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The Road To Anhedonia (2012)

by Jim Clements

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a gorgeous digipak sleeve, designed by Tia Seifert of thirstLAB media, with extensive liner notes and original photography.

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1.
Nothing really changes but your moods, The only really ugly thing about you. You love me because I never get blue. I haven't a felt a thing since the day that I met you. You say I'm good enough to get you started off, Be your well-laid path while you're starting over. I must confide, if I had some pride, I wouldn't be at your side, Your four leaf clover. You pulled me up from my roots to Be around any time it suits you You say I'm your lucky charm; When you're all wound up only I can make you calm. And it's just like you said to me, "My love, life it comes and goes, Love ebbs and flows, And it's not like there's somewhere else you gotta be." And I know I can't complain, I could leave anytime and just take the pain, But I'm a sucker for a pretty face. Mother always said I had good taste.
2.
I stayed too long. I've got my mind made up. I've got my friends. Give me my shoes, and hand over that key. I'm gonna burst that door. It took a while but now I understand: there's no walls on a home, And nothing sticks unless I let it stick, except the flesh on my bones. I haven't been clear: I'm out of here. She said, "Love. It's not easy at all. You have to work every day." But it's a fool who keeps on punching that clock if he never gets paid. We put down roots but just got covered in moss, and that's a crying shame. We could have been like two rolling stones, rolling the same way.
3.
On the road to Anhedonia. Thanks for packing up my things. It's a lousy town, but it's like I told you, It's a wonder I can walk at all. And you wrote, "Babe, ever since you went away, I can't believe what I'm getting done, You know I'm just so happy we're both so happy now." On the road to Anhedonia. Don't know what I'll do when I arrive. Unpack my things, do some laundry, Lucky to be alive. And you wrote "Babe, ever since you went away, I feel just like a little girl, You know I'm just so happy we're both so happy now." And I know I shouldn't write, but for the pang in my throat, And the tear in my eye, I reply: "My own true love, my own true love, my own, Oh no, my love, my own true love, oh no!'
4.
I hadn't noticed the moon over the garden at night. There's a fox near the gate, half out of the light. It's been a while since my mind met a thought with a thought. It's not something I learned; it's not something she taught. I guess I felt at home, eager to please, And able to mark out the edges of everything. But now those edges are gone. I said, "Fence me in." Not that I'd try to leave, But there are things past that hill that I don't want to see. So I got into bed to awake when I am old, To stay out of the heat; to stay out of the cold. I guess I felt at home, down on my knees, And able to mark out the edges of everything. But now those edges are gone. But it's good to see the moon. It's bright than I recall, But, then, everything is, now that I'm seeing it all.
5.
Rings 03:47
I guess it's something new. A little clearer now you're out of view. But trying to see past you Is something that I never thought I'd do. I guess it's one more time around, I wound up right back where I started from. And though I miss you, I know I can't go back. So I miss you, and let's just leave it at that. We've been going round in rings, Never really learning anything. Just one more ring on that dying tree, On every anniversary. Don't know why we both just played along. The only thing that mattered was to keep things ticking on. We passed the time by talking about how good it was going to get. I gotta say, it wasn't bad, but not much better than okay. I wonder who'll be next? Someone I know? Someone I haven't met? Will she do things you'd never do, Or will she just remind me of you?
6.
I used to jest that if you left I'd finally write that book, Play piano, go to night school, maybe learn to cook, Trade in my t-shirts for some dress-shirts for a brand new look, Paint my masterpiece sublime. But, y'know, so far the only thing I've done, Is get sleepy, drinking whiskey, with the TV on. It's more like bedlam than a bedroom but I can't clean it drunk, And there's no-one here who minds. I guess I'll wait for the time when my mind's on stonier ground. I'll wait for the time when my mind's on stonier ground. Sometimes I feel that it's all running down, I'd have to fall headfirst to turn my frown around. But falling's just flying 'til you hit the ground, And the ground is nowhere near. So while I sit here with my cigarettes, Partly choking from the smoking, partly from regret, Just respect that I'm not a wreck yet, girl, I'm just a mess, And messes get cleaned up. I'm happy here in bed right now, Soon I'll want more, because I'm getting sore. But one thing that I know for sure: I'm strong enough to sleep this off. So, after years of knowing what comes next, I've got absolutely no idea what to expect. So just relax, man, take a bath and count my one success: The time I'm wasting, it's all mine.
7.
All I Ask 03:09
I know you won't believe me when I say this is brand new. You say I wasn't born this morning, but that's not exactly true. The past's been preparation for what we're about to do. So if it's alright with you, love, I'll try to muddle through, love. I hope that that'll do. It's all I ask. I have never slept so well, or had such lovely dreams. This morning there were colours such as I've never seen. If you're as shocked as I am, take all the time you need. Because it's alright with me, love, Be just how you'll be, love. Just make some time for me, It's all I ask. I'm not saying that you saved me; let's leave the saving up to God. I learned the things I needed long before you came along. I'm just glad I'm holding your hand as life keeps rolling on. Because it's alright with me, love, Be just how you'll be, love. Just make some time for me, It's all I ask. And it's alright with you, love, I'll try to muddle through, love. I hope that that'll do. It's all I ask.
8.
The road is long, but I know a short cut, But you might have to dirty your shoes. I know you'd prefer your way, but that route'll take all day, And we've both got better things to do. And you always wear the whitest shoes, Well, it's one of the nicest things about you. But it's time to take your eyes off the street, And get a little mud upon your feet. You're such a good girl, and if I could, girl, I'd carry you all of the way. The path you're afraid of really ain't that rough, And you'd look just as pretty in gray.
9.
Because I knew I couldn't stay I burst that door and walked away. Now lighter, and on my way. The sun, gold as a coronet, The traffic hum a string quartet, The music, no sorry or regret, An open sky. And then I saw you downtown that night. Among the endless market stalls, The busy, winding streets of Montreal, So much noise, just like no noise at all, I'd said goodbye, And then I saw you downtown that night.

