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.

Milestone

by Jeff Arata

/
  • Streaming + Download

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

      name your price

     

1.
(Woo!) Milestone All for Vision Your core You stay Active Their lives Passive Your life’s Milestone Finally You own Cycle Ascent Your life’s Time spent It’s fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts (Woo!) Parade Today Picnics Hayday They march Your pride Bleachers Stand by Maintain This state Pass by In wait Their life Active You stay Passive It’s fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts (computers) It’s fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts Your grip, take control and steer the bull by The horns, as they say your life’s to pay and Struggle, to make your face and claim your name and catch the train and rise to fame or take the blame it’s all the same Honor, accomplishment and milestones are Where you, find yourself and roar to life and Forward, it’s time to move you find your groove it’s all to soothe, don’t chip your tooth, there’s more that you’ve got left to prove Active, adapt and change the game to take, Passive, fall behind now in their wake, Massive This height, take time bask in The light, don’t tell me it’s Finite Fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts Fun while it lasts It’s fun while it lasts
2.
Blackboard 05:16
Parish Santo Stefano Lies in the headrow Shoot in the dark Look for the spark Struggle with my training Time here is waning One hundred days For me to say Post tell where to go Tap into what they know Lifesblood I’ve poured Found in Blackboard Way of the black horse Devoted now by force 45 Old world alive (say something) You were saying something (say nothing) And I was saying nothing (red years) One hundred years, (to here) From now to here (milestone) Set on the milestone (they’re your own) Patient ‘til they’re my own (stamps) All my stamps, (chance) For this one chance Open up the inkwells (wells!) Next to the tower bell (bell!) Invite to nest (nest!) Depth of the rest (rest!) Christmas in Turkey (Turkey!) Tablecloth comes early (early!) ‘fore know with one (one!) Now the fifth son (son!) (ration) Fourth generation (nation) Birth of a nation (birthday) His birthday (away) A year away (precious stones) Treasure of precious stones (ink tone) In 1800s ink tone (wolf-like height) Wolf-like height (my rite) This is my rite He smiled, “It was nice to meet you.” I laughed, “It was nice to meet you.” Movie script Lost in the rift This broad resolution Sentiments in profusion This milestone Is now my own
3.
Sheep's Skin 03:48
Wolf’s rite, mutilate and carve out this sheep from the inside Wolf obliged, shredded rags your character to nurture in surgery Blood tight, new skin sewn with foreign born confidence Bulging, constrict more than adequate to asphyxiate Spread thin, suture count can’t contain eagerly eaten remnants Head down, snag your way through the sprint, stumble and emaciate Your lungs, hollow in your haste, your limbs, gone now with your arms Dilate, eyes desperate acknowledge wolf you suffocate Peel off, remove, frantic, burn the suit, terror, realize, stuck inside No arms, no limbs, accept, the sprint, this wolf, a sheep, teeth compete Peel off, remove, frantic, burn the suit, terror, realize, limbless, sewn inside No arms (broken), no limbs (severed), accept (sewn in), the sprint (new skin) This wolf (obliged), a sheep (your life), existential, dichotomy
4.
Running out of gas, I’ve got nothin’ to lose I said ah! Blisters on my feet, got blisters on my shoes It’s a passionate wake! It’s a passionate wake! Ready for the ice? Shock to life in this cold lake Awaken, from your, sink Your well’s, dried of ink, ink Your face, growing, pink Cocked to, conquer the brink Awake (wake!) you rooster crow for rest of days Make (make!) your rooster plume out all your tail Haste (haste!) you speed on through familiar water Wake (wake!) this parade boat’s already set sail Speedin’ on the hats as if I’ve something to prove I said ah! Everything all the time today is my way to groove Looking for the real, sign lambs under the table You’re/your prime to jump, try to keep ideal stable Big boat, sets the, wake Dingy, choppy, waves Pacing, your past, parade No gas, can you sustain? Awake (wake!) you rooster crow for rest of days Make (make!) your rooster plume out all your tail Haste (haste!) you speed on through familiar water Wake (wake!) this parade boat’s already set sail Don’t get too cocky, think you’ve solved the dichotomy So you’ve found one solution, don’t jump to conclusions (Don’t get too cocky, think you’ve solved the dichotomy So you’ve found one solution, don’t jump to conclusions) Awake (wake!) how long can crow? Make (make!) how much plumage in your tail? Waste (waste!) you’re trudging through these waters Late (late!) your passion’s already set sail
5.
Hold your horses, on cutting ties In your long faces, there’s just a lonely fly And now your ink wells, ink wells, ink wells, are tar pits It’s raining ticker tape, ticker tape, ticker tape certificates Tar and feather Tar and Feather You’ve still your tale Blueprint parade Stone covered in veil Left to a nub, tail jetsam Naked and plucked, feathers flotsam It’s raining copies of, copies of, your, your baptisms Tar and feather Tar and feather You had your tail Blueprint parade Mile long veil
6.
