For a Day or a Lifetime

Artifact and Western Theory

Chris Poage Band

Release Date: March 16, 2019

The songs on Artifact and Western Theory, the debut album from Poage’s latest group, were composed with the band’s strengths in mind. “I wrote most of the songs, but some of them came from our improvised jams,” Poage explains. “I had a lot of the arrangements worked out before recording, but the rest of them were collaborations with the band. Our back and forth was a crucial part of the process – the horn section allowed us to keep expanding our musical horizons. It took a year to make, so we had the luxury of letting the music unfold in the studio.”

Artifact and Western Theory was recorded live, to analog tape. “There were no computers involved,” Poage says. “No screens in the studio, just instruments and old school gear, the horns and the band together in one space. We played a song a few times, until it was just right, then moved on.” The result is an album that captures the dynamic flow of a live performance.

“What a Gas” has a cinematic, Tex-Mex, spaghetti western vibe, featuring baritone guitar, with a heavy tremolo. Trumpet and trombone solos heighten the effect of a lyric describing the environmental disasters currently befalling the western states. There’s a trace of ironic humor in Poage’s vocal, but the message of impending disaster is a serious one. Banjo, drums and bass carry the rhythm of “Like We Do,” a solemn waltz, with a dream-like quality. Horns and violins play a countermelody to accent the melancholy atmosphere of the vocal harmonies. “It’s a song about the consequences of being afraid to pursue your dreams,” Poage says. “The music combines raw and polished elements to express the tension between fear and desire.”

Two guitars – an acoustic strumming gentle reggae-like chords and an electric providing lyrical asides – ornament Poage’s wistful singing on “Lilacs,” a ballad that celebrates the simple pleasures that make life worth living. A smoky violin floats through the arrangement, highlighting Poage’s mellow vocal. “Shooting Range” is a mid-tempo, acoustic rock song, with subtle electric guitar fills and icy slide guitar figures spinning through the mix. The horn section supports an uplifting vocal from Poage that reminds us to stay positive, even when times are hard. “As long as you wake up in the morning breathing, things are really not that bad,” Poage says philosophically. Other tracks feature eerie Wurlitzer, surf guitar, bluegrass picking and dub reggae, all the sounds you’ll hear when the band plays live. “We have a blast interacting with the crowd, flowing nicely from country to ska, and everything in between. We really captured that live feel on this album.”

Credits:

Chris Poage: lead vocals, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, banjo, baritone saxophone
DB: electric 12 string e. guitar, 5 string baritone guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals
Evan Peterson: drums, backing vocals
Sandy Dickerson: bass, ukulele, backing vocals
Katie Green, trumpet, flugelhorn, handclaps
Liana Green: trombone, handclaps
Petro Krysa: violin

Mastering Engineer: Mell Dettmer

LYRICS

Fades Away

Get something off my chest
Puts my patience to the test
Pulling thorns from my socks
Going nowhere with these talks

But it ain’t right
No and it’s not fair
That i’m standing here
You are standing there

Tie your bootlace
Lock the door
Pack your suitcase
Head for the shore

Before it all fades away
Before it all fades away
Before it all fades away

*breakdown

But it ain’t right
No and it’s not fair
That i’m standing here
You are standing there

Tie your bootlace
Lock the door
Pack your suitcase
Head for the shore

Before it all fades away
Before it all fades away
Before it all fades away

Baking Soda

I pour my heart out
on a silver platter
send smoke signals
high into the air
I’m a messenger
for a higher power
but i do not feel that i could settle
anywhere..
ohh…

so come on baby
lets get it tog hater
move this mountain right out of the way
if I’m lonely, I’m only a human
gonna make my way
to a better. .
better day
ohh..

Baking soda and vinegar
are all that I need
to prove my point
the temperature is
getting hotter every day
at least that’s what they say
so I’m on my way

What A Gas

As the icebergs make their way on down the coast
California is a burnt up piece of toast
in an effort to get ourselves free from this heat
turn the ac on and burn gasoline in the streets

but were coming in off a double rainbow
like the pink flamingos on my mug
and when they talk they use this lingo
that I just don’t understand

flashing lights and stripes across the road
there’s a train coming with a heavy load
and In every car there’s coal filled up to the brim
never mind the solar or the wind

but were coming in off a double rainbow
like the pink flamingos on my mug
and when they talk, they use this lingo
that I just don’t understand.

(Horns)

but were coming in off a double rainbow
like the pink flamingos on my mug
and when they talk, they use this lingo
that I just don’t understand.

Like We Do

Ask for what you need
maybe you’ll get it
look ahead, don’t grieve
baby forget it.

because in the end were dancing on the graves of the people before us
when you do the things you gotta do
you realize its all for us..

Ohh…

sitting here watching the world burn
I’m waiting for my turn
looking outside my window
like you do
like I do
Like you do
like I do..

Shooting Range

I don’t mind waiting for you
yes my friend I do adore you
you can tell me anything at all

Your a 45 in a shooting range
words are clear but they sound so strange
sights are set on a little piece of mind

it’s a smokey smell but what the hell
water from the wishing well
were marching on with a fire proof parade

Harmonies erase the pain.
I’m so impressed you hoped the train
sitting on the steps of summertime

sunshine faded canvas clothes
hair like rope in a cargo hold
a kinetic spring inside a wind up toy.

why carry more than we can pack
want it done? then use your back
it satisfies the need for constant change.

coyotes cry
the sun goes down
people get high
the sun goes down
why ask why
the sun goes down

Try your luck at gambling
hit the road start rambling
Eventually you’ll be coming back around.

