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Dark Matters

by The David Nelligan Thing

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1.
Comfort Zone 02:10
I am in my comfort zone I like it here, it's nice. Oh, you should leave me in my comfort zone if you want my advice. I have found a space where I can be my open self, where I can close the book of my failures and leave it on the shelf. I was born a wailing screaming baby, that was me and that was my way of expressing my wish not to be so free. I go swimming in the ocean, I'm as peaceful as can be as if the amniotic memory is flooding back to me. But of course the bubble bursts and I'm left to bemoan the difficulty of maintaining just a modest comfort zone. I am in my comfort zone I like it here, it's nice. Oh, you should leave me in my comfort zone if you want my advice.
2.
Every day we wake up with a past. The great expanse of time appears so vast. How are we traversing it so fast? Do not hesitate or act in haste. Your fear is something that must soon be faced. You'll often find that it can be misplaced. Every day we wake up with a crash. Everything can change in just a flash. Just try not to do anything rash. Every day we wake up with a chance to improve, to progress and to advance, to change our attitude and circumstance. Don't expect too much but don't lose hope. Life is just like walking a tightrope. Balance is the only way to cope. Every day we wake up with a start. Every day has something to impart, something good that we should take to heart. Every day we wake up with a past. The great expanse of time appears so vast. How are we traversing it so fast?
3.
Those long conversations with all those endless questions and useless explanations, our best guess estimation, it's not quite information. We wear our desperation with pride like everything that we tried, it didn't work but it might have triggered something in spite of our worst assumptions. You've got good intentions but you're not reinventing the wheel just keeps on turning, you feel you should be learning what's real, what's substantial. You wonder, existential, you ponder what's above and under? What's there when it's over? What's it resting upon? And what's there when it's gone? With some concentration, we'll conquer complications. I want more inspiration, ideas germinating, solutions incubating. I wonder, contemplating my blunders, what's above and under? What's there when it's over? What's it resting upon? And what's there when it's gone? Sometimes I feel I'm going over old ground, going over old ground, over old ground, old ground, over and over like I'm a broken, I'm a broken, I'm a broken, I'm a broken, I'm a broken record. Sometimes I feel I'm going over old ground, going over old ground, over old ground, old ground, round and round just like I'm a broken, I'm a broken record.
4.
If there was a heaven and hell and even a god as well, I couldn't guess what heaven would be like but hell, I've got some ideas alright. Could be the stretching out of your anticipation and the wringing dry of your imagination. You don't know what but it's coming soon. I think that hell is a waiting room. I think that hell is a waiting room. I think that hell is a waiting room. There might be magazines about new flu vaccines. There might be a ceiling fan and there might be a sneezing man. But on the other side of a door, there's eternity of unrelenting torturous absurdity. You don't know what but it's your turn soon. I think that hell could be a waiting room. I think that hell is a waiting room. The stretching out of your anticipation and the wringing dry of your imagination, you don't know what but it's coming soon. I think that hell is a waiting room. I think that hell is a waiting room. I think that hell is a waiting room.
5.
Dark Matter 03:02
I'm waiting for my shadow to desert me. It's clear that light is all we can see. The dark matters matter not. The dark matter matters not. Night, night and day, day, black, black and grey, grey matter to me to be done away with. The dark matters matter not. The dark matter matters not. The gaps in our knowledge are making us see things in the void that can't possibly be. The dark matters matter not. The dark matter matters not. Mystery, mystery, what have we missed beneath the plane on which we exist? The dark matters matter not. The dark matter matters not. The dark matters matter not. The dark matter matters not.
6.
There's a term for your condition. It is human, human, only human. Flowers don't ask for permission before blooming blooming. Maybe we're vessels waiting to be filled. Maybe we're wonders waiting to be willed. I bang my head against the sky until I see stars, 'til I can see the stars. Takes all day until it is night. But it's always worked, it's always worked so far. All of this time just waiting to be killed. Every grain just waiting to be milled. There's a term for this condition. It is human, human. All of the things that we intend to build. Every promise going unfulfilled. We are still vessels waiting to be filled. Still we are wonders waiting to be willed.
7.
Words I don't mean I don't care, all the noughts and crosses you must bear feeling bad about yourself because it's free, that's so like me. But no more, I know this place like the back of my face. Words I don't mean to live by, words I don't mean, I don't mean to live by, bye... This is the first time I fell so far and bounced so high. We should have made some kind of deal before I told you how I feel. Now nothing is happening so fast that something's wrong. Time itself has stopped for me but the world goes on the world goes on, the world goes on, the world goes on, the world goes on by. The world goes on, bye... Words, I don't mean to live, I don't mean to live by words I don't mean, I don't mean to live, bye. Words I don't mean, I don't mean to live. This is the last time infinity is finishing. Wrap it up now, it's almost like you knew somehow. Nothing is anything like something's going on, nowhere is anywhere like somewhere I belong. I belong where I belong. Words you didn't mean, I don't mind, all the noughts and crosses I can find. Feeling good about myself, I'm happy to pay the price. Why can't I ever take, why can't I take my own advice? It's words I don't mean, I don't mean to live by words I don't mean, I don't mean to live. This is the first time there's no first time for everything and I told you last time, infinity is finishing cos nothing is happening so fast that something's wrong, nowhere is anywhere like somewhere I belong. I belong where I belong. Words I don't mean I don't say but that doesn't mean they go away, they go away. Noughts and crosses on the brain, god I fucking hate that game. This is the last time, it's like I said the last few times, there's no first time for everything, infinity is finishing and nothing is anything like something's going on, nowhere is anywhere like somewhere I belong. I belong where I belong. Oh, I belong where I belong.
8.
My head's full of marbles rolling around. After the jump, I'm still scrolling down. The world is all silence, static and sound. Creation is chaos, it's all for the best. Your heart's just a muscle that sits in your chest. As long as you're living it won't get no rest Feelings unlike words can't fake being true. They're not always good but they do what they do Mine make me me and yours make you you. As billions before us lived out their days we're made to be happy in small simple ways, to sit by the fire and gaze at the blaze. Yeah, feelings unlike words can't help being true. They're not always good but they do what they do. Mine make me me and yours make you you.
9.
Been Burned 02:38
You try to be honest, you try to be fair but don't always get the same in return. You have been betrayed, you have been ripped off and you've been burned, oh you've been burned. If it's made you wary, you've been made aware sometimes you expect the worst, it's true. But I guess it must be scary 'cos I'm kind of scared it's bringing out the worst in you. Reach a little farther, he of little faith. A little goes a long way, I am told. But when you try to be more open, you try to open up, the effort feels absurd. If you're always honest, if you're always fair you know you won't always get the same in return. Nothing could be worth it, nothing's what you've got. When we get burned, what do we learn? Ooh, don't, please, don't think, don't think it'll always be like this, it won't.
10.
Fresh Starts 02:16
All this distress, we must progress. I digress. Love? Hate? Donate eyes, hearts, fresh starts, fall apart. And sir's answers? Absurd adverbs overheard.
11.
I drink something strong to loosen my throat so that I might hit all the high notes and sing of higher hopes. And I got a feeling that your feelings are what matter the most. From this stage I can see every face, I'm drinking up the atmosphere of the place, oh, the beersoaked blues. Hey! I got a feeling that your feelings are the things you choose. Now I don't believe in nothing but that's not to say that nothing ain't something when some things ain't hardly nothing at all. When my schooling was done I thought, "That wasn't much fun!" I should have spent more time outside in the sun while I was still young. Yeah, I got regrets but no more, I guess, than anyone. Cos I don't believe in nothing but that's not to say that nothing ain't something when some things ain't hardly nothing at all. No I don't believe in nothing but that's not to say that nothing ain't something when some things ain't hardly nothing at all. Now some folks dance and some folks fight and some folks fail where others are getting it right to other folks' delight. But I got a feeling I will see 'em all in the bar tonight. Yeah, I got a feeling I will see you in the bar tonight.
12.
Soso Farso 03:36
All the overwhelming possibilities, we're misunderstanding every opportunity. All the underwhelming trivialities bury us beneath a mountain of banality, so (so far) so. Though my kilter's off and my thoughts are askew, if you tilt your head I'm sure you'll share my point of view. Planet Earth is stranger than we ever knew. And our fiction's tamer than what turned out to be true. All the overwhelming possibilities, we're misunderstanding every opportunity. All the underwhelming trivialities bury us beneath a mountain of banality, so (so far) so. When I behold beauty, shit is juxtaposed. You can trust your eyes but try to also trust your nose. When it looks as if it's too good to be true then it might be someone trying to get the best of you. All the overwhelming possibilities, we're misunderstanding every opportunity. So (so far) so. So (so far) so. So (so far) so.
13.
Flip a Coin 02:39
I don't want you to be unhappy. Happiness is a coin in the air. Your illusions are going to be shattered. I remember when I learned that life wasn't going to be fair. I don't want you to have to worry. Flip a coin, the decision is made. Expectations, they don't really matter. I don't want you feeling naive and misused and betrayed. I don't want you to be absent. How can you love what's not even there? Our emotions are so hard to master. I remember when I learned that life wasn't going to be, wasn't going to be fair. I remember when I learned, oh yeah.
14.
If we had good reason, oh we could be more reasonable, though I don't think we ever really think, ooh I don't think, I just act on instinct. Oooh. I don't think so clearly Clearly I don't think it so clear. Every choice you ever made led here, ooh fight or flight, adrenalin or fear, ooh. I have my mind on other things, oh, if you had something else in mind, fine. This is how our lives will be defined, ooh I don't think I'm thinking all the time, oooh I don't think we ever really think, ooh I don't think I just act on instinct. Oooh.

