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1.
The Height 03:35
I did it the way I was told Packed my bags paid my fair Watched the Boeings above I told myself, "I belong up there." Some people are scared of the height A fear of which I am aware They fight each other here below I tell myself, "I belong up there." Above the clouds, The storms The Turbulent winds The conflict, the wars The constant reminders That I am just another man, Standing on dirt, a man without wings And when they come back to solid ground I ask them what it's like, high in the air They couldn't care less about the tops of clouds Yet I wish I was up there. -Nick Kennedy
2.
One thing after another old words repeat at times there are windows and doors and colors spilling out there are legends and there are signs there are little story's that get missed by the pen Wind Water, thank you for everything it keeps this pen a moving to the beat of a dream who knows the why or the ways that one may find one foot to another, one road sign at a time Oh mind, oh mind so much more hidden in the edges curled up in a ball ready to open if called and no one knows your secrets Held up in a corner picturing something, imagine that Your spider webs a weaving a magical tale all colored all smokey all under the veil Big Has A moment Held up his hands So stop laughing Do you really think like that? No one can believe his luck Big gets bigger, did you see that?
3.
There's no more rules there's no more getting lost on things that just don't matter Energy is yours you own your world Everything is coming up IT ALL AMOUNTS TO SOMETHING: Change is in the air I say wave it like you just don't care (wink) Theres no more Television worshiping or kissing someone else's diamond ring you own the world there's no denying it so take your energy back
4.
Heart Work 02:58
Her red looks real It glows like a sparkler at her fingertips spins off like a magic marker she speaks in codes of flying carpets and I believe in her mystery like a boy in a space suit Lets just take today to play like there aren't things so much more important that need getting done lets forget the made up rules just long enough to feel free Her red looks real like a lady bug with a dynamite set of wheels... 67 Driving down the street and its 11:11 You probably wouldn't believe us if we told you all the crazy magic things that keep on happening to us
5.
Hickory Davidson Made a plan to keep the peace with a boat and a girl and a satisfactory situation no one knew because no one cared about the high tide and the cost of sea floor education the brand is new, fresh since she grabbed you by the foot and left Left with cinnamon crabs and a sun burned nose Jimmy Swanson -Ben Brunn
6.
Shades 02:40
Shades of myself Some that I put on the shelf Flicker and wane Redefining my name But the outsides the same Until clocks makes their claim And The phases of time Provide only rhyme While lost is the ghost That I knew but the most the tumbling ice Whispers fewer than twice So the shadows we have Mixing Two masks that are glad -JAKE UITTI
7.
Maybe it was the way he spoke without words or perhaps it was the gentle smile Henry was always able to bring the light back to earth even when the world around us seemed to be crumbling Bigger things just seemed easy like tornadoes and broken hearts sent out silent words and moved his hands like a magician like a magician Then when Henry calmed the Hurricane it was a magnificent feat didn't seem to want any of the attention It wasn't him it was the state he was in He kissed the alligator Pet the mountain lion and he slept it all off by noon the simple life oh the simple life needs no complications only realizations
8.
Pretend 02:37
They speak French I can feel the words like an old heart beat I've known and loved They spill the sound out all around us They soak us all with syllables (and alcohol) I can only pretend to understand How can I miss maybe third forth or fifth but through the trees you can see it's hit at us so then there's a flash a moment real quick like that I can only pretend to understand More or less I dream of time where the open wounds can find a way to heal themselves but until then I wait on this awkward plane and I pretend to understand
9.
If Doable was a person he'd always be getting things done he could drive all night on a couple cups of coffee he could cut the lawn with his hands he could make everyone supper without cooking a god damned thing He had some kind of knack for all of that he had a voice and boy could he sing He's always getting things done My how he always seems to be No Pressure when the pressure's on Doable Doable's doing something again His dad came down from Kentucky and his mother came from Tennessee They moved out to Skagit Valley and raised old Doable free He might have not been clothed for his first seven years He's got a closet full of memories in a mason jar of tears Who just put this monster in my sleep why would they do that and why would they just walk away from Everything I'm seeing in the air cover me I'm going in it really doesn't seem fair
10.
The new wall 02:53
I am hiding in your looking glass Do you know the secrets that are hiding in the drains like wet hair No one seems to care anymore then a LIKE No one seems to care anymore then a LIKE on the new wall of life Maybe it's too easy to put up and take down Maybe it's too easy to hide in plain sight The great change has made me promise that I forget some of the dreams that expose the map to our new existence I've been told that this feeling of knowing something this close is real and that the runway is different for everyone I've felt this before but I've forgot the dream
11.
On the Hill 02:24
On the hill Soldiers line For their quickened Demise Sky's crying fear From robins eyes Bang bang And the day is done Rolling red over Green - slaughter Is for some The only means On the hill My fathers died And on the hill Their deaths subside Their wants unmet Their lives regret And in the valley We'll grow again -Jake Uitti
12.
Lucky 02:07
I'm a loner I like being alone Hiding away Hiding from the moon working with the sound turning the pages This is my story it isn't always pretty but its the only one I'm living its the only one I'm living and I love it here and I feel so lucky I feel so lucky to be here now

about

2017 SHELK DEMOS... The seventh digital album release, after a digital single in 2013, and an official CD release soon after, followed then lots of digital only demo albums and some demo EPs. This is SHELK #7. I almost called this "A popster of interest" because I feel like I am leaning back into the old school pop. It's basement rock, 60s garage pop, modern indie meets Seventies throwback AM radio all mixed up on and recorded to my laptop. I put this record together like a lot of the other shelk stuff, tons of basement demos recorded in 2017, picked 12 cuts that fit well together... again all un-mastered, so the sounds get fuzzy sure, but I like em like this. It's dirty garage pop baby!

The first song “The Height” lyrics are from Nick Kennedy, he randomly sent me some words he was working on. They fit a song I was right in the middle of, and made a great album starter. Then "Jimmy Swanson" is Ben Brunn's poem about the great SALMON HATCHERY SNAFU of 2017. "Shades", and "On the Hill" are from Jake Uitti who has continued to share his rad poems with me one at a time throughout the years I write his words into songs. On the Hill might be my favorite tune on this release... folk pop baby!

I love writing from other peoples perspectives so I try to add a bit of that to each album. It adds so much to the process. I am so lucky to have such great word smith friends that are willing to share their work for my songs! However the other 8 songs are my own words, and I have had a lot to write about! I have a keyboard pop tune dedicated to Darla called Heart Work, I have a groovy rock tune inspired by my little buddy Henry who is living his first year of life and glowing like a saint. There are songs about characters that are fictional, there are songs about the strange things going on in our world today, songs about things that matter and things that don't matter! Lots of ground covered on this one! It goes to seven!

On the album I played everything... drums, bass, keys, did all vocals lead and backing, and both rhythm and lead guitars, I recorded, mixed and sort of fake mastered it all. This is the result... the SHELK returns!

If I was to release all my demos of 2017 I would have a 100 track record at least, heck i did release an EP of pop songs and a full album of artsy movie house video game meditation type music already in 2017 on the robbbenson.bandcamp.com site... Then there are a few that were really fun songs that just got shelved for either future releases, some were too heavy or some too loose or mix isn't right or just didn't come out very well on virtual tape. HOWEVER This dirty dozen is a good slice of the back half of 2017s sessions.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING!!!!

-Robb

credits

released January 3, 2018

Robb Benson on all music, all melody, and most words...

Special guest poem/lyrics on

The Height ... words by Nick Kennedy
Jimmy Swanson ... words by Ben Brunn
Shades ... words by Jake Uitti
On the Hill ... words by Jake Uitti

SHELK SONGS DEC 2017
Recorded in the SHELK CAVE by Robb Benson

Dilly Dilly!!!

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Shelk Seattle, Washington

Hi I am Robb Benson and I started SHELK as a potential future band back in 2013. Released a full album that year on CD then many digital only basement releases have followed. Eventually became Stereo Embers but that is more of a rock and roll outfit and SHELK is now the solo indie side project (with friends at times) These basement demos are the seeds I release each year. Thanks for listening! ... more

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