Wear wool Waste your breath for wares without weight Comb through yourself wary of ones with eight Shear wool Cracking backbone Simmer the sea yeah you’re searching for salt Sweat out your mine, harvest comes to a halt Inchstone Wool’s out, yeah silk is in, you should Grow wings, your legs wear thin, come on let’s Jump ship, we’ll dodge the squid, seasick Vomit, spitting acid All cry, you have no wool, over Your eyes, nothing to pull, take the Path that’s, as soft as silk, land to Catch flies, spilt honey you milk Blackboard Drawing again but not by your hand Push over the needle accept their spun stands Trap door At least Hit the road, yeah it’s easy to do Spreading our threads, a fly to follow suit Resist Wool’s out, yeah silk is in, you should Grow wings, your legs wear thin, come on let’s Jump ship, we’ll dodge the squid, seasick Vomit, spitting acid All cry, you have no wool, over Your eyes, nothing to pull, take the Path that’s, as soft as silk, land to Catch flies, spilt honey you milk (What is this garbage? Squid don’t just have 8 arms, they have 2 more tentacles. And yeah I get it, there’s salt in the sea so you’d think it would be easy to find. But there’s still that reference to sheep, and inch stones instead of milestones, and now something about strands and sewing? And what’s all this idiomatic rot about milk and honey and silk and flies doing?! This garbage is turning into cabbage! And whatever happened to the whole wolf thing?!? And where’s the parade?!?!?) Wool’s out, yeah silk is in, you should Grow wings, your legs wear thin, come on let’s Jump ship, we’ll dodge the squid, seasick Vomit, spitting acid All cry, you have no wool, over Your eyes, nothing to pull, take the Path that’s, as soft as silk, land to Catch flies, spilt honey you milk
7.
Well, my time went so quickly I went lickety-splitly out to my ol' fifty-five As I pulled away slowly, feeling so holy God knows I was feeling alive Now the sun's coming up, I'm riding with Lady Luck Freeway cars and trucks Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer Oh Lord, let me tell you that the feeling getting stronger And it's six in the morning Gave me no warning, I had to be on my way Well, there's trucks all a-passing me, and the lights all a-flashin' I'm on my way home from your place And now the sun's coming up, I'm riding with Lady Luck Freeway cars and trucks Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer Oh Lord, let me tell you the feeling getting stronger (God knows I was feeling alive) And now the sun's coming up, I'm riding with Lady Luck Freeway cars and trucks Freeway cars and trucks Freeway cars and trucks
8.
Vaso, vasovagal way Wago, way my grounds all go I slip, I trip Put the, put the brakes on high High gear, gear up but start out low I stall, I fall Charge up, I’ve found the spark Fire off, with perfect mix I embark Alternate to power the quest Intake the best, filter the rest Rev it up yeah bring it to a boil Cool it down, steer clear of cracks and coils Don’t short yourself with cuts and circuits You’ll fry your chances at all, but what’s worth it? Vaso, vasovagal way Wago, way my grounds all go I slip, I trip Put the, put the brakes on high High gear, gear up but start out low I stall, I fall Pull man! He was thrown under Clear man! Surge him with a jumper Shift down, in this rut I tire Oh no, I’ve found a loose wire Vaso, vasovagal way Wago, way my grounds all go I slip, I trip Put the, put the brakes on high High gear, gear up but start out low I stall White out, I’m growing faint again Lights out, I’m shorted at my knee Don’t leave, me trapped in this red I’ll need, gladiator hands to rise (Them’s, the breaks, That’s, the way, There’s, the road, The least, I know)
9.
La, la, la, la, land La, la, la, la, land La, la, la, la, land I’m drawn to the black of ink like tar evaporates In luxury I’m floating Drawn in ease There’s something in the silk Wrapped in sheets warm soft as silk do no harm Forget sheep and wolves Just indulge As I’m in la-la-land La, la, la, la, land La, la, la, la, land La, la, la, la, land There’s something in the silk that knows not parades are finite There’s something in the silk with eight legs and eyes There’s something in the silk these stands will strangle oh no There’s something in the silk that’s been eyeing Me
10.
Come on back now with full steam Pick up right where you would lean Lost your want for what it's not Fail to see most all this rot now it's Not a competition, no Never a competition, it's Just a roll of dice now, it's Just a flip of coins now, it's always Just what you've been dealt now, it's All to blame on them now them now them now them now Give it up on hearts now, don't Put me up with martyrs, yet This is all you need, I said “Make it a new cycle now,” just stop Going through the motions, now Come on man, come off it, now Nothing left to say, he said “Now you've got too cocky”, now yet you've Taught us to be ruthless, you've Chalked us up as useless, you've Gone and lost the blueprints blueprints blueprints blueprints Sitting as the seventh still Vying for attention though Try you might have come before I don't know where I've been borne, so you Set yourself back on the six Build up beds of old toothpicks Take the path that least resists Wonder why no bridge exists, but know This is just catharsis, from Scaling all the tar pits tar pits tar pits tar pits It's not smoke and mirrors, but It's all quotes and pictures, how You fall on your knees again, Drop the weighty ball again, so you Revel in the peoples' dirt, Don't loft me up with rebirth Sown the seeds now in this earth Wait to get what you deserve, when we've All been promised interest, now You're picking at the harvest, now You're just a lowly fly now fly now fly now fly now Come on back now with full steam Pick up right where you would lean Lost your want for what it's not Fail to see most all this rot when we've All been promised interest, now You're picking at the harvest, now You're just a lowly fly
11.
Milestone 01:17
12.
Oh sure, black liquids stain Oh and you can wash stains away But I prefer to have them remain And contain them, in paper Set on, set on the, set on the six Set on, set on the, set on the six Set on, set on the, set on the six Set on, set on the, set on the six You’ll want to rest on your laurels Sour and stale leaves you’ll swallow I’ll direct myself as a cardinal And fly great lengths to carve ‘em all, in stone Set on, set on the, set on the six Set on, set on the, set on the six Set on, set on the, set on the six Set on, set on the, set on the six When I front and fight, I’ll stay set on the six When I grasp and grip, I’ll stay set on the six When I lead the lions, I’ll stay set on the six When the wheel cycles, I’ll stay set on the six

