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Desert Tortoise

by Matt Zeltzer

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK. A high-quality compact disc of Desert Tortoise encased in an organic sleeve with artwork by Emy Reynolds. Includes a digital copy of the album upon purchase.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Desert Tortoise via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • We made a run of 50 posters for the Cd release show. Each poster is hand numbered and signed.

    Please note that the image below is a low resolution shot of the poster.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Desert Tortoise via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 50 
    Purchasable with gift card

      $12 USD or more 

     

1.
Grecian Isle 02:42
Grecian Isle I want to live on a lonely hill on an ancient Grecian Isle Surrounded by the hills and the sea with the sails glistening in my eyes I want to drink wine from noon to dawn and lay my head in the sand Forget about this busy life, just for a while Cut like glass and hewn of sand, yellow as the blistering sun Dark eyed girls dance in the streets, a new life just begun, just begun I want to sleep on an abandoned beach ‘neith the ruins of a fishing boat I want to find another name and get lost in my dreams for a while I want to taste the lips of fire and be engulfed in your smoke I want to meet my match on a Grecian Isle Cast the nets and hope for a catch Old hands weary from a thousand years Bring ‘em home when the cross winds blow Or you’re going home alone
2.
Portrait 03:51
Blown away by the streets, even branches have no home Slow collapsing paper mills loom giant Billiard balls drift slowly to sleep, Wonderlusting waitress sings herself to sleep All the air drawn out into a cool beginning. Throw your shoes in the back of the truck, Its time to go, don’t pray for luck, It’s a lonesome road when you’re running from your fate Pallid as the midnight heat, the innkeeper hounds her clock Vaccuums blare into the deadly silence Calling into the desert sky It’s a golden, desperate lullaby You’re only a victim if you can’t help yourself Ive been sweatin’ through my teeth Breathin’ through a sheet- I can’t take it I’ve been kicked around and left for dead I might not be ahead, but I’m not finished As the branches turn to the east, each one bows before the other Rustling slow in the lightless border town. Juanita tugging at her golden chain Searching for a portrait in an empty frame All the air drawn out into a cool beginning Feather broken – lying in the dirt— ain’t no dying bird Its only a portrait and it will fade in time
3.
Murder Pays it Forward murder pays it forward with a burning cigarette dying slow beneath october wind. murder walks the boulevard in khakis & a coat staring through to all those pretty scenes. they said he was a quiet boy never showed the signs of joy enlisted just to get away from home. momma said he ain’t the same but he never talked much anyways just hid around the house and watched T.V. he never meant that much to me cold as ash left out the night before murder passes one last steely gaze darts into a railcar and drops down in a seat a drop of sweat between his shaky knees they said he was a quiet boy never showed the signs of joy enlisted just to get away from home. momma said he ain’t the same but he never talked much anyways just hid around the house and watched T.V. he never meant that much to me he darts into a shopping mart, shatters the glass case apart and grabs the nearest shotgun he can find. loads the shells in one, two, three- an automated symphony and one, two, three, he slips into the night. they said he was a quiet boy never showed the signs of joy enlisted just to get away from home. but fighting ate his mind away exposed the cracks inside his brain the desert whipped that boy into a man. and I’ve got to kill him when I can i know that it’s my destiny to bring him in i’ve replayed scene for oh so many years cuz when I stare into his eyes real slow and look beyond the darkened woe i swear to god I see the shit that we’re all in. they said he was a quiet boy never showed the signs of joy enlisted just to get away from home but the pills rotted his nerves away and filled the cracks inside his brain and sealed the damage tight into a jar. well, momma said he ain’t the same but he never talked much anyways just hid around the house and watched T.V. he was a brother to me
4.
Delilah 04:32
Delilah: Delilah lives in tragedy Walking down sidewalks of fear Tries to count the laughter She just falls back to tears She just falls back to tears Delilah loves to play the victim She knows that role all too well. She’s just the victim of her own mind She’s the only one that can tell. She’s the only one that can tell. We used to dance All through the night And she sung along, While we swayed And though I never Could learn the moves She never looked away. Delilah raised herself on ramen, Cigarettes, and grief. Her childhood friends were a razorblade, And an old Bob Dylan LP. An old Bob Dylan LP Chorus And though she never talked that much She always told the truth Between the space between our eyes But there was nothing we could do. Nothing we could do. Chorus
5.
you run me over, you run me over, run me over again and its all your fault you turned me over but the blood was dripping, too late you told me before, to heed your advice i never think twice, i never think twice i'm starting over, i'm starting over starting over again and i'll make it count i'm turning over but the blood is dripping too late i told you before don't cross me twice i’m done playin nice, done playing nice and i’ve got bones to pick, and stones to throw but i don’t have the strength to tear down that wall when I get home i ran you over i ran you over, ran you over again and it’s all my fault i turned you over, but the blood was dripping- too late! and it’s all my fault

credits

released September 30, 2011

Produced by Joe Baugh
Co-produced by Matt Zeltzer
Engineered by Miles Ferrell
Recorded at Transmitter Studios in Ventura, CA
Mastered by Sean Ingoldsby in Ojai, Ca

Musicians:

Matt Zeltzer- lead vocals, guitars
Joe Baugh- guitars
Bill Flores- pedal steel guitar
Sam Bolle- bass
Chris Stites- drums

Backup vocals:
Mark Iris (Grecian Isle & Portrait)
Cindy Kalmenson (Murder Pays it Forward & Delilah)
Hunter Paye and Laura Jean Binkley (Run Me Over)

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Matthew Zeltzer California

Portland songwriter, Matthew Zeltzer, is currently hard at work touring the Pacific Northwest. Over the past year, Zeltzer has toured with Brothers Comatose, Frankie Boots and the County Line, the McCoy Tyler Band, Jaime Wyatt, including a stint as the lead guitarist of NPR Tiny Desk winner, "Fantastic Negrito." ... more

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