We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

The New Empires

by The New Empires

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD

     

1.
Apocalypse 02:49
On the brink of apocalypse Watch once more as the scale tips In the favor of... The wicked! Saracens and heretics Burn them all with fiery sticks And why stop there, you’re on a roll Who knows if there will be A tomorrow? It all unfolds in a passion play God, Death, the Devil and deals made But what about right now? What about right now? ‘Cause I’m afraid to go outside The streets are paved with friends who’ve died That flowers failed to defend When will this end? When will this end? It’s always darkest before the dawn The Viceroy’s in Babylon And I don’t care if it’s heresy But he ain’t the Son to me... Morningstar! Morningstar! Morningstar!
2.
What if I told you that I was from another time? That I journeyed across The centuries - would you believe me As I told you my story for the first time Maybe I'm from Old Arthurian England And I'm searching for that Holy Grail Well I think I've found it in your smile So give me a glimpse And make my day worthwhile 'Cause I Have given it time And now things aren't what they used to be So give me a sign And clear up my mind Concerning you and me Well I could be Quite possibly from the Renaissance Studyin' those platonic ideals Well is it just platonic ‘tween you and me I guess we’ll wait and see 'Cause I Have given it time And now things aren't what they used to be So give me a sign And clear up my mind Concerning you and me As you can see It’s just plain old me In the here and now And I guess that’ll have to do So as the band plays “Beyond the Sea” Come on and dance with me 'Cause I Have given it time And now things aren't what they used to be So give me a sign And clear up my mind Concerning you and me
3.
There's blood, there's blood above my door My daddy, he put it there Down veins of wood the crimson pours And lingers in the air 'What barb'rous redemption,' thought I 'What bloody protection from night.' But we'll not feel death's bite At least not tonight. There's blood, there's blood upon my heart My mama, she put it there It's not her blood, but on that heart Are her sweat, her tears, her prayers O mother, O mother how I Will treasure your words of life And someday when this firstborn dies That blood will be life
4.
The Psaltery 02:45
We sang the psaltery When I was young Where, O where, O where is the Blameless One? My spirit sank beneath the weight Of words meant for a king But show me a crown that means anything I'm listening for news Of something that I haven't seen before So until then I'll keep listening some more Strange stories come to me Through these prison bars But where are the earthquakes and falling stars? So please send this telegram There isn't much time Because I need some answers Oh I need some answers I guess what I mean Is that all these questions really boil down to one: Should I look for another, Or is my waiting done? We sang the psaltery When I was young
5.
Drove past old forgotten places On the other side of the mountain The sun was brighter as it shone Upon things rusty and intriguingly decayed, overgrown In the pastures and meadows Where the seeds of chaos had been sown Chaos like a memory; you don’t know if it’s yours Is Merlin here Along with everyone who lost time? And you can’t go back But I’ll be damned if I don’t try Signs along the road, both new and old They all say one thing - That you can’t go home again Oh but knights in shining armor don’t pay them any heed And upon their mighty steeds, they make one final stand And in the name of chivalry, we ride To a glorious end Is Merlin here Along with everyone who lost time? And you can’t go back But I’ll be damned if I don’t try And we can’t, we can’t, we can’t We can’t handle it No we can’t, we can’t, we can’t We can’t handle it So we try, we try, we try, we try to get back Yeah we try, we try, we try, we try to get back So we try, we try, we try, we try to get back Yeah we try, we try, we try, we try, we try, we try, we try, we try to get back
6.
Exile 05:03
You heard my song Then caught my eye and you stunned me It was then my world froze Like those Moscow winter snows I've heard the guns Of love and war, but they're silent now And an uneasy truce Restrains my warlike soul... I would build you an Arc de Triomphe For your love would make me Napoleon of my world Oh but I think that you may be my 1812 And I fear that I have gone too far this time And now I am in exile I've seen the gulls Winging their way, free from bars or chains To the Italian coast Within eyesight, yet so far away I would build you an Arc de Triomphe For your love would make me Napoleon of my world Oh but I think that you may be my Waterloo And I fear that I have gone too far this time And now I am in exile I would build you an Arc de Triomphe For your love would make me Napoleon of my world Oh but I think that you may be my 1812 And I fear that I have gone too far this time And now I am in exile Now you've heard my song And though I near the end I am not done For I shall stage a coup d'etat For your heart I would build you an Arc de Triomphe For your love would make me Napoleon of my world Oh but I think that you may be my Waterloo And I fear that I have gone too far this time Je te constuirais un Arc de Triomphe Pour ton amour me ferait Napoleon de mon monde Mais je pense que tu pourraise etre mon Waterloo Et j'ai peur que je suis alle plus loin cette fois Maintenant je suis dans l'exil
7.
Brandywine 03:36
Cross the Mason-Dixon You’ll see the names change For you are once again in the Old World You thought you left it all behind In ancient history Remember when you thought that it would be that easy? Brandywine, take me places I have never been before Brandywine, as I sit here upon your shore I see castles as I sing I think I saw the Fisher King There, on the Brandywine Oh don’t you remember All those wide skies The beautiful blank pages of your first years You thought you’d live to see them filled With illustrations Now you’re searching through old drawers, hoping that you saved them Brandywine, take me places I have only been in dreams Brandywine, as your water in the sunlight gleams Oh there were pirates on your seas Once, I imagined them with ease Beside you Brandywine Brandywine, take me places far above your rosy clouds Brandywine, far beyond this realm of earthly doubts Oh there are giants in your sky And I’m content to lie Beside you Brandywine
8.
Janitors 03:23
Janitors and alleycats are leering in the corners of my mind It is after hours I'm lying in my bed but I can't fall asleep The springs are squeaky and this mattress is keeping Max awake From all my tossing and turning I'm not a tortured soul but I may lose my mind if I can't fall asleep this week Architects and engineers are turning all the wheels in your mind They'll keep it up till daybreak There is nothing you can do, There is no place you can hide But you can think about the breaking day and its coming joys Oh! the anticipation And you know there will be pain, you know there will be lies, but that won't keep you from waking up Janitors and alleycats, architects and engineers all Are sitting down for morning tea they're sending out the invitations You're all invited to the ball You're all invited to the ball You're all invited to the ball
9.
Sun Dog 03:34
Sun Dog Follows his master into the New day they're shining with laughter On the horizon oh Sun Dog won't you run with me In the Fields of the sky you are baying, Angels on high listen to you, They say you say you remi - ind them of the Hound of Heaven There is no prey so swift Or cunning that can fly There is no hiding from those eyes But those eyes they do not gleam In judgment or in spite This Hound will chase you from darkness into light Hound of Heaven pursue me for I am Lost in this forest that I have Sown with these two twisted gardener's hands, they hinder me There is no prey so swift Or cunning that can fly-y-y There is no hiding from those eyes But those eyes they do not gleam In judgment or in spite This Hound will chase you from darkness into light Sun Dog Remember the one that you follow Remember the master who calls you Remember the Hound of Hounds who came before you
10.
Bristlecone 04:30
Bristlecone pine You were awake when God heard the laugh of Abraham's wife And in your youth you couldn't see the humor of it all One of a kind Eldest of all, you remember the times of death and of life And in your book you wrote down the record of the fall And deep in your heart you hoped you'd never fall Oh, you hoped you’d never fall Bristlecone pine You breathed in the air when the men of the earth were making their wine And in your pity you wished you could share the cup of pain But deep in your heart you knew were already stained Watching still, stand in silent witness Won't you tell our children that we tried I've seen proof that all is not lost All is not lost All is not lost Once you were mine Oh but instead of tending a garden I set out to find Toil and torture upon this road alone Oh but deep in my heart I still hoped it would lead me home Watching still, stand in silent witness Won't you tell our children that we tried I've seen proof that all is not lost All is not lost All is not lost

