Aleatorium, by The Old Smugglers

Aleatorium

by The Old Smugglers

supported by

	/

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
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
This long awaited second printing of The Old Smugglers' first full length album, Aleatorium, is here! Recorded in the middle of the woods by the light of a gas burning lamp and heated by the fire of a cast iron stove, Aleatorium is a 17 track masterpiece of undeserved confidence and ill-conceived notions of grandeur. This album features fan favorites such as 'Salad Days', 'You've Got the Shimmys', and 'We All Walk the Plank Alone'.

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

ships out within 3 days

$10 USD or more

1.	You've Got the Shimmys 03:12	lyrics	buy track
You've got the shimmys and I've got the shakes Let's all stand up to fall into the morning It's a full house swing on a bed of nails 'Til the faces pale before the sweltering heat You couldn't ask for a better one even if you tried You couldn't ask for a better one even if you lied Underneath the table there's a man with a handle With a rap, rap, rap, to know he's still there She lives in a painted dream and I can tell by your scowl You did too You couldn't ask for a better one even if you tried You couldn't ask for a better one even if you lied...and I know you tried You've got the shimmys and I've got the shakes Let's all stand up to fall into the morning It's a full house swing on a bed of nails 'Til the faces pale before the sweltering heat You couldn't ask for a better one even if you tried You couldn't ask for a better one even if you lied...and I know you tried
2.	Ocean Fell from the Sky 04:21	lyrics	buy track
Burning down to the ground with a trial by fire As the eye of the storm sings like a Baptist choir Just beyond all horizons lay the dead and gone And the gods coax the smoke out from its timbered tomb. Hammer to the anvil and a spear through my heart, Spit a mouthful of blood like a waterspout, I reach for the earth, my lungs fill with contempt But my soul escapes away the body broken and bent. The morning heavens weep when my pyre ignites As I sail to the east toward the guiding light 'Cause brimstone disguises the smell of death. And as the phoenix rises the charcoal laments. I looked down from the steeple 'cause only angels fall And devils well dressed motherfuck them all. I got a head full of bombs and a briefcase of guile I cut off my wings because madmen can't fly And the ocean fell from the sky.
3.	Black Molasses 02:15	lyrics	buy track
There it is again Like an air pocket A wink and a slap But nothing kills momentum We're all going to fall From the rafters through the floor And it won't stop there Another twist and a crack Until we breathe in the sweet Forced air remembers our lies And the curtains will cover our bones Dream a little more We'll line up the rest 6 in a row Carved in tallow and regret You won't see it coming And that's how I like it best Drink it down with the dust that doesn't settle on the sill And still I would've been there And still I should care It'll all wash away like the Black Molasses The weight never settles It shimmys and it shakes Pulls on the wire With a nudge and a nod And the timbers snap Like brittle bones We all knock back We all knock back A release From the salt Of the day
4.	Angel of the Sea 04:29	lyrics	buy track
Overboard My lungs slowly fill with inky weight Hold it still My arms wrap the id with loving care A night wretched up rogue wave pulls The deck swells with sodden delight A white knuckle cracks and bleeds To the dance of the albatross flight Will I see you Hold me up waiting For the right moment Just like an angel of the sea...for me Undertow Dragged through the silt of yesterday Release control My hands search for purchase to pray A wade through my memory's mire Draws up a briny mix A cold comfort slices in Twists the blade and the albatross sinks Will I see you Hold me up waiting For the right moment Just like an angel of the sea...for me Washed ashore Forgotten like an old rag doll Battered and sore I pull myself up to my feet The last line a sandy grit I'm cleansed by the sunrise glance I narrow my eyes and breathe To the flight of the albatross dance Will I see you Hold me up waiting For the right moment Just like an angel of the sea...for me.
5.	Told the World You Were Gilded 03:09	lyrics	buy track
When you were born a hole was dug and you were told the edge was the sun You accepted the wall And you never thought to climb. You never knew you were nothing You never knew of the fall You're lucky you just knew yourself And how you were never nothing at all. When you lived the hole grew deep And you were told to just believe You remained calm And indifferent as it evens out in the end. You never knew you were nothing You never knew of the fall You're lucky you just knew yourself And how you were never nothing at all. When you died the hole was filled And you told the world you are gilded You neglected all Because there is no such thing as time. You never knew you were nothing You never knew of the fall You're lucky you just knew yourself And the dirt washed down the drain You just knew yourself And how you were never nothing at all.
6.	Squelch 02:18	lyrics	buy track
You're the last one left on this torn up sinking ship Even the poets have found a new cause Now you're looking for a plank that will carry the weight Of the baggage that's been piled up for years Look around and you'll see All the tired tied up dreams Like flotsam they knock on the hull Thinking back we can tell When it all fell to hell The alarms cut the night to the bone When the captain said "Stand, we'll not take her to land, we can ride out the storm 'til she blows." Not a hint of remorse as we're blown well off course As the first of the crew take to the sea The dream finally ends as you lose your last friend The sea never gives up its dead
7.	Viaduct 04:03	lyrics	buy track
