Hearts of Darkness

by Hearts of Darkness

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1.
06:33
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2.
04:12
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3.
09:56
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4.
05:40
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5.
(free) 07:41
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6.
07:03
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about

Recorded live in studio in November 2009 and February 2010 on 2" analog tape by Chad Meise at The Cooler.

Mixed in April 2010 on an analog desk to 1/2" analog tape by Chad Meise, Bob Asher, Pete Leibert, Shawn Hansen, Les Izmore and Josh Mobley.

Mastered for analog and digital on 5/6/10 by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering.

Lacquer masters (for vinyl) cut on 5/7/10 by Jason Ward at Chicago Mastering Service.

credits

released 10 July 2010
HEARTS OF DARKNESS IS:
Bob Asher: Trumpet, Percussion
Sean Branagan: Drum Kit
Rachel Christia: Vocals
Andrew Ford: Slide Trombone
Brandy Gordon: Vocals
Shawn Hansen: Alto Saxophone
Sam Hughes: Baritone Saxophone
Les Izmore: Vocals, Percussion
Phil Keegan: Shakere
Pete Leibert: Bass Guitar
Josh Mobley: Keyboards
Alex Smith: Alto Saxophone
Jolan Smith: Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
Mikael "Miko" Spears: Conga Drums
Erica Townsend: Vocals
Mark Vick: Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar
Ken Walker: Valve Trombone

THANKS TO:
Former members: Laura Frank, Sara LaVigne, Tilden Snow and Big Al Winkler
Professional advice: Jeff Harshbarger
Snacks and provocation: David Ford
All of the fans and bartenders and venues in Kansas City for your boundless support and encouragement.

RECORDED AND MIXED BY:
Chad Meise
The Cooler
Kansas City, Kansas

ANALOG AND DIGITAL MASTERING:
Collin Jordan
Boiler Room Mastering
Chicago, Illinois

LACQUER MASTERING:
Jason Ward
Chicago Mastering Service
Chicago, Illinois

PRODUCED BY:
Hearts of Darkness and Bob Asher

ALBUM ARTWORK BY:
Patrick Alexander and Sean Branagan
Artwork Photography by
Dolphin Archival Printing

All songs composed by Alex Smith and Jolan Smith
All lyrics written by Brandy Gordon, Les Izmore, Alex Smith and Jolan Smith
Songs published by Shipshape Music and registered ASCAP

tags

tags: world afrobeat debut album debuts funk soul hip-hop jazz kansas city Kansas City

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about

The HOD sound evokes memories of Count Basie, James Brown, and Fela Kuti as seductive vocal and percussive horn choruses flow around cutting hip-hop verses and stretched out instrumental solos, all founded upon a hotpants-tight rhythm section which pulls in fans of all ages, cultures and musical tastes. ... more

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Track Name: Space Age
Sputnik was the genesis. They said that we would all benefit.
Turns out that all is not in the mix, or is it that all are not citizens?
It's a costly experiment:
Feed the country and the world, or frolic in senseless shit?
Richest nation equipped with space stations.
Forget poverty, we're worried about immigration.
You say you need shelter? We'll let this heat melt you!
Or blistering cold to get rid of your soul. Food? No!
On top of that, your school's closed.
Whatever's left gets worse and worse for you know.
Who says the best is yet to come? In this pyramid, even the restless get crumbs.
Age of information? Age of penetration
to the livelihood of whoever's adjacent.
Sickest serum took for many changes,
Looking ageless but minds need saving.
Folks are greedy, a lot more faceless.
Can't board the spaceship,
(Your) seat's taken!

Day that we look for a solution
Day that we believe in evolution
But it seems we're still waiting
Waiting for the future, living in a Space Age.

They say the best is yet to come.

Whole world perfected. No one neglected.
Have a good time, baby don't waste your breath.
Where's the upgrade?
Whole planet been dazed and misconstrued on a proper way to make it.
Change is really constant when our aim is nonsense.
It's people under profit.
Human oxen boxed in, need a locksmith
Key to knowledge exchanged for brainwashing.
Is this the exploration they meant?
No progress, just people being processed and pimped.
Wait for disaster then try to make amends.
What's the difference between us and the cavemen?
I don't see it. People being defeated
before they're even born. Stop the norm from repeating.
Sound the horn, there's a storm across the region,
from Missouri to Egypt.

Day that we look for a solution
Day that we believe in evolution
But it seems we're still waiting
Waiting for the future, living in a Space Age.

They say the best is yet to come.
Track Name: Debt on Me
Stop knocking and knocking at my door.
Mr. Creditor's bag of money galore.
I don't want none of what you've got in store.
You want all the cash, well fuck you all!
A little loan here, a bigger loan there,
Always lead to a family's despair.

Day by day I go walking around
To find more things to hold in my hands,
They are not free, always a cost,
End of my pocket is where buying should stop.

Once I had less sense in my mind,
Cash in my pocket to use anytime,
But times get tough, when I need more to hold,
I ask credit man to put debt on my soul.

