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MR. BIG PICTURE

by SURF HARP

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    12" VINYL VERSION OF 'MR. BIG PICTURE'. 140G BLACK VINYL WITH SCREENPRINTED ARTWORK.

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1.
IT’S BETTER THAN DRINKING A CUP OF YOUR COAL IT’S MORE THAN YOU KNOW IT’S NOT LIKE THE BACK OF A SUIT ON PATROL IT’S MORE THAN YOU KNOW SO LET IT PATROL I WALKED DOWN TO A FOUNTAIN AND I FELT THE GRASS TODAY I SAT DOWN, AND IT AMOUNTED IT WAS A PART OF ME TAKE ME OFF NOW RIP UP A LIST PUT IT BACK INTO YOUR FIST TAKE ME TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN BUILD A SHELF WITH NO ONE ELSE TAKE ME TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN DO MY HEALTH WITH NO ONE ELSE TAKE ME TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN BE MYSELF WITH NO ONE ELSE
2.
D.I. CIG 05:14
YOU’RE TALKING TO ME NOW BUT I CAN’T HEAR YOU WHEN I SEE YOU IN THE PARK WHEN YOU’RE WALKING AFTER DARK YOUR BODY WILL ASCEND MY MIND WILL OCCUPY THE SPACE THAT YOU WERE IN WILL I SEE THROUGH I SEE THROUGH THE NIGHT WALKING BACK TO YOUR HOME THERE’S A CLOCK LOOKING OVER ME MOWED ONTO LAWNS MOWED ONTO STAIRS TO COMPARE
3.
ROBBY IN THE OFFICE WORKING SAFELY FINISHING A TASK FINISHING IT FAST I’LL BE WORKING TOO MOVING FASTER PUSHING OUT A PLAN FABRICATE BY HAND I’VE BEEN SPENDING ALL I AM CUT THE SKIN OFF OF YOUR NECK BREAK IT DOWN ALL OVER YOUR HEADS OVER YOUR HEADS FROM THE TALLEST TREE TO THE MOUNTAIN BELOW IT’S OVER YOUR HEAD
4.
INDUSTRY WILL PAY YOU BACK IN GOLD SO WHAT’S WRONG SINCE IT PAYS THE BILLS YEAH, YEAH AND I GOT NOTHING WRONG WITH THE NEXT ONE HERE AND THAT’S WHY IT’S BETTER WHEN IT’S NOT SO CLEAR YOU’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO SHOW BUT I’M GONE HAVE YOU FOUND MY PLACE YET-YET AND I DON’T THINK THAT I’LL BE BACK IN TIME FOR MIDNIGHT BECAUSE I’D RATHER SEE THE BIRDS IN FLIGHT SO TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT AND I’LL BE HOME NOW IF I CAN’T MAKE IT WOULD YOU LEAVE A NOTE OUT-OUT AND I’VE BEEN IN SO LONG THAT I’M NOT RIPE NOW SO I THINK IT’S BETTER IF YOU DON’T ASK HOW SO LET IT INTERFERE AND WATCH ME TURN MY OUTPUT IS NOT THE MOST BUT IT’S STILL THERE AND I TRY PUT MYSELF BACK IN PLACE CAUSE I’M STILL WAITING FOR A TASTE
5.
[N/A]
6.
I LOST YOU 04:16
I WAS JUST SEARCHING FOR ANY CLUES ANY CLUES AT ALL SEARCHING THROUGH YOUR STUFF TRYING TO FIND WHERE YOU GOT OFF THERE’S NO REASON TO TURN AWAY THERE’S NO PURPOSE TO THE GAMES THE GAMES WE PLAY I LOST YOU, AND NOW YOU’RE FOUND AGAIN BUT THEN I LOST YOU, AND NOW YOU’RE FOUND IN A HOLE BY YOURSELF AND BY MY SIDE THERE’S NO CHARITY TO HELP YOU UP TO GET YOU BY IF YOU’VE BEEN WONDERING WHY I SAY THE WORDS I DO THERE’S NO PURPOSE OF WHAT I SAY I SAY TO YOU
