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.

What You Were

by Our First Brains

/
  • What You Were
    Cassette + Digital Album

    Our First Brains' debut full-length on cassette tape, released by Good Cheer Records. Limited run of 100!

    Includes unlimited streaming of What You Were via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

1.
Frayed One 01:58
Quit asking me what I’m afraid of. The end of our rope is a frayed one, and I don’t know when to let go. Could be five years, could be tomorrow. But I’m losing sight of the greener side with every inch that my fingers tslide down. And I don’t know if the future could get me out. Wait—I’m not ready. Let me down more gently.
2.
Former 01:29
Everything that happens always happens to be, yeah there is a purpose. You can’t expect to change your life by counting to three. Repetition is worthless. You fight until you sweat, you sweat until you get it and then you’re free. You know that every breath is a blessing next to death and you’re carefree. Your heart is always beating with a tempo and blood. Your lungs are the engine. But living’s more than skin and bones your soul is a flood that gives purpose to oxygen. The answer’s not a key, but merely a stepping stone to discovery. When, in search of a former clarity, you took a slight left and you found me.
3.
Ego 01:32
Contrived all the issues in your skull, you know that I’m far from innocent. You’re so good at condescending, I’m so good at quitting everything. Prescribed all the misused chemicals, pocket them for later company. I’m so good at condescending, I’m so good at quitting everything. Your bed is so close to the window, how do you wake up on the wrong side? Your bed is so close to the window, how do you wake up from a long night? I’m losing sleep over you losing sleep over me.
4.
I’ll take one for the team, and leave before morning. To slip from the casket and linger in the door frame. With a sick sense of pride, in rejecting your contradictions. And a sting in my eye, because you’re waving. Closure’s over-rated, more a fan of open-ended unrequited love for you. So I’ll slip out in the night, and go back to the side I belong on. And at first, it’ll feel like a vacation, and I won’t shake the feeling, that I’m going home soon. But then, maybe all in due time, it’ll finally start to feel like a home again.
5.
From the warm blood under covers, to a cold vein, I still love her. I could write and not repeat it. Maybe then I might not mean it. But I cut all of our losses—tied them up, they’re in the closet. Just a moment, ever fleeting. Tied them up to stop the bleeding. Please wait, don’t leave my stubborn skull all alone. You can cross out the mask of fake laughter and ask if I’m joking. I’m full of bad ideas. Shut you mouth. I would kiss you goodnight but you’d break my jaw halfway. We cough when we kiss because crooked teeth and painted voices never were contrived when we were tongue in cheek. She will never know. Erasure, eternal snow. I’ll swear on my grave it was never that way. Take everything back if you forget everything. Something in my gut I can take to the morgue. Something I can say I can’t take anymore and she will never know. Erasure, eternal snow.
6.
Nodding off, you told me the whitest lie. It’s not you, it’s the things you do to me. And ever since I’ve had an old you in my head that I can barely make out. And the same punch line when I’m holding you in bed. We hardly ever make out. You’re cross with me, I’m longing for you. I floss my sweater teeth to brush off your excuse. In fact, I’ve lost them all in all my dreams of you. How does that make you feel? How do I rub you the wrong way?
7.
I found poison today—a photograph of your face. Rehash introductions, dusting off your old expressions. Ironed out your smile. They found poison today when they photographed my brain. The aniversary to celebrate this new disease. I’m diving off your smile. There’s an elephant in the room, fucked up and confused. We’re blacking out the lines to cover up this bruise. We’ll never speak of this again because it never happened. For the painfully sarcastic, ironic, grapsing ghosts to keep your past tense best friends alive.
8.
I climbed in your hair because I’m attracted to novelty. Eratic and relieved. You destroy me, pulling up the floorboards. Forming all the eyesores. My eyes swell falling into my teeth. What you once were will never happen again and you can’t help but think that tomorrow might be different. I slur the argument to elongate your company. I’m your object of discontent. Your blanket emptiness. Waiting for your lips. What you once were will never happen again and you can’t help but think that tomorrow might be different. You can catch, release, all the sentimental demons. You can’t help but think that tomorrow might be different.
9.
Funeral 02:55
I destroyed my living room. I was so convinced you liked me too. Now you’re diseased, I’m distressed sleep. It’s so frustrating that you never call. But you locked your door and left me nothing. Vernacular I stole, I guess that’s something left. Syntax, I love you. Your home is a temple but my is a casket. Been spending some summers just running away from it. Syntax, I love you. But you locked your door and left me nothing. Vernacular I stole, I guess that’s something left. Syntax, I love you. Your body’s a temple but mine’s in a casket. Been spending some summers just running away from this. Syntax, I love you. There’s no comfort in nervous slurs when the last syllable goes unheard.

credits

released April 7, 2015

Our First Brains is/was: Caleb Misclevitz, Sonia Weber, Derek McNeil and Ben Relampagos

Recorded and produced in August of 2014 with Alex Estrada at the Earth Capitol in Los Angeles, California

Mastered by Bill Henderson at Azimuth Mastering

Packaging Design: Caleb Misclevitz, www.calebmisclevitz.com
Cover Photo: Emily Lakehomer

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Our First Brains Portland, Oregon

For booking email us at ourfirstbrains@gmail.com

contact / help

Contact Our First Brains

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

Our First Brains recommends:

If you like Our First Brains, you may also like: