"Deadweight Destiny" started as a song with a working title of "Push", when I was lead singer of a band called Starways Congress back in 2003-2004. I think I had actually had the riff in-hand as far back as college (so, somewhere in the 2000-2002 range) but could never really figure out what to do with it. As it turns out, neither could Starways Congress. The lyrics were a long-gestating piece of work - inspired mostly by the idea that people's expectations of you - or better yet, the expectations you perceive they have of you - can start to become a burden.
"Undertow" was a fun song to make. I absolutely love the chorus, and the middle section with the guitar solo and build to climax was originally three times longer - with a few different crazy changes that went into some far off places. I wish I still had those developments somewhere but, alas, I do not.
"Speak My Name" is one of my favorites too. I was trying to mix a little Depeche Mode with U2, and just a drop of Smashing Pumpkins to see what I would get. This and "Deadweight Destiny" were really exploring my faith - both spiritual and in myself.
Release Date: November 22, 2010
Deadweight Destiny
There's someone waiting here
Don't you deny those fears
You call
You call me insincere
There's someone wasting time
Begging to cross the line
You're far
You're farther than you're near
Check-mated
Your desires
Deadweight
Your destiny
There's someone in the sound
Faceless spinning in the clouds
The fall
It's breaking more than ground
Check-mated
Your desire
Deadweight
Your destiny
How far the way you've come
To walk the world undone
Love, you say you will
And I'll deceive your heart
Check-mated
Your desire
Deadweight
Your destiny
Misfortune
My apprentice
You'll wait
And I'll tie your hands
How far the way you've come
To walk the world undone
Love, you say you will
And I'll deceive your heart
Undertow
I've got a minute
Or two if you like
I'll tell you everything I know in that time
You may not like it
When I turn out the lights
Slither down the surface
Of your living disguise
Gone is every melody you come from
Honest in your eyes but not behind them
Shake yourself from random acts of passion
Maybe you say you will
That doesn't make it happen
If we could fly
Then we would know
With the temporary undertow
On the fringe of high
And the cusp of low
Through the lonely air
I'm running backwards
I'm hot on your heels
I'll show you everything that you'll ever feel
You may not like it
When I'm grinding my hips
Rendering all the purpose
From the fruit of your kiss
Standing underneath your own defection
Crowded in the streets with your perfection
Hiding in the sheets you will discover
Maybe I know your heart
But it doesn't make us lovers
If we could fly
Then we would know
With the temporary undertow
On the fringe of high
And the cusp of low
Through the lonely air
If we could fly
Then we would know
With the temporary undertow
On the fringe of high
And the cusp of low
Through the lonely air
Once Again (2010)
Wake upon
Scarlet dawn
Watch the stars fade
To where they don't belong
In or out of jest
How quickly you protest
To mean anything to me
More or less
And once again
You destroy the fabric of
Space and time
It's my last excuse to cry
Over you
Twilight queen
In lieu of coming clean
Collapse a constellation
Destroy a cosmic dream
In or out of truth
How quickly you're unglued
From your own intentions
Win or lose
And once again
You destroy the fabric of
Space and time
It's my last excuse to cry
Over you
Fall beneath
Far between
Watch the stars fade
To where they can't be seen
In or out of love
How quickly you're undone
If you can stay the night
I can kill the sun
And once again
You destroy the fabric of
Space and time
It's my last excuse to cry
Speak My Name
No one can safely describe you
No one could stay there inside
Well everyone's likely to break you
But no one would take you alive
Well nobody's likely to change their tune
When nothing suggests that it's time
You have the heavy hand to move
The heaviest walls
You left the light inside to keep
The demons out
If you speak my
Speak my name
You better hold on
Hold on
If you speak my
Speak my name
You better hold on
Hold on
When everything's said and done
If you speak my
Speak my name
Yeah
You better hold on
Hold on
No one would carefully mind you
No one would keep on their toes
Everyone's likely to bind you
To evidence nobody knows
Well everyone has all the answers
When all that you say is disposed
You have the heavy hand to move
The heaviest walls
You left the light inside to keep
The demons out
If you speak my
Speak my name
You better hold on
Hold on
If you speak my
Speak my name
You better hold on
Hold on
When everything's said and done
If you speak my
Speak my name
Yeah
You better hold on
Hold on
Bring your minutes
Leave your limits
You're never gonna wear your heart on a sleeve
Seize the day
You wash away
That's all you have
All you have
If you speak my
Speak my name
You better hold on
Hold on
If you speak my
Speak my name
You better hold on
Hold on
When everything's said and done
If you speak my
Speak my name
Yeah
You better hold on
Hold on