and Philippe Simon
recorded at home. Mixed and Mastered by Julien Grandjean.
produced by THE WORST, a collaboration between Goodbye Ivan,
Les Poissons Autistes and Hemlock Smith - c 2015

3 written by Fred Merk and Michael Frei
recorded at home. Mixed and produced by Fred Merk (17f).

4 written by Michael Frei and Mathieu Evéquoz.
Recorded at home

5.written by Michael Frei
Recorded at home.

All Lyrics by Michael Frei. All rights reserved. Reproduced by Permission.

The Players:

Michael Frei: Vocals, Piano, Mellotron, Wurlitzer, MicroKorg, Roland Compu-Rhythm CR-8000, Laptop.

Philippe Simon: Trumpet & Laptop on 1/2/6.

Mathieu Evéquoz: Guitar on 4, Bass on 3.

Fred Merk: All instruments, Programming, Mixing and Editing on 3 (except Bass).

Arnaud Ivan Sponar: All instruments and Programming on 2 (except Trumpet).

Chris Diggelmann: Mixing, Editing and Mastering on 1/6.

Julien Grandjean: Mixing, Editing and Mastering on 2.

Pictures by Emma and Néhémie Frei, Berlin 2018
Selfie taken around 2008.


c 2019 (except where stated).
all rights reserved.
an Invisible Inc. Digital Recording.

Please check our Bandcamp Page for other releases:
<https://hemlocksmith.bandcamp.com/>

and check ou the music of my friends: they deserve it:
www.goodbyeivan.com
17fmusic.bandcamp.com
lespoissonsautistes.bandcamp.com
everestrecords.ch/artists/the-worst

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all rights reserved

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Hemlock Smith Lausanne, Switzerland

Hemlock Smith come from Lausanne (Switzerland). Since 2002, they’ve released 7 regular albums with intelligent pop, as well as 2 soundtracks for silent film and 2 collaborations with Noise duo Les Poissons Autistes. Fronted by singer-songwriter Michael Frei, Hemlock Smith's distinctive voice is complemented by a talented band seamlessly blending Pop, Folk, Rock and Trip-Hop Sensibilities ... more

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