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.​:​INSTANT GRATIFICATION​:​.

by Curious Quail

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    -
    When you purchase the full album you also get the radio-friendly versions of 'The GLOW' and 'Survivor's Guilt', as well as a live version of 'Disappointed Smiles' that we recorded.

    You also get a PDF booklet of the album art that comes with the physical copy of the CD. How cool is that?
    Purchasable with gift card

      $5 USD  or more

     

1.
Tell me this year's right Tell me time's on my side and give me skies of grey the chance is lost for me today Don't tell me life is a crime I'm done bein' sad all the time please tell me that I am wrong Please tell me that I am wrong Once in a while and tell me that I am wrong please tell me that I am wrong Tell me cuz it's the way I wanna be, baby don't you see this is wrong please tell me won't you tell me fuckin' tell me I am wrong... Once in a while.
2.
Time ticks by bringing us close To another dose of disappointed smiles You say we're 'friends' A funny little word you toss around I guess it depends on what he needs from you Cuz if all you are is this burnt-out star then I'll take my resentment another way Like to his face I'm down and out but it won't be long till I'll be that guy that gets you down cuz' I don't need this But you say we're friends The kind that always call an hour too late I guess it depends baby, I pretend Y'don't have what it takes to truly appreciate all the ways this union is killing you and the result so far is this mess that you are and you'll leave these scars on each other's face and be replaced... Cuz breakneck speeds go words through the armour that brings us down to our knees. Time, of course, is everythin' now that we're beyond sympathies 'Cuz one mis-step and another false statement will turn ya into enemies Oh, One mis-step, another false statement he didn't know No he didn't know He just didn't know I could hear him He didn't know No he didn't know He just didn't know I could hear him Hear him Hear this I bear this and turn ya into enemies, I'd Hear this Hear this
3.
Stop Why hesitate when everything is poised to go your way? It's foolish to assume that won't relate if there are ears out Many sized and shaped Information is a hot commodity and we've waited for this most patiently with all ears out but I can barely see you through this rat's race that's appeared a relay for our litter box You've waited for those rats that sprung the leak when it turns out it's your cats that learned to speak and we've waited for this most patiently with all ears out ears out many sized and shaped information is a hot commodity and we waited for this most patiently with our ears out but I can barely feel you through this rat's race that's appeared a relay for our litter box Somethin's got to give and all of us is ''give'' if there's a part of me that comes off when you say, ''Are you low? Are you low, Are you low, are you alone?'' and somethin's got to give and all of us is ''give'' if there's a part of me that comes off when you say, ''Are you low? Are you low, Are you low, are you alone?'' Somethin's got to give and all of us is ''give'' if there's a part of me that comes off when you say, ''Are you low? Are you low, Are you low, are you alone?''
4.
She's waitin for somethin' to believe in and it starts with her teeth as they're shinin’ he's still dyin' on his crutch and he can't get relief 'cause he's waitin' to break with the dark and turn it into clouds but I'm healin' this brick wall's a little bit louder and Failin' He hurts though he says he don't want it to and beaten and he says ''I'm bitter, I'm bittersweet built. I'm torn up with survivor's guilt I'm bitter and yet worst of all is I can tell you don't know me at all'' ''I'm bitter, I'm bittersweet built. I'm torn up with survivor's guilt I'm bitter and yet worst of all is I can tell you don't know me at all I can tell you don't know me at all'' He's dyin she's tryin' but I'm open if it gets him relief time is flyin' but here I am like a crutch on the wrong side of grief cuz I'm waitin' to break with the dark and turn it into light but I'm Healin' this brick wall's a little bit louder and Failin' I hurt and I don't fuckin' want it to I'm beaten and we say ''We're bitter, We're bittersweet built. We're torn up with survivor's guilt We're bitter and yet worst of all is I can tell you don't know me at all and I can tell you don't know me at all and I can tell you don't know me at all I can tell you don't know me at all.''
5.
The GLOW 04:03
''Match Point'' he says aloud cuz if it's not one thing then it's always another I'm packin’ up my luck 'cause everything in his eyes is out of touch ''I'm all in for me'', he whispers like it's somehow secret anyway I'm boxin' my brains but I won't stand and fry Oh no What did you do? Oh no It's like I see right through you Oh no What did you do? Lately It feels as though you blame me for everything that's one by one and I’ll tell you openly that nothin's ever gonna be like this If I'm man enough there's nothin' to it I'll add it up and I'll take you through it step by step, the GLOW It's comin' up faster than you would know You ready for this? ''Tie game'' said brazenly cuz if it's not one thing, (HEY) I'm always the other you don't care that much cuz everythin' in this word is not enough ''I'm all in for me,'' He shouts it like it's somethin' to be fuckin' proud of I won't feel anythin ‘cuz bastards don't cry but Oh no What did you do? Oh no It's like I see right through you Oh no What did you do? And lately it feels as though you blame me for everything that's one-by-one in a graveyard full of these introspective mannequins you're sellin' If I'm man enough there's nothin' to it I'll add it up and I'll take you through it step by step, The GLOW Is comin' up faster than you would know, you ready for this? If I'm man enough, there's nothin' to it I'll add it up and take you through it step by step Oh you know, you know you're glowin' like an open hole Oh no What did we do? Oh no It's like they see right through you Oh no What did we do? And lately It feels as though you blame me for everything that's one by one and I tell you openly that nothin's ever gonna be like this If I'm man enough there's nothin' to it I'll add it up and I'll take you through this step by step oh you know, you know you're glowin' like an open hole
6.
Hidden Track 03:22
Hidden Track at the end of your record You say all those things you couldn't before So you hide a song At the end of your CD and hope maybe the die-hards or someone will notice that track ten isn't ten minutes long You're just too damn afraid to say what you mean Or are ya too damn afraid to say what you feel? 'cuz there's nothin' worth livin' for if you can't even afford to be honest with yourself grains of salt are fallin' around you snow-globin' like it's on do you own the words that you say? or are ya too damn afraid to say what you mean? or are ya too damn afraid to say what you feel?