about

Recorded under the working title "My Blood On The Tracks," the now-titled The Road To Anhedonia is, well, Jim Clements' Blood On The Tracks, (although probably a bit less good).

Unlike other, more successful breakup records, Jim didn't record it alone in a cabin in the woods, but rather with all his friends in sunny Vancouver, which was less poetic, but much more fun.

It follows the basic narrative: person is unhappy in a relationship, person happily leaves relationship, person finds himself to be unhappy on his own, person gets slightly happier due to the passage of time, and then finally becomes quite happy, although deeply laden with regret. Unless you listen on shuffle, in which case it's quite confusing.

It is slightly more country than the last record, which is good if you like that kind of thing, and probably quite disappointing if you don't. But, if you've ever been sad (or happy, come to think of it) there's probably something here for you.

credits

released August 5, 2012

Jim Clements (Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica)
Rolla Olak (Guitar, Vocals)
Rob Butterfield (Bass, Slide Guitar, Vocals)
Richard Clements (Drums, Piano, Guitar, Vocals)

Also Featuring:
Jenn Bojm (Vocals)
Henry Beckwith (Piano, Organ)
Joseph Lubinsky-Mast (Upright Bass)
Meghan Engel (Violin)

Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Felix Fung at Little Red Sounds, Vancouver, Canada.

Album Photography and Design by thirstLAB Media.

Special thanks to Tia Seifert, Christine Clements, Dave Gooblar, and Neil Leyton.

This album is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. jimclementsmusic.com

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Jim Clements London, UK

Every five years or so, Jim Clements emerges to drop a collection of literate, witty, surreal, gut-wrenching songs, before disappearing again into the shadows. A songwriter’s songwriter in the tradition of Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt, and Nick Cave, his songs have earned him critical acclaim and a devoted following over his fifteen-year career. ... more

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