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Guiding Light

by Robbie Brown

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1.
Ember 03:37
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Talk is cheap, and your words are worthless Inaction amplifies the hurting Stop blowing frigid winds of thoughtlessness It's hard enough to keep my fire burnin' Don't give me the torch you put out long ago What I require is a beacon that grows Start as a spark and end up so much more The embers keep us warm Talk is cheap, and your words are worthless A gesture mitigates the hurting A snowstorm brought by winds of thoughtlessness It's hard enough to keep the flames churnin' Don't give me the torch you put out long ago What I require is a beacon that grows Start as a spark and end up so much more The embers keep us warm The embers keep us warm
2.
Battle Scars 04:18
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Under an angry sky we wait Holding our ground at the city gate Enemy troops deployed from their base A red mess upon the desert floor I must ask what are we fighting for Can't you see they look familiar, more and more We're facing our brethren in fights to the death No reason behind it, no rhyme has been set Our brothers are dying and all by our hand, their mothers are crying, this they cannot stand Battle scars, they never, never go away They join us in the grave And we're claiming victory now Marching through a burning town An empty triumph, let the bugles sound All of the fallen laid out on the floor Knew they could end this way in their king's war And still an oath of fealty they swore, their courage meaning nothing anymore Battle scars, they never, never go away In homes of us stay Battle scars, they never, never go away Never go away Battle scars, they never, never go away They join us in the grave
3.
Promises 04:55
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Making empty promises... It's been a while since I could breathe Without the weight of my daydreams, forcefully Why's everyone staring down at me On the horizon their eyes form endless sea Watch the pressure propagate (Try to hide it, don't want anyone to relate) Crushed by the weight... Of promises I cannot keep Of mournful nights and days of sleep I keep waiting for the world to change for me But there's nothing left for me to be Confronted by proof of worthlessness I long to feel like there's something left to give I'm skinned alive by my consciousness Surviving, but can you show me how to live Reached out for help a day too late (Say a word before now, I'd be called a fake) Killed by the weight... Of promises I cannot keep Of pleasant lies told in my dreams I keep waiting for the world to come save me But my future's harder now to see Making empty promises... of how it's gonna get better Disappear in all this mess... and my last tether is severed Tell me what I'm staying for I can't keep up anymore... With promises I cannot keep With mournful nights and days of sleep I keep waiting for the world to change for me But there's nothing left for me to be [Guitar solo] I keep waiting for the world to come save me But my future's harder now to see Making empty promises... of how it's gonna get better Making empty promises... my last tether is severed!
4.
Getting Close to You 03:49
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I found a universe within your eyes So many worlds I searched in the name of love A beauty I cannot conceptualize And the iris grows out like the Milky Way above I'm addicted (To the sapphire novas peering into me) But conflicted (Just in case I end up tryna use you) Some people are better off living as strangers I think I am in danger Getting close to you I found a brighter light within your soul Than all the suns I orbited around before There is a purity, your heart is whole It remains protected in this time of war I'm addicted (To the peace you radiate but cannot feel) But conflicted (And though it leaves me feeling distraught) Some people are better off living as strangers I think I am in danger Getting close to you Some roads are better off left untraveled Just let me unravel (Instead of) getting close to you You're taking steps forward But I am just a blank time capsule I bring you disorder I'm begging you, blow out my candle Some people are better off living as strangers I think I am in danger Getting close to you Some roads are better off left untraveled Just let me unravel Instead of getting close to you You're taking steps forward But I am just a blank time capsule I bring you disorder If you wanna grow, blow out my candle
5.
With Me 04:35
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You never said it but words hide in the face Don't lie, you regret it, and I trespass in your space I've been trying to win you back over Thought there was a chance, now that I look deeper In dreams I am holding you closer We cannot advance, it's lost in the ether Don't stay with me if you wanna heal But please forgive me, I'll bow down and I'll kneel I need a mirror to show me what I need I need to need you, for this needing I will bleed Been thinking our time all over I'm wondering what the stories are that you tell When I turn around the corner Will I find you there, or am I alone in hell Don't stay with me if you wanna heal But please forgive me, I'll bow down and I'll kneel I don't know where I'll go, I don't know what I'll know, I can't say what I will feel But when you're with me you'll lose all that is real [Guitar solo] I've been trying to win you back over I'm wondering what the stories are that you tell In dreams I am holding you closer Are you 'round the corner or am I alone in hell Don't stay with me if you wanna heal But please forgive me, I'll bow down and I'll kneel I don't know where I'll go, I don't know what I'll know, I can't say what I will feel But when you're with me you'll lose all that is real Don't stay with me
6.
Reason to Live 03:28
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Look inside and just be honest You have struggles others may not understand When no one can see your conflict Feels like you're holding on by a strand Loneliness is not so simple Company may not completely fill the void A sign of care can make a ripple Hope to a soul that's been destroyed Be someone's reason to live Show them light Become the moon in their night sky When there is nothing to give Show your love Trust when I say that is enough When you've been deeply defeated Do you show the shame and hurting on your face Or do you bury all those feelings Hiding in your perceived disgrace We all need a reason to live Guiding light A north star in our night sky When there is nothing to give May we find love In nurturing arms, we have enough Is this an anecdote? The answer's up to you And in these words I hope There are embers that can light your view A sign of care can make a ripple Hope to a soul that's been destroyed Be someone's reason to live Show them light Become the moon in their night sky When there is nothing to give Show your love Trust when I say that is enough When there is nothing to give May we find love In nurturing arms, we have enough In loving arms
7.
Afloat 05:05
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Afloat I don't know where to begin I don't know where is the end I don't know who I am There's something missing within There's nothing left I can lend This is my final stand I cannot find a source For this insisting force Is there a landmark, bring me back on course again No telling where it started, or when I lost all control And I survive halfhearted, but I will make it whole Set sail for feelings uncharted, I will not lose sight, I will not let go May I swim with the sharks, but I will keep myself afloat Afloat I give my love to my friends I give a smile to the strangers I feel the lack of both each day Let no one see through my lens Let no one find all the chambers That hide all of my dread away How long has it been so wrong Was it the first note of my life's song Dreaming in days of sleep of feeling like I belong again No telling when it started, if I ever had control And now I live halfhearted, and so with half a soul Set sail for feelings uncharted, I will not lose sight, I will not let go May I swim with the sharks, but I will keep myself afloat Afloat Is there better for me Is there better I can be May I look at the reflection and like what I see One can only hope No telling where it started, or when I lost all control And I survive halfhearted, but I will make it whole Set sail for feelings uncharted, I will not lose sight, I will not let go May I swim with the sharks, but I will keep myself afloat Keep myself afloat I will swim with the sharks
8.
Song of Life 04:35
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I dedicate this one to the hurting Those who, even though it's hard, they're still learning And though some may reach their double bar lines early There never was a note of theirs not worthy I dedicate this one to the parted Those who performed their masterworks heavy-hearted So much manuscript is discarded And in our galleries, we are artists If you're trying to find the chord that sits with you just right If you were in key before, but it modulated out of sight Write a song of life Play it out and improvise And even if there are no victories You still died fighting and lived a symphony I dedicate this one to the old me The one who tried to burn out, but is breathing And though I may reach my double bar lines early I think I can finally say I was worthy I've been trying to find a crowd where I don't feel alone A place where I can cry out loud and someone hears me, someone knows This is my song of life I play it out through teary eyes And even if there are no victories I'll still die knowing it was my masterpiece [Guitar solo] Song of life Song of life Ooh Song of life Write a song of life Play it loud and improvise And even if there are no victories You'll still die fighting and lived a symphony
9.
Look to the Stars 06:23
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Do the stars ever look down on us Feeling so small and outnumbered Perhaps they confront the same incubus Tearing them from lustrous slumber These looming fortresses of fusion All with their own satellites We're our own stars in seclusion With orbiting thoughts, goals, and frights Oh yes we are Do the stars ever look down on us Feeling so strong and empowered Perhaps they have all the same feats to discuss Growing in force by the hour I know they do Look to the stars, where all our dreams come out to play There nothing is as it seems, life is death and night is day [Guitar solo] {Synth solo] And the stars facilitate cycles now Spinning around ever faster Observing them, we are wiser now Charting our lives in alabaster Building homes in hopeless wastelands And taming the raging wilderness Excessive may we be in our plans But I have faith we will pass the test We'll find a way Look to the stars, where all our dreams come out to play Like you and me and all in between, they will return to dust one day [Guitar solo] [Guitar + synth soli] Look to the stars

about

TRIGGER WARNING: lyrical content relating to mental illness, self-harm, and suicide

Throughout the end of 2019 and early 2020, I was bringing old music of mine back to streaming services. I didn't stop writing while I was in that process though. GUIDING LIGHT, like many of my past projects, has some overarching themes. One of the biggest themes on display is my isolation paradox: I fear it and crave it simultaneously. There is some exploration of struggling with identity, within the bigger picture of what we know in the universe. Some songs on this album are deeply personal, even more than I've ever attempted before this point. Sharing it has been scary, but so worth it.

Cover art: pixabay.com/illustrations/space-planet-universe-earth-globe-4665672/

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released June 26, 2020

Robbie Brown - lyrics, composition, production, instruments, and vocals

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Robbie Brown Lansing, Michigan

I write music about the human condition, driven by soundscapes inspired from a broad range of metal, rock, and R&B.

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