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The Loudness Wars

by Girlfriend of Steel

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1.
I will die half-way beneath the dull sound. I sure died there yesterday. So as it seems, my lips parched and hands dried, Twenty years beneath the... See how I'm still alive? Twenty years and twenty leagues beneath. When I'm older and if I'm strong again, I'm sure we'll be witnesses. And she said all them friends do change somehow, sometime soon tomorrow. You feel a coldness come about in the worst kind of way as you respond with energy. She likes to dance and probably sing. I lost my angle, terribly fearful that girl would take notice and after fifteen hours all she did was, Shake me and I'm afraid 'cause she chose to leave. My life was down and I kicked its face. For this I deserve my whiskey straight. Some guys will never know how to dream up a girl, And write her a song to misplace. With portable smiles and thrown-away worth-whiles, I'll take anything - be it whiskey or weed to keep me straight. It had to be the bad choice I took. Now that Texas feels holy again, I'll be twenty or something with the summer's heat. Oh, can't say that I'm happy but I'll never say we were better when we met. God knows this well. In short, you should've been there to save me. You should've seen what hurt. But I swore upon the ground on which your son plays, the days don't ever change. We're on common ground, oh baby. On common ground miles away. Now that Texas feels holy again, I'll be twenty or something with the summer's heat. I showed up without the debt. Be sure I'll pay yet. And then her gaze shifted out towards my way. I was scared, helpless, afraid. Oh, we were friends again. She smiled in a perfect dream. Yeah, sure, she was single and loud enough to hear. I wouldn't ask if I heard a single thing. And now she's married and sick. We'll both be healed one day. We're on common ground, oh baby. On common ground miles away. Now that Texas feels holy again, I'll be twenty or something with the summer's heat.
2.
What's giving her thanks for the food on your plate sound like in a silent bedroom? This ain't a letter. Ain't a get-well card. As much as I'd like this to be the final time, too. Gave a fuck last week and that's the second time I've killed off what makes me strong. Just smile 'cause this is your shining light. You're a full-clad shelter. The chances I give you. A sound-proof room to yell. At least fucking sigh. It won't be wasted, I swear. I'm turning twenty-one and I'll be drunk; an alcoholic in the making. Do you attend to the roots that grow from your fingernails? They're not likely growing anymore. And every single girl you're friends with. What's the point if you never hear this? Don't you care?
3.
He came by a white battery and had a way of saying how we used to love us. Thought I ran out of cigarettes once again. Say, you're outside wasting time with him. I think I killed your mother. Today could've been... But my lifeline died and I was make sure everything is fine. I'm still running. Not a damn thing helps. We ain't much for talking and I swore that idea was gone past your bragging. And that kid, if you could hold him still... Yes, I'm a person that just hates to be around you. There's no second step to take here. We rely on the floor the guide us, we rely on the well-lit to hide us. God gave up last month. If you're broken, you're still cared for. A machine could better tell you why. You're not the same and I've grown older. One more year and I'll be about done with life. And I'm generous. I'll pour a glass to all the means and cruelty. And pass out. I never said I'm loud. Tips stained black. You would be impressed by how far I've come and what I've done. And for every single buck that it's worth, I'm proud of you. I feel better, I feel better. There's a mile left to walk here is what I talk about when I talk about running. Yes, I'm a person that just hates to be around you. There's no second step to take here. We rely on the floor the guide us, we rely on the well-lit to hide us. God gave up last month.
4.
And in those short hours, major happened here what with all, The hows and whys of giving in. It's impossible that I'll win tonight where we both trade our shovels and dig 'til. Just level with me and I'll keep wondering how. We became such a mess then. There's a frown that looks like your formerly-I-knew-you-well. Hey, I'm trying to make this something better Said nothing besides it, showing you'll keep us straight. And I'm wondering if we'll be just fine or out there, if I'm just a man or if I'll need some strength. And I thank you, it feels like a loudness war. Never have I seen you gone to waste, but you make it look so good. Please grab what you did left and save it now and again. What a my fault I've gave out of the anger in what's left of my heart. It rains finally and fades in seconds. How appropriate. How do we connect? There's a frown that looks like your formerly-I-knew-you-well. Hell, I'm trying to make this something better. Said nothing besides it, showing you'll keep us straight. And I thank you, it feels like a loudness war. Something better is better than this, I think. So applause. My lasting torture finds me where it hurts. I should be grateful to be her friend. Sure, I sure think we'll never speak. Place your better half upon my hands and I'll keep it hidden from your husband. There's a frown that looks like your formerly-I-knew-you-well. Hey, I'm trying to make this something better Said nothing besides it, showing you'll keep us straight. And I'm wondering if we'll be just fine or out there, if I'm just a man or if I'll need some strength. And I thank you, it feels like a loudness war.
5.
6.
I've this pain in my right shoulder blade. It's been going on for a couple of days. But a nice shine on an imperfect. I'm bored with time is what it is. Break me down. I'm just crazy is what it is. Save all your bottles of whiskey, my friends. I could really use a drink. Scared that I'll be too different 'cause I'm too different here. And I'm sure I'm afraid to be singled out.
7.
The Sea 05:23
Finally met my love at the bottom of the sea, broken down by all the weight. She was dead long before I ever tried to help. Remember how I've said I'll wait for longer than you could ever dream. Much more wrong than before, I want everything right now. I wait too long for a girl of my own. So I play all my songs and drop down my anchor. They say the future's yet to come, but I already see my fate. Dead by the age of forty-three with a fear of coming home too late. Walking down the aisle of my own funeral. Waking up the idle, the love I never got to know. If only life had a heart and showed me a mate, I'd be well enough along. Oh, she's be a girl who'd smoke way more than me. And we'd be together 'til the end of days, whenever that might be. But just as good is never finding her. I wait too long for a woman to hold. Stopped playing my songs and pulled up my anchor. That's when Steven Jones was found dead of an apparent suicide attempt. They never knew what hit them. Exactly what did they expect? As a ghost, I see her staring over my corpse as well. Who knew what death could bring you? If only I had someone to tell. And I wanted more than this, oh lord. Won't wait too long for a woman of my own. Set the boat on fire and put the anchor on shore. And I'm not so faithful my other half will show. All I have is what they all keep letting me know.
8.
It's done. Now I promise I'll make a list. I'll stop faking my "diseases". And I'll keep having feuds with myself. At time, I steal lies instead of liquor. Too sure I'm making progress and just slow enough to enjoy this Pure and simple give or take, drawing lines with the fingers I use to save me. (What a poor attempt.) So I injured my recollection at two years. I feel them sun-setting blues aren't the only thing like you. You're (not the outside wind) bored (giving me that stare). The long-dead ghost breathes summer air, the burning stars will greet me there. Safe (cryptic forces love this) touch (and motions having to do with it.) Whoever wanted this should be hanged, everyday, and nothing less. Come aboard if you want to, but know we'll sink again. Graciously retort my one chance to give her up. Famously involved and famously out of touch. Nice to know you finally. I'm more than that. I wish I was loved and promised enough to be. The more I struggle, the easier it is to find fault in your shine. Be it home, or problem, they look the same. A house with no name on the contract. A list of things that you aren't good at. The final wait. There's no more room in my head. My two lame hands laid to rest and the many times that I said, I could freak out, could pace. I could be more grateful and build a fence instead. But I won't stay secluded and there's doubt I won't call you by name. It's mostly a back-and-forth kind of failure. Such indecisiveness bellows out its projects to shame me. Before we call it off, or until we're better, won't you heal me? More torn that I'm distancing myself from what you mean to me Than fighting this losing battle and now I don't have a ship to sail away in. The shoulders I leaned on for so long broke right down. I know now them sun-setting blues don't look at all like you. Come part me like the ocean. I blister my hands some days.

