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Serious Face

by Mike McCarthy

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  • Full Digital Discography Full Digital Discography

    Get all 8 Mike McCarthy releases available on Bandcamp and save 15%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Mythomane, Serious Face, 'Live' at The Old Church on The Hill, Seaside, Live at The Vanguard 2012, The Lion's Share, The Harrowing Account of John William Tate, and Calm Wind. , and , .

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1.
Serious Face 03:22
SERIOUS FACE Serious face On a Monday morning Hit the switch Pump the music Wake up great on a Tuesday morning Shot of Caffeine Quit the talking Hold my hand Wednesday morning Kiss your lips Tuck my shirt in Fill up the tank on a Thursday morning Turn on the news But the news is boring Game face Happy face Wide-eyed, silver & refined face in the mirror Wrong face Right face Not enough time for a holiday face in the mirror Serious face Friday morning Spill the coffee Hold the music Up so early on a Saturday morning Rip the cord (Just to) ease the falling Feel a little blurry on Sunday morning Take some deep breaths Run into the water Serious face Monday morning Hit the switch Pump the music Game face Happy face Wide-eyed silver & refined face in the mirror Wrong face Right face Secret and heavy lined face in the mirror M E McCarthy Avoca Beach 13/2/17
2.
SATISFY MY SOUL Birdcall Water running No other sound But the wind humming No cars No static Just a blue sky River to satisfy Satisfy my soul I’m with you You’re here with me Get stuck Get free Wood fire Dirt road Stars at night To satisfy my Satisfy my soul Take time Breathe it in Don’t forget To release Troubles come Troubles go Need you near To satisfy my Satisfy my soul 2/3/2015 Buckland River Valley VIC M E McCarthy
3.
ORDINARY PEOPLE Tie around the neck Like a dog choke collar In the depths of the feeling There’s a lonely boy that hollers Sacredness forsaken His sadness rises to frustration And the wound it gets infected Til the limb has no sensation Ordinary people Just like ordinary people Sombre resignation Creeps with momentary blindness Almost broke the curse In a short rage of defiance A voice like yours but younger Tries to raise itself up higher To offer grace and summons peace Like a distant burning fire Ordinary people Just like ordinary people M E McCarthy 15-9-16 Avoca Beach NSW
4.
Hope 04:27
HOPE Swift I fell into a hurricane Senses crash Like a brakeless freight train Measured words don’t always hit their mark Two times the winner, three times the loser Come back I promise I promise to be better Mary, Mary you wish I were somebody else Sold my coat to a stranger for a bus fare I have to leave this city Find me somebody somewhere Heaven knows or maybe heaven doesn’t have a clue Russian River, Santa Rosa, California I picked up a van Start to head for the border Countries, rivers and roads drew me towards you Hold to hope Show me love I hit the ground and you make me run Swift I fell into a hurricane Of love and life And I’m never going back again To the way I walked, the life I thought I knew Somebody stop me if I’m rambling on See I’ve found the love I was searching for For certain this journey’s been worth every mile Hold to hope Show me love I hit the ground and you make me run M E McCarthy 24/8/16 Avoca Beach NSW
5.
On Your Mind 04:20
ON YOUR MIND Summonsed the spirit of James Dean But your swagger was all out of line Kicked against depression and your fears Words never come out right Such a sad old situation A road with no end With this lack of communication The enemy is in your own head Tell me what’s on your mind Tell you what’s going around in mine We could be balanced baby we could be kind Just have to take it one step at a time So she landed down in Melbourne Where all the seasons form into one Paid a dollar on the street for a poem Says the weary tide is on the run Well we’re all holding out for something Just a word, a look, a little touch When the riverbed dries to nothing We can never think of giving up Tell me what’s on your mind Tell you what’s going around in mine We could be balanced baby we could be kind Just have to take it one step at a time Summonsed the spirit of James Dean But your swagger was all out of line Kicked against depression and your fears And the words never come out right 2016 M E McCarthy
6.
Thief 05:51
THIEF I’ve got to raise my voice Not going to hide any more All the highs and the lows Murder and the white noise It’s about time we learnt Compassion and Empathy Our fellow man Suffering at the hands of greed Reticence it called my name I said no leave me alone If I don’t live to better the world I’m in Then I’m just a thief in somebody else’s home You build up walls Then we knock them right down And that look in your eyes Just like a building storm You’ve got to watch your words Better hold your tongue The fight’s never over Until the war is won Reticence it called my name I said no leave me alone If I don’t live to better the world I’m in Then I’m just a thief in somebody else’s home I’ve got to raise my voice Not going to hide any more M E McCarthy Kakadu, NT 23-6-16
7.
Mist 02:26
MIST Heavy mist sits on the mountain I cannot see my hands A road is calling somewhere My legs they fail to stand To sit upon the mountain Snow strange below my feet I’m tumbling like a boulder Into the valley deep Hold to the bed of the sea as it rises Bend to the pull of the moon as it rises The earth is full of secrets Fault lines and mysteries I’ve stolen tiny glimpses Struck by what I’ve seen Someday we’ll feel it on us Wave of eternity Light that goes on forever Sustaining love & peace Hold to the bed of the sea as it rises Bend to the pull of the moon as it rises Heavy mist sits on the mountain I cannot see my hands A road is calling somewhere My legs they fail to stand To sit upon the mountain Snow strange below my feet I’m tumbling like a boulder Into the valley deep © 2017 M E McCarthy
8.
Roads Home 03:17
ROADS HOME A brother takes off for the east The other for the west Two roads from the same home A journey and a test How many miles, how many nights How many months and years To find yourself or to lose yourself Amongst your thoughts and fears Get back My home So many roads Get back My home Push me I’m a rolling stone Brother one was a strong man He was confident and brave Took off quick on a jet black horse Keen his time to save No stranger did he speak to No trouble did he find Til he reached the east coast But he found no piece of mind Get back My home So many roads Get back My home Push me I’m a rolling stone Brother two was a dreamer Carefree and aloof Travelled slow journey long Took in all he could Stopped to talk and gave his heart He was generous and kind Never made the west coast But he didn’t seem to mind Get back My home So many roads Get back My home Push me I’m a rolling stone M E McCarthy Eden, NSW 2015
9.
Port Augusta 04:09
PORT AUGUSTA Wind it howled as the sun went down Pulled in slow on the edge of town To sleep the night and wait our turn A thousand miles from home Call of the west, a great unknown Full blooded words and an undertow That took us north, took our breath To where the spirit crows We made our choice to work it out Baited luck and let go of doubt Port Augusta Took a turn for the best Or at least not for the worse Port Augusta Blood red sky, coffee pot Milling over all we’ve got Your hands are cold. My head is hot With thoughts of yesterday The army emerged, their numbers strong Pointed their guns in front of the car I turned to you in a state of shock But you were fast asleep We made our choice to work it out Baited luck and let go of doubt Port Augusta Took a turn for the best Or at least not for the worse Port Augusta Not much comes for those who wait Except for dreams in a filtered state I’ve waited long and my thirst is great Oh deliver me now M E McCarthy Avoca Beach, NSW 1-8-16
10.
The Light 03:34
The Light I saw the light It came to me Strangest dream I saw the light Entrancing me Body Free M E McCarthy MacMasters Beach NSW May 2017

