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AFTER THE LIGHTS FAILED

by Curious Quail

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1.
Suddenly you wake up with a start and your head is sore Rememberin' what day it is too late Did you even mourn? There's no point askin' why Reaffirm your alibi Oh those lies you tell about the ones you left behind the ones you left behind After the lights failed
2.
Instant Gratification We built up these barricades like it was nothin' With a mouse and a keyboard; a passport to never leave our seats The moment you realize you don't even know your neighbor's first name It pains when it changes, so sudden Now We all live for someone else We all live for someone else A time you thought could never be you point, you click, you wait and see blatant misinformation Selling you innovation It's well you'd see you'd never be you point you click you wait and see Instant Gratification Instant Gratification I know It's a part of me now I know it's a part of me now Where were you when everthing started to break down? Remember the wind in your hair, was it all you'd hope for dear? This time that we live in is somethin' you prayed and dreamed for every night A selfish repentance won't end it now We all live for someone else We all live for someone else A time you thought could never be you point, you click, you wait and see blatant misinformation selling you a vacation A policy you'd never be you point you click you wait and see Instant Gratification Instant Gratification I know It's a part of me now I know It's a part of me now When They'e done We're still breakin' down these walls cuz when they're done We're not When They'e done We're still breakin' down these walls and when they're done We're not We all live for someone else We all live for someone else A time you thought could never be you point, you click, you wait and see blatant misinformation Sellin' you innovation You promised me it'd never be you point you click you wait and see Instant Gratification Instant Gratification
3.
Moon + Stars 04:03
Smashed in the dirt again Breakin my bones? That's fine Cuz they'll mend Me and you Don't stay down long We won't be erased here We've got work to do We always get up but it won't be our place here If we Live a little build a little heal a little what's this all gonna mean for us? We don't have a clue Live a little Build a little Deal a little What's this all gonna mean for us? It's time We can believe Everything we have is beautiful Despite All that we've seen Everything we have is beautiful Spit in their face again Holdin' you close, one arm not our end Moon and Stars Always get up We won't lose our home here we've got work to do we always get up and we won't be alone here If we Live a little build a little heal a little what's this all gonna mean for us? We don't have a clue Live a little Build a little Deal a little What's this all gonna mean for us? It's time We can believe Everything we have is beautiful Despite All that we've seen Everything we have is beautiful If we Live a little Build a little Heal a little What's it all gonna mean for me? I don't have a clue Live together Die together On our own terms There's no place I'd rather be
4.
Braid 04:38
All in like the places that I lied Nothing in comes in close to bein' "right" Lookin back, it's something that we had but this face is gettin older, and I'm glad and there's a place we know to go and there's a place we know to go Well It's all goin' down, boys We're off the rails now, boys we're all Sons of Bitches now, boys We've angered her now, boys and this world is gonna tear us limb from limb and this place as backwards as is it's finding all our sins it makes us whole again and we're not damned the possibility of findin what we seek is to great for us to bare What matters most is how to pass the time and every time he looks at me, I'm right foldin' back the places that we meant her braid is lashing at me with contempt and there's a place we choose to go it's a place we choose to go Well It's all goin' down, boys We're off the rails now, boys we're all Sons of Bitches now, boys We've angered her now, boys and this world is gonna tear us limb from limb and this place as backwards as is finding all our sins makes us whole again since we're damned the possibility of findin what we seek is to great for us to bare
5.
The Villain 03:12
Waitin for the news to hold on to pieces of hope and It could be such a relief but nothin' good ever comes out They're waitin in the reeds to choke all the pieces you deal in but I'm healin' like a demon "it takes one to know one" he said And though you're gone Your war has already begun the shots have fired and you're gone Your war has already begun and I'm the villain now Waitin for this new day the book never closes it our way they will rage on like it's easy but nothin' good ever comes out And though you're gone Your war has already begun they're out there fightin' for you, Long gone your war has already begun And I'm the villain now I'm the villain now Nothin good ever comes out And though you're gone Your war has already begun The skies have darkened and you're gone But the war had already begun And I'm the villain now I'm the villain now
6.
How Long has It been since we could raise our glass To the finer things Dream of the past Instead of waiting for a Leap-back What will change this time? On and on it goes while we stand aside No We really don't and somethin' in us brings with it a light that won't be colored out Open up our eyes and what it means for me to let it be? What could he say to be lead here? Apart we are together. Together. Time it falls it erases me and opens doors where the best lies are ones we choose t'believe I just wait for my Leap-back What will end this time? On and on it grows like our cancer and No We really don't and somethin' in us brings with a time that won't be colored out Open up our eyes and what it means for me to let it be what could we say to feel better? Apart we are together. Together.
7.
Heavy Rain 03:28
Who are we To be in this place? What is this A license to breathe What is done When you can't even see You're timin' out whatever it takes you to believe Talk about the weather right now And hope it distracts him from all the blood Talk about weather right now and hope he believes you when all is done Who are we to be in this scene? What is this? We're burnin' red sheets What is done when you can't even see there's nothing left but origami figurines Talk about the weather right now And hope it distracts him from all the blood Talk about weather right now and hope he believes you when all is done talk about the weather right now and hope it distracts him from all your fears keep a straight face right now and hope he believes these are your real tears your tears
8.
Refugee Camp 03:57
Meal bells Soundin' off in the bitter cold her heart swells how long it's been it's hard to tell in this city of tents Estranged Many more arrivin' each day when you wake up there're more mouths to feed city of regrets and the moment my heart breaks at the height of our mistakes the form that it now takes is a little girl asking her father "When are we going home?" but never lies he tells to her the truth and fear that swells in her kills me he says "this tent's our house for now we'll leave as soon as we know how you'll see even if it's not easy you gotta believe me that meal bell should be finding comfort in the food's smell but it straight up drags me back to hell this city of regrets and the moment my heart breaks at the height of our mistakes this form that it now takes is a little girl asking politely "When are we going home?" but never lies he tells to her the truth and fear that swells in her kills me he says "this tent's our house for now we'll leave as soon as we know how you'll see even if it's not easy you gotta believe me Standin here at the end of the world and his tone is so reassured and I though should not I believe him One more day with no glimmer of hope in this Mess full of spirits so broken, I should not but I believe him Foolishly I believed him
9.
Giraffes 02:57
Walkin along this path With the stakes so high I just can't look back but I'll see it through Try to bury what led me here all the choices made all these cold dark years but I'll see it through I'll see this through and who are we? who are we? To feed this unending burden of hope that always leads nowhere Sign after sign I go Through the endless night all this fallin' snow But I'll see it through Relive when it went black since the day they died I've been to hell and back But I'll see it through I'll see this through Try to bury what led me here all the choices made all these cold dark years but I'll see it through I'll see this through I Relive when it went black since the day they died I've been to hell and back But I'll see it through I'll see this through
10.
Reconstruction (free) 04:22
In one voice now we sing Even though we number few We were forsaken But not defeated and we either learn from our mistakes or fall apart Either learn from our mistakes or fall apart and all this time we've been livin' in glass houses for too long And are we brave enough to admit that we got it wrong? livin' in glass houses for too long are we brave enough to admit that we got it wrong? We honor those we've lost And today we build anew But what would they say if they were still with us? "You either learn from our mistakes or fall apart. Either learn from our mistakes or fall apart" we tried so hard but we were livin' in glass houses for too long now we're brave enough to admit that we got it wrong livin' in glass houses for too long now we're brave enough to admit that we got it wrong Are we givin' up? Can you feel it? Can you feel it in your bones? Are we givin' up? Can you feel it? Can you feel it?