credits

released December 1, 2011

Words and music written by Matt Brown

Produced by J Chris Griffin

Recorded, mixed and mastered by J Chris Griffin at The Engine Room in New York City
Assisted by Amar Lal, Logan Myers, LeeAnn Dunkelbarger, Şenol Usluça, Mark D’Souza and Kenneth Wallace

Ellie’s vocals recorded by Stephen Wharton at Mole End

Album design by Ty Wilkins

The New Empires is:
Matt Brown - vocals, guitars
Elise Ziegenbein - violin, vocals
Ellie Henry - vocals
David Henry - bass, acoustic guitar, trumpet, vocals
Steph Hughes - drums, percussion, vocals
Jeremy Weber - piano, vocals

Mandolin on “Sun Dog” and “Bristlecone” by J Tingle

Additional vocals on “Janitors” by Logan Myers, Mark D’Souza, Kenneth Wallace and Jeremy Hughes

Mellotron on “Forgotten Places” by J Chris Griffin

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

The New Empires Chattanooga, Tennessee

Comprised of Yankees, Southerners and others that don't fit into any category, The New Empires is a six piece chamber pop band that brings folk, rock n' roll and theatrics together to create something you haven't heard before. They'll be touring in the South and up the East coast as they promote their self-titled LP, released on December 1, 2011. ... more

contact / help

Contact The New Empires

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like The New Empires, you may also like: