We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Songs For the Anonymous

by Matt Ray

/
  • Streaming + Download

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

      $7 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Ecowallet design, no plastic wrap. Environmentally friendly.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Songs For the Anonymous via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 4 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD or more 

     

1.
We Rise 03:56
WE RISE Here we are in the middle of a room and our stars are burning bright Whoa-oh -- will you breathe with me tonight? In the morning we may wake to more doom and gloom but we'll be spoiling for a fight Oh -- can I breath with you tonight? In my dreams we rise in my dreams we rise Here we are in the middle of a scene and our eyes are wide and bright Oh -- will you breathe with me tonight? When the sun comes up with an urgent scream we'll have regained once lost sight Whoa-oh -- can I breathe with you tonight? In my dreams we rise In my dreams we rise Ooh we rise
2.
MODERN TRAGEDY Hey! We don't need an alibi or some talking head to say we're livin' clean It seems that everyone's just getting by while pretending they're in some exotic scene Whoa-oh -- the fuzz it's all because we're done imagining some cruel reality Ooh-ooh -- we say we'll work the day and we'll bless the evening with some modern tragedy So this party's on again I've given up on ever finding out where the owner of this place keeps all the change Some lonely priestess has begus to shout and she's telling us that we can turn the page Whoa-oh -- the boss he knows the cost but we're blinded by the color and the pageantry Ooh-ooh -- we say we'll work the day and we'll bless the evening with some modern tragedy So this party's on again Why must I think so hard about it? We'll get to revolution when we can I think I'll take another drink and try to stand again
3.
KINGS FOR A DAY The danger in "crash and burn" is obscured by the turning of fortunes won and lost And criminal minds praying for dogs are racing to bury the eyes of us all Who's counting on you and I for a taste of reality's bookish naivete? It's only last year waking from shock we walked all alone and were kings for a day And it's high time you and I took a break from all these written warnings 'cause it's not our mistake It's just the animals and lies that keep on breaking us down I feel like a stranger in this town watching vandals trade their honor for a crown The life of a whiny brat is replayed on this stage, it's our national refrain And can we erase locking our knees we stay in one motion and sing through our shame Who's waiting on us for a deft response? Or a bitter retort from a two-act play? It's only last year waking from shock we walked all alone and were kings for a day And it's high time you and I took a break from all these written warnings 'cause it's not our mistake It's just the animals and lies that keep on breaking us down I feel like a stranger in this town watching vandals trade their honor for a crown And down and out we set the table and we stomp and shout at all the tales that ring true to daytime pirates who are ironing their consciences and asking for a one night band
4.
WE'RE ALL INNOCENT Thus it went with a lack of decorum the whole thing is, this can't be the forum for upending all the boxes stacked against the wall Framed a picture of the ice parade for my hall The truth won't set anyone free 'cause no one's listening Anyhow, we're all innocent We're all innocent We're innocent Can't we steep in the nuance of boredom? Drop a drink, and stand in the pourin' rain It's caught a red hand but displays no need for shame Saw the last act of this play -- all hail the human stain The truth won't set anyone free if no one's listening Anyhow, we're all innocent We're all innocent We're innocent
5.
SONG FOR THE ANONYMOUS #! Can't have trouble calling his friends 'cause we're the only ones who got tickets to the end Road sick lovers get out of the eye The storm is coming over you -- you can step aside Step aside! Fast man over slow man down evil trenches dug before winter was in the ground Castin' pennies is not what it seems the ripple in the water for someone else's dreams Oh their dreams! Dead men talkin' mothers freeze I feel the words of enemies drippin' through the trees New math comin' don't deny There's something waiting 'round the bend we can try Oh let's try!
6.
SONG FOR THE ANONYMOUS #2 In our season Tom, the night came down For no reason Then our eyes were ground to dust Ask we must, though it seems we're sleepin' Skies unopen Rivers soon may cease to flow Something's broken but who the hell are we to know or trust? Still ask we must about the crop your reapin' The conversation's mainly out of tune Speeches disappear into the June air And though we amble on, we'll choke through dirt our song We're singin' for the pilots in the room Over diamonds Over fields of fallen stones Who can find them? The collectors of our bones and rust Ask we must if there is something burnin' Night was callin' From the place where Faulkner laid Words were fallin' oe'r the bed I had once made and mussed Ask to us if there's something we've been learnin' The conversation's mainly out of tune Speeches disappear into the June air And though we amble on, we'll choke through dirt our song We're singin' for the pilots in the room
7.
SEQUENCES (CODES) Queen of Tides you'll guide me now I can see the stars, the crowd Punish us we're just dust our communique was interrupted our lines busted but our cups still carry wine With a song we're on first watch for a sign of breach of trust Talk to me deal in three I'll make no compromise Neither posin' nor disclosin' a sequence in disguise God of Eyes your size is wrong Should be wide and not so long Punish us we're just dust our communique was interrupted our lines busted but our cups still carry wine
