CITY AND COLOR

When the flames of Canadian post punk, soft screamo band, Alex Is On Fire died out, long after the lactating contortionist stripper on which their name was taken, faded into the gutter, the great talent of Dallas Green and his new band, CITY AND COLOR, emerged. He explains the lyric from the title track “The Hurry and the Harm” – “Why are we so worried. More about the hurry and less about the harm,” to music mag, Kerrang!: “We can all agree that we live very fast-paced lives,” he said. “I think we worry more about the ‘hurry’ than just about the consequences or ‘the harm.’ I’m just as guilty as everyone else. I wrote this as a way to remind myself to slow down and appreciate what’s in front of me.”

1.”The Hurry and the Harm”4:23

2.”Harder Than Stone”4:26

3.”Of Space and Time”3:33

4.”The Lonely Life”4:34

5.”Paradise”3:38

6.”Commentators”3:35

7.”Thirst”3:26

8.”Two Coins”5:32

9.”Take Care”3:38

10.”Ladies and Gentlemen”4:05

11.”The Golden State”5:18

12.”Death’s Song”4:43Total length:50:49

It’s probably too easy to dismiss the lyrics of these two songs as self indulgent mopery of doom and gloom and alienation but taken in the context of the rest of the album and the brilliant musical accompaniaments I could not help but be moved. I was driving back from visiting someone dear – someone in the fading last stages of life, as I pondered my own. Chords were struck.

TWO COINS

Northwest is where I’m heading
Underneath the golden sky
I’m searching for a wisdom
That every man seeks to find
I’ve got wicked thoughts a brewin’
Many evil deeds I’ve done
I’m looking for a reason
For a reason not to run

I’ve always been dark
With light somewhere in the distance
I’ve always been dark
With light somewhere in the distance

I’ve got no destination
No place to call my own
I’ll explore the constellations
‘Til I find the course I mean to hold
But come fever or come famine
Come the biting winter cold
Just put two coins upon my eyelids
So I can pay the boatman’s toll

I’ve always been dark
With light somewhere in the distance
I’ve always been dark
With light somewhere in the distance

I’ve been so unforgiving
Stranded in old traditions

I’ve always been dark
With light somewhere in the distance
I’ve always been dark
With light somewhere in the distance

DEATH’S SONG

What becomes of me
When you stop listening?
Do I disappear into the silence?
Or return from the void with brand new life?

Will I find a resting place?
Somewhere to wash my hands and face
Gathering the harvest for all I need
Collapsing into this place of ease

I’m singing my death song
Singing my death song
Singing my death song
This is my death song

Singing my death song
Singing my death song
Singing my death song
Singing my death song

Singing my death song
Singing my death song
Singing my death song
This is my death song