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I know you by feel.
You disappear with daylight and open eyes.
Like breath on a window, I trace you in fog.
But the line is a liar.
Everybody falls prey to this shrinking day.
It’s days since you’ve come around.
I set an empty place for you.
The shadow of my joy sweeps across the floor once more,
and the room’s on fire.
Everybody falls prey to this shrinking day.
Make room for becoming.
You know this won’t last.
The ghosts at your table, they shine and then collapse.
Let go of the people that you’ve amassed.
Make room for The Curious One!
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This is all that’s left of my boat, she said.
This is all that’s left.
A tea cup I found, the shell that held us close for a while.
This is all that’s left of my boat, she said.
This is all that’s left.
A coterie of kestrels stand on the prow and the keel,
no longer whole.
The sea, the sea has taken me away from my love.
The sea, the sea is sifting the facts from the dreams,
the life from the calcium, salt from the sweetness of you.
This is all that’s left of my life, she said.
This is all that’s left.
In the scattered grave of the shipyard,
a tea cup was the calling card.
This is all that’s left of my life.
Rolled out and tumbled
until I am sand and your little hands
build up a castle, a moat for a tiny blue boat.
The sea, the sea will take you away to your love.
The sea, the sea will carry you on the facts and the dreams,
the life and the calcium, salt and the sweetness of loss.
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3. |
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Sloshing water, shivering dark.
He was a hero and saint.
Enough to suffer for.
Jump like a map into the fire.
Back your lines out, take it up.
Move it like a buggy whip,
pump like a fury and ton of brick.
Last night the street was all lit up.
Johnny backed out inch-by- inch,
Held by the light of the fire.
Last night the street was all lit up
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Johnny backed out inch-by- inch,
Saved by the light of the fire.
He was a hero and saint.
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4. |
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There once was a battery, a pile of bones.
There once was a kennel. The lips closed dry.
There once was a newsreel. Nothing is pure.
There once was city with its kitchen gardens.
There was an assassin who packed a bomb.
There once was a streetcar. It was empty.
There once was a newsreel. Nothing is pure.
There once was city with its kitchen gardens.
There once was a carpenter who killed a dog.
There once was a little girl building snowmen.
There once was a ditty. It was about love.
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5. |
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In the dead of night, two worlds collide.
In the dead of night, winged horses arrive.
Took my sister, took my son,
mother, father, everyone.
In the dead of night, we did ride.
In the dead of night, blood fills my eyes.
In the dead of night, my own family I deny.
Leave my saddle, leave my gun.
Now the life I knew is done.
In the dead of night, we will ride.
In the dead of night, arrows paint the sky.
In the dead of night, men and mares and dust elide.
I hear you call out my old name
but it’s too late, I’m not the same.
In the dead of night, I will ride.
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6. |
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Blue is the house where no one lives,
Standing in the door and waving fro and to
Someone who had passed here,
Raise another glass dear.
No one moves away for good.
Red is the bike that no one rides.
Handlebars are aiming for the sea.
So faded are the heroes.
Bored are the windows.
No one moves away for good.
Brown is the earth where no one lies
Telling us as little as he can, no more.
Everyone has passed here.
Raise another glass, dear.
No one moved away for good.
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7. |
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Hush, hush.
Everything is hush, hush.
The colors here have all but gone.
Hush, hush.
Everyone is hush, hush.
The crickets sound a tintinnabulation of urgent alarms.
Hush, hush.
Calm yourself.
Time will make this mountain move.
The walls of this house hear things we don’t dare say.
Each peculiar thought you weave settles in the corner.
Everything I say gathers in the eaves.
Every look you send my way hovers in the rafters.
And it all rains down.
Draw a line. Toes behind.
On your marks now, Get set, and go.
Run for your life!
The walls of this house hear songs we don’t dare sing.
The faucet drips our numbered days and echoes in the hallway.
Come and go. Hide and seek.
Finders, keepers, losers, weepers.
Run, run!
Hush, hush.
Time will make this mountain move.
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8. |
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Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
I think I’ll see a man about a dog.
Maybe I’ll buy myself an island.
The waves are washing over me.
Darling, can you dump the ashtray?
Lately, seems that’s all I get.
Running through a plate glass window.
‘Cause you’re my favorite obstacle.
Spare the rod and spoil the child.
Is that your purse on fire?
Me gusta el calor.
God’s wet nurse lost her job.
Sweet fuck all anyway.
Who kills a butterfly?
Divided we must fall.
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9. |
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I’ll take my time walking away from you.
Don’t push me, baby, I’m good as gone.
This story moves like weather and backwards-flying birds.
Don’t turn the page faster than you read.
This body loves me harder than I love myself.
A sentimental larder full of overflowing jars.
Oh, home again, home again, jiggity jig.
Home again, home again.
I’ll take my time crawling back home to you.
Don’t rush me, baby, I’m closer than you know.
This story burns like tires and furniture and magazines.
Don’t turn the page faster than you can read.
This body loves me harder than you ever thought you could.
A sentimental larder full of empty cans and sour thoughts.
Oh, home again, home again, jiggity jig.
Home again, home again.
Oh, home again, home again, jiggity jog.
Home again, home again.
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10. |
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At last she comes, o never more,
in this dear patience of my pain,
to leave me lonely as before,
or leave my soul alone again.
(At last, alone again.)
