1. |
Knucklebones
02:18
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Knucklebones: words by Jonathan Scanlon
By the time we arrived
The sound, already rising, called
The echo of the knucklebones
Rattling anxiously off the boxcar walls
We get paid off a game we never played
We give every penny away
Like the gamble was nothing at all
We give every penny away
Like we never came
We’re giving it all away
So it’s all the same
We’re giving it all away
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2. |
Seven Senses
04:18
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Seven Senses: words by Jonathan Scanlon
Empty drawers meet empty thoughts
The youngest ancient soul
Self-kidnapping, autocide
A trillion trillion atoms whole
Vapid eyes blink once or twice
There is no other side
Head is nowhere, meant to be left there
Don the disguise
Now I know this wasn’t ever your intention
Now I know you’ll never pay me in kind
But I’m just glad that you kept me in mind
I can hear you when you curse me underneath your breath
I can see that you’ve been robbing me blind
Now I know you’ll never pay me in kind
But I’m just glad that you kept me in mind
I haven’t slept; I’m in debt and regret
Been so long since I left this asylum of stress
Can they see misery? Is relief not to be?
Need respect, remedy, but I deserve what I receive
One dismisses, Two means business
Compartmentalize
Now I know this wasn’t ever your intention
Now I know you’ll never pay me in kind
But I’m just glad that you kept me in mind
I can hear you when you curse me underneath your breath
I can see that you’ve been robbing me blind
Now I know you’ll never pay me in kind
But I’m just glad that you kept me in mind
The things I’ve learned these years:
Our fears will come to life
I can’t deny unease while I sponsor compromise
With a liar I ally
I don’t apologize
Now I know this wasn’t ever your intention
Now I know you’ll never pay me in kind
But I’m just glad that you kept me in mind
I can hear you when you curse me underneath your breath
I can see that you’ve been robbing me blind
Now I know you’ll never pay me in kind
But I’m just glad that you kept me in mind
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3. |
Wiling
04:13
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Wiling: words by Jonathan Scanlon
One breath is all it takes and then we’re home free
I see the sun as it breaks into its sycophancy
I brought my pen with me to document the lethargy
We might be out of ink, but then again
We may just not be thinking, when it’s just
Wake, sleep, smile and repeat
The day is there for us to choose to waste
Away, we harmonize in silence as we lay in wait
Wiling an inconsequential day
In any other state, I’d surely make my case
With strong conviction, stress and pageantry
But I have no idea what we were talking about
I think I’ll just shut my mouth, when it’s just
Wake, sleep, smile and repeat
The day is there for us to choose to waste
Away, we harmonize in silence as we
Wake, sleep, smile and repeat
The day is there for us to choose to waste
Away, we harmonize in silence as we lay in wait
Wiling an inconsequential day
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4. |
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For all the comforts I have known
And I’ve known a few
It’s the places I feel safest that
Come clearest into view
When I envision life ‘til now, and
When I prepare for what’s to come
Because the place I’m going means
As much to me as where I’m from
And when I’m gone, I’m home
And where I’m going, you won’t miss me anymore
Everyone is coming with me in my mind
It’s an odyssey we’ve all been on before
I’ve found a place to lie somewhere
I’ve found a place to run and hide somewhere
For all the favor I’ve been shown
And it seems to be
Though we never hit the bottom
I have the only thing I need
When at last, it’s time to leave
And I promise not until
There will be no need to search for me
I’ll be atop Spear Hill
No matter where I go, I’m gone
If I’m forgiven for the things that I’ve done wrong
Though it seems the trip is endless; a lifetime
It’s an oddity I’ve treasured all along, that
I’ve found a place to lie somewhere
I’ve found a place to run and hide somewhere
I’ve found a place to waste some time somewhere
I’ve found a place to lie
And when I’m gone, I’m home
And where I’m going, you won’t miss me anymore
I’ve found a place to lie
I’ve found a place to run and hide
I’ve found a place to waste some time
I’ve found a place to die
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5. |
Plasma
01:48
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Plasma: words by Scanlon
When I woke up today, I felt
Like everything here belongs in hell
With their ashes on the floor
But feeling is not believing when
Doing is truly seeing them
As only in my dreams before
Last night I had some friends
The only friends I have, I love them
My only friends, I love the friends I had
I had to
When I go back to bed tonight
I’ll rest assured I’ve done what’s right
And we’re better off this way
Ears won’t be ringing anymore
Heart will beat slow just like before
As the plasma washes away
Last night I had some friends
The only friends I have, I love them
My only friends, I love the friends I had
I had to
I am my only friend
I had some friends, last night I hurt them
I have no friends, I am my only friend
And tonight, I’ll hurt who hurt them
Tonight I’ll hurt him
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6. |
D.C.
04:43
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D.C.
words by Scanlon & Mr. V.