7.
Stop now, listen here, cuz everything I try to do just breaks It's only been like this for a few weeks but this horror I can't shake I'm lockin' all my doors, I've barred the windows to keep everyone else safe and you think I'm alone in this Creepy, crawly, tentacle, how many legs I'm sure I'll never know Escapin' won't be easy if it sees me when it's my time to go and I'm lost here cuz last time I believed the sum of all my fears was still that I'm alone in this so hold me cuz somethin' under my bed is droolin’ I've been schooled in this, but I don't really know what I'm supposed to be afraid of right now cuz all this “outside in” and “inside out” has got me upside-down and ass backwards there's got to be a way to set this right I've gotta find it quick or die tonight I'm goin' back to where this all began cuz I think it would help and I'm in love with this and I'm in love with this and I'm in love with this I'm in love with my huge, fuckin' mess So hold me cuz somethin' under my bed is droolin' I've been schooled in this but I don't really know what I'm supposed to be afraid of right now Right now, right now, right now
8.
She wakes up he's sleepin' the tears are dryin' on her sheets no place can redeem her the words are dyin' on her teeth but it's just the latest a string of incidental fears she's fallin' apart now with pieces goin’ everywhere and we all lie we all lie to ourselves The mornin' comes quickly there's sunlight in his coffee's face his spirit is broken there’s shards of her fillin’ the space the timin' so perfect it leaves him here without a trace a bitter reminder that 'permanent' is total waste if we all lie we all lie to ourselves and if we all lie we all die by ourselves Wrap me up and turn me out, " I never wanna be your face in the mirror again," he said it well he meant it wrap me up and turn me out "I never wanna be your anything again" They speak now, in silence there's awkward that's just palpable I’m bitter he's gone now there's nothin here but all the wrong and I don't believe you when you say "it's all okay" and if we all lie we all lie to ourselves. and if we all lie we all die by ourselves "And Honestly, honesty. I never wanna see your face in the mirror again" he said it well he meant it "Honestly, honesty. I never wanna be your anything at all cuz we all had everything we need to be happy," he says "We've all had enough"
9.
Crashin' through the gates you are the newest usurping the limelight like a whore these camera's clickin', shutter's turnin' flashbulbs burnin', film it's whirrin' on and on they'll say we don't belong Lights come down and you become the brightest weeks no longer made of seven days this lavish thinkin', wardrobe’s beamin' expensive is just a dream and on and on they'll ask what took so long and it feels now watered down does it feel somehow watered down? Time will pass and you become the fallout of glamorous design and broken lives these cameras clickin', sides are turnin' perception, it's so appallin' on and on you'll ask ''what went wrong?'' ''What went wrong?'' ''What went wrong?'' What went wrong? and you'll feel now watered down does it creep you out the turnaround and it feels now watered down does it freak you out the turnaround?
10.
Playground 04:42
Marched on armed with plastic swords and matchsticks it's easier than the first-name basis, I wish it could stay this safe until the summer comes and washes it away but then everything now has got consequences I know You're waitin' for the snow to fall but there's no snow around here I know the lights are long they're on their own Marched on armed with backpacks and lunch in brown sacks we're tramplin' on the words of elders as if they could smell her face until another comes and washes her away but then everything now has got consequences I know You're waitin' for the snow to fall but there's no snow around here and I know the lights are wrong they're on their own when she says “You ask me questions that I can't answer, it's bringin' us down and the time it takes to get here from nowhere I just won't hang around” cuz I know and you know How this Ends How This Ends And I know You're waitin' for the snow to fall but there's no snow around here and I know those lights are long they're on their own when I say You ask me questions that I can't answer, it's tearin' us down and the time it takes to get here from nowhere, I just won't hang around We ask these questions that I can't answer, it's tearin' us down the time it takes to get to this warzone I just won't hang around Inside his mind she won't hang around Inside she won't hang around She won't hang around She won't hang around She won't hang around Every hope you smashed in my tomorrow must have seemed like such a waste when my tomorrow never came
11.
''Match Point'' he says aloud / cuz if it's not one thing then it's always another / I'm packin up my luck / 'cause everything in his eyes is out of touch / ''I'm all in for me'' / he whispers like it's somehow secret anyway / I'm boxin' my brains / but I won't stand and fry Oh no / What did you do? / Oh no / It's like I see right through you / Oh no / What did you do? Lately / It feels as though you blame me / for everything that's one by one and I tell you openly that / nothin's ever gonna be like this / If I'm man enough / there's nothin' to it / I'll add it up and I'll take you through it step by step, the GLOW / It's comin' up faster than you would know / You ready for this? ''Tie game'' said brazenly / cuz if it's not one thing, HEY I'm always the other / you don't care that much cuz everythin' in this word is not enough / ''I'm all in for me'' He shouts it like it's somethin' to be fuckin' proud of / I won't feel anythin / cuz bastards don't cry but Oh no / What did you do? / Oh no / It's like I see right through you / Oh no / What did you do? Lately / it feels as though you blame me / for everything that's one-by-one in a graveyard full of these introspective manequins you're sellin' / If I'm man enough / there's nothin' to it I'll add it up and I'll take you through it / step by step, The GLOW It's comin' up faster than you would know, you ready for this? If I'm man enough, there's nothin' to it / I'll add it up and take you through it step by step Oh you know, you know you're glowin' like an open hole Oh no / What did we do? / Oh no / It's like they see right through you / Oh no / What did we do? Lately / It feels as though you blame me / for everything that's one by one when I tell you openly that nothin's ever gonna be like this / If I'm man enough / there's nothin' to it I'll add it up and I'll take you through this / step by step oh you know, you know you're glowin' like an open hole