In this deep silence no one stirs,
even the wind, she holds her breath.
The empty echo now assures
my quiet comfort, calm as death.
(In this, as calm as death.)
This book I write holds still the dance
and deafening din of tales recalled.
Please crack this spine, and break this trance!
Lay siege to this heart in which I’m walled.
(At last I dance again.)
A silverfish swims through a sea of frozen words.
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11. |
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Merci veilmal, danke mille.
Au revoir, va bene.
Mi ricordo alles et rien.
Shukriah beaucoup.
Alles bene, va bien.
Je me souviens di tutti thay nahih.
Moje kochanie est a la maison,
tharingay thay pbhulingay.
Mayra dhil es su la casa.
On attendant et on oubliant.
Merci vielmal. Danke Mille.
Pamiȩtam tous et gar nichts.
Mi amore er hjemme.
Sie vartet und vergest.
English translation:
Thank you so much.
Goodbye.
All is well.
I remember everything and nothing.
My love is at home waiting and forgetting.
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Rabbit Rabbit is the song-spinning duo of Carla Kihlstedt and Matthias Bossi. Collectively, this husband and wife team are founding members of the iconic bands Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Tin Hat, 2 Foot Yard, Causing a Tiger, The Book of Knots, and Fred Frith’s Cosa Brava, and have played with Tom Waits, Mike Patton, Skeleton Key, Madeleine Peyroux, Tracy Chapman, John Vanderslice, St. Vincent, Carla Bozulich, Pretty Lights and The Tiger Lillies. Between them they have written music for the International Contemporary Ensemble, The Bang On a Can All-stars, The ROVA Saxophone Quartet, InkBoat, The Joe Goode Performance Group and Team Meat - the video game company that brought you Super Meat Boy.
But Rabbit Rabbit dares to peel back these influences, revealing an intimate and dramatic music that is all their own.
When the stars align, and they often do, they are joined by engineer/producer/bassist/guitarist Jon Evans whom you may know from his work with Tori Amos, Linda Perry and many others (
jonevansmusic.com).
ABOUT RABBIT RABBIT RADIO:
In keeping with their fiercely independent nature, in February, 2012, they launched Rabbit Rabbit Radio as a way to connect with their listeners in a more meaningful way in this post-label world. On the first day of every month they release a new Rabbit Rabbit song to their subscribers, along with a video, photos, and other relevant insights. It's like getting an organic musical farm box delivered to you every month.
ABOUT THE CD:
Rabbit Rabbit Radio, Volume 1 is a re-ordered and newly mastered collection of the songs they created for their subscribers in 2012. Though they've clearly embraced the potential of releasing music in the digital realm, they are both lovers of hand-held, tangible objects of beauty. The physical CD is such an object. A collaboration between Carla, her sister Rya Kihlstedt, and RRR's graphic designer, Anna Singer, the CD includes a 16 page booklet with meticulously hand drawn artwork and lyrics, each page featuring an iconic object that represents each song.
The songs were recorded between Jon Evans' studio in Orleans, MA called Brick Hill, Joel Hamilton's Studio G, Brooklyn, and Carla and Matthias' own KihlBossi Studios.
PRESS:
“A bold, careening mashup of styles: progressive and jazzy art-pop meets classical/gypsy fantasies with Kihlstedt’s vocals twisting and turning melodies inside out and upside down…unlike anything you’ll hear today, this week or this year.” - Direct Current
“Dark chamber-pop gains heft with a trip-hop pulse, while Waitsian strings counter Tori Amos melody, and the couple’s vocal harmonies slither through floor-shaking backbeats." - Free Times
“Kihlstedt’s work can be labeled as neo-classical, haunting and avant-garde; her husband joins her in harmony…they’re an impressive tag-team—the kind of musical pairing that belongs together.” - Leo Weekly
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
From the mouths of RRR subscribers:
“Thanks again and again and again for making the first of each month a day to look forward to for almost an entire month.” -- Mark Uwland, Netherlands
“…a luscious synthesis of language and sound.”
“Rich, real, interesting, moving and beautiful.”
“…brings back to music what the labels have destroyed, and continue to destroy.”
“Carla and Matthias are the greatest musical couple since Clara and Robert Schumann.”
“The future of music distribution? That’d be nice.”
“Beautiful. So, so beautiful.”
“Angels tear their hair out in jealousy.”
“Absolutely stunning.”
“... truly wondrous.”
TWITTER & FACEBOOK POSTS:
“It's such a terrific project... Rabbit Rabbit Radio is as Inspired as It is Inspiring.” (Melea Seward @boardofus)
“Subscribe to listen, read, and watch — it's fantastic!” Contemporaneous @econtemp)
“i've been listening to this month's song on repeat. LOVE IT!” (Michael Furie)
“This is PHENOMENAL! ...it completely blew me away!” (Kelly Payton)
”Loving this whole adventure. ...Such a fan!” (Kristy Foye:)
“If you aren't a part of Rabbit Rabbit Radio, why aren't you??” (Anthony Kibort:)
Carla’s... singing has gone beyond wonderful to amazing. Thank you...for sharing your art/life with us. May Rabbit Rabbit run evermore.” (Jon Szanto)
“I am so amazed by the first issue of Rabbit Rabbit Radio!” (David Bloom)
“I can not stop counting the days till RRR kicks off. It has taken over my life in the BEST possible way.” (Robert Suthard)
