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Upkeep (Live)

by andy hummel

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1.
Nylon 04:22
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Attention to detail, curve of a spine, slow discotheque I wanted to kneel, I don't know who's under Your rubberneck Pretty quick to stiffen, pretty close to hidden I dont need your oxygen I'm okay with choking Holding your hand might make it feel better It's not good enough, it's not good enough, What do we do when It's not enough, it's not enough, Tangled in nylon It's not good enough, it's not My blood is pumping, a white knuckled ride, a warm hearted man Why're you so jumpy, a purple bic lighter A gasoline can Forget the roller coaster, forget the stomach ulcer Trying to not get flustered Your scent is heavy Holding my breath might make it feel better
2.
Lady, don't do no wrong 05:16
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Herringbone, skin is tattooed with white phosphorous (Guess they got to us) Chances are you won’t be going home Steak knives, where your salad days lie The tiger wasn’t tame, the tiger learnt to walk in shame Hard luck, I’ve forgotten half of How innocent, too young to know That it could be any different Doubt, doubt, doubt Lady don’t do no wrong Unicorn, it’s getting late to make much sense of this (Guess they got to us) Decided all the lights were getting dim Gelignite, then you tried the family life The lion was aflame, the lion learned to share the blame
3.
Softly, softly 03:14
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Here are my demands, speak for yourself We’re tough as nails, all the hard hearts, all the hard hearts There is no doubt, you’re rough as guts We’re wearing out All the good parts, all the good parts Know I try to believe it (Softly, softly. Softly, softly) Know there’s no hard feelings, Nothing will come of it Nothing will come of it, nothing will come of it Suffer in silence, get over it There’s no second chance, for the soy boy, for the soy boy The only way out, try to harden up Gotta be the man, Just a decoy, just a decoy
4.
Eggshells 05:36
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It’s a strikingly different lesson to learn When you’re covered in less than The need to listen It’s a scar on the landscape, a mudslide, a handshake You like, don’t lie, don’t lie Oooh oooh, wait for the courage Wait for it comes after anger And you’re hoping to rise above And you beat up yourself for two birds that you held Cos’ your raven survived as you ring in the bell It was me clipping your wings While you walked on my eggshells Oh the shocking resemblance to Nietzsche, the migraines Closing your eyes babe Ya knuckles are white Oh the sudden exposure, your wrists red with closure Decide, don’t lie, don’t lie Oooh it’s never over Awake when you’re naked and freezing But you’re hoping to rise above
5.
Demons (Lucy Fire) 03:57
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Tell me what you're saving for easing out  If you want, to give me your linen  Help me tell all the lies details down down  So you want to be the wise guy  So you want to be the wise guy  Ha, give me demons  Ha, give me demons    Lately all your finger letters  Spell out the end of the picture show  You make it all so heavy  You make it all so heavy    Remember when we tangoed late at night  Blood red feels were a given  Laid each other out like butterflies, fly, fly  And you didn’t want a shy guy  And you didn’t want a shy guy, no  Ha, give me demons  Ha, give me demons  Ha, gimme demons  Ha, gimme demons 
6.
Promises 03:40
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Wouldn't know if I was, in denial  You can't tell because of my crooked smile  Is painted on wet lips for laughing  Just show me who you have been photographing  Can you please, promise me  That kisses are words, that kisses are heard  Could you please, promise me  That kisses are words, that kisses won't hurt  Could you please, promise me  That kisses are words  Don't want to go down too fast, what's the hurry?  Ringing my hands with a, delicious worry  Striking a pose with all your senses  What if I told you there's no consequences?  Your wings are falling off now icarus  Got reminded how far out of touch  So and so and such and such 
7.
Apple Tree Street 05:08
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I left you ribbons, tied to the fence  Call out forgiveness, it happened again  Fought all the feelings, captured the flag  What are the leavings?  A hand in a hand in a hand in a hand  Apple Tree Street,  Is where we all tumble, down  Into your arms to be seen  I live in steal, I hide in shock  Your face is a parchment, the hands on the clock, the clock  Your voice shook in horror, the monster was keen  Smashing the mirror  God make me clean, make me clean 
8.
Melancholy 04:44
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Say so, the girl seemed to learn her lesson  Afraid to go, threefold I forgot to mention  I’m shushing out for sinking into later  Who’s side you fighting for, she just wants a spectator  Oooh ooh oooh sit before her heavy thinking now man  Oooh ooh oooh slipping down some dirty done desire  They collide with waves so slowly    Not surprised what waits below me  Now we’re surrounded  I’ll survey this lie looking lonely  Bound and delayed though  I’ll find away through a soft melancholy    Wet skin, no way I’m gonna miss the message   Spread thin, let’s see you under tension  You’re stretching out limbs floating into deep pool  Give me a cold shoulder, a whisper down clavicle  Oooh ooh oooh touching without touching is all the rage  Oooh ooh oooh on the other side I feel strange  Submerge myself in guacamole    Oooh  We’re racing for pink slips only  Lay it on me 
9.
Tracing 04:03
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Negative Nancy, the devil’s arrived  No reflection, the road is easy she knows the truth  Her dress is right  Hey!  Choosing her moments, I know your type  And I can’t hide the feeling when her hair’s   Pulled back too tight  Hey, hey, hey!  I’m tracing, I’m tracing a way  Catch you later, catch ya!  I’m tracing, I’m tracing a way  Catch you later, catch you later, catch you later, hey!    Using a throwaway, anonymous smile  Face the music, nobody’s watching the outside’s soft   The inside’s vile  Hey!  Excuses, excuses, not feeling the vibe  And so what I’ve got your number, I won’t be calling  For a while  Hey, hey, hey! 
10.
The Eels Hunt 05:11
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Little bone, little bone to catch you (with)  If you don’t get broken it doesn’t matter much  I’ll clean you up, you’re rolling over  Come and lick your wounds with salt and vinegar  Surprising, you changed your clothes  And you don't swing, and no one knows  That I can wait, that I'll tempt fate again  Brutal, snakes and ladders    Oooh oooh fulsome, oooh oooh oh  I will hunt by smell and not by sight  Only get out of the bind at night  Swim away, swim away don't have to speak  Nothing to see here murky underneath  I'm writhing quick, rushing over me  Your skin electric, mint and nectarine  Lime juice, the breath I'm baiting  Excuse; undulating, not finished yet  If I don't see the end,  Weak kneed, tongue in tatters    Oooh oooh want some, oooh oooh oh  I will hunt by smell and not by sight  Only get out of the bind at night  What you gonna do with all these feelings  Feelings, Feelings  Watch out for, watch out for caustic soda  Lazy eye, easy warning  I’ve come to blow you over  Just dance boy, just dance til you start to shudder  Lazy lie, easy warning  I’ve come to blow you over

about

Upkeep (Live) morphed out of a swag of demos produced during 2022. At the end of that year I realised I wanted to play these out live and decided to try them solo, this immediately raised the issue of how. I wanted to avoid karaoke style backing tracks or live looping, preferring to stay in the organic moment of the song. I wanted to retain the beats and layers and intensity.

I set out deconstructing the tracks completely, distilling to their basic parts, breaking them down so I could rebuild.

I started by running all my programmed beats from Ableton, including provision for live dubs. To this I midi-synced various guitar pedals to provide percussive glitch, delays and tonal layers. Most of which are generative in real time; relying on variations in the attack of the guitar to adjust the level and depth of the additive effect. And all are locked to the pulse. It's cohesive but allows for sloppiness.
It's not perfect, I've compromised all my carefully crafted bass grooves in favour of sub octave pedal mutterings emerging from sequenced delays and arps. It's kind of a hot mess but it works, just.

In the midst of this tinkering, in February 2023, I hit record and played what I had. The result is Upkeep. It's quite raw, the guitar is out of tune, the lyrics and delivery are inconsistent. But it's real and tough and good. These versions have become the benchmark for how I hear them. They are true.

credits

released April 9, 2023

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andy hummel New Zealand

New Zealand sound fiddler, snippet snatcher, time based tightrope walker. Writes and sings songs, plays computer and guitar effects pedals. Produces sound design for interactives and theatre soundtrack work.
Associated acts: Rosy Tin Teacaddy.
The Woolshed Sessions.
Pashtag. ... more

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