When I woke up that day I had pennies taped to my eyes And bottles in both of my hands I thought I should vow to never find my way back here again That's a far as it got So I throw down the coppers, my eyes as red as the wagon I had when I was a kid I opened the shutters and stammered and stuttered As I bade the day a very good morn Got dressed had a cup and wandered out to the street It had snowed the air was chill The plows they were marching their blades were a dragging it sang me a song to carry me on Well across the viaduct and past the psycho the children were laughing they hadn't a care The traffic hushed by as it scared all the birds from the wires who watched as I talked aloud So I stopped for a pen and I stopped for some paper To jot down my thoughts lest I forget My eyes glazed over my hands did shiver As the words spilled out and buried me deep When I got to my car it was right where I left it The snow had caressed it to keep it warm Got in and it started, it sputtered and trembled And sang me a song as we headed back home I am real, I am here, I am scared, I do behave I am cold, I am sore, I am tired I do believe, I do believe
8.	Salad Days 04:13	lyrics	buy track
The sail is full the sheets are tight Now heel 'er out with all your might Unfettered wake and unfurled glee Buried deep and now set free Yaya yahaha, yaya yahaha A starboard gust can wake within To lose the static, lose the din Hiked out reeling in the rush All caught up in the siren's song of salad days Yaya yahaha, yaya yahaha The glassy face and ice cold arms Still hold you fast in all their charms The caps collide right off your bow With crests still breaking to slap you down To the waiting dreams of the seaweed's might Through the amber glow of distorted sight Its rippled laugh will grab the keel Help right you up help keep you real Yaya yahaha, yaya yahaha Now dandle your daughter to the sailor's tune 'Til the morning's breath cuts through the moon Cast your eyes through the wall of sea It'll work for you as it worked for me Yaya yahaha, yaya yahaha
9.	Make Haste to the Smugglery 03:06	lyrics	buy track
When the curtain drops and the lights go dim We’ll sweep the day under the streets The cloak room hangers clack like dried up bones The last coat check is in Songbirds are packed into the steamer trunks Night owls let loose from the hat box Hounds roam the grounds with their nose in the air And the gate is latched and locked You gotta make haste to the Smugglery Find that sway in the bottom of a glass Make haste to the Smugglery Drain it all down ‘fore the sun breaks There’s a velvet shroud o’er the tops of the homes All the fires have gone out The moon’s on the rise with a sparkle in its eyes The foreman starts another shift The wind kicks around all the boats at the dock And rattles down the alley way to boot Street lights flare shadows crawling everywhere Better find your way, better push off the ground You gotta make haste to the Smugglery Find that sway in the bottom of a glass Make haste to the Smugglery Drain it all down ‘fore the sun breaks With the soot and grime washed down the drain And the bones have been picked clean The ne’er-do-wells cast out on the swells The sea’s a friend to me It’s the night’s last stroll through the sleeping streets The chairs have all been stacked The sun will soon return and you’ll start to feel the burn Better line them all up, better make ‘em all fall Make haste to the Smugglery Find that sway in the bottom of a glass Make haste to the Smugglery Drain it all down ‘fore the sun breaks down.
10.	Best Parking Space on the Block 04:17	lyrics	buy track
My windshield may be cracked and dirty The blades are old and rotten And you can stick your legs through the rust hole in the floor Radio’s been busted since 1978 Tires are bald with the belts popping out Radiator’s leaking like an old man He’s coughing up blue smoke, and choking on the blue smoke Brakes are screaming like a banshee through the night Hold on tight here come some more train tracks They’ll rattle your cage and they’ll throw you back in your place Sparks are flying like it’s the Fourth of July The heater’s busted so wear a hat and coat And I don’t like the look of all that engine smoke Well the radio’s been busted since 1978 Tires are bald with the belts popping out Fly around the corner got to use it to your advantage Now reel it in tight ‘cause the bumper’s got a bandage You’re an off track rooster tail filling up the back seat Cutting down the cul-de-sac burning up the back streets Frozen tree watcher through the intersection’s main vein Hood wink blocks up a hill down the passing lane Looking for a slalom, looking for a drift Catch it all supped-up hanging on a frozen rut Radio’s been busted since 1978 Tires are bald with the belts popping out You gotta kick the door if you wanna get out I just found the best parking space on the block.
11.	Posthumous Son 03:59	lyrics	buy track
Push them up and push them out Tempt us with hands down the front of your pants Bitrate’s increasing is just the beginning Reserve and control the facade of freedom Made up of endless scars and TV screens and movie stars With soleless shoes, demanding rules How many emotions can you stand to lose? Higher and higher the altitude rising And all are gasping for one breath of air The system's not broken, we're all meant to fail The war is continued and fought forever Made up of endless scars and TV screens and movie stars With soleless shoes, demanding rules How many emotions can you stand to lose? You can't take it back You can't take it back The interest accrues as you take it all back.
12.	Clipped Wings 01:55	lyrics	buy track
I remember all the things you said. Every word. "It could be worse," is not an excuse for your poor behavior. Sometimes the thing that's holding you back is all in your head, Tying you down until you are dead.
13.	Return to the Sea 03:03	lyrics	buy track
Like a bad penny, an old dog chewing in the woods A good idea from a fever dream burning down the Waking thoughts slipping through the teeth Like a frayed notion, a last drink of scotch A raindrop falling through the cracks in the mortar While a white pail gathers up the rest I will return, I will return, I will return to the sea Just leave me by the shore let the waves drag me back into their arms The rocks and sand will bleed the days away The moonglade winks and cuts down to the quick And leaves nothing but the bones, dried out and alone, for me Like a leaking faucet, a pressure valve hissing like a snake A lampunlasi shattered on the floor as the fire Coats the room like a gallon of paint An uncomfortable silence, a spilled glass of rum A breakdown hidden by a wry, crooked smile While the crowd slowly lists on their feet Just leave me by the shore let the waves drag me back into their arms The rocks and sand will bleed the days away The moonglade winks and cuts down to the quick And leaves nothing but the bones, dried out and alone, for me I will return, I will return, I will return to the sea And I'll drag you down, I'll drag you down, I'll drag you down to the bed
14.	The Devil Always Knows 03:07	lyrics	buy track
He walked six by six by seven To the Boulevard late last night Looking for angels from heaven With halos so loose they ignite. He bought round after round And the shots all went down So smoothly by red neon light. He drank sixty proof of whatever his angels dared him to imbibe. Shot for shot, all together drink up! The Boulevard is lit and alive! He bought round after round And the shots all went down So smoothly by red neon light. Profound is the sound When your smuggler stays down 'Cause the Devil he knows your delight. He had 600 counts of transgression. "What's 66 more?" so he thought. As always he turned to aggression When he's smuggled more often than not. He bought round after round And the shots all went down So smoothly by red neon light. Profound is the sound When your smuggler stays down 'Cause the Devil he knows your delight and your flaws and the je ne sais quoi to exploit all of your imperfections. He stood six by six by seven And familiar the face from before He fucked all the angels from heaven His dishonor has made him the whore. The mirror reflects All his sins and regrets Even through inebriate sight Shipwrecked and inept, "Is this really correct? I've been staring at myself all night?" Astounded he's found When he's found on the ground And he never really left out the door Profound is the sound When the smuggler stays down 'Cause the Devil always knows that he's right.
15.	Beat the Fire Outta You 02:11	lyrics	buy track
Got all riled up with the coffee and soot Found you holed up at the Halfway House Been a long day dragging this pine-box fill And Allis doesn't give a damn I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you, I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you Boiling hotter than a good goddamn Down by the well with cast iron gate The wind cuts to the quick Best not linger with your mouth agape Best not look my way I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you, I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you Boiling hotter than a good goddamn I'm the keeper of the embers through the long cold night Dreamer of the ash and smoke Log hauling drifter through the moon-glow's wake Just to stumble back again I run hotter than hell with a temper to match And I can strike anywhere Don't you go looking for a stoop to light Might not walk away I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you, I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you Boiling hotter than a good goddamn I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you, I beat the fire outta you, beat the fire outta you Boiling hotter than a good goddamn
16.	Bullet 03:39	lyrics	buy track
Fired my last bullet into the belly of the night It just kept on weeping, holding the stars real tight There’s a foreign dog sniffing in our backyard again Where I planted all my secrets taking o’er the patch The porch light burned out, windows leak like a sieve I’m wrapped in a blanket keeping an eye on things There’s a group of laughing children playing tag in the dark The wood smoke feels welcome as I drift in my thoughts The church bell tolls softly like a beacon in the night And I wash upon the shore, the chill dances with delight I step out from my slumber to shake out last week’s fog Stars and night help find the stride to carry me back home Let’s have a drink to the best laid intentions Line ‘em all up, just don’t trip and fall Were you down by the river holding hands with a whisper Tying ropes to regrets and watch ‘em sink like a stone Raise one more glass for our fallen intentions Kick ‘em to the curb let ‘em wash down the drain Raise one more glass for our fallen intentions Drink ‘em all down don’t let ‘em come back Raise one more glass tonight!
17.	We All Walk the Plank Alone 05:50	lyrics	buy track
When you look past the waves And find nothing but shame And the wind slaps your pride To leave you limping and lame Tied your 120 bass To your only good limb And you’re covered in piss And ready to swim When your lung’s filled with bilge And your mouth’s filled with bile You’ve chopped your guitar To stoke the dying fire inside Your thick skull’s cracked open And you’re bleeding out hope The yardarm’s inviting And you’ve plenty of rope When you’ve sunk your last ship And you’re smuggled to the floor When your peg leg is rotten And she’s left through the door You’ve got one last bullet In your rusty old gun Batten down the hatches And give up the fun When your lung’s filled with bilge And your mouth’s filled with bile You’ve chopped your guitar To stoke the dying fire inside Your thick skull’s cracked open And you’re bleeding out hope The yardarm’s inviting And you’ve plenty of rope The best advice I received From a dirty old salt is "We all walk the plank alone..."