If “headlines” means chemistry, then bring me a light
We must somehow escape these sterile red lines
So this is the point
You’re in this just like me, the pretense is bright
But every clock in here is eager to fight
And they have the choice
Not nearly as good at lying as you
But nature’s mistake could be your ticket to
My Waterloo
Yesterday maybe these people, as friends
In my tragic comedy, play roles and then
Head towards their homes
Tomorrow, perhaps, it’s the same, but today
They just need to get the fuck out of my way
And leave us alone
You need my help to correct my mistake
You’ll need another to help cut your cake
And remind you you’ve grown
This generation won’t heed us, believers
Can never, can’t ever, cannot get away
This is strange to me; it’s unreal to me
I just don’t believe that Santa Claus is coming to town
It’s obscure to me, it’s obscene to me
I just can’t believe that Jesus Christ was born on this night
I have an arm
I have an arm
Wine without a bottle, I am
Soak me in
Key and you’ve one only lock
Make me your sin
Spine, your pages falling everywhere
So, within
Wine without a bottle I am
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7. |
A Part One
04:01
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A Part One: words by Scanlon
I’ve been here before
But it’s never felt like this
At the surface of the stress
There’s an urgency
My crackling nerve is telling me
To just let go this time
But I just won’t break
What’s left of my good name’s at stake
And when it’s gone, it’s gone forever
It’s a shame; I should’ve seen it coming from a mile away
And now the only thing I can say
In my defense
I can’t find just where it ends
Until it ends
I’ve been struggling
I let the doubt collect like dust
Test elasticity of trust
And if it’s true
Then I’m sorry I’ve been lying to you
And I wish there was more I could do
In my defense
There’s so much to be expressed
Until there’s less and less
I can afford not to invest
It’s been so long now
I’ll live through this somehow
I would almost always say
“We will look back on this one day,”
But when that door is closed this time
I’m never coming back
No I just won’t break
No matter how much I have to take
And when we’re wrong
We’re wrong together
When it’s safe out there
I’ll come back out, it’s only fair
But I think you should leave tonight
In my defense
This is not coincidence
Expensive events
Left us all in such suspense
It was all in vain
The fury was boring and plain
I’ll be here again
And I’ll be just as angry then
Because it’s never going to end
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8. |
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9. |
Regicide
05:53
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Regicide: words by Scanlon
One more king is vanquished
In celebration, laugh and punt his infamous crown
And as it’s falling down, I taste the victory-sweet mead
And dream of many more like this
Another castle’s conqueror
The taste of triumph mildly bitter, win or go unstoned
And I need a ride home if someone’s got a free seat
It seems I’m seeing four of this
Work like this has never been easy
Don’t think that I’m contented by
The waste I leave behind
One day I, too, will find myself bleeding
The obvious will not be lost on me
I am not so inclined
One may be good for you
But I’d feel better if it’s two
And by the time we get to three
It will be four or more for me
And while I should just stop at five
If I had six I’d still survive
But if you don’t mind I think
I might just kill them all
Work like this has never been easy
Success is represented by disgrace epitomized
I pray the proof will finally release me
The promises of freedom ringing hollow every time
Work like this has never been easy
Sure, I may be desensitized to the violence
But not the crime
And maybe when the truth is revealed
I will feel it’s been worth it
But the price has been so high
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10. |
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He’s got dark circles underneath his eyes
Unrecognized he hides behind
A carefully crafted guise
Until now, he’d never seen her face before
She’s not concerned with what the boys might say
The girls, determined to destroy her
Intent on always getting in the way
It’s not the first time she’s been in this place before
Warmth belies sad eyes
A cold wind breathes relief
Combined at night, in the winter
Out of nowhere, something right
They didn’t even have to try
It happens just like that sometimes
They didn’t have to speak
He took his knife out of its sheath
And carved upon the hardwood floor
“Mel + Rita Evermore”
Warmth belies sad eyes
A cold wind breathes relief
Combined at night, in the winter
Out of nowhere, something right
He just froze and she took his hand in hers
As the wind relieved the building of its roof
The dread storm overhead the undeniable proof they need
He let her take the lead
She posed and he put her shape to paper
As the violent sky above them set the scene
The fires felt, at first, a dream
But the ashes fell like lake-effect snow
If it weren’t for us
The world may never know
Warmth belies sad eyes
A cold wind breathes relief
Combined at night, in the winter
Out of nowhere, something right
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11. |
Unbelievers
03:05
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Unbelievers: words by Scanlon
If I can believe my eyes
The blinding sounds of sonic lights
That routinely steal my nights
Have ceased a while
And the war internalized goes quiet
Goes quiet
You don’t believe it and I don’t believe it either
Just play along and say, “I don’t believe it either!”