7.
MIRROR MAZE 02:11
HE GOES ALL DAY IT’S BETTER THAN THAT, BUT HE CAN’T AVOID PICKING UP SLACK HE LIKES THE SOUND THAT THE COIN MAKES WHEN HE DROPS IT DOWN, ONTO THE GROUND HE’LL SPEND THE NIGHT IN A ROOM WITH A BROKEN WINDOW VELVET TONE THAT’S THICK AS A BONE IT’S NECESSARY TO FILL THE VOID AND TESSELLATE TO PROJECT A NOISE HE GOES DOWNTOWN TO BUY SOME NEW EQUIPMENT A LOUD AMP AND A SERIES OF OSCILLATING PEDALS HE’S GOT A DEVICE THAT CAN TURN SOUND INTO ELECTRICITY AND BROADCAST A SIGNAL WITH ACUTE SPECIFICITY AND HE’LL GO DOWN UNTIL HE’S GONE
8.
MAKE A BED OR SHAVE MY HEAD WAKE ME UP, I’LL DO IT ALL THE TIME I HAVE THE MEANS TO MEMORIZE A LINE, BUT IT’S BEEN HARD, MY MIND IS FAR IT’S IN THE BACK COLLECTING ON THE GROUND IN THE DIRT, IT’S PICKING UP A SOUND WE GOT TO THE CHORUS AT A QUARTER TO FOUR THE KINGS WERE ALL READY, AND THEIR CONSCIENCE WAS POOR WE SAT DOWN AT THE TABLE, THEY’LL MEET OUR DEMANDS WE GOT WHAT WE WANTED AND WE SLICED OFF THEIR HANDS WE RAN OUT QUICK, FAST AS A NAIL JUMPED ON OVER, GOT COMPANY BAIL NEVER WAS LOST, ALWAYS ON TIME CATHOLIC GLASS, I’M DOING FINE ON A CLOCK I’VE BUILT A LOT WORK A LINE, ENSURE THE FLOOR IS CLEAN TURN A SWITCH TO ELEVATE A BEAM I’M A WASTE, I’VE BEEN FOR DAYS CALCULATE A SIMPLE PIECE OF MATH CALIBRATE A BROKEN SIGNAL PATH
9.
WHERE DEATH LAYS, BIRTH IS BORN AGAIN HE WAS A CHILD, SILLY DUMB CHILD SHREDDED WET GRASS, HE LETS IT PASS AGAIN PETALS TURN THROUGH, SLOWLY GO TO A QUIET BED, SOIL IS TURNED NO CURLED TOES, PLEASURE IS LEARNED TOUCHING A FACE, RESTING IN PLACE AGAIN SNOW BENT THRILLS, TAKING A MOUNTAINTOP GRAIN WILL BE MILLED, MAN WILL BE KILLED MIDNIGHT CALLS, LOOSE BREATH FALLS AGAIN INTO A JAR, FOG IN A CAR BACK IN THE FIELD, PRODUCT WILL YIELD BURDEN TO REAP, NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP READING A NOTE, BUILDING BOAT [A-HOO]
10.
HOLLOW 04:18
AS MY THROAT GROWS SHALLOW MY BRAIN REMAINS THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE IT’S HOLLOW, HOLLOW LIKE THE SUNRISE IT DOESN’T MATTER MUCH TO ME IT’S JUST A SCENE A VISION, ENVISION THE GARBAGE CONDITION OF MY BED AND IN MY HEAD I’VE BEEN TRYING, PRACTICE REALIZING I CAN BE REPLACED AND I’M JUST A DYING, COFFIN-OCCUPYING SHELL TO BE ERASED OR AM I DECAL? REMOVE ME FOR FREE NOW I’VE BEEN MAKING WASTE [AND I’M JUST A FUNCTION NOTHING CAN BE SUNKEN UNDER MY REMAINS] MY THROAT STILL WALLOWS AND MY BRAIN JUMPS AHEAD TO ANOTHER LIGHT THAT NO ONE WILL SEE HAPPINESS, HAPPINESS WILL FIND YOU JUST GOT TO GET ENOUGH SLEEP, AND ENOUGH DREAMS IT’S IMPOSSIBLE, IMPROBABLE INTELLIGENT, INSUFFERABLE AND NO ONE KNOWS MY NAME

