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Russian Novels

by Luna Moth

/
1.
Sheltering Sky (free) 02:30
We scattered sparks amongst the stars and smoothed the scars out of the sun We wiped the winter from our bones and let the spring sink to our blood We watched the redbirds bury berries neath the boughs of the redbuds We swiped the stripes off swallowtails and stole the spots off ladybugs And somewhere far away, a toadstool collects rain, a dragonfly shines silver and a moth lands on the shoulder of a statue. We wove a cobweb to recombine the continental divide We wrote some rhymes on riversides and tied them to latitude lines And somewhere far away, an old man's face turns grey, a galaxy disintegrates, and a tadpole disappears beneath a taproot
2.
La reina de España anda por las oliveras escuchando las guitarras de los vagabundos gitanos Los gitanos le invitan a su banqueta de aceitunas, comparten historias de aventura, paz, y libertad La reina de españa toma a su seno muelle una guitarra y sin pensar renuncia su corona Te amo, Andalucía La gitana de Espana se rie todo el día. Cambió su castillo por todas las estrellas en el cielo.. Ya lo sé sí, es para mi, la vida gitana Ya lo sé sí, es para ti, la vida gitana
3.
The Dustman 03:34
I gotta rest my bones, and sit for a spell, I've been walking this road so long, I can't tell, and when the Dustman comes, he's gonna whisper to me about the secrets in the symbols of my serpentine dreams I gotta close my eyes and sleep for a spell, I've been haunting these hills so long I can't tell, and when the Dustman comes he's gonna whisper to me about the secrets in the symbols of my psychedelic dreams You gotta shake your trepidation and leave your home and cast your comforts aside and slide into the unknown, and when the Dustman sees you seek the mystery, he will reveal the clues to your kaleidoscopic dreams I'm gonna shock this world with the things I know, 'cause what the Dustman told me is more valuable than gold, and when the Dustmans speaks, you'd better lend him your ears (or your eyes if your ears are committed to fear). Break my bones and take me home to the other side.
4.
Mother Russia will not suffer such keen eyes. Nazdarobya! This shall be our last goodbye. You shall never silence me with all your lies. Don't you ever address another letter to this guy- Nikolai Gogol Dostoevsky was a lover, not a fighter. Svidrigailov was a serpent, not a spider. Nastasya Fillipovna, throw your money in the fire. Semyon Marmeladov, shout your drunken prayers into the empty spires. Nikolai Gogol Don't you cry, Gogol Close your eyes, Gogol
5.
Waxwing funeral, the afternoon as grey as grey can be. All the sparrows silent, simultaneously sad and sweet. All our sorrows laid bare in the time it takes for birds to blink. Every bird will blink. Waxwing Funeral, the neighborhood as grey as grey can be. All the swallows silent, contemplating their mortality. All our grievances aired in the space it takes for birds to breathe. Every bird will breathe. Waxwing funeral, the garden is as grey as grey can be. All the starlings silent, savoring the shelter of the trees. All our sadness stripped down in the time it takes for birds to die. Every bird will die. And when that waxwing dies again, he will be back to live again, as sure as birds will blink and breathe and sing. And when that waxwing lives again, he will be here to sing again, as sure as birds will blink and breathe and die. When that waxwing dies again, he will be back to live again as sure as birds will blink and breathe and sing.
6.
Oh, Charlotte of the sea Charlotte of the stars Charlotte, you're the spark that struck the kindling of Vesuvius Charlotte, you're the sperm that shot through space to start the universe Charlotte, your the sherlock that resolved the slaughter of Caesar Charlotte, you're the fertile ovary that offered up the earth Oh Charlotte of the trees Charlotte of the park Charlotte, you're the chakra that shone chartreuse from Siddhartha's heart Charlotte, you're the chanteuse that sang sweetly as an archer's lark Charlotte, you're the snake that slithered up the spine of Arjuna Charlotte, you're the ship upon which Rimbaud rode to Ethiopia Oh Charlotte of the breeze, Charlotte of the chard, Charlotte, you're so free Charlotte wears a scarf
7.
Czarina mythos Om shanti shanti shanti
8.
Some birds sing about the summertime Some birds sing about suburban life Some birds sing about the way they fly Some birds sing about the day they die Some birds sing about Olympia Some birds sing about Valencia Some birds sing about their grandfather's grave Some birds sing about the sound of trains Some birds sing about the beards they've grown Some birds sing about old Mexico Some birds sing about the deep blue sea Some birds sing about the birds and bees There's one thing you can believe is true: This here bird will only sing for you.
9.
When the sun goes down, I'll sing a song about sunrise When the leaves turn brown, I'll write about the summertime. When the winter comes, I'll feel rather autumnal. When the spring arrives, I'll wish the snow would still fall. When the mountains tower, I will pine for the great plains. When the plains get too plain, I will find a mountain range. When the tide gets too high, I will find a riverside. When the levee breaks, I'll head towards the coastline. When I met you, I knew that I would not be here long. Now it's time to go, and I will leave you with this song. Do not take it badly, do not take it sadly, do not take it madly, do not take it gladly. So long, so long, I still love you. When it starts to rain, I'll think about your dry humor and when it gets hard, I'll think about how soft you were- Soft as honeybees and soft as dandelions Soft as chickadees and soft as wisteria So long, so long, I still love you.
10.
Pseudo San Francisco (free) 03:06
Lift your head up from your Russian novel, take a look around the room, dear So that I can catch your eye and quickly look back down into my own Settle into solipsistic solitude, this Tolstoy is a gold mine Separate the scholars from the charlatans with one stroke of your pen SF is a riot, you should try it, just don't let it hit you too hard Stay close to the ocean and don't linger for too long far from the bay Lift your head up from your teacup, lift your eyes up to the waning summer You've been sitting so long sipping oolong that the autumn has arrived

about

I wanted to write something a bit more subdued after "Shamanic Youth", and the result is "Russian Novels". These songs came to fruition during the autumn, which was quite conducive to the more introspective and reserved feel that I was going for. The title is not necessarily meant to convey an overarching motif- I don't know that the scattershot thematic references to Russian literature are substantial enough to warrant labeling this a concept album, but I suppose it's not altogether impertinent.

An interesting note about the cover art... before I began recording this album, when the songs were still incubating in the vague realms of fancy, I approached Norman artist Sarah Capshaw about doing the album cover art. She agreed, and we began a collaborative project by which the songs themselves influenced the artwork and vice versa. Sarah was the first person to hear these songs in their embryonic state and the first to hear them upon completion. I was as well able to witness the painting as it became ever more layered, complex, and dreamlike throughout its stages of manifestation. It was a very illuminating process, and I felt that it added a welcome new dimension to my own creative process as well. You can view more of Sarah's inimitable work at sarahcapshaw.ugallery.com

I had lots of help from lots of shiny stars on this one...

Penny Hill sings on "Sheltering Sky" and "Waxwing Funeral", and plays banjo on "Waxwing Funeral" as well. Do yourself a favor and check out her album "Unbutton Your Heart", it is quite lovely, and her music has been a recent influence of mine: pennyhill.bandcamp.com .

Blue Valley Farmer sings on "Sheltering Sky", "Waxwing Funeral", and "Some Birds Sing" (another brilliant Oklahoma musician and phenomenal folksinger, whose songs can be heard at cllct.com/art/bluevalleyfarmer

Rae Rome sings on "Some Birds Sing"

Kara Joy McKee sings on "Some Birds Sing"

Zakk Flash plays Arabic drums on "The Dustman"

Released Dec. 19, 2010

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released December 19, 2010

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Luna Moth Arcata, California

Entheogenic love mantras/surfing into dissonance

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