about

As with 2012's .:INSTANT GRATIFICATION:. this album tells a story. Instead of telling you what you should think or feel, we'll just say this is the third chapter in the story we started with 2009's "Yesterday I Watched The World End".

The songs are all connected, and in fact some of the themes and characters tie to the previous albums; don't be surprised if you hear a familiar melody to hearken back to a song or a place referenced before.

credits

released May 30, 2014

Production Notes:

Mike Shirley-Donnelly - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Chiptunes
Erin Keely - Vocals, Bass
Joey Guthrie - Drums, Timpani, Shakers, Tambourine, Chains
Abe Myers - Guitars, Keyboards
Dr. Alan Chen - Violin

Additional Group Vocals on tracks 2 and 8:

Brayden Deskins, Johannes Heine and Rob Canali • A Yawn Worth Yelling
Devin Nelson and Alexi Rose Belchere • The Y Axes
Patrick-Henry Sazon • B E R E L A I N
Morgan Tucker and Keiko Nakamura • crashfaster
Sharvil Gupta and Kern Luo • Grey Fyr
Max Rogers • Starover Blue (Formerly Cartoon Bar Fight)
Anna Larina • Skeleton Key Photography
Eric Fanali • ROCKAGE: San Jose
Spencer West, February Skai, Brandon and Jolene Smith, Tara Singh, Millie Khou and Sarah Holcomb Guthrie

All songs written by Mike Shirley-Donnelly and arranged by Curious Quail

Produced by Jonathan Devoto and Mike Shirley-Donnelly
Engineers: Michael “Gunther” Chiang, Brad Dollar, Brian Bergeron and Justin Alquist
Recorded at DIRT ROOM in El Cerrito, California
Mixed by Mike Shirley-Donnelly
Mastered by Dryw Owens at Real Sound Studios, Sacramento, CA

KICKSTARTER SPECIAL THANKS TO!:

Bryan Pierce, Andrew Truong, Frumpston, Ken "Milk through the Legs" Tinsley, Gernez Ellen, Christina Murrietta, Alysia Spivey, Paul “Petriform” Parr, Steve Cooperman, Linda Wyatt, Adam DiCarlo, Kevin Fisher, Aria Stewart, Alyson Whitworth, Sarah & John Bunker, Jen Stankiewicz, Allan “Hot Dog Video” Wan, Scott M. Manson CPA JD, Toma Avilla, Denise McKevitt, Ann Marie Alanes, Josh "The Man" Place, The Casabonne Family, Christopher Isaacs, Wawa, Karen and Michael Buckman, Dogcatcher, Tamara King, Anna Larina, Kathleen Morasci, Kendall Sallay, Amy Rogers, The Cefalo Family, Jennifer Ostwalt, Emily Clowes, Matt Guertner, Sarah Helwig, Ruben Escobedo III, Brent Grazman, Alan “Big Al” Wehrman, Steve Garber, Joe Cabonce, Zen Zenith, Lord Gabriel Balensiefer: Protector of the Realm, Victoria Stuhr, Bradley Dickey, Darrell Nance, Bill C, Sunrunners, Richard Wilkins, Young Han, Kindal Jumper, Mom and Dad Shirley, Lecia Finney, Dan Vado, Jenai Zeringue, Vidhya Krishnamurthi, Tracy Lee, Dawn Oshima, Rebecca Scalzi, Tommy Vargas, Nanobot Rock, Justin Lanska, James Hurst, Romel Torino, February Skai, Eric Pennington, Beth Byrne, Rachael Terryn Wordhouse-Dykema, Ricky Marasigan, Brian Graves, Stafford, Melissa & Cole Jacobs, Joe Martinez, Jason Sphinx, Amulya Datla, David Guthrie, Anthony Cohen, Debby Whitworth, David Green, Sean Nolen, Tim Kim, Joshua "Evo" Habito, Jasmine and Metro Nothing, Julie Machado, Scotty, Joy & Bruce Morimoto, The Farmy, Conrad Weidenkeller, Huckleberry Hunt, Lina Chau, George Papazian, Aidan Young, Orjan Bliven, Sue Martinez, Lester “That Guy” Barrows, Artus Clothing, Robert Eugene Bradley, Justin Vanegas, @JeremyZimmer, Beth M, Seth and Jacqui, Maggs, Adam McCall, Stephanie Haney, The Youngs (Claire, Paul and Aiden), Sarah Guthrie, Lisa Michelle Furukawa, crashfaster, Helen Whitelaw, Bri Pekar, Hau Tran, Kristin Edwards, Cathy Dunne, Constantine Kitanidis, Barb Lundgren, Maria & Devin Whitworth, Andrea Bravo, Julia Tranchina, Alex Heisler, Spencer West, Stacey Keegan, Casey Greene, Heavensent Films, Kathy Underwood, Michael DeLaurier, Homer Antoniadis, Abe's Grandma, Kim Griffith, Julie Guaspari, Nick Machado, Dirk Milotz, Christopher Sanborn Taylor, George Whitehill, Reed Wylie-Chaney, Kevin Nardi, Karen "The Karen" Donohue, Jessica Shirley-Donnelly, Trevor Allen and Karen McKevitt, Paul Harrison, Jolene and Brandon Smith, David “Zip” Nguyen, James McDuffie, Jeremy Smith, Susan Shirley and Brett McCleary

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Curious Quail New Haven, Connecticut

Curious Quail is an orchestral + chiptune indie collective with members in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Pacific Northwest and southern New England that mix fuzzy guitar rock, orchestral instrumentation and music made with Nintendo Gameboys.

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