It's primarily about that feeling you get when you wake up one morning and realize... shit. I'm older. I don't have this dreamed-up future in front of me where the sky's the limit. I have responsibilities. I have a family. I have a job and a mortgage. All of these adult things that suddenly make the dream feel far off. Unattainable, even.
There's this very real sense of suddenly being lost. Maybe you have an identity crisis. Maybe you feel the walls closing in on you a bit. You had promise. Now the daylight of responsibility is hitting you, and all you want to do is get back to that land of dreams. Whether to escape or to try again to make them real. But you've got to get through the day first, and if the brutal shock of the morning is any indication, it doesn't look promising.
But the morning is full of promises it can't keep...
Release Date: November 5, 2021
Tactful Procrastination Press
The Other Side Reviews “Tactful Procrastination” Single
07 September 2021 By Joint Custody Productions in Tactful Procrastination Reviews
A Masterpiece Of A Record
07 July 2021 By Joint Custody Productions in Tactful Procrastination ReviewsThe Art Of Tactful Procrastination Appears As The Next Big Thing…
06 July 2021 By Joint Custody Productions in Tactful Procrastination ReviewsThe Art of Tactful Procrastination
Alarm bells ring feel the sting of the morning light
Keep your eyes closed try to hold on to the dying night
Well there's more going on in your heart
And it will try to pry you apart
Like your dreams are over before they even start
Tear down the sun
What say you
When words are too late?
Betray you
The longer you wait
Maybe it's true
You can hang it on a star
Is that what you want?
Is that what you are?
The story...
You only wanted to be loved
Who will love what you become?
After all is said and done
There's nothing new under the sun
Where there's no wishes
There is no crisis
No compromises
Heartbeat stalls when it falls in and out of sight
Simple so far but you are more than maybes and mights
Beneath a born again broken beat
When the dawn is gone you still won't sleep
But the morning is full of promises it can't keep
Tear down the sun
What say you
When words are too late?
Betray you
The longer you wait
Maybe it's true
You can hang it on a star
Is that what you want?
Is that what you are?
The story so far
Nobody knows your name
Outside
You wanna make a sound
But you’ll never pull the walls down
Cos you’re a heathen in disguise
Where make-believe and wannabe reside
You say
Things will even out in time
While you hide
Open wide
Make your way outside
Oh you’ve tried
A little open mind
Make your way outside
You wanna speak your heart
But the world will tear you apart
You’re a diamond in the rough
That no one needs when they don’t bleed enough
You know
Ways to heal the open cuts
But you hide
Open wide
Make your way outside
Oh you’ve tried
A little open mind
Make your way outside
The river is wide as the sea
Where do you start
When you could fall through the stream
At any moment
Into the twilight dream
Just to count the scars
Like any path unseen
Find it in the dark
You’ll find it in the dark
Swallow your pride
Oh you’ve tried
A little open mind
Make your way outside
Idle eyes
Open wide
Make your way outside
If Anybody Asks You
Nobody move
Nobody hurt
Remove your shadow
Before it burns
Ooooooo these days
You’re occupied by the sound
Ooooooo these days
As long as no one's around
So say what you will or won’t
Speak only when spoken to
Don’t change when the wind blows
Easier to say than do
If anybody asks you
You’re losing ground
To modern things
They push your buttons
And pull your strings
Oooooo shake down
That ugly attitude
Oooooo shake down
Til there’s nothing left of you
So say what you will or won’t
Speak only when spoken to
Don’t change when the wind blows
Easier to say than do
If anybody asks you
Is that all you are?
Is that all you want?
