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Wisely (Bonus Track Edition)

by Willie Wisely

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Mastered for vinyl by Kevin Gray & Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering, Camarillo, CA. Available on audiophile 180gram vinyl, with adapted art from the original CD release, and re-sequenced by the artist for optimal fidelity.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Wisely (Bonus Track Edition) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • T-Shirt/Apparel + Digital Album

    Designed by Peter Rosenzweig especially for the release of "Wisely". Thick-woven light gray heather shirt sports a design that is eye catching and vibey.

    Draft J. Peterman-esque writeup for the Wisely merch page by Britt Justice:

    Maybe Heather, we weren't meant to fly. But you can try to make things better by acquiring this light gray Heathered t-shirt to hang on *your* beautiful corporeal frame. 190 grams of golden-retriever-soft cotton knit with stork OXOX design. Don't be 'Too Slow to Buy,' as supplies are limited. $10.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Wisely (Bonus Track Edition) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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    edition of 35 

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    “Wisely has created another set of beautifully crafted pop with a vague sense of cloudiness and dread, as if Emitt Rhodes and Ron Sexsmith had decided to collaborate, and Wisely’s skills as a songwriter and a producer are as keen as ever.” ––Mark Deming, ALLMUSIC

    Includes unlimited streaming of Wisely (Bonus Track Edition) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      $10 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 23 Willie Wisely releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Of Candles, We're Keepers (Remote Video Version), Of Candles, We're Keepers, No Surprise EP, Face The Sun, Laurel Canyon Sun Sessions, Parador - 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, Cassettarcana, The Man Who Invented The Moon - The Man Who Invented The Moon - Original Film Score, and 15 more. , and , .

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1.
On My Way 03:49
Everything I own is all aboard Turn off the light slide the key underneathe the door I look at you, you look at me, we look around and then we realize There’s nothing left to do I’m on my way I’m on my way Really on my way, somewhere No one said a word until the parking lot Take good care of yourself you’re all you got I said goodbye and so did you when no one moved we looked into each others eyes And seeing what we see I’m on my way I’m on my way Really on my way Somewhere No you won’t go there But I can’t stay here You say I never asked you to Why ask when I already knew I look at you you look at me we couldn’t see the sky we’re standing in Still here we are I’m on my way I’m on my way Really on my way Somewhere Somewhere No you won’t go there But I can’t stay here No you won’t go there But I can’t stay here
2.
We stood to watch it fall The wall that cut us all Disintegrates into everyone The things you felt were real Impossible to conceal Fear melts away into joy So why are we still fighting the cancer We all know the question follows the answer And every day I grow a little bit farther from you And love grows smaller in the din and the hollar of your Cracked world view I met a lot of people and people are divided it’s true But every day’s a reason for a shorter season of your Cracked world view The sky turned orange blaze Gone arosol insane Like brotherhood swallowed everyone That’s when we knew we’d been blind It’d crawled inside our mind and said “No one loves nobody” Well we know the love and we know the anger now Look in the mirror there stands a stranger And every day I grow a little bit farther from you And love grows smaller in the din and the hollar of your Cracked world view I met a lot of people and people are divided it’s true But every day’s a reason for a shorter season of your Cracked world view
3.
Tokyo Arbor 03:29
Sunshine, looks like the clouds gave us a break Dream light, you’re going to burn me with your face Just another night before days begin to crawl Just another night before snow banks decorate this house Another winter time on Tokyo Arbor To change your ways Flagstone you’ve got a moss for every mood Jasmine I’m going to breathe you till I’m bruised Just another night before days begin to crawl Just another night before gravity decorates this house Another winter time on Tokyo Arbor Twin waterfalls split the icy jade Snow flakes vanish into blackened water Another year I’ll wait for you to change your ways Feline Supine In the shade a sundial frowns Are you going to change things? Or treat me strangely? ‘Cause it’s going to snow until I drown Another winter time on Tokyo Arbor Twin waterfalls split the icy jade Snow flakes vanish into blackened water Another year I’ll wait for you to change your ways
4.
The taste of mud. The taste of silver I’m still in Catalina, collecting caterpillar Cleaning room and climbing ladder I am your friend in the throws of something wicked I am your friend but does it matter The sun is sweet and all but Soon the sweetness dies Unfamiliar The taste of mud is not Unfamiliar Summer hanging on too long Unfamiliar to me And you’ve become You send no word, all that I can do is guess About July. You’ve left me everyday since Memory replays the anger Feet in the sand and all but Soon the sea will rise Unfamiliar The taste of mud is not Unfamiliar Summer hanging on too long Unfamiliar You’ve become Unfamiliar to me So if you’re well, let me know but not too much ‘Cause it would hurt to hear your laughter… your laughter The sun is sweet and all But soon the sweetness dies Unfamiliar The taste of mud is not Unfamiliar That’s the worst way you could be Unfamiliar You’ve become Unfamiliar to me Unfamiliar Unfamiliar The taste of mud is not Unfamiliar You’ve become
5.
California 04:15
California’s killing me She’s outside waiting in a Cherokee Wasted hours on a Ouija board I got more friends here than I can afford Maybe for tonight green lights will align down Sunset Jumped into a dream and drove Got to the beach almost Don’t let the clouds stop us now ‘cuz I adore ya I wanna fly, I wanna float So I’m coming down your coast Trying to breathe here How come no one warns you, California Fourteen freaks on a magic bus That’s not exactly how I pictured us Hanging out by the golden door There’s something missing here I can’t ignore No one understands your circles in the sand like me Jumped into a dream and drove Got to the beach almost Don’t let the clouds stop us now ‘cuz I adore ya I wanna fly, I wanna float So I’m coming down your coast Trying to breathe here How come no one warns you, California... Jumped into a dream and drove Got to the beach almost Don’t let the clouds stop us now ‘cuz I adore ya I wanna fly, I wanna float So I’m coming down your coast Trying to breathe here How come no one warns you, California...
6.
Baby, there’s something about you When my arm’s around you I’m getting all sorts of high The first time, we’ve waited so long Comes along at the right hour Yeah, well I think it’s arrived Tonight we’re going to make love And it’s going to be beautiful Tonight we’re going to make love And it’s going to be beautiful You know me, you know I just want to love you Don’t want to die before I touch you In the desert tonight The sunset and the mountains behind you The pool of light that surrounds you You make me want to say, “Come on, come on” Tonight we’re going to make love And it’s going to be beautiful Tonight we’re going to make love And it’s going to be beautiful...
7.
I’d like… no I’d love To be a mistress for a day To be wanted, then ushered discreetly away To be needed, not needfull, an hour forgets It only requires quietly getting undressed But I’ve got no taste for love held by a pin To always be happy waiting for nothing but wind I’d like… no I’d love To be a forest tonight Ageless, erotic, a good place to die Bending no fences to guard my frontier Pissing on moss marks the end of the year But I’m not much for parties or these fuckers with saws in their hands To always be happy waiting for nothing but wind I’d like… no I’d love To have a writer’s career Topping your insults and growing my beard Giving love on my own fabulous terms Addressing the dead without waiting my turn But I’m not much for books and with you I don’t know where to begin To always be happy waiting for nothing but wind I’ll always be happy here waiting for nothing
8.
Ella 02:54
You kiss my neck and it feels sweet A thousand circles draw complete And deep inside this painful world A love endures And baby don’t you touch ground Our paths were never very clear Our motives might have been impure But after all this time a love endures Remember surely I’ll be there when you’re down Yeah and baby don’t you touch ground Cable cars, Manhattan bars, where Sundays last forever The things that made us sad seem far away Yeah and baby don’t you touch ground Flatboard schemes, new human beings, remember once I said never The things that made us sad seem far away And so we go following dreams For good or worse or in between And who’d have thought that with one little girl We could change our world And baby don’t you touch ground Yeah, Ella b. don’t you touch ground ‘Cause daddy’s here when you’re down And I’ll be here when you’re down
9.
Vanilla 03:11
She said no in the sweetest way I think I took it well And then as I walked away I could tell she could tell I’m much better off without That hopeful pang of doubt ‘Cause all I think about’s Vanilla Vanilla Vanilla So for a while we hide our eyes Sip our drinks, dip our fries Think of all those little lies We can tell, we can tell ourselves I’m better off without That hopeful pang of doubt ‘Cause I can’t figure out Vanilla Vanilla Vanilla You’re melting, and I’m melting You’re melting, and I’m melting Until the ice in my Coke melts Till the CD repeats itself Until then I can pretend Pretty well, can’t you tell I’m much better off without Your hopeful pang of doubt ‘Cause I can’t think about Vanilla Vanilla Vanilla You’re melting, and I’m melting You’re melting, and I’m melting You’re melting, and I’m melting You’re melting, and I’m melting
10.
Somewhere in my parallel you lie a little To what’s left of my middle, that’s your right Somewhere in four directions I could fly on a riddle In your arms, but they’re brittle and I fall The tricks you got away with make me cringe That I’m okay with your massive passing fancy finding free That’s OK, you’re only losing me Hey, if change is meant to be And losing was okay We’d give in and agree True, we’ll let blame be the sign That you were never really mine The way you’d want to see You’re only losing me Somewhere by the bedside I feign that I’m little When you play noncommittal When someone so peripheral Can’t sustain even bliss Pull, shoot and miss Then we kiss All we wish for Goodbye The one’s you played a game with Stitched and staid I walk away with A birthdays half-forgotten memory Puzzle piece, You’re only losing me Hey, if change is meant to be And losing was okay We’d give in then agree True, we’ll let blame be the sign That you were never really mine The way you’d want to see You’re only losing me Hey, hey True, well love does not unwind And you were never really mine The way you’d want to see You’re only losing me Hey, if change is meant to be And losing was okay You’re only losing me
11.
Early in the morning when the sun comes through any window Break the promise that each day is a new early morning, through any window Blue is the memory of her bedroom eyes Green as the envy I can’t hide Red is the color that she lays so bare In early morning Sunlight kiss me on my head of gloom in early morning Glide across the bed then fade at noon through any window In early morning Blue is the memory of her bedroom eyes Green as the envy I can’t hide Red is the color that she lays so bare In early morning, through any window School bus take them far from home Take the children far from home Take the children far from home Soon to see how sad their lives become, through any window, and Blue is the memory of her bedroom eyes Green as the envy I can’t hide Red is the color that she lays so bare In early morning, through any window In early morning, through any window
12.
You are music to my soul More beauty than I’ve ever known I want to sing to you a misty melody As long as you love me… As long as you love me… As long as you love me I… I’ll be singing I’ve got a love song on my mind Your beauty drips from every line Your lips are harmony repeating As long as you love me… As long as you love me… As long as you love me I… I’ll be singing I’ll be singing, yeah yeah yeah I want to play for you a bossa melody Remind you of that misty morning when you first made love to me You are music soothe my soul How do you do it? I don’t know Again my ears start to ringing As long as you love me… As long as you love me… As long as you love me I… I’ll be singing I’ll be singing, yeah yeah yeah You are the love song on my mind I’ve got a love song on my mind I’ve got a love song on my mind I’ve got a love song on my mind I’ve got a love song on my mind
13.
To lead a better life I need my love to be here... Here, making each day of the year Changing my life with a wave of her hand Nobody can deny that there's something there There, running my hands through her hair Both of us thinking how good it can be Someone is speaking but she doesn't know he's there I want her everywhere and if she's beside me I know I need never care But to love her is to need her everywhere Knowing that love is to share Each one believing that love never dies Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there I want her everywhere and if she's beside me I know I need never care But to love her is to need her everywhere Knowing that love is to share Each one believing that love never dies Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there To be there and everywhere Here, there and everywhere

about

This album is offered at Bandcamp courtesy of Oglio Records.

"Wisely", also known as the OXOX album, shows a commitment to austerity. Created with producer/drummer Petur Smith (Jason Faulkner, Rusty Anderson) the arrangements are surrounded with space – stripped to a naked honesty – with plenty of room for listeners to come and visit, and stay for a good long while.

This Bonus Track Edition includes The Beatles classic "Here, There And Everywhere"

That Faint Scratching Sound

In 2004 drummer/producer Petur Smith and I ventured up the west coast from Los Angeles on a hardscrabble tour. The journey was distinguished by a faint sound emitting from the back seat. We didn’t know it right away, but the sharp edge of a steel guitar stand was scraping the bejesus out of the plastic interior door panel. For the rest of the tour, at the onset of any disappointment, boredom or fatigue (or any other road-born emotion that demands an absurd response), we’d mimic the scraping sound with our mouths and laugh. The joke was as abstruse as it was troubling, because I was certain that National Car Rental would charge us hundreds of dollars for the damage.

Our show in Coos Bay, despite being poorly attended earned us a few fans. But most that audience would’ve greatly preferred we play Creedence Clearwater Revival covers or get the hell off stage (I think we tried to play “Lodi“). The coolest gig of the tour was booked by a songwriting partner of mine Andras Jones. He had us opening for Eleni Mandel in Olympia––with the impressive Joshua Grange playing guitar and pedal steel in her band. Before the show, as Eleni and I both set up our merch tables, I mentioned to her the name of a mutual friend and watched her immediately ice over, as if I’d reminded her to an unfaithful boyfriend. Maybe she was just distracted. But, further conversation was stifled. I’d impaled myself upon a chill.

Regardless, I swooned at her set that night, and took a thousand pictures of her. I had already been a fan; her WISHBONE album (produced by pop masters Jon Brion and Brian Kehew) was always a favorite. And of course, her voice is spellbinding. Music did all her talking for her.

The tour’s apex was a gig at Doe Bay on Orcas Island. The ferry ride across the Puget Sound was a beautiful treat––certainly more enjoyable than the gig, played to a few booths of people, mostly facing away from our bass-less duo. After the show, the show really started, drinking with my old pal John Berry and a friend of his. John is a sensational visual artist and over the years I’d had him design a few album covers, posters, fonts and a huge backdrop for my bands. So drinking on a remote wooded island, far from home, made for a lovely time.

One odd memory persists: while driving through remote Oregon on Interstate 5, Petur’s pillow was sucked out of an open back seat window. “O crap,” I exclaimed as I saw it fly away in the rear view mirror. “What?” Petur asked. “You’re pillow! I am pulling over.” But he insisted I not. I pressed the brakes a little, as he said, “no, no, go on it doesn’t matter. It’s the pillow from my girlfriend’s bed.” The remark seemed too fraught with psychological overtones to respond to. But, I felt we should go pick it up, if for no other reason than because there’s something sad about a pillow by the side of the highway. I anthropomorphize pillows, like children do teddy bears.

On the tour, Petur and I performed many songs that I’d begun recording for my PARADOR album. During the long ferry ride to Orcas Island, I gave Petur my iPod and asked him to give his opinions on the rough mixes. He was critical about tones and an overall coldness. His honesty was heartbreaking, but also illuminating, as I’d been working on PARADOR for a while and had no perspective on it. I trusted Petur’s opinion because his taste in music and his feel on the drums are impeccable. From the very first time seeing him in 2000 with The Januaries he’d impressed. His drumming was sublime and groovy, and stole my attention, despite a Bardotesque singer in Debbie Diamond, and the awesome Rick Boston on bass/guitar.

A week later, as our tour came to a close, on yet another sunny SoCal day, Petur suggested he and I produce a song together. We chose “Altitudes” as the recording that most needed a rethinking. I’d demoed the song with vintage 1960′s rock and jazz samples, and then done yet another version that was too hyper-active. Petur felt that a different rhythm would make it more cohesive. So probably in early 2005, we gathered at my home studio in Laurel Canyon, set up some drum mics and started recording and arranging.

Petur labored over the drum arrangement for a couple sessions. He insisted on stripping away unnecessary parts. I’d never worked with a producer so committed to the hygiene of a recording––if you will. But it was surprising to see how the removal of tiny, excessive details served to better outline the song. His goal was to make the arrangement see-through––a structure of bars upon which a fleshy song could hang and not be obscured. His approach reminded me of Gwyneth Paltrow’s face and how her skin so gracefully shrouds her bird-like bones. Petur added bass and acoustic guitar when my performances didn’t feel delicate and controlled enough. Besides lead guitar and singing, I mostly engineered the track, perfecting the edits and enjoying the ride.

After Moog Cookbook’s Brian Kehew added Mellotron and synthesizer we finally had a slender, cool, compelling version of “Altitudes”. I included it on PARADOR, which inspired deeper collaborations with Petur, resulting in the WISELY album, recorded during 2006-7. Our working title for the project was LUNGS, and I regret not keeping that, because the space around the music on this record is air-like and gently swelling. The economy that Petur brought to the album is its defining quality––nothing extra, just clarity and clear tones without that faint scratching sound in the background.

credits

released January 8, 2008

produced by Petur Smith & William Wisely Jr.
mixed by Chuck Zwicky at ZMIX (NYC)
executive producer: Jeff Gross
Mastered for vinyl by Kevin Gray & Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering, Camarillo, CA. Available on audiophile 180gram vinyl, with adapted art from the original CD release, and re-sequenced by the artist for optimal fidelity.
oxox graphic by jotcreates
watercolors: Susan Freedman
scribble: Ella b. Gilbert Wisely
photography: Brent Roske
design: Pete Rosenzweig for worknonwork

special thanks:
Kay Wisely, Maya Asai, Jenna Fischer, Mark Copeland, Carl Caprioglio, John Cabrera, Wende Crowley, Lee Kirk, James Gunn, James Gonis, Alexander Gould, Eileen Hochberg, Mike Dow, Cammy Kinney, Kara Monaco, Mike Elliot, Rusty Anderson, Kalle Gustafsson Jerneholm, Mike Ruekberg, Pascal de Maria, Mikey Bouchereau, John Fields, DJ Bonebrake, Anya Marina, Alannah McCready, Kenneth Seng, Danny Giles, Mercedes Blackehart, Meghan Blalock, Jesse Jaraczewski, Carrie Freedle, The Gorts & the Hoffmanites, Smoothie King, Emily Jo.

Deepest gratitude to Petur Smith for his contributions of vibe, wisdom, long hours & great playing.

Dedicated to Winston Elliot Wisely born on the longest day of the year. Endless love to Kay.

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Willie Wisely Saint Paul, Minnesota

Equal parts Minnesotan music scene veteran and Laurel Canyon resident/devotee, Willie Wisely remains that rare bird mixing profound power pop with arena-sized showmanship, a troubadour on an all night rave up, a cold kombucha on a hot California day, a McCartney-ite taking a break from his Japanese import of “Ram” for a quick Canyon run listening to João Gilberto. ... more

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