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30 Seconds of Fame

by byron

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

    Includes a 17-pages PDF booklet with lyrics and illustrations.
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      €7 EUR  or more

     

1.
I am more than a song You hummed one day When the sky was bright, I move the air around, Caress your ears, Elevate your flight... I'm chasing my prey In a crazy ballet, Gnashing my teeth, I search underneath, I have to play till the last day, I'm not a poser! One step at a time, my partner in crime, I give you all, I just need a small Metaphor, rhyme, lost paradigm, I'm closer... I'm stretching my nerves, cutting the curves, Filling the holes with ancient scrolls, My universe grumbles and stirs Although I'm sober, I'm ready to shake, ready to take Uncertain ways in this bloody maze Give me a break, I'll stay awake Till it's over!
2.
Tummo 03:59
Windows are shut tight, Curtains are drawn, Silence Silence Crackles in the chimney, Words almost whispered... Serene Serene Outside, the ravaging storm Is whipping the walls, Old valleys are howling, Enraged, The temple is standing still While the world's wrath crawls, Covered in steam on a rocky slope, Uncaged... Burning coal pulsates, The floors are sweating Naked Naked
3.
I, Human 02:59
Here are my bones, This is my skin: Here I am, Trying hard to fit between. Ribcage and collarbones, Cranial vault, There's no escaping My cells and walls. As the creaks are getting loud I keep dreaming of a backup cloud: Such a pity it should end Being stuck into this Legoland... Tendons and muscle Keeping me bound - Such a lousy way To crawl around... Look through my windows Behind the screen: Lines of code In a fragile machine. As the colors start to fade, I keep wishing for a full upgrade. Would you try to comfort me And forget I'm only chemistry? Only a spark, Only a spark... If you comb through this fluff, Searching every crack, If you see through this bluff, Should you peel it all back, If you look close enough I am only a spark, Hopeful for light But expecting the dark.
4.
Chalk Line 03:40
My spirit is anointed with self-esteem, So why shouldn't I cross the T's and dot the I's? I'll keep you over the brink till you figure this is not a dream And you give up waiting for the stars to align. The merchants on the streets are selling their very souls, But there are no buyers during this depression... The communists are eating from Tibetan singing bowls, While the fallen angel attends his first confession... And I walk a chalk line... You spend too many hours in your hammock by the sea, Lazing in the sunlight, smoking king-size cigarettes, You act like there's nothing wrong, sipping from your ice tea, Your country's sold, but you have no debts! And I walk a chalk line... There is no turning back, the lighthouse is on fire, I'll pack this bloody suitcase and I'll be on my way, The aliens are sweating, building an empire, And you calmly order one more of those frappés... And I walk a chalk line...
5.
War will stop, you'll see, and everybody will Celebrate live on TV, you know what? The devil will commit some kind of suicide! The Africans will eat Italian cuisine And happiness will only be routine The pain will stop and a good old bop will shake the dancefloor But it ain't gonna happen today... It ain't gonna happen! Money will disappear and all the rich guys Will work the land as volunteers, And Wall Street suddenly will care about the whole mankind. W. will drive an electric car And the Pope's gonna put his faith in a jar The pain will stop and a good old bop will shake the dancefloor But it ain't gonna happen today... It ain't gonna happen! There'll be no wars, no soldiers, No guns, no murders, No politics to blame. There'll be no lies, no priests, No fear, no beasts, There'll be no filthy games. No rulers, no rules, No villains, no fools, No prisons, no escapes. There'll be no wrong, no right, No black, no white, And freedom's gonna get a real face But it ain't gonna happen today... It ain't gonna happen!
6.
The Game 04:57
This is where it all began: We started to play the old game again, When the cards came out I knew You were trying to hide who you were But you didn't fool anyone, Anyone... When the lights began to flow I knew I had to play the same old role. Couldn't bear to see you trying, Pretending you had no doubts But you were lying to everyone, Everyone... It was your smile the one who taught me how to kneel - The brand new wonder - 'T was like you always knew precisely how I'd feel, You didn't ponder, My thoughts you seemed to hear, Embarrassed, I Began to fear you. Even if it was hardly fair I played my old maneuver in a state of despair. The cards were all different kinds But the art of bluffing's distorting our minds, So everyone thought I was the one, But I was not...
7.
They've built a big hotel in the garden of Eden, On top a lounge with trees, apples and cheese, Where nothing's forbidden! The heroes are at the gym to please the new designer, And there's a grimy and worn, lost unicorn Begging for scraps at the diner Sometimes life is like watching cartoons A surrealistic collage, Humming the silliest tunes, Bewitched by a stunning mirage... Bewildered, I'm stumbling around, Fooled by colours and lights, The homeless is finally crowned, And I'm gonna be one of his knights! Between two rivers of joy there is a fountain of grief, And here, a bloody trace to the killer's place, But there is no relief... The white rabbit pretends he doesn't know any queen, The hatter sips his tea near the sea reading a men's magazine The fairies and fauns are dancing inside the cathedral, The Lord is pleased - his work is finally fine! Disobedient sensitive meets the prudent cerebral The posture's serene but the eyes surely shine
8.
Sleepwalkers 04:55
We like to think we are Controlling our own lives, We believe we're open minded, But we'll only trust our eyes, We rely on the illusion There is someone on call out there, Someone we can count on, Someone who's always aware... We always fight for freedom - A notion we don't understand - We don't like to pay attention, Diversion is our only demand, Everyday we fantasize about The life we could have had, Sleepwalkers crawling on the streets, Dreaming about their warm bed... We're terrified there's no one Behind the curtain in this show, We're ready to go on believing We're somewhere over the rainbow, We fool ourselves we know a lot About our selfish lives And we assume that heaven Is somewhere in the skies...
9.
The Puppet 03:13
I've been here for so long, Don't know where I'm going Or where I came from: My mind is daily throwing Memories apart, My words are slightly slowing - If you look at me you'll see that Inside I'm glowing! I've been trying so damn hard To be what you want me to be, I couldn't stand a chance, Life was draining out of me, I was vanishing Into this greyish sea... Now I'm not moving a muscle, dear, But inside I'm free! I've had enough of these puppeteers Building their bravery with our fears! I've been hanging around all these years, I think it's time to move along... Sitting all day long, I'm tired of waiting for A miracle to come Knocking on my door. I open up my eyes, Press my soles against the floor: I might seem a little rusty to you, But I'm going to war! I think I've lived this day before Or maybe I just dreamed about... My rebellion was nothing more Than a string I cannot move without... I've had enough of these puppeteers Building their bravery with our fears! I've been hanging around all these years, I think it's time to move along... You better stop wasting my time, I won't engage in pantomime. I don't need to play a role To fill your empty goddamn hole!
10.
It's coming from upstairs - A little chemical thought Releasing the feeling you need to stay alive. Revolving around you, the world Is looking shiny when you smile, The trees turn into stones when you feed your black dog. Feeling the urge to embrace the air A long time no see friend who's been around - Closing your fists, a proof of will, Trying to move the mountains with a sound. It's all up to you, it's all up to you... Sometimes, downstairs, A little fight against the change - They always need the same regime to cheat their emptiness. Telling a lie - The trick can be swallowed by the nerves, So let's go back to the beginning of time! The wire is tight and the need is walking on it, The perfect balance and a gap to make the feelings fit, The scratch on the roof of your mouth You're not allowed to touch And you can't control your tongue 'Cause it wants it so much...
11.
What If 03:32
We built huge temples to keep our fear out the door, The dark is crawling near the walls drawing shadows to hide… We filled our most precious books with interdictions and laws And promised ourselves a fabulous life on the other side… We made up habits and rites, we often knelt and prayed, polite, To the air around, the walls, the ground, to be heaven-insured… We hope we’ll pass the fear we've lived with all these years, Singing some dull, absurdly long chorale, hoping there is a cure… What if there’s nothing more? What if this is all we've got And we’re wasting our precious time preparing for nothing? Are we really so afraid? Do we need all this masquerade? We have to face the fact that we don’t know anything... We managed to kill our brothers for they had other beliefs, We completely forgot where we all came from And now we think we’re different! We burned the curious at the stake, We condemned the devil and the snake For our weakness when we broke the rules We made up ourselves…
12.
Road Trip 04:00
I swear to you, we'll make it, Just take a sip and let me drive this car, There's a god of the stoned who wouldn't let us break it, This incredible journey is under the radar. Don't worry about anything in the whole universe, Tomorrow we'll laugh about today, Anxiety will just make the travel worse, I promise nothing will stand in our way! You'd better play with your ticktocks, Get yourself a beat, give your heart some shocks, You'd better mock this very sec', You wear your woes wrapped around your neck. Just pass the bottle, I need someone to save me My mouth and throat are impossibly dry I wish it was summer and we were heading to the sea, I miss her eyes reflecting the sky... Running to the border Of our consciousness's disorder Our vision extends To the beauty of the sunrise, Saying our last goodbyes, And time suspends... Breaking into pieces Finally releases The tensions we’ve stored. The survivors will have to Light some candles for those whom They once adored...
13.
Finale 02:29
Overnight My dreams became little songs Flying around the room, Dancing all day long... Resonant sounds Hanging from the ceiling, Making my heart beat again, Revealing My sense of emotion, Swimming in the ocean Of uncertainty, Making me feel Free...

