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Bread From These Stones

by One Finite Monkey

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1.
It’s the darkest hour of night and even stars don’t show their light and the clouds are heavy with rain but I can see the rising sun long before dawn has begun for in this moment every moment is contained. However near, however far the real and true and good things are, their roots lie in the dawn of time ingrained. what I partake of in this hour are centuries of guiding power for in this moment every moment is contained. I can walk until I fall or I can stop moving at all and never know how much is lost or how much is gained and all the joy that lies ahead lies also on the path that I tread for this moment has every moment. Reality itself seems all to be but shadows on a wall that I only see through glass that’s dark and stained but these shapes will I recognize when I see with unblinded eyes for in this moment every moment is contained I can walk until I fall or I can stop moving at all and still not know how much is lost or how much is gained but all the joy that lies ahead lies also on the path that I tread for in this moment every moment is contained.
2.
Jubilee 09:13
Blind Willie Johnson sat on the capital lawn with an old guitar and an older song. Police came to drag poor Willie away for saying things a black man can't say. If I had my way, if I had my way… The Machine slew fascists right where they stand. He kept singing This Land Is Our Land. Signs on the road saying, "no trespass" will be knocked down or bypassed. If I had my way, if I had my way If I had my way, I'd tear it down I'd tear this building down. I'd tear this building down. Delilah sat down on her Samson's knee. "Tell me where your strength lies, if you please." She looked fine. She spoke so fair. Samson told her, "You can cut my hair." If I had my way, if I had my way… A Lazarus Man on Namibia's coast met Mr. Callier, pale as a ghost. He told his story, began to weep, "Since I been woke sir, I can't get to sleep." If I had my way, if I had my way If I had my way, I'd tear it down I'd tear this building down. I'd tear this building down. At the garden, Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for unity and his tears that fell to the mud, those who saw said it looked like blood. If I had my way, if I had my way If I had my way, I'd tear it down. I'd tear this building down I'd tear this building down I would tear this building down.
3.
I feel my sin at the throne of grace. I see the judge, but can't look upon his face. I know my guilt, wish I could run. I know what I deserve for the done and undone. And I need the healing, I need the grace, I need forgiveness before I leave this place. And so I stand and wait for a sign. Someone comes to meet me with some bread and some wine. Somehow it becomes a body and some blood and we reconcile over holy food and I feel the healing, I feel the grace, I feel forgiveness when I stand in this place. And I find the healing, I find the grace, I find forgiveness when I come to this place.
4.
Forty Days 12:15
Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild; forty days and forty nights, tempted, yet not defiled. The sun scorched the day. The night time ice dew shed. Desert beasts prowled. Stone a pillow, earth his bed. Forty days and forty nights, Satan sat on every rock saying, "Lend me your ears, carpenter, for we must have a talk. You're hungry and you're tired. Listen to what I've said! If you truly were the son of God, you'd change these stones into bread." And Jesus said, "It is written in the Word, it is written on my life, it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled. Why should I waste my power to make bread from these stones when it is written in the Word, 'Man shall not live by bread alone'?" Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild; forty days and forty nights, tempted, yet not defiled. A sunburn began to peel. His skin felt leather dry. The boiling sand burned below the azure Jordan sky. The Devil took him to a high place overlooking the whole world. "All of this you see before you I can give, or haven't you heard all the kingdoms of this world are mine, all that you see. And I'll let you rule on my behalf if only you'll bow to me. So you see…." Then Jesus said, "It is written in the Word, it is written on my life, it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled. Your power is usurped and your authority is phony. It is written in the Word worship the Lord and serve him only." Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild; forty days and forty nights, tempted, yet not defiled. Satan smoked a stogie, ran a magic carpet ride back over the Jordan, over the walls and then inside to the temple of the holy city, and he parked on the highest spire saying, "You need to prove yourself to me. A sign is what I desire. Is it not written he will command his angels concerning you? Well, throw yourself from the temple tower if you believe that this word is true. Will you do it?" Then Jesus said, "It is written in the Word, it is written on my life, it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled. Do you think that twisting the Word of God leaves me distressed? It is written in the Word, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Forty days and forty nights, Jesus fasted in the wild; forty days and forty nights, tempted yet not defiled. In temptation remember Jesus and from greedy goals abstain. Let us watch the Lord in prayer, for with him we endure pain. And, when evil press us, flesh or spirit to assail, as the victor in the wilderness, we should never faint or fail. We will always face iniquity and the Devil may be turned. As Jesus did, we may defeat evil with the power of God's Word. And we shall say, "It is written in the Word, it is written on our lives, it is written in the Word and I will not be defiled. It is written in the Word, it is written on our lives. It is written in the Word and we will not be defiled.
