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.

On The Surface Of Solitude

by Des Miller

/
  • Streaming + Download

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

      $16 AUD

     

1.
(January 2006) I see your face amongst the crowd, And I'm borderline on fire, All else falls apart at this, And i'm toying with desire. Oh my little eyes, they cry While you stand alone, oh my My mind weaves on this broken path, It's dangerous but it's true, Reason takes a twisted turn, The future lies in you. Oh my little eyes, in pain To take is to throw away, the same I'm bleeding from the heart again, You're calling out my name. I’m seeing red, you’re in my head. But I’m fine. I’m fine. Morning comes I'm clearer now, The crystalline of day, But memories fade like ringing bells, With echoes they remain. Oh my little eyes, are grave And for your glistening hand, I crave I'm bleeding from the heart again, You're calling out my name. I’m seeing red, you’re in my head. But I’m fine. I’m fine.
2.
Knife Edge 03:59
(Nov-Mar 2006-2007) Well his words, when they trip they slip, And his thoughts, they are fraught, with despair. When his eye, casts down by the floor, With reserve he feels nervous when they stare. It's not fair We're on a Knife's Edge, And you say, That all the things we've said, Twist and Shift, We're on a knife's Edge, And you say, That all those things we've said, Twist and Shift inside our heads. Well he walks with the pain of shame, He recalls every fall, every stain. And in the time, that he finds alone, He retreats from his sleep in self blame. He can't Change We're on a Knife's Edge, And you say, That all the things we've said, Twist and Shift, We're on a knife's Edge, And you say, That all those things we've said, Twist and Shift inside our heads. The mistakes that we make they will shake, The ground on Which we stand, slide likes sand, And all we See is framed by the names, That we change when we change when we change. We're on a Knife's Edge, And you say, That all the things we've said, Twist and Shift, We're on a knife's Edge, And you say, That all those things we've said, Twist and Shift and Twist and Shift Twist and Shift and Twist and Shift Twist and Shift and Twist and Shift Twist and Shift inside out heads
3.
(24 April 2006) In autumn time we must all sow, The seeds of our regret because we know, That winter won’t allow a place to hide, Our deeds will shine like blood upon the snow. I’m sorry, for the clouds across the sky, I’m sorry, for your tears and for mine, I’m sorry, those things done in your name, Will forever be our shame. It’s hard to tell with whom we side, It feels as if we’re all on one big ride, That’s spinning round and round and oh so fast, And those who make it go do so for pride. I’m sorry, it’s beating down on me, I’m sorry, if only you could see, I’m sorry, those things done in your name, Will forever be our shame. I hope that those still in the past, Will mend their ways and do some good at last, This is a futile dream for me to lead, But even so I’ll hang it on my mast. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to let you down I’m sorry; it’s not for me to wear the crown I’m sorry, those things done in your name, Will forever be our shame, But we’re standing just the same That’s no joke. It’s a serious game Now summer comes oh yes indeed, But all’s not bright for those who live in need, I say all this without respect for creed, And what remains can’t shape or intervene. I’m sorry, for leaning to and fro, I’m sorry, for thinking that I know, I’m sorry, those things done in your name, Will forever be our shame.
4.
Lucy 04:56
(July 2005) Lucy takes the hallway, Of darkened doors, with darkened days, Her calm betrayed by a rustling in the leaves. Rings upon her fingers, And curlers in her hair, She rolls about the dance floor but she’s not there. Close your eyes and make it go away Close your eyes and make it go away Close your eyes and make it go away Calling out at night-time, And smiling through clenched teeth, The wind it makes her angry raging free. Incandescent futures, Abound by tainted dreams, Time it wounds all heels but pain remains. Close your eyes and make it go away Close your eyes and make it go away Close your eyes and make it go away Away Away Lucy sits in silence, To the beating of a fan, She wipes away the sweat with gentle hands. All in time step forward, Now swing round to the right, If you move throughout the day then she’ll be right. Close your eyes and make it go away Close your eyes and make it go away Close your eyes and make it go away
5.
(May 06) Like a rose, you simplify fate And you close, all thought and debate Well god knows, what troubles await They will only reveal, When you bow down and kneel Not to him, it’s the mirror you face When you sin, there’s no tumble from grace You begin, and you end in that place There’s no book to be read, Don’t forget what I said Now the clouds, are aligned like a dream And they shroud, the half moon in between Sun and ground, it’s not me in this scene But a picture of thought, A collection of naught And my robes, speak not of my make Have I posed, the right questions too late I suppose, the fake memories I make Are assumed to be real, And from others I steal Real belief, which evades the unknown And beneath, these false thoughts we’re alone This is chief, ly the reason I groan And those others before, Wrote it down in folk law So we dance, to the tune of desire And romance, is to what we aspire There’s no chance, that my words will inspire There’s good reason of course, That I shout till I’m hoarse Well the streets, are teeming at dawn And we greet, each other forlorne Forgoe speech, and replace it with scorn For you’re better of dead, Than befriending those dreaded Black suits, paranoid and all armed To the tooth, wrapped in gold and alarmed By the truth, thrown away like a charm Now it lies on the road, Dried and twisted and cloved With my heart, and those strange reconstructions Of craft, which stand uninterrupted Like art, that outside all instruction Stands firm with its foot, Upon piles of soot And the leaves, fall about me like tears In degrees, the warm rays disappear While the breeze, cuts away and makes clear That the difference between, What is me and unseen Is not skin, nor the colour of eye It’s so thin, that soft veil of sky That we’re in, and around and inside There’s so much to account, In so far as we count We exist, its so crude and mundane We persist, just like Sartre explained I insist, outside thought we’re the same But survivals a must, Till we draw ourselves out into dust.