about

The album 'Milestone' by Jeff Arata, released February 1, 2017.

Milestone was written, recorded, mixed, and mastered during the period of January 2015 to January 2017, with the exceptions of “Tar and Feather” which was originally written in December 2013 and Ol’ 55 which was originally written by Tom Waits and released in 1973.

Huge thanks to my brother, Michael Arata, for painting (!) the album cover, my cousin Tony Valizan for playing bass on the cover of Tom Waits’s song, ‘Ol ‘55’, and my friend Jesse for letting me use one of his fuzz pedals for the guitar tone on ‘Sheep’s Skin’.

The guitar I used is my Chapman ML-2.

This album makes extensive use of field recordings/sound effects, all of which I myself recorded at some point from April 2016 – January 2017.

Check out my brother's instagram:

www.instagram.com/mike.a.art/

Also available at Soundcloud and Youtube:

soundcloud.com/jeff-arata/sets/milestone

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoZ6C020qobHY416Ao2loPURS718OxQBu

credits

released February 1, 2017

On all songs, with the exception of the bass on the cover of ‘Ol ‘55’:
Jeff Arata – vocals, guitars, field recordings and drum, bass, glockenspiel and piano programming
Tony Valizan – bass on Ol ’55 (Tom Waits Cover)

Field Recordings by song:

01) Cheering at Fire Katehi Rally
Cheering at Taiko’s Performance on Picnic Day 2016
UCDavis’s 2016 Picnic Day Parade

02) Church Bell in Florence
Duomo Bells in Florence

03) Bus engine
Engraver
Die grinder
Air compressor
Driving a forklift
Wood saw
Tire Gun
Pipe Saw

04) Alarm clock
Shower from the house I lived in in Davis
Rooster crow (with some other birds/outdoors sounds)

05) Sounds from the cathedral in Siena

06) Crosswalk at Russel Blvd and A Street

07) Ducks in the Arboretum (with a plane in background)

08) Buses beeping during Friday night turn in
Buses passing through a campus gate
Detuning the low E string to a D

09) Claps recorded at work
Fly in a jar
Leg sweep on concrete

10) (None)

11) Sound of writing

12) Recall of previous sounds
Birds in the arboretum
UCDavis’s 2016 Picnic Day Parade

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Jeff Arata Austin, Texas

I play guitar, make music, & grow tomatoes 🦆

contact / help

Contact Jeff Arata

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

Jeff Arata recommends:

If you like Jeff Arata, you may also like: