Bracer from Loom by Katie Gately
With Bracer, my intention was to map out my own anxious brain chemistry into song. Structurally, the piece travels through a series of climaxes which successively intensify. As soon as one anxiety wears itself out, another immediately replaces it. Some anxieties are dour and sluggish while others wink and shake their hips. By the end, a full blown panic attack busts the song open and hurtles the remaining instrumentation towards an out-of-breath conclusion.
In my experience, anxiety scoffs at linear narratives and feeds on random moments of uncertainty. As such, there are no choruses or traditional recapitulation in Bracer. Instead, the song aims to highlight the ephemeral nature of angst and dread. I have found that resistance is anxiety’s greatest fuel but friendliness is its greatest confusion. To soothe myself, I put down a welcome mat and invited all my disquiet to play out loudly.
My hope is that people who have struggled with similar issues might find some humour and relief in this piece. I made it during the most stressful and sleepless year of my life and yet it is a true joy for me to sing.
Tracklist
| 4. | Bracer | 10:32 |
Lyrics
BRACER
I sailed away, discomfort was allayed
I set a date, a desertion of this wave
But where where where were you?
And where where where was my use?
Sordid was my yard
Swollen and charred
And where where where were you?
And where where where was my use?
Scream through a choir of two... you said:
The path of a feral penchant is paved in silence
Silence
And then, back again, the rain... oh how it came
And then, back again, the rain... oh how it came
And where where where were you?
And where where where was my use...
I was about a silly man’s string, I was about
I was about a silly man’s string, I was a bow
Sin sin sin sin sin for the win
Sin sin sin sin sin for the win !
..
Take my sin and shove it into yours
Take my sin and shove it into yours!
..
Ooh ooh da dee da dee
Crowded, hollow, shouted a road
Crowded, hollow, shouted a long, long road
Beast gonna take your light away
Beast gonna haunt your home
Beast gonna rip at the slightest fray
Beast gonna rock and a roll
Hoo hoo!
I’m gonna hold my will to my heart
You can decrypt it and rip it apart
I’m gonna hold my will to my heart
I’m gonna hold my will to my heart
I want it, I need it, I’ll take it, I’ll keep it
I want it, I need it, I’ll bake it, I’ll eat it
I want it, I need it, I’ll fake it, I’ll thieve it
I want it, I need it, I’ll bait it, I’ll beat it
He wanted it, he needed it
He threw a fit, he blew a skit
He flaunted spit, he beaded sweat
He twisted red, he bled and pled
She wants it, she needs it
She’ll take it, she’ll steal it
She wants it, she needs it
She’ll take it, she’ll steal it
OOOOOooooooooooooo!