5.
I saw my soul sitting in the eye of the storm I saw my soul sitting in the eye of the storm Old Scratch is coming. I need something that will keep me warm. When I met the Devil, he seemed like a decent man When I met the Devil, he seemed like a decent man When he offered me a deal, I swear I almost shook his hand. I want to walk into Zion, still walking in the light I want to walk into Zion, still walking in the light. Oh Lord, don't you let him put me into that everlasting night. I saw my soul sitting in the eye of the storm I saw my soul sitting in the eye of the storm Old Scratch is coming. I need something that will keep me warm.
6.
Clouds over the delta aren't bringing any rain. Clouds over the delta aren't bringing any rain. On the hills the cows are dying, on the hills the fires rage. Folk on the side roads sell off what they can. Folk on the side roads sell off what they can. Without thought of destination, they're heading to some distant land. Heat comes rising like a serpent from a dry, dry well. Heat comes rising like a serpent from a dry, dry well. Feels like some spirit rising straight from Hell. Midnight dreams find me lying in an empty room. Midnight dreams find me lying in an empty room. As cold as the clay, as silent as an empty tomb.
7.
Periphery 11:30
I ran into an old friend yesterday. I said, "You haven't changed a bit." She half-smiled when I said, "What's the latest thing?" She answered, "Same old shit." She lived with this guy I knew. We'd grown apart, but he'd been a friend of mine. I asked what he's doing now. She said, "We broke up. It's been a long time. And this is what it's like, truth be told, what I thought was cool just leaves me cold and there are days I just feel old and fear I may become unglued. It's the life we live, it's not the one we chose. It's the hand we're dealt that we cannot use. It's the lies we tell that turn out true and sometimes it seems, sometimes it seems this should have been a blues." Years ago, it seemed like I lived only in her periphery and I never had the chance to tell her what she had meant to me. Now she doesn't want to talk, her blue eyes already say goodbye and once again I realize it's simpler just to tell a lie. And this is what it's like, truth be told, what I thought was cool just leaves me cold and there are days I just feel old and fear I may become unglued. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. Sometimes it's fate. Sometimes we choose. What's obvious can have no clue and sometimes it seems, sometimes it seems this should have been a blues. Muddy Waters and Son House knew what it mean't to feel betrayed and Robert Johnson made a compromise for his soul (that's what they say). Mississippi John had the courage to ask for something more: "Here I am, send me" "Make me a pallet on your floor." And this is what it's like, truth be told, what I thought was cool just leaves me cold and there are days I just feel old and fear I may become unglued. It's the life we live, it's not the one we chose. It's the hand we're dealt that we cannot use. It's the lies we tell that turn out true and sometimes it seems, sometimes it seems this should have been a blues. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. Sometimes it's fate. Sometimes we choose. What's obvious can have no clue and sometimes it seems, sometimes it seems this should have been a blues. I ran into an old friend yesterday I said, "You haven't changed a bit."
8.
When I was a child in California hace mal tiempo quando lluvia this literally means these are bad times. It's bad times when it rains, just so you know. Work took me to Maun, Botswana, where in the dry months we all prayed for pula, so when the skies grayed in October, we'd say, pula e etla (rain is coming) and it came out like Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! Rain is coming to bless the earth. Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! Rain is coming to bless the earth. Now, home is just outside Seattle. We have maybe ten sunny days a year. In the morning we drink coffee. In the evening we drink beer. And I smile at the horizon when I see the skies are gray. No mas que hace mal tiempo. It's ALL pula now and I say: Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! Rain is coming to bless the earth. Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! Rain is coming to bless the earth.
9.

about

And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in measuring the shadows with the prisoners who had never moved out of the den, while his sight was still weak, and before his eyes had become steady (and the time which would be needed to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable) would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.

In other words, I spent the first half of 2020 recording a double album. To me, this is a liturgical album, though it doesn't really tick the Gospel boxes if you have a church music expectations in your head going into it.

credits

released June 24, 2020

Rob plays: acoustic and electric guitars, acoustic and electric basses, mbira nyunga nyunga, hosho, kayamba, segorogoro, djembe, cajon, and keyboards.

All songs composed by Robert Veith, except "In This Moment," by Marco Klaue and Robert Veith, and Shumba Panzira, traditional.

Photography and album cover design by James Friesen (www.lifeisart.ca)

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One Finite Monkey Bellingham, Washington

One Finite Monkey: a veteran of a dozen bands you’ve never heard of, a player of a dozen instruments, a producer of something like 50 obscure albums, now holed up in the attic of an old house in Bellingham, Washington, writing and recording songs.

For fans of Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Violent Femmes, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, and Mark Knopfler.
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