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Conversations with the Cinnamon Skeleton

by David Garland

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1.
The Long View In private you can whisper all your plans to the fog. From Olympus the Gods observe us. They’re crossing wires and setting fires, but they can’t see us for the clouds. Machinations provide a latticework of work and words, so climb aboard. The long view; hard to see past me, past you; the long view. Things to come; gone from; gone through, the long view; past the end. Still can’t see around the bend or through disguise; it’s a surprise. In private confide your little wounds and wins to the wind. In Valhalla, Odin’s angry. He’s distracted by some infraction of the rules for Gods.
2.
Like a Blanket Time will tell, but who will it tell? It’s quiet voice demands an ear, but I won’t hear it. You used to need to know what I was thinking. Without your need my thoughts stay vague; I’ve gotten good at hiding. I know, I know, I know. Like a blanket my warmth is made of your’s. Like a blanket my warmth is made of your’s. Like a blanket my warmth is made of you. I speak to you in the tender tones of mother. You might not know what I say, but you’re invited. Wind, stones, and trees are all I have for language. I’d stroke your hair, but I’m only there in hints and whispers. I know, I know, I know.
3.
Lie in My Truth The burden of proof lies in the truth. Skilled slight of hand does what it can. Back before, when I first got involved, back when things weren’t so resolved I solved the crime. It was open and shut, but ever since then, there’s a lie in my truth. I might have been wrong, but I’m trying my best to do justice to you, just as you are now; naked or clothed, open or closed. The case went to trial, the jury was hung. Exonerate my smile, exonerate my tongue. My god, my whole life is locked up. Where, oh where is the key-- the key to me? I was open and shut, and ever since then, there’s a lie in my truth. I really screwed up, but I’m trying my best to do justice to you, just as you are now; naked or clothed, open or closed.
4.
5.
What I Wanted to Say What did I do to you? Was it a cold touch? Or maybe a smile at the wrong time? My timing is off. What did I give to you? Was it the wrong word, garbled and strange, or simple and plain but not nearly enough? What I wanted to say pulled hard at my tongue, dropped from my mouth unheard and unsung. What’s a reply like? What’s worth responding to? Pillars of fire, one pillar of salt; don’t turn around. Tell me a story, make it a good one. You tell me yours, and I tell you mine at the same time. What I wanted to say, I will say anyway. It’s an open door for you to ignore. No heavenly chorus. That tree in the wilderness, the one falling down, making a sound, it’s making a sound.
6.
7.
Just a Small Percentage Calved with a crack and a splash, a new iceberg is born -- born to submerge most of its form and its most urgent urge. Just a small percentage exposed, the entrance is closed, so what sits inside can’t be described, only implied. Unseen, unsaid, and unknown unheard and unshown shape undefined; hidden behind; titanically blind. Hidden in the cabinet, seemingly inanimate, time is lurking anciently, working very patiently Time makes a pattern of change, random atoms arrange into shapes you can see; shapes like me with portions relvealed and others concealed. Hiding unseen, caught in between, looming below the shape doesn’t show, lurking behind, titanically blind, the old and the new just out of view, so what sits inside can’t be described, only implied.
8.
Not There Yet Here I sit preparing for the chance to rescue you. Waiting for your helplessness; but don’t call me, ‘cause I’m not there yet. Not yet powerful, not yet fair enough. On a Sunday night one week ago we talked about life and death and all of that heavy stuff. You said something like you might need me. Christ, I thought, I’m just not ready yet. There’s still so much to do. Still so much I ought to do, and I ought to settle down, but I’m not there yet. Here I sit preparing for the chance to rescue you. Waiting for my helpfulness. I’ll get there, but I’m not there yet. Building up and rising through, taking off to rescue you.
9.
Lightning Shine He held a lightning rod as he climbed the mountain that night. There were clouds roiling overhead; the rain had washed out the path. He had doubts like a microphone, turned them up and made them sing. Lightning, strike my lightning rod for me. Please electrocute my doubts. Rain splashed among the trembling leaves. Wind shoved the landscape. It was all revealed in the flash. He met the lightning bolt, igniting the mountainside. Dark clouds had opened up, and they laughed their lightning at him. He had love like a microphone, turned it up loud and clear. Lightning, strike my lightning rod for me. Please amplify my love like shine. Now there's a clearing in the woods where acrid sparks are seen to shine the lightning shine.
10.
Splinter Heart My broken floorboard friend, you found it in your heart: the splinter I put there, in your heart in your heart. In my mouth words got old. Paint peeled off the window sill. I'm rummaging around, in search of tell-tale clues of what happened and didn't happen there in your room in your room. In a song notes sustain as long as they are held. As long as they are held, people won't hold back. They open up their hearts and make room --if there's room. Down the drain, Splinter Heart, the ocean will flow when we're apart.
11.
12.
The Trees Agree You were a young lieutenant, and I was a fragrant phantom, wasn't I? And it was a radiant night, a night of soft conspiracy. And the trees agreed that it was all going to be for the best.
13.
Forever 10:33
Forever Words are for erasing, eyes for going blind; friends to be forsaken, love to leave behind. I will live forever. Everything is under control. ooo, ooo The buildings are shaking, the cops are closing in. Hold on to the railing, hold on to your skin. Everything’s uncertain and tends toward decay. I am no exception, yeah, but anyway I will live forever. Everything is under control. ooo, ooo Hold my hand, here we go. All I know is I don’t know.

about

"Witty, melancholy songs, arranged and performed with such careful skill and a natural unforced originality; David Garland and his friends have done it again!"
-- Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine, etc., etc.)

"David Garland has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary composers. Like many great songwriters before him, he pushes the limits of acceptable harmony and dissonance, yet never at the expense of beauty. He is able to take the listener through what might otherwise be quite perplexing musical architecture, and guide them along as if floating effortlessly on a cloud. 'Conversations with the Cinnamon Skeleton' is clearly the result of a lifetime spent investigating the relationship between notes and chords and words. The fact that Garland is not more known is an indication that much of the world has forgotten why it is we make and listen to music in the first place. If it's not possible for popular music to reach the heights of the great classical masters, it seems no one has told David Garland."
-- Sean Ono Lennon

This album is now (Jan. 2020) available as a CD for the first time. Taking advantage of the 6-panel packaging format used on other Garland/Tall Owl Audio releases, Anne Garland's final design project was to select some images from her Luminous Playhouse photography project and put together this lovely, evocative edition.

credits

released January 17, 2012

David Garland: music, lyrics, vocals, string arrangements, 12-string guitar, drone-modified 12-string guitar, clarinet, flute, piano, Dulcitone, bass, etc.

Vashti Bunyan: vocals on Like a Blanket, The Long View, and The Trees Agreed

Sean Lennon: vocals on The Long View, Maybe (We Won't Wait So Long), and Lightning Shine; electric guitar and drums on Maybe (We Won't Wait So Long)

Charlotte Kemp Muhl: vocals on The Long View, Maybe (We Won't Wait So Long), and Lightning Shine; accordion on Maybe (We Won't Wait So Long)

Osso (Rob Moose, Olivier Manchon, Marla Hansen, Maria Bella Jeffers): string quartet on Not There Yet, What I Wanted to Say, and Forever

Otto Hauser: drums on Like a Blanket, What I Wanted to Say, and The Trees Agreed

Kenji Garland: acoustic feedback guitar on What I Wanted to Say; inventor/builder of the drone-modified 12-string guitar.

The Garland family chorus (Anne Garland, Kenji Garland, and David Garland): backing vocals on Splinter Heart, and The Trees Agreed

Produced and mixed by DG.

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David Garland New York, New York

Composer/singer/multi-instrumentalist David Garland has been steadily shaping songs in new ways since 1980.

"Like many great songwriters before him, Garland pushes the limits of acceptable harmony and dissonance, yet never at the expense of beauty. If it's not possible for popular music to reach the heights of the great classical masters, it seems no one has told David Garland."
--Sean Lennon
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