Ah ah ah
Ah ah ah
One and only
So say what you will or won’t
Speak only when spoken to
Don’t change when the wind blows
Easier to say than do
If anybody asks you
Some Kind of Never
When the story’s told
Of my finer deeds
I guess going nowhere
Gets in my way
Maybe
Tonight
Tonight I’ll find my feet
Beyond the dead end street
There’s a light
Gonna show me what tomorrow looks like
But oh-oh-oh I know
Time gets away from me
But oh-oh-oh I know
I’m Some kind of never
When the hunger calls
I want to move in the direction
But it’s my ambition
Gets in the way
Maybe
Tonight
Tonight I’ll stand my ground
Beyond the silver sound
There’s a sign
Gonna show me that tomorrow’s mine
But oh-oh-oh I know
Time gets away from me
But oh-oh-oh I know
I’m Some kind of never
There's no such thing as more than mighty when I'm mighty more than you mind
There’s no such thing as superstition
When you’re lost you cannot find
But oh-oh-oh I know
Time gets away from me
But oh-oh-oh I know
I’m Some kind of never
Some kind of never
Some kind of never
Some kind of never
Some kind of never
Still No Closer To Tomorrow
Nobody knows your name
Surely somebody should know by now
Nobody’s left to blame
You’re throwing rocks at every window
When the clock stops
Every door’s locked
See your shadow stretch from the sun
Well there’s no one else
Behind you
Carry on
What you’ve left undone
Do you remember yesterday
All those promises you’d made
To yourself
And those you know
The sun goes down
But you’re still no closer to tomorrow
Then it’s one more reason to live your life
With your hands tied behind your back
The waiting room’s full of hopes and dreams
But they won’t land in your lap
Well your heart don’t beat the way it used to and
Now you’ve too much to lose
But treading the ground beneath you
Won’t guide you through
Do you remember yesterday
All those promises you’d made
To yourself
And those you know
The sun goes down
But you’re still no closer to tomorrow
Wherever the beat lies
Whenever the rain feels honest
When you bleed
It’s alright
Do you remember yesterday
All those promises you’d made
To yourself
And those you know
The sun goes down
But you’re still no closer to tomorrow
Nobody knows your name
Nobody knows your name
Bleeding Heart
What’s that broken beat
Faster than your footsteps
When you tip toe into the light
Like a creature of the Lost and Found
What's that magic word
To satisfy your detractors?
You'll ride a halo into the night
But it’s the demons that make you cry
The night keeps giving
What you keep blowing away
You’re always on
While my heart bleeds
The world is waiting
But you keep dragging your feet
While you keep spinning
My heart bleeds
What’s that darkened door
One in every house
When you wake up into the night
To the screams coming from your mouth
What’s that magic word
To sever any connection
If I knew how then I probably might
Then I’d burn the whole thing down
The night keeps giving
What you keep blowing away
You’re always on
While my heart bleeds
One every minute
Better dead than alive
While you keep spinning
My heart bleeds
The thunder’s moving
Up overhead
Can’t see the stars
For the clouds instead
No more sighs
Within the breeze
No honesty
In the skeleton trees
No distant shadows
Under my feet
I can’t find you
If you can’t find me
Wait of The World
Just so you know
If you wanna get next to me
You’re gonna find that the mind games
Come with more mystery
I won’t ask you to be yourself
I won’t ply you with sound advice
Well nobody likes a cry baby
If you wanna play in the sand
Hands down
This is your best opportunity
The wait of the world is rough
The wait of the world will drive you crazy
The wait of the world is lonely
I
The wait of the world
Boys and girls
Just so you’re aware
I’m hot to the touch
When the cold gets old
I won’t fold
Even if you’ve had enough
I won’t tell you the truth
You’ll only hear what you want to
When no one needs you no more
That’s not what they’re asking for
Hands down
This is your best opportunity
The wait of the world is rough
The wait of the world will drive you crazy
The wait of the world is lonely
I
The wait of the world
Boys and girls
Boys and girls
I wanna get lost with you
I wanna get lost with you
Say the magic word
Long Day
It’s been a long day
And night
I never thought I’d see you cry
Even the strong say
You might
When you’re making up goodbyes
And you’re shaking through your eyes
Well I’m only here for a while
Til I’m passing by in this moon
Even then you can see me smile
I’ll watch over you
Then you know
I’m still loving you so
It’s been a long day
And night
I never thought you’d fall in stride
Even the hard way
Is blind
When you're making up your mind
And you’re shaking through your lies
Well I’m only here for a moment
Til I’m passing by in this breeze
Even then you can hear me sighing
Simple harmonies
Then you know
I’m still loving you so
If anyone ask you
The night is alive
Making your way to
Dance in the lights
It's been a long day
And night
I never thought we’d fall outside
Even the wrong way
Is right
There’s little room for what’s inside
When you’re making up for time
Making up for time
Dance into the light
Night has come alive
Addie
Addie Addie
Once upon a time
Shadows stretching
From the coconut trees we've climbed
Baby Addie
Jungle walls
And fireflies
Count the zebras
In the skies
While I tuck you in
Tonight
Addie Addie
A moment is not enough
