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And Now We Sing

by Olenka and the Autumn Lovers

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1.
Odessa 02:01
Oh Odessa, Winter’s coming and your mother’s hungry. Watch her apron twirl around the city streets, “Can you spare a…” Oh Odessa, Winter’s coming and your father’s desperate. Hear him crying in the pantry over bills. Isn’t life a thrill? Will you dance the night away? Oh Odessa, Winter’s coming and your brother’s weaker. Hear him wheezing into pillows in the night. Doctor says it’s… Oh Odessa, Winter’s coming and your sister’s pregnant. Watch her belly grow a little every day. Try to look away. Stay away until the morning Days, I’ve been watching you for days. We can run away. Steal away until the morning. Oh, Odessa…
2.
Clean 02:02
If I broke into your heart with a paperclip and pin and a tiny violin, would you let me stay? I would keep the place so clean. I’d come with curtains and a rug, a box of records and a glass of wine. Would you let me stay? Just a couch, a night and day. I would not get in the way. I would keep the place so clean.
3.
East End 03:26
Take me to the east end: the dirty part of the city where all of our friends live, love, drink, and die. A lifetime of happiness in a poor man’s meal, a prostitute’s kiss, a bellowing child, and your eyes. A lifetime of happiness in a second-hand shirt, a hole in the wall, the broken down van of the band. Take me to the east end: a dirt road by the harbour where all of the lights shine, hopeless and brave. A lifetime of happiness in an argument, a thunderstorm, a can of soup, and a song.
4.
Motel Blues 02:45
Sea in my hair. Gasoline in my veins. The disease got me deep in my bones, since I left you alone. Rain in the east. And there’s rain in the west. And there’s rain in my lashes like stones, since I left you alone. And I drive. I drive to forget I’m alive. Lover, oh lover, I don’t want another. I’m sorry I left you alone.
5.
Go 04:39
You left in the morning. You left on your own. Your brother said, “sorry.” Your mother said, “call me.” Your father said, “go.” The road wasn’t easy. It wasn’t too long before you were bleeding, lying and cheating, and selling your soul. You built up your barriers. You built up your walls. You curtained your windowed eyes, deep and sinful. You furnished your no’s. They took you for dinner. They took you for drinks. They took you out shopping, shaking and hopping, so shimmy and wink. They took all they could, yeah. They left you with nothing. You put on a show. You let your eyes roll now. You let your eyes wander. You let your mind go.
6.
Mary's Song 02:21
Altogether in the square raising arms into the air ’neath the dignitaries, children move in harmony chanting slogans 1-2-3, trimmed in ribbons, decked in bows. Mary of the mountainside, arms akimbo, gaping wide, watches keenly as the flock she’s tending gently sways, grazing through its pleasant days. Sheep and children bowing low. Flags and ribbons, smiles and guns. Children move in unison. Voices rising to the mountaintops where glassy-eyed Mary’s flock is roaming wide Mary singing heart aglow.
7.
No Coins 03:33
They taught me how to count my coins, to compound interest, and they taught me how to multiply, to add, subtract, divide, and conquer. They did not teach me how to sing. There were no coins for instruments. I taught myself to sing from registers and old machines. And now we sing.
8.
Lark 02:09
Leaves, in the breeze, in the lanes. I went out today to meet you in the park. What a lark. Wait, by the gate, don’t be late. I’ll be wearing a blue ribbon in my hair, and we’ll go to the fair. We’ll ride the Ferris wheel… We’ll have fun.
9.
Sparrow 01:52
“Come here sparrow, come here bird. Rest upon my bended knee. I’ve a story I must tell you ’bout my truest love and me.” “No, I know the story well. How your lover bleeding fell. How a tearstained face was turned. How a lover’s song was spurned.” “No you don’t know it at all. It wasn’t I who caused the fall, but how they love to place the blame on lonely women without names. How they love to place the blame. You think you’ve heard it all before: the handsome hero and the whore.” “Well I’ve heard quite enough today.” Then the sparrow flew away.
10.
Shame 02:06
I can’t tell you who to be. It’s not up to me, it’s you. You can’t tell me what to do. Maybe I like feeling blue. Through the branches I can see all the fallen leaves, but you don’t notice anything at all. What a shame to miss the view.
11.
Berlin 03:39
What a time, in 89: we drank our fill of Russian wine. Your laughter rang through alleyways and set my heart ablaze. I worshipped you in worn-out jeans, in frigid flats with old latrines. The city lights, they seemed to gleam more brightly in those days. Now twenty years have come and gone, but still your laughter lingers on, and weary eyes of dogs and men, they fill my thoughts again. Not much has changed, for all they say: the rich still rule; the poor still pray: I see them kneeling everywhere these days, and where are you my friend? What a time, in 89: the world was ours, and you were mine. We sang until the wall came falling down: what an awful sound.
12.
Mama's Bag 02:57
Mama’s got a brand new bag. It’s the nicest one she’s ever had. Now, Mama’s got to clean that kitchen ’fore he come home. Or he gonna throw a tantrum. Won’t leave her alone. Mama gotta make that kitchen nice and clean. Mama’s got the nicest bag I ever seen. Mama’s friends with Sally-Anne. Sally helps us any way she can. She got Ma a real nice apron for cooking stew. A cast iron pot for coffee and porridge too. She got me a real warm blanket, ’cause Winter’s close. Of all of my Mama’s friends, I like Sally most. Mama’s got a brand new bag. It’s the nicest one she’s ever had.
13.
Tragedy befell Louise of Littleville: her lover died of suicide, and yet she carried on as brave as any mouse could be. The suitors came from far and wide, and each declared a blazing love that would abide, but sweet Louise, she cried and asserted stubbornly, “I will not wear a buttercup for you. I will not dine on wine and cheese with you. I will not share my life with any other love. He worked his tiny hands unto the bone. He died despairing, wretched, and alone. I will not rouse my heart, ’til we reunite above.” Poor Louise’s family, they shook their heads and pleaded ceaselessly, “Oh daughter, there is so much more to see in this fascinating world. Your nest is derelict and disarrayed. Alone you sit in darkness every day. It breaks our hearts to see your sadness, silly girl.” “You didn’t care when he was still alive. You didn’t care to help us grow and thrive. You didn’t care; you calmly left it up to fate. We worked our weary hands unto the bone. We tried. He broke. He died. I’m left alone. You didn’t care, and now it simply is too late.” “Oh my love, I’m sorry, sorry. Oh my love, come save me, save me. Oh my love, forgive my weakness. Oh my god, it’s hopeless, hopeless…”
14.
Sweet little road in the country, I been waiting for someone to take me down its winding and lazy-day curves, and I been waiting for someone to take me down. Sweet little road in the country, where the trees smell of flowers and honey. I been waiting for someone to take me, and I think that it might just be you.

about

"[And Now We Sing] demands constant listening and becomes more rewarding each time through, a trend I don't expect to stop." -Chromewaves

credits

released September 1, 2010

recorded by Andy Magoffin at The House of Miracles.
additional recording by Simon Larochette at The London Music Club.
mixed by Simon Larochette and Andy Magoffin.
mastered by Joao Carvalho at JCM.

artwork by Sara Froese.
photography by Patrick Schmidt.
design by Sara Froese, Andrew James, and Olenka Krakus.

produced by Olenka Krakus.
all songs written by Olenka Krakus.
arranged by O&AL.

______________________________________________________

musicians:
Olenka Krakus | classical and acoustic guitars, vocals
Sara Froese | violin, backing vocals
Simon Larochette | trumpet, percussion
Daniel Mancini | drums
Blair Whatmore | electric guitars, lap steel, mandolin

with

Kevin Brasier | upright and electric bass
Shawn Clarke | saxophone
Christian Hegele | upright piano, Wurlitzer
Jed House | upright bass on "Mama's Bag", "Sweet Little Road", and "Mary's Song"
Lac-Hong Phi | cello
Kelly Wallraff | backing vocals
Kelly Webb | trumpet, French horn

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Olenka and the Autumn Lovers Montreal, Québec

Olenka's music is enigmatic: never fully committed to one genre. It has been labeled folk, but moves across times, places, and moods. Olenka mixes classical and jazz arrangements with complex finger-picking patterns, irregular time signatures, and pop melodies. The band's diverse instruments provide a distinctive backdrop to Olenka's provocative lyrics. ... more

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