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14 track album (13 additional tracks available upon download).

1. Comfort Zone
2. Every Day We Wake Up
3. Reinventing The Wheel
4. Hell Is A Waiting Room
5. Dark Matter
6. The Human Condition
7. Noughts + Crosses
8. Feelings Unlike Words
9. Been Burned
10. Fresh Starts
11. The Beersoaked Blues
12. Soso Farso
13. Flip A Coin
14. I Don't Think (A Song In Two Halves)

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"Sprawling, ambitious… genre-straddling… Nelligan appears to have several musical personalities... intriguing"
-Hot Press

"…tightly crafted, wonderfully wordy, darkly humorous and uplifting… marvellous work…"
-The Sunday Business Post Magazine

"…wonderfully crafted, deliciously infectious indie pop songs."
-The G-Man Blog

"…a true marvel… highly inventive… uplifting and vibrant… 10 out of 10"
-U and I Magazine

"...songs that run a dizzying gamut of styles and genres... all of the songs are very engaging and enjoyable… from bruised country to all sorts of lo-fi gems… it's great."
-The Cork Independent

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The 'Thank You' blogroll. 
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/03/the-david-nelligan-thing-lead-track-from-new-album/
www.thepointofeverything.com/2013/03/27/watch-cork-band-the-david-nelligan-things-first-video-from-new-album-comfort-zone/
www.thegmanworld.com/2013/03/new-video-david-nelligan-thing.html
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/04/the-david-nelligan-thing-new-video/
thecorknews.ie/articles/dark-times-ahead-10150
www.goldenplec.com/video-roundup-the-hard-ground-im-your-vinyl-the-1975-alias-empire-tdnt/
www.thegmanworld.com/2013/04/the-g-man-playlist-monday.html
www.thepointofeverything.com/2013/04/11/the-david-nelligan-thing-reinventing-the-wheel-video/
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/04/the-david-nelligan-thing-latest-new-video/
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/04/biggles-flys-again-w-the-david-nelligan-thing-the-roundy-cork-05-04-13/
universalwax.net/2013/04/16/the-david-nelligan-thing-comfort-zone-listenwatch/
www.thegmanworld.com/2013/04/exclusive-stream-david-nelligan-thing.html
stereosubversion.com/the-david-nelligan-thing-to-release-dark-matters-april-24th
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/04/the-david-nelligan-thing-album-title-track/
www.drunkenwerewolf.com/2013/04/18/introducing-the-david-nelligan-thing/
www.thepointofeverything.com/2013/04/19/the-david-nelligan-thing-dark-matter-video/
musicthatisntbad.org/2013/04/20/video-the-david-nelligan-thing-the-beersoaked-blues/
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/04/the-david-nelligan-thing-new-video-album-out-today/
www.thepointofeverything.com/2013/04/24/interview-the-david-nelligan-thing-diy-was-the-only-way-to-go-for-me/
stereosubversion.com/the-david-nelligan-things-dark-matters-now-out
thetorturegarden.blogspot.ie/2013/04/reinventing-wheel.html
www.drunkenwerewolf.com/2013/05/01/the-david-nelligan-thing-release-dark-matters/