about

With pounding headaches, our heroes crawl from the shores of Smuggler's Cove and into the dark and ominous woods that lie just beyond Point of No Return. It is getting late and the temperature is dropping. The screech of an owl and the taunts from the moon was enough to keep them pressing onward.

The Old Smugglers come to a clearing where they see the flicker of a lamp through a window of an oddly shaped house. In the distance they hear the faint sound of a child crying through the verses of Happy Birthday while a substitute teacher eagerly greets his classroom.

The Infamous Dr. Thunder and Mister December approach the dwelling and open the door. Heat blasts the room from an old cast iron stove. There is no electricity or running water. The hissing gas lamp on the center of the wall illuminates a menagerie of objects on a table. The shadows dance and drip off the ceiling as if the Devil himself drank the fire and gave them life.

Armed with 50 batteries, The Smugglers quickly get to work and record an aleatoric masterpiece of undeserved confidence and ill-conceived notions of grandeur as the snow starts to fall.

Lyrics and music by The Old Smugglers
Recorded by Erik Pearson
Mixed and mastered by Tom Herbers
Photography by Joshua W Murray

Last Bullet Records
LBR003
©2015 The Old Smugglers. All rights reserved.

credits

released November 13, 2015

Cap'n Thunder - vocals, guitar, drums, percussion, accordion, kazoo
Mr. December - guitar, backing vocals, bass, percussion, mandolin

license

about

The Old Smugglers Saint Paul, Minnesota

Scotch and coffee, smelling like smoke and grandpa, truckload of soup cans falling from the sky, Americana shanty sounds of regret and revelation.

contact / help

Contact The Old Smugglers

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like The Old Smugglers, you may also like:

Echo Dancing
by Alejandro Escovedo

The legendary Alejandro Escovedo returns with another country-rock scorcher. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 29, 2024
go to album
24th Street Blues
by Tom Heyman

Tom Heyman documents life in San Francisco circa 2023, refusing to succumb to easy characterization & instead capturing the city’s nuance. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 22, 2023
go to album
An Evening at Macri Park
by Seán Barna

Singer-songwriter Seán Barna writes a moving and tuneful character study of the dimly-lit Brooklyn queer bar. Bandcamp New & Notable May 18, 2023
go to album
Out on the line
by The Blue Highways

The slashing roots rock on “Out On the Line” always makes its way to the kind of triumphant chorus that quickens the pulse. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 2, 2023
go to album
Passion Fruit Boys
by Passion Fruit Boys

Nashville’s Passion Fruit Boys nail the effervescent janglepop of ’80s college radio with bright guitars and immediate hooks. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 1, 2022
go to album
Legacies
by Deau Eyes

Soulful indie pop with an ambient twist, the latest from Deau Eyes is ghostly and bewitching. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 11, 2022
go to album
Jessy Baby Forever
by Jess Harp

Jess Harp's angelic vocals float dreamily over a strummy mix of emo, country, and folk. Bandcamp New & Notable May 12, 2022
go to album