about
Gave myself the task of writing something a bit darker than what I have been, and something more-riff-than-melody inspired. When I hurt my leg this week and lost a few days to resting up, I found myself searching through the memory bank of half-finished songs and came across Sci Fi, a pompy little number from the days of Hey!. Originally underscoring for NY Neo’s 12th Night, Alex Nifong and I played around with the tune, expanding it to it’s current form.
I really like the retro feel of the number - from the gameboy synths to the mid-90s explosive break. It feels like a taxidermist took needle and thread to the last 5 years of my work and made me an anniversary gift. I wonder how it would ever sit in a set of my other, more recent songs. It’s perhaps the strange cousin in the corner of all the family photos. Years later we’ll learn it’s in jail. It won’t surprise us, but we will think it’s kinda cool.
My father told me years ago that my lyrics seemed like a slide show - less direct storytelling and more flashes of imagery from a different place. While I’ve since drifted further towards storytelling, Sci Fi definitely feels like a strange spliced together home movie from a never-place. I am of the belief that their are two players in most unfortunate events - someone who sees the opportunity to take what they like, and someone who refuses to inconvenience themselves by accepting what is actually going on. Perhaps there’s a carnival barker somewhere in never-place and he’s made this home movie for you.
lyrics
Set sail on the word of a tailor
Tongue stuck out like you licking up manna
High tide’s high time – decide to ride the brine.
Hot tips from the congregation
Gonna lock lips with the company statement
Supplied inside! Sold by assigned timeline
Shake with the hand of the nightly adders
Gone to bed with a rope in the rafter
Eyes tight! Sight lines aligned aside Sci-fi!
Honesty, dear, you’re still my virtue
Point on the doll where the good men hurt you
Nighttime, roadside, divine, inside, high five!
Call away
Almost done
Son of mine
Empty one
Sell the soil
Wake the dead
Change the names
Who’d a guess?
Get by on the information
Ear to the ground picking up vibration
Limelight-Inclined! Finite insight required!
Buy thoughts from the evening game show
Selling psalms to your grieving neighbors
Defy! Deny! In time they’ll buy. Resign!
Call away
Almost done
Son of mine
Empty one
Sell the soil
Wake the dead
Change the names
Who’d a guess?
credits
from
Singles 2010,
released December 31, 2010
Music and Lyrics by Mattroi
Drums by Alex Nifong
Backing Vox by Melissa Lusk
license
all rights reserved