2uibestow.blogspot.ie/2013/05/top-5-videos-2-see-now-ft-mossy-nolan.html
www.thegmanworld.com/2013/05/cork-gig-guide-13th-may-19th-may.html
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/05/the-david-nelligan-thing-dark-matters-song-by-song/
corkindependent.com/20130516/setlist/the-david-nelligan-thing-launches-dark-matters-S64917.html
www.hotpress.com/The-David-Nelligan-Thing/music/reviews/albums/The-David-Nelligan-Thing-Dark-Matters/9845675.html
wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/05/the-david-nelligan-thing-w-rory-francis-obrien-in-pictures-coughlans-cork-17-05-13/

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'Dark Matters' consists of fourteen songs written and recorded throughout 2012 and early 2013 against a backdrop of unprecedented unrest and uncertainty. Personal, professional, local, national and global catastrophes plagued its recording, seeping into its atmosphere. The unlikely result is strangely uplifting. The album's infectious melodies and playful lyrics seduce the listener into what ultimately becomes a cathartic trip through the darker corners of this struggling artist's psyche and an exploration of his conflicted relationship with the fractured world we live in. It's refreshingly honest and lyrically engaging. Overarching themes of regret and powerlessness, exhaustion and frustrated idealism battle with a longing for optimism and positivity to create a suspenseful subtext throughout the album. Songs in wildly different styles are tied together thematically to construct an absorbing story. From the nihilistic country of 'The Beersoaked Blues' and 'Flip a Coin' to the ominous acoustronic mania of 'Dark Matter' and 'Fresh Starts', the heartfelt wistful pop of 'Comfort Zone' and 'Feelings Unlike Words' to the anthemic existentialism of 'Every Day We Wake Up' and 'Noughts + Crosses', 'Dark Matters' is an ambitious and accomplished album. While previous lo-fi releases 'Junk From a Past Life' and 'Everything Matters' were promising, 'Dark Matters' marks a huge creative leap forward, bursting with harmonies, insightful lyrics and inventive arrangements.

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credits

released April 24, 2013

Written, arranged, performed, recorded
and produced by David Nelligan.
Additional recording and engineering on 'Hell Is a Waiting Room',
'The Human Condition' and 'Soso Farso' by James Eliot Taylor.
Drums on 'Soso Farso' performed by James Eliot Taylor.

Album art by David Nelligan.
Font by Billy Argel.

Thanks to James Eliot Taylor, Andy Wilson, Joe Cusack, Rory Dillon, Shane Murphy, Mark Fitzgerald, Dominika Walachowska, Ronan Leonard, Dave Knox, Chris Dunne, John Synnott, Edel Barry, Emmet O'Brien, Gary Meyler, Colm McAuliffe, Ronan McCann, Ray Barron, Plugd Records, Wingnut Records, The Pavilion, Patrick & Breeda Nelligan, Olivia Nelligan, Paul Nelligan, Colm Nelligan, Shane Nelligan and Pishkin.

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TDNTav Cork, Ireland

Eclectic music. Pop, rock, electronic. New album in the works.

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