about

"30 Seconds of Fame" is byron's fourth studio album and the first one to see a bilingual release (the Romanian version is called "30 de secunde de faimă"). Most of the 13 songs were composed by Dan Byron in February 2012 during an international challenge which called for the participants to compose and record a 10-track album in one month - Dan completed the challenge successfully. On this new record the band presents a very diverse sound, experimenting quite a bit with various electronic elements and textures yet retaining a particular "acoustic" feel on certain key tracks.

credits

released March 16, 2013

Dan Byron - vocals, acoustic guitars, flute, programming
6fingers - piano, keyboards, glockenspiel
Costin Oprea - electric guitars
Laszlo Demeter - electric, fretless and acoustic basses
Dan Georgescu - drums, percussion

Alexander Bălănescu - violin on 13
Luiza Zan - backing vocals on 2, 3, 7, 8, 10
Petre Ionuţescu - trumpet on 7
Mircea Mutulescu - oboe on 11
Mihai Boboescu - bassoon on 11
Pablo Hopenhayn & Juan Ignacio Emme - Esession Strings on 11
6fingers - demon voice on 3
Amateur Night Choir on 6 recorded at Clubul Ţăranului during Impromptu 6, Jan 16, 2013

Music by Dan Byron, lyrics by Dan Byron, except 3 (music & lyrics by 6fingers) and 9 (music by Costin Oprea, lyrics by Dan Byron).
Arranged by Dan Byron
Recorded, mixed, mastered by Victor Panfilov - Real Sound & Vision, assisted by Dan Georgescu
Artwork by 6fingers
Photography by Radu Bădoiu & Cristi Şuţu - Foto Union
Producer - Victor Panfilov

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byron Bucharest, Romania

Alternating between introspective melancholy and playful exuberance, byron play alternative rock with a progressive flair. They're equally comfortable with loud amps or no amps at all, and they filmed a gig in a salt mine (300ft below) just to show they mean business. Featured live on MTV and HBO. ... more

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