Stop knocking and knocking at my door.
Mr. Creditor's bag of money galore.
I don't want none of what you've got in store.
You want all the cash, well fuck you all!
A little loan here, a bigger loan there,
Always lead to a family's despair.

There is no end to his pockets,
They run deep and always are full,
I can borrow as much as I want,
I can always go back for more.

My wife she come tell me we’ll never get out of this place,
Because you ask the credit man to fulfill your every need,
You must find a way to get us away from this pain,
Because I won’t let you continue to put all this debt on me.
Track Name: Unplug Yourself
I don't need no sleep, I got my TV.
Eyes so bloodshot red, not sure if I'm dead.
I never leave this house. I never ever leave this couch.
My blog hits adding up. My woman is packing up.
And she's out the door.

Unplug yourself.
I want my mind back.
I want my time back.

Romance out the door. My laptop loves me more.
I'm wrapped up in her cords. I can't wait to explore.
I'm in love with that wifi so why lie,
Ain't no place that we can't go.
First I turn you on, then you turn me on.
I'm in love with that wifi so why lie,
Ain't no place that we can't go.
First I turn you on, then you turn me on.

Unplug yourself.
I want my mind back.
I want my time back.

My mind's warped. Feeling like a modern day cyborg.
Wires growing out of me.
I probably gonna need some wire cutters soon or be doomed
on this odyssey.
Un-organic policy.
These things getting a mind of their own
making my mind a novelty.
I swear I see codes running across my phone.
Ones and zeroes tell me that I am home.
A paradigm shift. A pair of rhymes sent.
My barrel is aligned, tear an eye quick.
Fix. We sterilize it. Paralyze it.
Americanize it.
I smell the shit coming, I'm ducking fatal
strikes for my life priced and plucked for appraisal.
I had a vision of pathos prenatal:
Babies with logos above they navals.

Unplug yourself.
I want my mind back.
I want my time back.
Track Name: Terror Flu
When the gleam comes off the TV screen.
And the words roll off the news feed.
What's left in your mind is like a seed.
Paranoia spreading like disease.

Who is the one the one that's pointing the finger?
What you call a man that talks like this?
Who says your either with or against them?
Who is the one, who is the REAL one?
T E R R O R I S T!

Trying to wrap my brain around this shit.
But the police knocking on my door.
While I'm shaking my fist and only making cents.
(the crime is)
who ain't rich but who is poor.

Who is the one the one that's pointing the finger?
What you call a man that talks like this?
Who says your either with or against them?
Who is the one, who is the REAL one?
T E R R O R I S T!

When the gleam comes off the TV screen.
And the words roll off the news feed.
What's left in your mind is like a seed.
Paranoia spreading like disease.

They can make you hypnotized, They can make you paralyzed. Tell me
why, tell me why, they calling out Terror!
Track Name: Step First Look Last
Hidin’ away in foreign places,
The foreign place of their minds.

Ignoring everything left behind
Further away the problems leave their minds
Thinkin’ all they do is in control.
All the time they're steppin’ and
Cannot see the problems of their own.

Step First
Look Last
Step First
Look Last

Step First
Look Last
Step First
They cannot see the problems of their own

You gotta find a way...

I take my time to focus on whatever's real.
Put up my shield to keep those out who try to deal
a badder hand or grab my land quick fast and seal
my fate, or those that's in my square just trying to feel
what don't belong to thee.
I look first then step stronger. Keep
problems under arm released
once I see the stars retreat.
Music is my armor. Peep
another way to calm the beast
within my pen, longing for sleep,
finally found some peace.

It ain't too late to make it...

Step First
Look Last
Step First
They cannot see the problems of their own
Track Name: Distress Call
I can see the world around us, is changin’.
And movin’ toward a vital stage.
Some are cut off from this rearrangement.
Forced to keep it all the same.

We know the reason for this ongoing destructive phase
And why it continues to lead them into early graves
We are calling for a message from the nation.
Determined to remind you of this dire situation.

Hey! Won’t you please see them
Hey! Flags are wavin’
Hey! Need your assistance
Hey! Why can’t you hear the
Distress Call

Hey! Need information
Hey! Won’t you please tell them
Hey! Need liberation
Hey! Why can’t you hear the
Distress Call

Ooh lady liberty, I'm loving your dress
Old Glory skintight on your breasts
Plus it's upside-down
Loving the way your stars and stripes be all over me
Walk that walk. Strut your stuff.
You're such a nasty thing.

Give me a call when you need a fix.
I'll be there at the drop of a dime.
Give me a call when things ain't fitting how they're supposed to fit.
Once in my grip all that bullshit will soon be over with.
Strip you down and bend you over
But won't pass you to my homies
I get greedy when I'm lonely
Everybody say

Hey! Need information
Hey! Won’t you tell them
Hey! Need liberation
Hey! Why don’t you hear the
Distress Call