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Read (Discography): A Bell is a Cup... Until it is Struck

Silk Skin Paws

You have nothing to fear
I'm just making enquiries
Dog bone hunting
Gives you back to yourself
Standing before me
The gargoyle turns
Jutting jaws and
The stubble burns

I shift the blame
To the worm in the bottle
I shift the blame
To anyone standing before me

I check-up the once-over
Give yourself an opening
Keep your mouth shut
In the event of an accident
Contact the following
A certain air
An invading smile
Inbreeding seals the flaw

Silk skin paws
Hang by both feet
Embracing the world
Hang the expense
Breugels cut corners
Wring out the senses
I have nothing like it
I've seen nothing like it

The Finest Drops

The island monkeys love the dark
No one is home, they're thin-skinned sharks
Hue exchanging gives sea-leg walks
No one is home, the chemicals talk

Load up the spoiled goods
Hook up the spoiled gods
Fill up the kindness cups
Drink up the finest drops

Feeding frenzy, sleepless attacks
No one is home, power attracts
Death on a raft, life in a whale
No one is home to finish the tale

Paint it red, light it in blue
No one is home over at zoo
Lashing together, a timbre design
No one is home, no one is blind

The last boat launched, cling to the rail
No one is home, they're in full sail
Forging chains, caught on the tracks
No one is home and they're not coming back

The island monkeys love the dark
No one is home, they've gone for a walk
The island monkeys love the dark
No one is home, the chemicals talk

The Queen Of Ur And The King Of Um

Painted statues in underground streams
With invitations to the Pharaoh's dream

They stare at themselves, there's a need to be seen
Walking mirrors in the Pharaoh's harem

And here they come
The queen of Ur
And the king of Um

Tainted Matthews in car-key relations
Gilt invitations to the blue queen's ball
They stare at themselves, there's a need to be seen
Talking pillars in the blue queen's hall

Fading tattoos of empty stations
Great expectations at Vince's loyal mince
They stare at each other, there's a need to be seen
Crack-head mirrors, licking the soiled mint

Olympic statues from terminal stations
Sifting invitations to the market floor
Steering into the future, it pays to be seen
Polishing mirrors, keeping the score

A babbling gaggle, a scrabbling rabble
Fighting invitations to the emperor's shilling
They stare through themselves, there's nothing to see
Hand-picked recruits for ghostly pursuit

Free Falling Divisions

Warning, warning
Free falling divisions
Recalling recalling
Fast past admissions
Foolish words
No nervous laughter
Safety first
Gives always after

Drag my canal
You saucy old salt
Pale in belief
I'm not without fault

Scaffolding climber
Rudolf roof-walker
Aids binocular
Clear a path Jonah
Experienced water
Water transporter
Marine slaver
Experiment in coda

It's A Boy

Hook fear lashing
Spit-gas sinking
Tired reflections
In a broken eye

You're a strange one
Are there any more like you?
You're a rare one
I want one too

Head collectors
Private view
Flood damaged
In a baby plague

Effete means funny dreams
Offence on refusal
Look out Dr. Up
It's a boy as usual

Boiling Boy

Gifts of the west winds
Dark and deep
In secret sunsets
Places creep

Lock up your hats
Lock up your hats

Progress with a vision
To practice with at home
A schism with an ism
To practice with at home
A collision with decision
To practice with at home

He transferred his soul
To his imagination
His atoms were excited
And he glowed in the dark
The boiling boy
Was a picture of confusion
But he had the advantage
Of a cold start heart

Kidney Bingos

Natural splits sunburn jets pride marks smart bets
Strikers luck pitch backs heap tips pit slacks
Dressed pints demon shrinks bread drunk dead drinks
Stretch clubs models box draw skin black shocks

Money spines paper lung kidney bingos organ fun

Flag stunt rock stone dole axe crash dive
Breath thrift take speed double take weekends
Skull row drugs hall colour bars sex calls
Sparkle finds rented rings pretty things clipped wings

Gold street spy fleet scandal food poor treat
Fire run club gun rule mob burn some
Bomb time pop crime stock frame steady climb
Fresh name donor game fair meat all the same

Come Back In Two Halves

I catch the word, don't refrain
Oh no, it's not the same
In two halves but quickly growing whole
It's not the past again
In double figures for the first time
Oh no, it's not the same
There may be a story to be told
But it's not the past again

It's time to get out now
Everybody loves the mystery
Everybody loves their history
It's not my problem now
Everybody loves the mystery
Everybody loves their history

Implications, back and up
Oh no, it's not the same
In two parts and waiting to be told
That it's not the past again
In time and sequence, paraphrased
Oh no, it's not the same
In two halves but quickly growing whole
And it's not the past again

Follow The Locust

Antennas my currency
Programme your set
My pockets are drunk
The Illinois tool works
The flight nurse attends me
I can't wait to see the doctor
Be smart, shrink the world
But I can't wait to see the doctor

Dust-off ready
Take-off
Oil a mink
Follow the locust

Write a letter, drop a card
Diagram, map a chart
Take a note, pick a snap
Choose a number, dial a code
The flight nurse attends me
But I can't wait to see the doctor
Be smart, shrink the world
But I can't wait to see the doctor

Stay on your feet
And get collected
Enjoy and explore
The gambling museum
The flight nurse attends me
But I can't wait to see the doctor
Be smart, shrink the world
But I can't wait to see the doctor

Public Place

In this public place
Pigeons move busily
Through the contents
Of a man's life
In this public place
His last mortal remains
Reflect a private lake
In this public place

Lies fly in formation
Candid fiction spreads its wings
It's deceptive at this angle
Does truth dance?
Does truth sing?

The private hedge pissers
In anxious alleys
The village boy-wide-men
With a game on their hands
Wait for the sign
That will take them to Heaven
Wait for the sign
Only they understand

In this public place
A carved tree
Burst through an atheist's heart
And broken promises
Drifted into the shape of footprints
In this public place
Lies fly in-formation
Candid fiction spreads its wings

Selected bonus tracks

Pieta

Doubting Thomas parks his car in his Sunday best
Taps his wallet, straightens tie, lights a cigarette

Pilgrim's progress, no journey's end
Which way Michael?

Through the door he scans the bar, then a space appears
His drink is poured, for he is numb, the service it starts here

He sees it in the barmaid's face, a winning smile's caress
A million eyes in public stalk, they queue up to confess

Lost causes, loves, hates and shames, old battles fought and won
Bad debts, bad tips, the graveyard song, the dreamers talk in tongues

Haloes swarm, the air is thin, thick smoke in tights of blue
Elvis has a wooden heart, eyes dart across the room

Empty heads and stomachs full, the ashtrays overflow
Drinks are raised and voices praise good deeds of long ago

He drains his glass and makes a sign, the Virgin Queen appears
The Prince King needs a tender touch, his sacred heart knows no fear

Upon a cloud, an optic shrine, he can't control his tears
On his knees, hands held in prayer, a practice lapsed for years

The altar clears, the light grows dim, the sanctus bell is rung
A miracle at closing time, our lady holds her son

The faithful come to celebrate the vision Thomas saw
A rail now stands around the spot where Thomas kissed the floor

Amen