about

The Loudness Wars was planned back in 2012-2013 and went through so many revisions I thought of permanently shelving the project. After much over-thinking and over-wanting, it finally became a solid idea. And I decided that it was time to run with it.

You can think of The Loudness Wars as a literary concept album - that is, a story about a man whose relationship is just utterly failing over and over again. But that would just be a very convenient metaphor for the exact same thing, and I choose to think of it as such. It just happened to flow exactly like a concept album would. Whether that was by design or coincidence is all up to clever interpretation.

I've forgotten a lot of things and a lot of people when writing this album, and for that I'm sorry (C.J., I'm looking at you). But I'm sure that all will be forgiven one day or another, and if not I'll have something else to write about.

credits

released July 5, 2015

All music and lyrics written and preformed by Steven Jones (and yes. If you were unaware, he is the sole member of Girlfriend of Steel at the time of writing this.)
Recorded at his house.

Specials thanks to: my folks, my friends, musicians I've discovered since I began writing the album, and musicians/bands such as Invalids, Options, and Yowzah for helping me throughout the entire process. Without all these influences this album would've never came to be. From my heart, or whatever's left of it, I sincerely thank you all.

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Girlfriend of Steel Texas

just some acoustic emo mathy jams. sometimes there's a story. love ya! -s/gos

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