about

This was a labor of love.

Production on this record started the day the GLOW Ep was released in 2009. To finally see it released is a huge relief for me, as it was plagued with re-tracking, song cuts and logistical nightmares.

This album tells a story. You can enjoy the songs individually but we recommend listening to the record as a whole from start to finish to get the full effect. (Plus, there are a few hidden surprises if you buy the whole thing) It will mean something different to each of you, and we welcome your interpretations. Send your thoughts to hi@curiousquail.com

--
If you're listening to this, thank you. If you purchase this, THANK YOU. We did it ourselves. There is no label. There is no support mechanism other than our loved ones, friends and family.

Curious Quail is:

Mike Shirley-Donnelly
Joey Guthrie
Alan Chen
Erin Keely
Abe Myers

Also - Check our YouTube channel for all manner of fun things:
www.youtube.com/user/CuriousQuail/videos
---

credits

released June 30, 2012

> PRODUCTION NOTES

MIKE SHIRLEY-DONNELLY - Vocals, Guitar, Keys, Programming, Orchestral Arrangements
SEAN NOLEN - Guitar, Vocals - (1,2,3,4,6,7,9)
JOEY GUTHRIE - Drums, Vocals - (4,7,10)
ALAN CHEN - Violin, Vocals - (2,3,6,7,9)
MARCEL MENDOZA - Vocals - (4,5,6,7)
ERIN KEELY - Vocals - (2,6,9)
MAGDALENA TRENKNER - Vocals - (3)
NICHOLE GARBER - Vocals - (10)
JESSICA SHIRLEY-DONNELLY - Cameras - (9)

~- SONGS WRITTEN, ARRANGED and PRODUCED
~- BY MIKE SHIRLEY-DONNELLY

>Recorded at CASA SHIRLEY-DONNELLY, BIRD IN WILLOW STUDIOS, and MENDOZA'S CLOSET in San Jose,
California.

Engineers: MIKE SHIRLEY-DONNELLY, STEVE GARBER, and
SPENCER WEST.

Assistant Producers: SEAN NOLEN, ALAN CHEN, MARCEL MENDOZA, JOEY GUTHRIE, and GREGORY KEENEY

Mastering: AARON HELLAM, CASTLE ULTIMATE STUDIOS in Oakland California

Polaroids by JRSDPhotography
www.jrsdphotography.com

Huge special thanks to BORIS BURTON and JEREMY ZIMMER

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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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