about

"Each song is in and of itself a little independent masterpiece, meticulous in its layering of multiple melodies and fitting imperfections—the fuzzed-out guitar, the fluctuating vocals, the outside-the-box arrangements, the in-your-face creative energy."
-Baltimore Magazine

"What difference can a filter make when the intake’s sucking in dust thick with the poison of last century? Silver halide crystals and ‘D.I. Cigs?’ Same old spores, new ways of taking it in, getting around the law, pushing it on the kids from a rolled-down window and popped-open trunk."
-Tiny Mix Tapes

"The DIY punk scene has always looked to krautrock for musical inspiration, and Baltimore’s SURF HARP are particularly adept at blending it into their nervy sound, along with hints of Beefheart, Talking Heads, and all kinds of other goodness. As with many other artists—see Fujiya & Miyagi as a prime example—the band use the monotone riffing of their Germanic influences as signifiers of the repetitions of daily life in consumer society."
-Bandcamp Daily

"The heavily consumerism and malaise of office life has some how inspired a bright and interesting record as opposed to what you would usually hear from a record about monotony – this seems to be the antithesis. The vocal delivery, instrumentation, and incorporation of such a wide array of sound into this ‘computer rock’ really solidifies as one of the best records of the year so far."
-Post Trash

"Their song writing blends perfectly with these new wave lyrical themes. Mr. Big Picture not only includes varying, layered vocals, synth, and layered guitar, but it also experiments with distorted, lo-fi samples from everyday objects, such as a vacuum cleaner and power tools. Such experimentation allows each song to have its own personality, giving the album a holistic integrity as an art piece."
-WLOY

"Here is a band that you need to hear— Baltimore quintent Surf Harp give us D.I. CIG an energetic flawless guitar rock banger with righteous riffs and solid harmonious vocals..."
-Diamond Deposits

credits

released February 23, 2018

SURF HARP
----------------------
PHIL BOLTON
JEFFREY KOPLOVITZ
AARON PERSEGHIN
CHRISTOPHER SWEENEY
RYAN ZADERA

ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS:
----------------------
CHRISTINA BOEHMER: CELLO, DOUBLE BASS
CLAIRE CHAMBERS: VOCALS
DARA HIRSCH: VOCALS
DAVID JACOBER: MARIMBA
AL PATTERSON: VIOLIN
LIZ VAYDA: ELECTRIC PIANO, VOCALS
LORENZO WOLFF: ELECTRIC BASS, LAP STEEL

ENGINEERED, RECORDED, MIXED BY LORENZO WOLFF AND DARA HIRSCH AT RESTORATION SOUND IN BROOKLYN, NY

MASTERED BY JONATHAN SCHENKE IN BROOKLYN, NY

ADDITIONAL RECORDING:
----------------------
PHILIP BOLTON
JANAH FRAZIER
CHESTER GWAZDA
DAVID JACOBER
JEFFREY KOPLOVITZ

AESTHETICS:
----------------------
PHILIP BOLTON: LAYOUT, ADDITIONAL DESIGN
TAYLOR DEBOER: ADDITIONAL DESIGN
CHRISTOPHER SWEENEY: COPY-EDITING
MICAH E. WOOD: PHOTOGRAPHY
GEORGE WYLESOL: COVER ARTWORK (“GHOST 6”)

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SURF HARP Baltimore, Maryland

𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 out 8/25 via Shiny Boy Press

Booking and Other Inquiries: surfharpmd@gmail.com

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