about

Mike McCarthy's 'Serious Face' album is a throwback in time to an era of blues, soul, and roots music. Essentially a summer road trip album full of good vibes and great story telling, the album goes from all out slide guitar 'blues grit' to warm firelight ballads.

credits

released November 30, 2017

Produced by Mike McCarthy
Recorded and Mastered by Jeff McCormack at The Music Cellar and Mike McCarthy at Le Bunker, Central Coast NSW
Mixed by Mike McCarthy except for 'Serious Face' mixed by Roger Mars
Musicians - Mike McCarthy (Guitars/Lap Slide/Vocals) Michael Carney (Fender Rhodes/Keys), Syd Green (Drums/Percussion) Jeff McCormack (Bass Guitar) Tim Woods (Bass Guitar - Tracks 4 & 9) Raymond Richards (Pedal Steel - Tracks 4 & 10) Roger Mars (Wurlitzer/Percussion/Guitar/Vocals/Bass -Track 1) Sophie McCarthy (Backing Vocals) Coral Latella (Backing Vocals) Chris Gleeson (Backing Vocals – Track 8) Beth Gleeson (Backing Vocals – Track 8)

Artwork and Direction - Shaun Gonzalez & Jimmy Slide @TCSS

Thanks to all the musicians, friends and family involved in making this record. Hope you enjoy! Mike

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Mike McCarthy Macmasters Beach, Australia

Mike McCarthy's 'Serious Face' album is a throwback in time to an era of blues, soul, and roots music. Essentially a summer road trip album full of good vibes and great story telling, the album goes from all out slide guitar 'blues grit' to warm firelight ballads. ... more

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