6.
( November 2006) Skin stretched thin across your chin but you still grin as though you’ve just been born Eyes are bright your hands clutched tight you ride the night bus home right through the dawn At closing time, The stars begin to shine But soon they’ll fade away. Your work is done, Ten hours and then some, Your time exchanged for pay. You’re a blue collar man And you’re doing all you can just to make it through the week You’re no simple man But you owe to uncle sam And there’s just enough to eat You sing and dance and cast a glance the game of chance begets the golden dream Another glass no thanks I’ll pass you’ve had your last you’re out of steam You don’t sleep at night When there’s music to delight Your single bed lies bare The leafy row, turns roundabout the slough And mirrors in your stare You’re a blue collar man And you’re doing all you can Just to make it through the week You’re a music man And you live without a plan You sing loud upon the street Your hardy hand turns soil and sand but you command much more than meets the eye Those cloudy skies that make you lie in bed and try to mask your sigh You spend your days About amongst the rays Your shoulders brown and strong When you plant and sow Your troubles up and go It’s here that you belong You’re a blue collar man And you’re doing all you can Just to make it through the week You’re a learned man But you earn with your right hand And there’s just enough to eat
7.
(May 6 2006) The morning news is bleak again, There’s always a few who hate change, But it’s those who tear out pictures in two, That will send our weak minds into rage. You and I we’re the same. I sense the fear in the penetant now, But it’s those who are near we should tame, The innocent are not those who live with us here, And abroad are the sick and the lame. You and I we’re the same. You and I we’re the same. So for God we fight though it’s never made clear, What is wrong, what is right on this stage, And we criticise those who cannot see the light, But it’s plain that we’re on the same page. You and I we’re the same. Now a young by see’s as his father is killed, First for salt then for tea now black rain, And this man can’t play part in his own history, Not with knives not with guns nor with pain. You and I we’re the same. You and I we’re the same. So take our hands and cross our heads, And send us into the fire, Through hate our lives will henceforth be lead, Never me, always you are the liar! So prescribe what you will and deny what you may, It takes skill to discard what they say, Just as everyone plants their own flag on the hill, Where there’s will for a war there’s a way. You and I we’re the same. You and I we’re the same.
8.
Time 03:22
(May 2006) Time insists and time persists And outside time we don’t exist We must prepare to shift our words and sayings On time we serve so to preserve But wait just now it does occur I don’t think you deserve the time of day Time, will tell We know it, all so well I hope there will be, Time for you and me Time it bends and time upends But upon time we all depend It’s hard to comprehend that time’s infinite Time is endless time is free All time is but a memory With time I cannot bear to waste a minute The time, is nigh There’s never much, time to sigh You’ll find that there’ll be, Time for you and me Time provides and time inscribes The time it melts before my eyes And burns my lies into my mind forever Time is good with time we should Remember all that’s understood I hope we’ll learn to spend our time together To be, on time Is a sheer, waste of mine So wake up and see, There’s time for you and me Though time it stains we can’t complain For often time allows refrain To disdain time is to disclaim much more I’m scared of time I’m sick of time I can’t believe we’re out of time But time is what we’re waiting round to die for The sands, of time Will sprinkle down, so fine Someday there will be Time, time for you and me
9.
OK 05:24
(November 2006) At the day break she’s so tired From the night that’s long and slow With the wailings down below But she don’t mind And the stars they change their shape In the northern skies so wild And his temperament is mild But he don’t mind Well all bows will bend and sway But not all hearts will stay And fingers will learn to play And all will be OK OK So she sets about the task Of teaching right and wrong And they all call her head strong Because she don’t mind In the golden sun he shines When he’s holding hands with girls And that little one has curls But he don’t mind Well resolve he cannot find In the promises he fakes While all around him breaks But she don’t mind And her hand it turns so kind On the supple skin so soft And nothing has been lost Because she don’t mind
10.
Requiem 03:40
(April 2005) You ride the tide of the norm on the crest of the real You avert your face, you turn your mind, you revel in liquid There is no real information, there’s no expression There is no real innovation, there’s just aggression Don’t be – to be – don’t Don’t be – to be – don’t Don’t be – to be – don’t Don’t be – to be Why believe in the truth, when the truth is what you see and hear Why believe in faith, where faith is what you are told Why be a man, where what you are is what you’re led to believe Embrace the freedom of imperfecton Don’t be – to be – don’t Well my words cannot begin to help Don’t be – to be – don’t And my mind can believe itself Don’t be – to be – don’t But in arms we will not claim recourse Don’t be – to be And I hate this death knell Whatever happened to the commonwealth I believe it’s because in the long-run we are dead, in the long-run we are nothing All we know what to do is manipulate, All we know how to do is populate Don’t be – to be – don’t Well my words cannot begin to help Don’t be – to be – don’t And my mind can believe itself Don’t be – to be – don’t But in arms we will not claim recourse Don’t be – to be And I hate this death knell
11.
3PM 06:07
(April 2006) Taped up and timid The light how it glimmers through cracks in the wall In the web of my sheets The sweat on my feet makes the mind creep and crawl Minutes like seconds And hours like eons at a desk in the hall Ironclad eyelids Battle the ethics of work till they fall Mind-numbing madness Pulls at the sadness and makes me feel small Candlelit chatter The dribbling of matter of fact is that all Sleep like a drug Fails to unplug my wide fears which stand tall Stare at the ceiling Thinking of dying Moved by condition they work on they work on Dreaming of freedom Screaming for more Moved by condition they work on they work on

