Recorded in Denver, Colorado during the month of January, 2015, Range Songs is the debut full-length album by Mickey Theis. This collection of eleven lushly arranged originals run the emotional gamut from playful to sorrowful, fiery to quietly searching.
Folk and Americana listeners will enjoy the more familiar song structures of "Orphan" and “Freedom,” while the more confessional "Places" and "Elsewhere" navigate darker, more elaborate musical terrain. Other tracks, like "True Love" and “Silent Son” demonstrate Theis’ craft as a budding producer, as he skillfully weaves sparse, Folk melodies into Springsteen-like, anthemic Rock. These more traditional tracks support a compelling counterpoint in songs like the haunting Folk number, “O Haniel” or Nilsson-esque Country lament, “Are You Coming out Tonight?"
Range Songs marks the first full-length release on Theis’ label, Infinite Gesture Records.
lyrics
there is a mark
on the skin of the heart
of an ancient god who
wakes from a dream of devotion
and there is a crack
in the shell of the sky
and it bleeds out and drains
down into the ocean
the old ones have no place to hide
their sculpted faces are denied, but their
eyes are wide open
eyes wide open
eyes
there is a sound
where we live underground
and we supplicate at the altar
to the physics of motion
we work every night
no one’s very polite,
but we’re paid quite well
and we all get a share of the potion
the mystic horseman takes a ride
his visions choke him from inside
but his eyes are wide open
eyes wide open
eyes
there is a path
to the sea and a smattering
of strangers who
bend at their knees and
believe they’ve been chosen
the ferryman sighs
there’s a strange fire in the sky
he would take them aboard
but the sails are torn
and the top-mast is broken
the congregation must decide
they turn their faces to the side
with their eyes wide open
eyes wide open
eyes wide open
eyes wide open
eyes wide open
credits
from Range Songs,
track released September 27, 2016
COLIN BRICKER- mixing and mastering
MARK CLIFFORD- vibraphone, melodica, and various percussion
CHARLIE MERTENS- bass (acoustic and electric)
PHIL NORMAN- cello
ADRIENNE SHORT- violin
COLIN STRANAHAN- drums and various percussion
MICKEY THEIS- vocals, guitar, and piano
QUINN THEIS- accordion, glockenspiel, organ, piano, tack piano
JULIE THREATTE- viola
DANIEL WATT- trombone
KATIE WATT- french horn
XANDY WHITESEL- mixing and mastering
DON WILLIAMS- trumpet
TORI WOODROW- violin
Mickey Theis is an actor and musician, originally from Denver, Colorado. He has performed extensively as an actor and has
toured internationally with Motel Motel, a band with which he recorded NEW DENVER (2008) and THE BIG ISLAND (2010). He has self-released one solo EP, NO SAINTS (2008) and is currently writing material for a full-length album, RANGE SONGS, set to be released Spring, 2015....more
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