8.
AFTER THE FLOOD No more priceless words No more things you heard It's not enough to listen Thinking of our hearts we'll miss them No more careless laughter Drums beat ever faster Think we're in some grand position We'll be left with casts and stitches Before the Flood (there was nothing) everything seemed dead Thicker than blood (now we're standing) knee deep in red No more things to buy I saw your smile behind a sigh Bury some long forgotten bones We fight with love and sticks and poems Before the Flood (we were nothing) We were okay But now we're blood (brothers and sisters) The sky is gold and gray above Ooh I can't see a willow tree that used to be up by the great divide between us What compares to water anyway?
9.
SONG FOR THE ANONYMOUS #3 (BLACK FLAGS) The sun comes up on a desolate town Don't know, but what was lost is found Marching in from the east and the west Black flags draped in front of our chests The sun comes up on this town Don't know, but what's lost is found We're comin' on Here we come, here we come, here we come! Marching in -- east and west Black flags draped in front of our chests We're comin' on Here we come, here we come, here we come! And it's on There's no one in front we just run yeah we run 'cause we're done cavin' in yeah we're done The sun comes up on our new found town Don't know but what was lost is found (We're comin' on -- here we come, here we come, here we come!) The puppet man thinks he's pullin' the strings He wont know what to do with all these things when we've won And we've won, we've won, we've won Well it's on There's no one in front we just run yeah we run 'cause we're done cavin' in yeah we're done You know There's no one in front we just run yeah we run 'cause we're done with this Yeah we're done
10.
High Noon 04:10
HIGH NOON So you say that you're shackled by your unfortunate repose To live a straight life without enemies is what you have chose They offer a fight and you hand them a rose Once when a fire raged you gave some lost sinner your cape and took off in the night to return to your usual shape The nape of your neck is accustomed to waiting But out in the street there are people to meet The sky is cerulean blue Once we were workers now were all lurkers it;s seeming we'd rather be farming instead we are starving for meaning Tell me once more how you're boiling and steaming Because I'm not seeing the fruit you call "seething" devoured It just hangs on the vine like some hard and immovable flower Calling all heroes this is the hour 'Cause out in the street there are people to meet The postman is silently dancing Once when a storm neared we boarded our windows and fled We turned out the lights to listen to what was being said Let's turn them on for a battle instead For high noon is raging o'er foes who are staging a duel They've pegged us for cowards, we've stupidly marked them for fools Let's start trying to look mean and stop trying to look coo 'Cause out in the street there are people to meet The peanut vendor is smiling Lately I'm thinking that we should be drinking a lot of the waters and spirits that make the eyes bulge and see spots Maybe then we can see what we've sold and we've bought The wounds of a shepherd are shining in serpentine fire We laugh at his homelessness -- scoff, though he may be for hire Calling all heroes to sing like a choir 'Cause out in the street there are people to meet we'll turn up the heat our hands and our feet will pound all deceit into the concrete our words indiscreet we'll shout and we'll bleat to a steady drumbeat
11.
WAKE UP, NEW YORK! I need my uniform just give it back I think that it will fit again There's no emotional confusion, indecision I'm an ardent man We're not the one's who need to think You keep your whiskey shot I've got a lot invested in this new brigade It's no illusionary, visionary thing we've just the world to save We've got this island on the brink You think you've seen it all but you've never been outside your meager head I'm seeing red We'll be storming through every street and avenue Tuesday we've got it made it's you and I who've played our final rondezvous Don't bite a thing they cook they're all just crooks there's propaganda in that stew We're not the one's who need to think Regards to the peace corps I've got no more time to waste in fractious dialogue Someday you'll listen up oh listen up! Invaders, use a casual nod We've got this island on the brink You think you've seen it all but you've never been outside the people's lawn you best be gone We'll be storming through every street and avenue Wake up New York!
12.
SONG FOR THE ANONYMOUS #4 A land, a prison built by it's own citizens And all my friends were there They were love -- without a care I cried on Within those four walls were strong arms beckoning Steam from the vents below told us of an April snow Birds were gone But then we faced those four walls hammering Up above, a patch of light told us of the coming fight It was on And as our lovers cried and as our brothers died we sang our fearless song through the night to the dawn Oh the long tones I saw a prison built by it's own denizens And I met my family there Once were lost without a care But now they fight with rage and daring Nothing but the clothes they're wearing Now we're cracked our souls lay bare and are gone And as birds rip seams in the sky Upward turned faces scan and cry Barriers breached we rise, we rise we rise Ooh we rise Ooh we rise

