Stratospherical, by Black Fortress of Opium

Stratospherical

by Black Fortress of Opium

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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

Enhanced CD features 6-panel booklet with lyrics and original artwork by Thom Martin, Tony Savarino, and David Samuel Robbins. Also included is the music video for "Afyonkarahisar Battle Cry."

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

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1.	Blood Diamond 04:15	lyrics	buy track
I would wear your diamond So tightly around my neck I would wear your diamond For your picture is already there We could build a family Nice and slow The compression of the ages Turn dirt stone into precious I would wear your diamond Anytime anywhere See it sparkle see it shine See it cast light on your hair And in the event of occurrences Like broken hearts and promises I won’t complain now baby ‘Cause what we had is what we had You suck me into your whirlpool A spiral of fascinating love Your world and your planet Ah let me be your sun To warm your heart forever Bar nothing bar no one The sun is burning my ears Thinking and talking with golden rays Warm arms that embrace me I say stay swirl stay I would wear your diamond So tightly around my neck I would wear your diamond For your picture is already there We could build a family Nice and slow The compression of the ages Turn dirt stone into precious
2.	Afyonkarahisar Battle Cry 04:58	lyrics	buy track
Some 700 steps up to the summit Some 700 steps if you can climb it Atop, Acröenon Afyonkarahisar It’s a testament to reach the summit You’re a soldier if you can climb it Stones white, from below But what can fools who see from afar know You can build castles in the sky So lovely on high Yes you can So high up and far from ground So many enemies to crush down Yes you can Locked inside is something ecstatic Instinct bides you to protect Dark, but I will defend It to the death Battle cry, hymn of the solemn Oh the glory in a flower Early June, with poppies In full bloom You can build castles in the sky So lovely on high Yes you can So high up and far from ground So many enemies to crush down Yes you can
3.	Blind 05:35	lyrics	buy track
Upset in a dream, don’t know how I got here I hear myself scream, and don’t know who I am How did I get here, to become so confused I hand it to you, looking amused I write in sky blue, had to distance myself Far away from you, you poison my thoughts This drug of exhaustion feels good in my blood Behind tired eyes, mind drifts off in a dream We are the blind children leading the blind We are the blind children misleading the blind We’ll sort it out one day, the noise in our minds We are the blind children misleading the blind Have I lost you, are you too beaten down Have I lost the way to touch you, sensitivity gone Must I remain a child Have I lost you, and a way to get through We are the blind children leading the blind We are the blind children misleading the blind We’ll sort it out one day, the noise in our minds We are the blind children misleading the blind
4.	Fata Morgana 05:14	lyrics	buy track
When the walls of the Factory went down When the walls of Berlin went down When the walls of Warhol went down Things changed forever When giants tumble When giants fall down When towers crumble When towers fall down When Lennon When Lennon went down Shot down by a man With disillusion in his head Something broken took over in his mind He acted and he couldn’t rewind Now it’s always on mind Every day and all the time
5.	Regret & Rue 05:24	lyrics	buy track
Black and blue Beat myself up A few too many times Regret and rue By now he is used To my abuse Again Know how it feels Feel how it hurts I suffer through Limitation Deprivation And degradation Don't you hold Don't you hold hate Don't you hold hate in your heart Don't you hold Don't you hold hate Don't you hold hate in your heart No no no no don't you hold Don't you hold hate in your heart Again Feel how it feels Feel how it hurts Carry me through This miscarriage I suffer through Limitation Deprivation And degradation
6.	Right Around Here 04:53	lyrics	buy track
I’ve scored right around here Tell me what was I doin’ Yeah, you sympathize with him ‘cause you wanna be his victim Ride up along Spring Hill See clouds in the distance There’s a lot of it here Hiding hidden The deal is on friendly terms No waiting, best of service I know I’m getting cheated but that’s part of how it works And I’m OK with that A chip off my rock is a luxury tax I’ve scored right around here Tell me what was I doin' Yeah, you sympathize with him ‘cause you wanna be his victim I’ve scored right around here What the Hell was I thinkin’ Yeah, you sympathize with him ‘cause you wanna be his victim Oh the seeking and the getting And finally the doing I couldn’t do it fast enough I could not save a speck or chunk Scrape together enough for later Up along Spring Hill or in the Square Numerous locations where Happiness can be purchased Up for sale I’ve scored right around here Tell me what was I doin' Yeah, you sympathize with him ‘cause you wanna be his victim I’ve scored right around here What the Hell was I thinkin’ Yeah, you sympathize with him ‘cause you wanna be his victim
7.	Unraveling 03:05	lyrics	buy track
We’re okay in the night With clear strength in our blood Headstrong You kneel above me as if in a nest I pray to you in song Singing along You watch over me Sweet sick bird I’m cracked through this shell I let the egg run through your fingers Through your hair The others melt away People fall away and leave Leaving you and me in the room Me in the wooden nest you protect
8.	Southern Hymnal 03:06	lyrics	buy track
Well I wanted to do it for you So I sat in the birthing chair But you’re selfish and distracted I could not think of one reason to stay there Three sheets to the wind down in Copenhagen And I’d swear there were ghosts in the room You hold my hand like some kind of bible You never really believed You say my name like some kind of prayer You only half-remember You say you love me like some Southern hymnal You can’t find the page in And I’m riffing it hard off his bare toothless grin And I’d swear you deserve to be dead I wanted to do it for you So I sat in the birthing chair But you’re selfish and distracted I could not think of one reason to stay there Strange clicks in the room like a ghost and I know I am dead
9.	Cherry Blossom 04:14	lyrics	buy track
A cherry blossom blooms in spring Divine wind brushes your hair This loneliness, will it ever end A leaf floats from above The moonlight bathes your face This loneliness, will it ever end Will someone ever miss me I’m afraid I’ll die alone Will someone ever complete me A self-fulfilling prophecy Atop the peak of the mountain The eagle’s flight so majestic This loneliness, will it ever end Engulfed in a blazing inferno Submerged in a deep blue sea This loneliness, will it ever end Will someone ever miss me I’m afraid I’ll die alone Will someone ever complete me A self-fulfilling prophecy
10.	Get the Timing 04:38	lyrics	buy track
There’s a certain funny way Your voice cracks I’ve taken up speakin’ Kind of like that And though I’m missing you now and the future’s unknown I’m determined To hang onto this world To see if we could become something Though it makes me weary I try to be so careful I try to do it just right But I’ve got a burning question How to make you mine Can I get the timing right Can I get the timing right Will I get the timing right now Will I get the timing right And yet you sit there in your park Without a clue Of what you’ve done to my life Or that I’m sitting beside you And as you smoke your sweet cigar And think things through Your smoke twirls in the air And I try to figure out what to do But will I get the timing right If I see you there tonight Will I get timing right now Will I get the timing right
11.	This Dark Clovd 07:30	lyrics	buy track
Can we Commit this Can we Get this down How long Don’t like the deal Can we Get this down This dark cloud rolling in on me What do you mean Don’t answer it Can’t see him Keep him out He’s too broken This dark cloud rolling in on me What do you mean

about

In the evening we approach the Black Fortress of Opium. It has taken us years though we have always been here. As the light settles into long shadows the dust upon our weary bodies ignites with the last breath of the day. We have arrived together, and alone. Silence hovering between us, a blind fish great and terrible in the heavy air. As we ascend the cliff’s face, sounds begin to materialize in the atmosphere. With every step we approach the Fortress and the sounds become a melody, the melody becomes a song. The song swells and thickens in our blood and threatens to erase us from within. Suddenly a flurry of blossoms erupts from your throat—swarming from your parted lips into the growing darkness. A hurricane of white petals in the waning hour—sweet cacophony of oncoming night. This is the din of our absolute solitude. This is the unraveling. This is the moment where I see you for the first time as you become water and water becomes starlight and starlight becomes the thing I long for but can never hold. I approach and you vanish away. I grasp you, and you are gone. I am a traveler standing at the gate and you are the city of song. - Janaka Stucky

"Both rootsy and ethereal sounding (think Turkey by way of Texas)" - Andrew Wilson, Boston Band Crush

credits

released March 6, 2012

Ajda the Turkish Queen - vocals, mandolin, tenor banjo, acoustic/classical/electric guitars, flute, keyboards, melodica
Tony Savarino - electric guitars, electric sitar, tabla/tambura iPhone sounds
Dave Yanolis - electric & upright bass
Joel Simches - bass, keyboards, percussion
Rich Cortese - bass
Brian Viglione - drums, percussion
Joe Turner - drums

Recorded by Martin Bisi at BC Studio, Rafi Sofer at Q Division, Joel Simches at V8, Danny Gold at NEIA
Mixed by Martin Bisi at BC Studios in Brooklyn NYC & Joel Simches at Sonic Enhancement Specialists, Ltd.
Additional production by Martin Bisi & Joel Simches
"Afyonkarahisar Battle Cry" produced by Joel Simches
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian at Kevorkian Mastering

All songs © 2012 Black Fortress of Opium/Sul Ross (ASCAP)

"Afyonkarahisar Battle Cry" video directed and produced by Noah Blumenson-Cook with additional production by Jake Hamilton

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about

Black Fortress of Opium Somerville, Massachusetts

Born 2006...exploring the psychic sub-conscious and creating a mood...music that is "rootsy yet ethereal (think Turkey by way of Texas)."

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Guitaring
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Tony is our guitar player, and is so amazing, we can't say enough! On his recently released debut solo album, he demonstrates his tasteful versatility in several styles. BFOO's Ajda guest sings, too! Black Fortress of Opium
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Marks the 35 year anniversary of our producer Martin Bisi's BC Studio. Features a track by Ajda plus members of Sonic Youth/Swans/White Hills/JG Thirlwell/Cop Shoot Cop/Live Skull/The Dresden Dolls. Black Fortress of Opium
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BC35 VOLUME TWO / The 35 Year Anniversary of BC Studio
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Volume II celebrating 35th anniversary of our producer Martin Bisi's BC Studio. Features a track by Ajda plus music by members of Sonic Youth/Swans/Foetus/Cop Shoot Cop/Live Skull/The Dresden Dolls. Black Fortress of Opium
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