Saturday or any day
We always seem to find a way
to button up the problems that we make.

floating by in waves of joy
disregard the constant noise
let the love come rolling back again.

coyotes cry
the sun goes down
people get high
the sun goes down
why ask why
the sun goes down

Tomorrow we can do it all again.

Hear What I Say

if the morning brings the sun
we are gonna run
run away
saving all our troubles for a rainy day
ooh can you hear what i say?
hear what i say
if the night don’t catch on fire
you can’t feel desire
let it go
it ain’t over no, you never know
ooh, can you hear what i say?
hear what i say
and a new day comes
lifting away what the night had begun
the people here are still left wondering why
if the change ain’t made
the world ain’t turning and we don’t get paid
were one step closer to the place we had in mind
well the night just can’t get worse
the witch won’t lift her curse
standing here
looking all around but there’s no one near
can you hear what i say?
hear what i say
when the boat does pull to shore
the moon’s face light just tore
let it go
it ain’t over know you never know
ooh can you hear what i say?
hear what i say
and a new day comes
lifting away what the night had begun
the people here are still left wondering why
if the change ain’t made
the world ain’t turning and we don’t get paid
were one step closer to the place we had in mind

Don’t Stop

Don’t stop working
don’t stop moving
don’t stop living
just keep walking on and on

Ohh…

only one thing left to know
when the sun goes down
where do we go?
afternoon it gently passed you by
while looking at the clouds up in the sky

Ohh..

Where was that place
the place I used to know
where was that place
the place we used to go..

Don’t stop working
don’t stop moving
don’t stop playing
gotta keep walking on and on.

Bad Weather

She’s, everything I want
she’s got everything I need
does the things I like to do
makes me weak at the knees

now she’s saying go away
so I ask where to?
anywhere but here
I’m afraid we’re through.

I do not have to explain myself to you
I’m in love with an idea that will never come true.

so she’s giving me a shovel
singing dig that hole
I’m burying my heart
but I’m keeping my soul

there’s a million ways to love
I’m gonna love you forever
and that’s a very long time
so whats a little bad weather?

I do not have to explain myself to you
I’m in love with an idea that will never come true.

there’s a million ways to love
I’m gonna love you forever
and that’s a very long time,
so whats a little bad weather?

I do not have to explain myself to you
I’m in love with an idea that will never come true.

Nothin’

I, I want to know
where you are going and where you have been
and then please won’t you tell me
where it is that i can fit in?

you told me don’t ever change
don’t cut your hair I hope you always stay the same
at first I tried but now I must refrain
because what on earth always stays the same?
Nothin…

and then I saw you walking
but I did not recognize your face
the person that you once were
gone without a trace

you told me don’t ever change
don’t cut your hair I hope you always stay the same
at first I tried but now I must refrain
because what on earth always stays the same?
nothin…

Mountain Air

In the morning when i want to leave the city
leave it for another place that I found
head out past the trees and open spaces
standing there just to hear the sound

hold on baker hold on
cuz i’ll be waiting by the red bridge all night long
hold on mt. Hood hold on
for the day it ain’t that long

oh, mountain air
oh oh it’s all around me now
where the river flows
and all the underbrush grows
oh, oh, it’s all around

hold on baker, hold on
because I’ll be waiting by the red bridge all night long
hold on mt. hood, hold on
for the day it ain’t that long
before the night will come to carry you away
and if you listen very closely you can hear them say
hush, I’ll be back another day
and I know, everywhere I go, I see you
Oh yeah I do

oh mountain air
oh it’s all around
oh oh mountain air
oh oh it’s all around me now

where the river flows
and all the underbrush grows
oh oh it’s all around

Lilacs

When there’s no one
friends nor enemies
just the hand of a lonely ghost
to help you grieve
so you reach
for the metal bar of the trapeze
with an impulse to let your fragile body fall to the breeze

how would you know
the wind in your ear
what you needed to hear
to make it better.

when there’s no one
tiny raindrops on the roof
bringing further proof
there’s no use
only lilacs
lined up in pots upon the fence
speak in the present tense in the spring

how would you know
smoke in your clothes
that awful smell in your nose
could make it better?

when there’s no one
no friends or enemies
just the hand of a lonely ghost
to help you grieve

8 Word Poem

I, I heard, heard your coming home
And when, when you get here
I’m gonna sing you an 8 word poem

I’m so glad, glad to see you
Are you glad, glad to see me too?

then, I went driving, with the keys to your car
but it did not, take very long to, realize I would not get too far
before, the memories, come rollin into my mind
It’s been, a long while
It’s been a long long time

last time we talked, there was this dropped connection
that’s what happens when you roam
then I heard, you changed your direction
and you might be coming home.

I’m so glad, glad to see you
are you glad, glad to see me too?

last time we talked, there was this dropped connection
that’s what happens when you roam
then I heard, you changed your direction
and you might be coming home.

I’m so glad, glad to see you
Are you glad, glad to see me too?

Throw It All Away

Sometimes I get frightened
tired of trying i want to throw it all away
sunshine in the meadow
I’ve been inside now the sky’s have turned to grey
brush strokes on the canvas
I tried too hard
I wish I kept what I had
I kept what I had
then I threw it away

I wanted you to love me
love me for the way I was loving you
putting nobody above me
we can do all the things
or anything you want to do
but just the way things often go
when you want it so bad
I wish I kept what I had
I kept what I had
then I threw it away.

I wish i kept what I had
I kept what I had
then I threw it away.