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A Small Unknowable Thing

by Josienne Clarke

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shadyneutron
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shadyneutron Unbound speaks healing words, but the music feels like healing, very special and moving but so simple. Just a guitar and a piano. I'm sure the glitter and ambience she put in the vinyl helps! <3 Favorite track: Unbound.
paul wentworth
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paul wentworth Incredible song writing, beautiful musicianship and sublime lyrics, I can't recommend this album enough. Favorite track: Sit Out.
Andrulian
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Andrulian This is simply stunning.

The arrangements are excellent, at heart it has a singer - songwriter vibe but it doesn't neatly fit into a particular genre. There are slow grooves, gnarly guitars, jazz infused grooves and more uptempo songs too.

Josienne's vocals are beautiful, but it's not just that. She bears her soul and reaches into yours. The vocals are captivating - sad and haunting yet there's fierce defiance, determination and optimism.

Full review: www.andrulian.com?p=16220 Favorite track: Like This.
the_ashen
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the_ashen Total banger. Can’t wait for the full album
johnaylott
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johnaylott It's the voice, as much as anything. One of the purist voices around, one of the few people I would like to hear sing anything by Sandy Denny. Also a lovely person, who deserves to be heard in her own right. Favorite track: A Letter On A Page.
Mark Hart
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Mark Hart I cannot believe how amazing this track is - do I really need to wait to hear this whole album on beautiful vinyl?! Gonna be the longest six months of my life for sure.
Superb music Josienne! x
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  • Streaming + Download

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  • Poster/Print

    20x16" / 51x40.5 cm photographic print on heavy archival Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper with EPSON UltraChrome archival Inks
    Behind the scenes image from the original album cover shoot at Broadscope Studios, Glasgow on the 19th of October 2020
    Shot on Portra 400 35mm film by Alec Bowman_Clarke
    Signed copies available on request.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited Edition, signed, Black Test Pressing 'a small unknowable thing' 12" vinyl

    The Cold Technical bit
    Test pressings are used to verify that audio is good before printing the release copies. As such, they may have been played and have no artwork. They come in plain factory sleeves. They may or may not have an identifying sticker to show the release title & artist name & they will have the release catalogue number etched into the runout groove.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Small Unknowable Thing via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited Edition 180 gram 12" coloured Vinyl LP with gatefold sleeve
    Coloured Vinyl - Clear with orange/blue splatter

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Small Unknowable Thing via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days
    edition of 115  8 remaining
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  • CD Album
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CD Album with gloss gatefold sleeve and 8-page gloss lyric booklet

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Small Unknowable Thing via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
Trying to strike a chord That you haven’t heard before You’ll recognise it You recognise it all Searching for a tune That I haven’t sung before One that’s lesser used and lesser sad But somehow maybe more You’ll recognise it You recognise it all Trying to describe The indescribable As I never have before And what it’s like to know, you know something So much more Than you ever have before
2.
Like This 01:39
Take a picture of nothing at all Sing something low and incomprehensible Blur the edges of it all Your blood is like water Your will is paper thin I’m tired of too much nothingness Sucking up everything White noise for the ear Valium to the brain Same voice mumbling Over and over Over and over again I’m sick and tired of being told it doesn’t stick When you won’t sing it, When you won’t sing like this
3.
Never Lie 02:48
Read yourself a story that you wrote Tell yourself whatever lies you like I can never lie The truth is sharp it hurts my eyes Walk around a hole that’s in the floor Pretend like you don’t see it anymore I can never lie The truth so bright it hurts my eyes There’s a sound Drowning out all the other sounds How do you live with that din in your ears If you can only learn to let it lie Then all the falling stays up in the sky I never lie The truth runs all through my inside Just pretend you didn’t hear Nothing good will ever disappear I can never lie, dear The truth is like a needle in my ear There’s a sound Drowning out all the other sounds How do you live with that din in your ears
4.
Chains 02:18
These, these are the chains we forge in life And I’ve finally found a promise I can keep But is it too late Is it all laid to waste Does it all run too deep ? When every part of you Is promised to some past lover somewhere There’s nothing I can do To free the part of you that’s still living there But If I’m to leave Then I’d need to believe that you didn’t care That in time you wouldn’t be mine These, these are the chains we forge in life And I’ve finally found a promise I can keep But is it too late Is it all laid to waste Does it all run too deep ?
5.
If It's Not 01:29
If it’s not a love I can use What is it for, what is it for? If it’s not a dream that I’m in It’s really no good to me It’s just money I can’t spend A car I can’t drive A house I can’t live in It's no kind of life If it’s not a love I can use What is it for, what is it for? If it’s not me that you see You’re really no good to me
6.
Sit Out 02:47
I’ve not heard a word of contrition You don’t learn how to firm your position All you stand for Makes me want to sit out I’ve not heard a word of compassion You think love is a power to be rationed All you stand for Makes me want to sit out I’ve not heard a word of contrition You don’t learn how to earn your position All you stand for Makes me want to sit out
7.
No I don’t have a shell And why can’t you tell Why don’t you care Why isn’t it a thing To sting my heart so badly Why wouldn’t you try To apologise Why is it nothing To leave me crying When did I lose humanity to you You think there’s nothing that you can do But I don’t have a shell And why can’t you tell Why don’t you care Why isn’t it a thing To sting to my heart so badly ?
8.
Oh how I earned my place in your cellar With all of my porcelain power Behind the cellar door On the stone of the cellar floor I know I’m a precious one Rare and raring to run You’re the collector You’ll keep me forever A small unknowable thing With you as preceptor Cos you’re the collector Who owns unownable things By pinning their wings
9.
I conceived an idea A notion of a family Pulsing to a beating heart All of my imaginary I’m not being maudlin dear It’s hard a thing to resign Know all you wanted all at once And lose it at the same time The idea doesn’t go A circle that we’re still inside You and me and all we know And our tiny bit of life I’ll carry it forever long This tear upon our hearts If we stitch our scars together, love So we never come apart An idea doesn’t go The circle that we’re still inside You and me and all we know Our tiny bit of life
10.
Sift it through your memory Check the time, check the date Mark the place Then be on your way You cannot hold in certainty Not the time, not the place Just a trace Of all that falls away Life it has no constancy Not a line, not a trace That will not ever change Love is like setting sun Like a letter on a page One will burn The other slowly fades So I love you like a setting sun Like I’ll know no other day All temporary truth Sung upon a stage
11.
Deep Cut 01:52
You’re nothing but a deep cut in my back catalogue You’re nothing but wasted time A rejected line From a song I never sing anymore I wish you whatever you want But don’t come darkening my door Yeah I’m all scorched earth and fire There’s nothing else left Since you liars set in Yeah, yeah, yeah, lemons, Suck ‘em up and see I’m half as bitter as you’d be If you were me
12.
Out Loud 02:51
I’ve never been one for running my tongue For declaring all my love from the rooftops I’ve always been shy cos people will pry into your life I’ve been inclined to hide But if all you ever wanted Was someone to love you out loud I can do it, I can do it now I married this guy And I didn’t lie but I barely told a soul Pretty cold And the next guy I had, well I didn’t share that And no one even knows But if all you ever wanted Was someone to love you out loud I can do it, I can do it now For something has changed And I don’t feel afraid Or ashamed to say your name Any time, any place I guess all I ever wanted Was someone that I could love out loud And I can do it I can do it now
13.
Repaid 02:34
I cannot be confined Or contained I will not be refined Or restrained For what I have retained I will not give away You can hedge your bets And you doubt your debts But they’re gonna be repaid Someday I cannot be maligned Or mislaid I will not be defined Or displayed For all that I remain I will not give way You can hedge your bets And you doubt your debts But they’re gonna be repaid Someday
14.
Unbound 03:18
Time is a great healer And I’d wager space can do that to As I look out at all the water I feel damage beginning to undo I lost a thought, a thought of time When I’d be unharmed and unbound As I look out at all this water I feel that time slowly coming around Time is great healer And I’d wager space can do that to As I look out at all this water I feel damage beginning to undo

credits

released August 13, 2021

All songs written & composed by Josienne Clarke
Arranged by Josienne Clarke
Produced by Josienne Clarke

Josienne Clarke:
Vocals, Guitars, Harmonium, & Saxophone

Dave Hamblett: Drums
Matt Robinson: Keyboards
Alec Bowman_Clarke: Bass
Mary Ann Kennedy: Harp

Mike Hillier: Recording, mixing & mastering
Trude Bakke: Recording assistant
Nick Turner: Additional recording Recorded at Watercolour Studios, Fort William Mastered at Metropolis Mastering

Alec Bowman_Clarke:
Cover design & photography
Aaron Miller:
Design assistance & layout
Photos Taken at Broadscope Studios, Glasgow
Alison Clarke:
Design & creation of butterflies
MV Brown: Make-up
Emma Diamond: Hair

©SGO Music Publishing LTD/BMG
©2021 Corduroy Punk Records

Josienne Clarke appears courtesy of Corduroy Punk Records.
Corduroy Punk Records exists courtesy of Josienne Clarke.

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Josienne Clarke Isle Of Bute, UK

Songwriter/Singer 'Onliness (songs of solitude & singularity)'
Out 14.4.23 on Corduroy Punk Records

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