about

Des Miller's Debut record: On The Surface Of Solitude - Inspired by th philosophy of the French, the cosmic soundscapes of the British and the lyrical rhythms of the Americans. With artwork by Greedy Hen, the self-produced sci-fi-folk-pop album was ALBUM OF THE WEEK for Sydney's 2SER 107.3 and features 'Knife Edge', elected Single of the Week by Inpress Magazine (Melb).
“Music like Des Miller’s Knife Edge is a welcome change…” – INPRESS MAGAZINE, Single of the Week
"The bastard son of Morrissey? There's certainly plenty of that old bugger's sensibility and vocal tonality for that matter in Miller…” – DRUM MEDIA
“The sound… The Travelling Wilbury’s and Pink Floyd” - BRAG MAGAZINE

credits

released September 15, 2007

Words and Music by Des Miller
With...
Chris Rudge Drumming
Evan Lock Electric and Slide Guitaring
(with the exception of the 333 on Requiem and Knife Edge)
Robbie Moore Keyboarding, Synthesizing and Clapping
William Miller on Bass Guitaring on Blue Collar Man
Berkfinger Thumping and Clapping

Instruments, Sounds and Voices Recorded by Des Miller in various houses, old garages, on friend’s pianos, across dunes, in kitchen pantry's, and behind the curtain in the basement under the balloon shop. All drums recorded by Richard Cartwright amongst the kipple. Claps, Tambourines, Assorted Shakers, Roland on Borderline On Fire and Hammond on Knife Edge recorded by Berkfinger at BJB Studios. Mixed and Produced at BJB Studios by Des Miller, Berkfinger and Broken Stone Records,
Mastered by William Bowden

This album would not exist without the support of my many benefactors, in particular the magnetic players on the record - I am forever indebted to you for the time, vigor and willingness; Richard and Berkfinger for your excellence; John - the rational half of Broken Stone Records and the provider of the shoelace with which this record was laced - for your ears and opinions; Lucy the sweetest of ladies, for your patience and infinite support; Chris - behind who's curtain in who's basement underneath who’s balloon shop my makeshift studio resided for months on end - it is upon your generosity that I have been able to write and record this album ad infinitum; Katherine the lover of birds and painter of this album cover; Vanessa my portrait archer; brother, sister, parents, grandparents - all the branches, twigs and leaves of my family who embrace, and no doubt wonder at, the use of my time; my house mates who have endured endless anticipation; friends who have listened, encouraged, excited, uplifted, reassured, advised and inspired. For all of this, I am grateful.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Des Miller Sydney, Australia

contact / help

Contact Des Miller

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Des Miller, you may also like: