High glow of the heat sink gleaming

Bismuth empire alloy gonna blow

Fiddle while the spire goes

All up in smoke


Thermal fuse

Check the balance but the terminal’s on fire too

Thermal fuse

Three branches burning down


Debris field artifacts charred black

Lead fused and broken and turned to ash

Just had to know how hot it could get

how hot it could get


Thermal fuse

Check the balance but the terminal’s on fire too

Thermal fuse

Three branches burning down



2. Abbreviated


Who was that who lived in the grey house down on Drexel Lane?

Didn't he go to jail or prison or something like that?

Heard he got off easy cause his dad was friendly with the DA

Saw his mom cutting grass the other day. I guess she's a widow now


They almost called me OJ

But I was born in 94

Imagine what my vibe would be

Walking around abbreviated at the grocery store


Found the tree by the creek where we used to practice swearing

Caught a catfish once then Sean's older brother put a mortar in its mouth

Pretty sure these bud light cans are invasive

But I guess it's nice to see these waters running blue again


They almost called me OJ

The bronco fled when I was born

It would’ve changed everything

Mysterious man full name only on his credit score

A completely different genre of guy. he's got shades on

And he loves when people ask about his middle name but

It's not even unique or cool



3. Shining Ear To Ear


Woke up this morning realized I was laying down

Popcorn ceiling dusty fan blades spinning round

Wasn't I somebody else before me

Prehistoric stories caught in my feelings


And I'd skip down the sidewalk 

They used to call me a lumineer

Was it for the six string

Or the shining ear to ear?


Shine a light on this old bed the sheets pulled up

And underneath all the things I won't discuss

Pull the thread the memory's all a little frayed

A dried up story a faded stain


And I'd love to get a move on

If I could find the other sock

And why's the grocery store so far? 

The last spot on the block


And I'd skip down the sidewalk 

They used to call me a lumineer

Was it for the six string

Or the shining ear to ear?


There must have been a reason 

It's been dimming to a flicker

But what kind of filament forever faithfully delivers?