about

A community makes no effort to escape it's own demise -- wallowing in self-pity, complacency, and consumerism, whilst worshipping the false idols of reality TV and the rich and powerful. Something begins to change. Voices of the anonymous begin to rise up and question the entire structure of their supposedly free society. This is their story, these are their songs.

credits

released February 21, 2013

Some notes on the making of this album:
These songs were written during the years 2004 through 2009. What was intended to be demos for a film idea have turned into a full-length album. The tracks were recorded from 2004-2011 in various studios and locations around New York City.

Musician credits:
Jason Pharr -- drums on 1, 2, 8, 9, 11 percussion on 1, 7
David Berger -- drums on 3, 5 background vocals on 11
Aaron Thurston -- drums on 4, 7
Pete Smith -- electric guitar on 2, 3, 4, 5 acousic guitar on 4, 5, 6 background vocals on 4
Lee Nadel -- electric bass on 3, 5
Dan Fabricatore -- electric bass on 4
Adam Crystal-- violin on 8
Yair Evnine -- cello on 8
Shelley Rosenberg -- background vocals on 2, 5, 7, 9
Matt Furstoss -- background vocals on 7
Karlie Bruce -- background vocals on 8, 11
Paul Brill -- background vocals on 8, 9
Carolyn Leonhart -- background vocals on 5, 7, 9
Jamie Leonhart -- background vocals on 5, 7, 9
Heather Christian -- background vocals on 5, 7, 9
Queen Esther -- background vocals on 11
Sachal Vasandani -- background vocals on 6

all other instruments and vocals by Matt Ray

Album credits:
Producer -- Matt Ray
Recorded by Matt Ray at various locations in New York City. Additional tracks recorded by Craig Dreyer at Mighty Toad studios, and Robert Smith at A Bloody Good Record.
Mixed by Matt Ray except #4 mixed by Nancy Hess
Mastered by Matt Ray
Artwork and design by Geno Valle
all songs written by Matt Ray (Matt Ray Music/BMI)
©2012 Matt Ray. All Rights Reserved.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Matt Ray Brooklyn, New York

contact / help

Contact Matt Ray

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Matt Ray, you may also like: