Are's & Els

by michael the blind

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  • Digital Album

    Immediate download of 11-track album in your choice of high-quality MP3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

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  • Compact Disc

    Beautiful Matte Slip Sleeve packaging

    Includes immediate download of 11-track album in your choice of high-quality MP3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

    Buy Now  $7 USD or more

    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 200 

  • Limited Edition Deluxe 180 Gram Vinyl LP

    Pre-Order Now!

    Beautiful full-color Super Deluxe LP sleeve with lyrics included.

    Includes immediate download of 11-track album in your choice of high-quality MP3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

    Buy Now  $15 USD or more

    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 300 
1.
03:13
lyrics
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2.
02:24
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3.
02:36
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4.
02:21
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5.
03:34
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6.
02:23
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7.
03:20
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8.
02:50
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9.
02:35
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10.
03:48
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11.
03:40
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about

"Are's & Els" AVAILABLE NOW!

In the spring of 2011, Michael formed the band "The Els" with his wife Rachael Renee', longtime friend Nathaniel Leigh, and bassist J. Elwood Johncox. Later that year, newly formed Alder Street Records signed Levasseur. The first record was recorded shortly thereafter at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco, by Ian Pellicci. Over the course of 11 days, members of the els convened in the Mission District to record 5 tracks live in the studio. Michael worked with Rory Carroll (Black Telephone, The New York Times), who largely produced the album, and drummer John Masters (Cheniers, Metropolitan), who brought his hard-hitting style, on another 6 songs. Alder Street Records released the album titled "Are's & Els" in early 2012 in a limited edition run of 500 deluxe 180 gram LP's, 300 CD's in gorgeous full color matte packaging with sleeve artwork featuring photos by Rachael Renee' Levasseur!

credits

released 05 June 2012
All vocals and guitar (unless otherwise noted) by Michael Gerard Levasseur

Rachael Renee' Levasseur: Electric Autoharp, vocals
Nathaniel Kees Leigh: drums (2,4,5,8,11) vocals
J. Elwood Johncox: bass (1,2,4,5,7,8,11) vocals
Rory David Carroll: bass (3,6,9,10), vocals
John Masters: drums (1,3,6,7,9,10)
Liana Berube: violin (1,10)
Michelle Kwon: cello (1,10)
Andrew Maguire: vibraphone (10)
Ari Micich: trumpet (10)
Minna Rhee Choi: arrangements, conducting (1,10)

tags

tags: alder street records folk indie magik*magik michael the blind non-americana portland or portland oregon post-punk rock tiny telephone indie rock

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about

Michael Levasseur is a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist living in Portland, Oregon. He has put out 4 albums and played countless shows under the name Michael the Blind. In 2011, along with his wife and good friends, Levasseur put together a backup band called The Moonshine.

Michael the Blind's latest album, "Ares & Els" was released June 5, 2012 on Alder Street Records. ... more

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Track Name: Another Circle of Fifths
I want to quit, but every time I'm at the end of my rope,
well I find there's another rope,
another circle of fifths, another hope,
another letter for the printing press to dry-clean,
another blip another bloom inside this beautiful machine.

I want the truth the whole and nothing but the truth,
but every time I get a clue I want for proof,
another neverending story in the hunt for mother goose,
another book for the executives to deep fry,
another reason to have Christmas on the 4th of July.

You want to jet but every compass point's magnetic, and everything's so copacetic where you're at,
another impossible dream another flat paperback,
another explosion for the industry to shrink wrap,
another way to end the day, another fade to black.
Track Name: Instead
If this is a beginning, it soon best multiply,
It seems to me it's one among too few and
far between one too many goodbyes.

If this is an instead, and "instead of what?" you ask,
I'll say instead of waht couldn't be avoided,
I'll say instead of the past.

Let's stay within this if a little while, what the hell
I like to see you smile, well well well
If the rest of it is certain destruction,
we should ring like fucking bells.
Track Name: Can't Stay
Once was,still am, he hawed, and hemmed,
thin lipped, and thick skinned, there there, then then,
now now, I hope you're happy
as a roach in and old toupee, and how,
don't try to scare me
with your new-found sense of come what may.

I can't stay. You don't say. I can't stay.

Amazing, free falling, quit stealing, start stalling,
a big voice, a little noise, tit for tat, it's your choice,
My my, how time flies, watch the clock go
out the window, it's okay...

I can't stay. You don't say. I can't stay.
Track Name: Metaphor Life
Life's a beach, or a bitch,
a bowl of cherries, or the pits,
silver-spooned or self-made,
sour grapes, or lemonade

The world's not a web, it is more like a net,
and the sky doesn't cry, the streets just get wet,
and hope's not a kite, there's no metaphor life,
it's wish as you may and try as you might...

And time is money, or it's Mickey,
begging's a choice if you're not too picky,
and death comes too soon, or as sweet release,
life is hell or it's a peach
Track Name: Sympathies
If the past were as pure as the things we adore, we could raise a glass to history once more. But it's checkered as a chess board, all the suits have stopped the press, lord, I can't sleep among the sympathies of war.
See the spotlight is so damn fickle, all theses injuries they tickle, meant to torture, meant to tame a life of shame, and who's to blame? If the past were as pure as the things we adore, we could raise a glass to history once more.
Track Name: Who Is She?
Who is she? What is her name?
I never would suspect it of you,
that's what you'd expect me to do.
Nobody wears a costume like that for nothing.

Your secret's safe with me,
I can keep it under my hat.
You just gotta tell me something buddy,
where'd you get a habit like that?

Who'd have thought that we were all in the dark,
while that sparkle in your eye
was making mark after mark?
Nobody says you can't call it off on a lark.

Who is she? What is her name?
Who is she? What is her game?
Who is she? Who is she?
Track Name: Just Like a Song
I wonder if you know just what you do to me,
in some mysterious, and some ways that even I can see.
See it is a sense of wonder yes this weak in the knees
Track Name: Depth Perception
If I could make a mountain it would start just like a pearl, with one grain of hope deep within the belly of the world, but I can only chance upon the valleys left by those who came before, their chants just floating on the surface of the core.

If I could bridge a gap I'd do it like a tangle would, and leave the straight and narrow to those who would think they're good, but I've only my own mistakes to teach me what I should have asked the ones who came before me also carved this crooked path.

There is no choice but what you want.
There is no vision, only depth perception.
As they say, you've got it or you don't.
Track Name: All & More
Pin your hopes to progress and medication,
'til there's no difference
between the static and the station,
memories and dried flowers lose their scent,
the shape is similar, but it's missing what it meant.

So say it all again,
you'll do it all and more,
Oh yeah it's all been done before,
except for one last war.

You almost had it, there in your imagination,
between the trail of tears,
and the flood of information,
history gets twisted 'til it seems it is unreal,
otherwise in the future it will have no mass appeal.
Track Name: Have It Out
Come on and give me something to shout about.
It's been quiet here for far too long as far as I'm concerned,
quiet as in "quiet desperation", only disappointment showing
any interest these days.

I want to have it out...
Track Name: My Regards
My regards to the boss,
I will pay for it at any cost.
The world don't care,
what gets lost.
And do you?
Do you?
'Cause I do.
The machine is on fire,
and the air is on alert.
The world don't care,
who gets hurt.
And do you?
Do you?
'Cause I do.