There must have been a reason

It's been coming unmade

I'll tuck the corners in again

They never seem to stay

And I’d skip down the sidewalk

They used to all call me a lumineer

Was it for the six string

Or the shining ear to ear

Or the shining ear to ear



4. Sweet Swinging Billy


Three up and three down 

Stood him up and brought him round the outside

It was just the other day 

They cheered old Billy right up to the plate


Sweet swinging they would say

Gonna make a statue of him some day

In 99 they put him up on the corner out on Addison he stood


Till the day the big league took him down for good

Oh a shiny complex, an ancient neighborhood

Now they do their shopping right there where he stood

Oh a memory ain't worth margins quite this good



5. Dishes


Blame it all on a work situation

Blame it on my boss is a dick and the worst part is

I can't keep working for myself

Guess I'll quit


Blame it all on a work situation

Blame it my moto is dead

There's a song in the sink and a sponge in my head

And a pen with some ink but my hands are too wet


I wish that there were more dishes to do 

So there was something for my hands

Keep the headphones on, keep the tv going

Keep the screen saver spinning

Cause I'll kill time till the clock begs for mercy 

And comes back round


And I read a lot of creative types keep it messy

Surely Jackson Pollock had some paint stains on his couch

Not to mention the stuff between his teeth

And the turpentine smell stuck in his sheets


Blame it all on a work situation

Blame it on the the words that I keep

And I only read in slow motion

Guess I'll sleep


I wish that there were more dishes to do 

So there was something for my hands

Keep the headphones on, keep the tv going

Keep the screen saver spinning

Cause I'll kill time till the clock begs for mercy 

And comes back round


And I saw in a dream this is all a bit too clean

Even through the plumes at one half speed

And I'll write every last rhyme to the bottom of the page

But the words in my head wont sweep into the pan 


I wish that there were more dishes to do 

So there was something for my hands

Keep the headphones on, keep the tv going

Keep the screen saver spinning

Cause I'll kill time till the clock begs for mercy 

And comes back round



6. Feeling The Pull


I'm lost in a book on the beach with a wine glass

Sink my toes into a love story

Meet cute caught in the mirror at the sunglasses stand

Sink my toes into a love story


Fantasy football league I'm in too deep

Sure could use the money

Secret side bet three team parlay

Sure could use the money


And there's only so many genres to be

Button up your shirt or show off your tattoo sleeves

It's vans and its converse

There's no others

But it's nice to get to choose

Everybody needs their shoes


I'm starting to believe everybody’s on to something

Little interests in the back of your head

A cardboard box, a kids TV set

They canceled your favorite show

But everybody someday feels the pull of rock and roll


I'm starting to believe everybody’s on to something

Little interests in the back of your head

A cardboard box, a kids TV set

They canceled your favorite show

Cause everybody someday feels the pull of rock and roll


Let's crack open the semi-retired white fridge

In the garage by the Yamaha beat up kit

Turns out all the dads were onto something

They canceled your favorite show

But everybody someday feels the pull of rock and roll 



7. Crows


Nobody crows at the lines around a grown man's eyes

Her concrete hands say "girls don't cry"

Crying out at the mirror

A dark window with a lying reflection

Turns out baby doesn't wonder what's on mama's mind


Crows calling loud as ever

From a decommissioned wire

A little grey in the feather

A dead language sounding tired


Big girls walking now, to the fight of her life

Cherry wine on her breath getting stronger through the night

Never read the book her mom left by her bed

Some survivors song, never thought it'd fit her right 


Crows calling loud as ever

From a decommissioned wire

A little grey in the feather

A dead language sounding tired



8. Embarrassing


There's nothing more embarrassing than to be alive

Tried to get her attention last night

It was a damn good punch line

Everybody heard except for her


And those were some real good friends to look away

Hard to watch their own go down that way

Couldn't help myself had to try again

Guess she heard it after all


I'm gonna turn around now

I'm gonna act like I didn't say anything

I didn't say anything

I'm gonna head home now

Not gonna say goodbye or wave


There's nothing more embarrassing than to drown alive

Grown man never even braved a high dive

Cheeks blushed red before they turned blue

Midwest guy can't read a rip tide


And those were some real good friends to forget he went

Till the bill came due at the beach bar tent

All the ice melt down in his drink

Must be off just walking the beach


I'm gonna give it up now

I'm gonna let it pull me down or spit me out

It spit me out

I'm gonna catch my breath now

Not gonna tell my friends a thing 



9. Adam Up There


Adam up there 

Is the whole moon big enough for you?

I know you're looking down cold and waiting

And I assure you we're working fast as we can

Never mind the yelling in the background

Heard the program might be winding down

But we're all still dreaming of the day we'll join you


Adam up there 

Hope the whole moon's big enough for you

I'm sorry to be the one that has to tell you

And I assure you we fought it as hard as we can

No reports no flight plans

They're unwinding the program

But we're all still dreaming of the day we'll join you


Well someone had go first

They said to thank you for your service

Oh but somewhere in development

It got lost in the public sentiment


Oh Adam up there do you have all you need?

Cause it might be longer than we could ever foresee



10. Gnawing At The Cord


One shot of molten rock 

Became a hundred pairs of hands

One planted pair

That's your childhood best friend


Dirt swallows diamond rings

Fingers and everything

Tree limbs too

First drivers license 

In a hill in the suburbs

Exhaust vent fumes


Time keeps gnawing at the cord

A sharp claw near a scratched up

Mold rotting old floor board

Back when the uniformed kids would play

There was no time on the clock

Next point gets a cap for your feather

Call your own foul mouth back to mom

Beneath the beige grass courtyard

A chainlink fence underground

Dirt-filled lock on the junction

The keys been long thrown out

A moth in an attic snacking

It's Judy's old size four

A Sunday gift for someone

But she never got that far


Last night I was a Montana cowboy

Rode around on purebred archetype

A buckaroo breaking for the bunkhouse oh

Before the day gave to night

And even with the peacemaker loaded up on my hip

Before its dark I like to be tucked in

Cause I get scared of those glowing coyote eyes


Last election I was a distinguished statesman

Shaking hands with religious ilk

Stumping speeches speaking swiftly

Oh for a price I pushed their bill

They think they know right where I stay

But there's someone they don't know I know this way

My staffer, he's my little laugher sleeping next to me


Last week I was breadwinning father

Working hard cause that's what's right

A perfect tax paying pear-shaped padre

Oh hug the kids and kiss my wife

Moving lunches all from fridge to fridge

And last night's greens refused by stubborn kids

But when they sleep I go out back and spark a light