Slow is steady
Promise you won’t grow up
Beautiful Addie
As the day begins to wane
There’s no need to be afraid
When you’re whispering my name
When twilight’s gone
Feel the room become your world
Turn the moonlight on
And let the stars twirl
Addie Addie
It’s getting darking now
The sun is setting
Time to lay your head down
Darling Addie
When the thunder starts to creep
I’ll be there to help you sleep
Snuggled up, your soul to keep
Dream who you may one day be
While the night bends to your will
Time goes by so easily
When your heartbeat won’t keep still
Addie Addie
My little Adita
When you wake up
To the birds
Sing a song
They’ve never heard
They'll hang on your
Every word
And they'll remind you
Who you were
Streetlights Look Like Diamonds
So you tell me
You don’t want to be alone no more
When the world is ending
You’re stumbling around with your head down
You say
Make your way to
The light is begging you
All the words you don’t know
Will find you when you go
But if you wait for night
To dance between the streetlights
You’ll find all you ever wanted
So you tell me
Don’t want me to see this side of you
When your heart is aching
Nothing else could feel so wrong
You say
Make your way to
The light is begging you
All the thoughts you don’t see
Will find you in a dream
But if you dance tonight
Between the tiny streetlights
You’ll find all you ever wanted
Oh my
The night isn’t quite the same
Oh my
When every dream is life calling your name
And if you wait for night
To dance between the streetlights
You’ll find all you ever wanted
Is gone
As It Was
Don’t ask for words to save you now
Under the moon
Under the moonlight
It’s past the hour of what’s to come
From
Everything you’ve left undone
Wide open dreams that never moved
Under the moon
Under the moon’s eye
The years advance with no retreat
Thief
Stealing moments from beneath your feet
The sky has never changed
The night you knew is not the same
As it was
Those twilight hopes would push your bones
Into the moon
Into the moon’s likeness
Through all the while to see you rise
Find
Someone you don’t recognize
The ground has never changed
The night you knew isn’t quite the same
As it was
In the mirror
Who’s viewing who
When those memories fade
But not the choices you’ve made
No one can hold
What doesn’t last
Time takes its toll
But with every crack
You’re looking forward to looking back
There are no words to save you now
Under the moon
Under the moon tonight
Big ribbon bows become what must
Dust
Everything you’ve left undone “because"
As it was
The Storm
I’m waiting for you
But I don’t want to
Waiting for you
To tear down the sun
Five bedrooms
And no place to hide
Tired of half-truths
With no space to lie
The thunderclouds loom
And you can't deny
You bring the storm inside
You bring the storm inside
It’s gonna last the night
You bring the storm inside
What you build up
You tear it down now
Then you're nowhere
To be found
The spirit’s rumbling
Like it should do
But there is nothing
That shines through
The still is gone
There’s no calm before you
You bring the storm with you
You bring the storm with you
It crawls under the roof
You bring the storm with you
There’s a cold wind
Where the rattle of dreams begins
But they're stolen
In the cold wind
You bring the storm inside
You bring the storm inside
It stays all through the night
You bring the storm inside
You bring the storm inside
You bring the storm inside
It’s gonna last the night
You bring the storm inside
Ender Bowen's long-awaited album The Art of Tactful Procrastination!
RELEASED NOVEMBER 5, 2021
- Full-Color Fold Out Wallet
- Full-Color 24 Page Booklet
- Full-Color Printed CD Label
Tracklisting
- The Art of Tactful Procrastination
- Outside
- If Anybody Asks You
- Some Kind of Never
- Still No Closer To Tomorrow
- Bleeding Heart
- Wait of The World
- Long Day
- Addie
- Streetlights Look Like Diamonds
- As It Was
- The Storm
The album title The Art of Tactful Procrastination was a working title for a new album Ender Bowen came up with in the summer of 2006, before visiting Nashville for the first time.
Elements of the title track were first demo'd back in 1998, during Ender's freshman year of college.
Much of the arrangement and backing tracks for "Some Kind of Never" and "Wait of The World" were developed back in 2011, when Ender and his wife Emily were working on music for a never-realized 80's inspired music project called "Elizabeth's Sister".
The main riff from "Still No Closer To Tomorrow" was one of the first things to be demo'd in the initial sessions for the album, back in fall of 2014.
The main riff and chord progression for "Bleeding Heart" is pulled from another song written during Ender's time as frontman for Starways Congress between 2003-2004.
The basic chord progression and arrangements for "Long Day" have been around since the early 2000s when Ender was still in college.
"Addie" was first demo'd back in 2014, while Ender was rocking his newborn daughter to sleep. It was a melody he hummed to her to help her fall asleep.
The main riff, structure, and musical melodies for "As It Was" began life as a song called "SHILU" back in 1997, although with completely different lyrics and vocal melody. It appears on Ender's earlier demos, including The Ender of Something Beautiful.
"The Storm" was always intended to close out the album, from the very beginning of its development.