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Mandrake

by The Shell Corporation

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1.
Don’t feel good but you’re not ill watch teevee and take your happy pill don’t feel right but you’re not sick press your fingers to your temples chew your nails to the quick Place the blame I know you will it’s guns and video games and happy pills place the blame makes you feel right is that what helps you sleep at night? You’re closer than you would believe one missed step from waking from your dream finance that big ass SUV smart move ‘cause that is where you’ll sleep Take it all away
2.
A man lays down his rifle, and sighs “I’ve had enough” A woman buries her child, and she cries “I’ve had enough” Still we agree to disagree, suicidal enmity the sins of our fathers will be the death of us A girl buries her mother, and she prays to settle the score and a boy picks up a rifle, and he dreams of glorious war and the men who sell the guns it seems they always have enough and the leaders safe behind the lines they always have enough Still we agree to disagree, suicidal enmity the sins of our fathers will be still we agree to disagree, perpetual insanity these lines drawn in the sand will be the death of us Is it eye for an eye or blind by hate? Cut off your nose to spite your face some memories won’t be erased these living ghosts will be the death of us
3.
Surprised you noticed surprised you care so greet the truth with an angry glare how they stare Remember, remember i gave up, surrendered don’t put the blame on me these nights spent awake all your problems I take on won’t give me any sleep The same old story A different day I say I’m sorry I say please stay, please stay I wrote myself in circles, ran out of rhymes I couldn’t say it all in a thousand lines
4.
Trust Us 02:51
Incessant, the bleating the message keeps repeating close your hearts, lock the door no end to this forever war. Insipid, misleading platitudes devoid of meaning “we had to burn the village down to save it” here’s the price to keep you safe: we’re watching you while you sleep we’re wide awake we’re watching you your life is in our database Trust us, we’re on the brink Trust us, it’s worse than you think Trust us, our way of life sits on the edge of a knife Say you want the truth? It’s easier when you’re distracted Say you want the proof? We’re sorry but that’s been redacted here’s the price to keep you safe: we’re watching you while you sleep we’re wide awake we’re watching you your life is in our database so watch yourself Trust us, we wouldn’t tell you lies Cross us and we’ll cut you down to size Every little step you take, we’re watching you Every little move you make, we’re watching you while you sleep we’re wide awake, watching you here’s the price to keep you safe
5.
Oh hear them wail, let the walls come down A man lit himself on fire on TV the other day he set the eastern deserts burning with a single match that way Killing fields are ripe for harvest, and they will reap what they have sown you can ignore the growing tempest but that won’t stop the wind from blowing So hear them wail, let the walls come down I saw them fighting in the streets on TV the other day Kids with slingshots facing tanks, seems like it’s always been this way And if freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose then I guess they’ve got their freedom, more than they would choose So hear them wail, let the walls come down. Hear them wail down in old Cairo Hear them wail down in Aleppo Hear them wail down on the Gaza Strip Hear them wail down in Tunis
6.
A nation of laws or a nation of men? Justice was blind, but now the blindfold covers her tits ain’t it the pits when the Bible is the law but the money-changers run the temple? How did we let it come to this? Somebody fell asleep at the switch and when we woke, we all were broke Secretly and cleverly the burden had been shifted to our yoke It is to laugh when the bean counters forget their math it is to cry when we let lie the sleeping dogs that turn on us when we have closed our eyes Hobson never had a choice like this Pay for the repairs or do we burn it to the ground? It is unsound The inspector shakes his head and sadly says “it’s a total loss” How did we let it come to this our shining house on a hill is now a derelict we spent the rent on an arsenal and now we have no place to keep it. How did we let it come to this?
7.
Bombs Away 03:06
The General scratches his belly and thinks His pay is good but his officers stink Guerrilla girl, hard and sweet A military man would love to meet The President looks in the mirror and speaks His shirts are clean but his country reeks Unpaid bills Afghanistan hills Bombs away But, we're okay Bombs away In old Bombay The General only wants to teach France to dance His army life don't give him any romance Guerrilla girl, hard and sweet A military man would love to meet The General scratches his belly and thinks His pay is good but his company stinks Guerrilla girl, hard and sweet A military man would love to meet Bombs away But, we're okay Bombs away In old Bombay
8.
Help me to understand how every time you fail someone else must take the blame righteously wronged, perpetual victim Explain, if you can why I should be your friend when you’re your own worst enemy my is tired, I’m so conflicted So help me, help you I want to make it better but there’s nothing I can do until you help me help you And everytime you told me lies swore to my face you’d be alright i’d pick you up but you’d just lay back down lean on me, but you’ll have to learn to stand So help me help you I want to see you happy but there’s nothing I can do until you help me help you Help me help you I hate to see you suffer but there’s nothing I can do until you help me help you
9.
60 Hours 03:16
All your life you played the game toed the line and earned the A’s A wife, two kids, a dog, a yard a mortgage and a German car 60 hours and a paycheck another year with the same old bullshit exist to fill a slot then be replaced when you wear out You made it, right? You reached the top. Corner office, fifth of scotch your sixth mistress, your second wife your kids are grown, sometimes they write they work so hard they do, reminding you of someone you once knew...
10.
The Message 02:44
So much belief in make-believe so little faith in man so much searching for salvation when it’s right here in our hands are you ashamed of your impermanence? you think God gives a damn? accept your insignificance and know there is no plan. No help is coming. No saviour on the way. The message is that there is no message This is not indictment, this is just a plea put into practice what you preach do we need the supervision? does there need to be a “plan”? do you need sky daddy watching you to be a decent man? No help is coming, no saviour on the way. The message is that there is no message No help is coming.
11.
Look at the battles that you’ve won look at the damage that’s been done no regard for pain or consequence spare no expense to win a fight Look at the person you’ve become nothing to do but get things done so afraid of pain and consequence the grave expense to share your life you reached the top and found it’s lonely there the cold, thin air, how it bites. But in your perfect world, it’s not a perfect world but it’s good enough to find someone hold on to Alone you’ll travel faster but it doesn’t mean you should sharing pain is half the pain and sharing joy is twice as good life is not a race there is no prize for winning times and there’s no one there to greet you when you reach the finish line Perfect world, it’s not a perfect world but it’s good enough to find someone to hold on to.
12.

about

Released on Paper + Plastick (USA) and Gunner Records (EU).

****If you live in Europe order direct from Gunner Records****
shop.gunnerrecords.com/product_info.php/products_id/158

CD available at: solidarityrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/mandrake

Jan - vocals
Curtiss - guitar
Seantonamo Bay - bass
Jake - drums

Recorded @ The Lighthouse Recording
Produced / Engineered / Mixed by Chris Hesse
Except for "Bombs Away", "Bob Vila", & "60 Hours" by Jamie McMann
Mastered by Stephen Egerton @ Armstrong Recording

All song written by The Shell Corporation except for "Bombs Away" by The Police and "Raum Der Zeit" by Wizo

Cover art by Luc Martin

credits

released February 25, 2014

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The Shell Corporation Los Angeles, California

New 5 song 7"EP "Told Ya So" out now on 206 Records

206records.com

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