Jumping to conclusions, I decide
That the truce inside may die again tonight
When it does, I don’t care, I just feel like I –
I contend this entire life went right
Went right
You don’t believe me, and I don’t believe me either
I know you’re not believing me when I say I believe
That nights like this don’t happen every day
And on the day I choose to stay away again
May it feel just as good as when I first said
Maybe there’s always been something more intense
Maybe it’s just about what I put into this
Maybe I just need to fill in the emptiness
Maybe it isn’t about me at all
I believe you don’t believe it’s true
And I’m surprised I like it too
You don’t believe me, so I don’t believe you either
Help won’t be needed from the fleet of unbelievers
I need to ride this thing as far as it can take me
You can’t make me change my mind
I’m so happy, I’ve gone blind, reminds me
Nights like this don’t happen every day
And on the day I choose to stay away again
May it feel just as good as when I first said
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12. |
A Part Two
02:44
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A Part Two: words by Scanlon
In case you hadn’t heard the news
It seems our boy made it out just fine
He lives in a condo on the western side of town
He works out three times a week
Gets his full eight hours of sleep
I’ve never run so far so fast before
But it doesn’t bother me much anymore
She went on to become a nurse’s aid
She’s got a pair of $700 shoes
She always pays her mortgage right on time
Her IRA looks fine
Her stock is on the rise
I’ve never run so far so fast before
But it doesn’t bother me much anymore
If you’re disappointed, so am I
No more heroes tacked upon the wall
But there were a million ways this house of cards could fall
And like new flavors, I had to try them all
I’ve never run so far so fast before
But it doesn’t bother me much anymore
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13. |
Meta
05:03
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Meta: words by Scanlon
I waited until up to this very last moment
I tried about half as hard as I might have in the past
I made no preparations, I did no research
I can’t find the impetus and I’m too lazy to look
I only brought a fraction on myself to the dance tonight
I left my feet at home, and then my eyes are plied
I’ve got no reservations; I’ve got no reply
My only inclination: not to try
I brought this on myself, a penance of the soul
The old is growing older, the memories turning stale
The hands becoming frail
My lost desires conspire to steal my strength away from me
Failure the only word reserved for my attempts at sensibility
But it’s just so easy, and it just keeps getting easier for me
But the plot is running thin, I’ve still yet to begin
Omission is a sin I can’t help but commit
Where has inspiration run and hidden
When it’s the only thing I seek?
Where’s the motivation for creation
When the muse is just confusing me?
If nothing weren’t so easy
Why is its the only voice that’s calling out to me?
The only voice that’s calling back to me?
The only voice that’s calling out to me?
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14. |
Toll
05:56
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Toll: words by Jonathan Scanlon, music by Matthew Hajdys
I pay the hack and take my jacket from the back
I stand on apprehensive legs atop the saddest patch of black
Between receding seams are streams of weakened green
In stifled climes, a quiet fight if just to be
My pockets stocked with everything I own, I brought
My whole world with me; fitting, It’s a splitting headache, nothing more
Smooth illusion, fluid once, is jagged through and through
The truth felt better when it was confusing, like before
Sometimes it feels a little bit funny
I’m the only one who knows this isn’t real
And it seems to me to be disingenuous
To me, it means nobody feels the way I feel
I put the left before the right, try as I might
The sour stone beneath my feet rejects me
And still I feel you all expect me
To be a thousand heroes when I haven’t saved myself but once
So to hell with health and history
And with responsibility
Sometimes it feels a little bit funny
The things we choose not to conceal
And it seems to me to be pretty obvious
To be someone who’s hiding what he truly feels
Sometimes it feels a little bit funny
When there’s nothing left to be revealed
Because it seems to me, the things we’ve said and done
And the directions that we run tell everyone just how we feel
Sometimes it feels a little bit funny
When I’m the only one who knows it’s real
And it seems to me to be unbecoming
Nobody’s asked me how it feels
Please believe me, I mean every word I say
If you could just pick up the telephone
Please don’t leave me here alone this way
I know I just can’t do this alone
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Mister Vertigo Boston, Massachusetts
"Mister Vertigo is an emotional, melodic, eclectic, alternative/indie rock band from Boston MA/So. NH. Their songs contain a strong emphasis on vocals and lyrics. The band incorporates elements of power pop, progressive rock, post-punk, emo, & Americana to create a fresh sound all their own" ... more
Mister Vertigo recommends:
Where Have My Countrymen Gone
by The Sheila Divine
This album as well as it's predecessor "New Parade" were huge influences on a young Mister Vertigo. We've been blessed to work with TSD producer/guitarist Brian Charles since 2010. Such a great LP!
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The best punk band in Boston ATM in our humble opinion. Our guitar player Matthew Co-Produced some tracks on this record and it's a banger!
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We Made Plans to Self-Destruct and Return To The Stars
by Mallcops
One of the best emo bands in Boston hands down! Mallcops also now features Daniel Donovan on guitar who is one of the greatest humans of all time.
go to albumIf you like Mister Vertigo, you may also like:
An easy-to-love combination of emo and jangle pop, the first full album from Spirit Night in eight years feels bathed in a golden glow.
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Slowcore, shoegaze, twee, and noise find their way into this ambitious full length from the St. Louis band Frankie Valet.
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The post-hardcore band’s latest is a reflection on time, memory, death, and grief—and is their dreamiest material to date.
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