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North by Nowhere (2006)
 "Born in 1993 during Seattle's vast wave
of Nirvana-inspired gloom and doom, The Whole Bolivian Army strolled
far from the well-worn path, opting instead for poppy hooks and
flowing instrumentation. With their seventh LP, husband and wife
Matt and Mary Beth Kite prove that there will always be room
in our hearts for catchy pop. North by Nowhere hammers
out a searing collection of simple pop ditties, their subject
matter veering into love ('Deeper'), frightening anguish ('All
My Life,' 'Ham Fisted'), and the quirks of the English language
('Seven Ways to Say Muffler'). With a blend of mellow electro-pop,
distorted guitar, and Mary Beth's biting, bluesy vocals, the
adult contemporary set will find the record appealing..."
— Katie
Sauro, Seattle
Sound Magazine, June 2006
 DIFFERENT COVER: Yes, a select few of you own the album
with this cover, courtesy of the Wisconsin
Historical Society. Unfortunately, we originally released North
by Nowhere with the cover above, which means digital distributors
were already committed to using it by the time we had started
toying with changing things. So... rather than sell an album
with two covers (one for our store and one for everybody else),
we've retired this one, although we dearly love it. What an amazing
photograph.
DEAR MR. BIG ... sucking up to the PTB
Dear Mr. Big,
 We are writing to you
on behalf of our band, The Whole Bolivian Army. We would like
a record contract from your fancy label. If you sign on the dotted
line with us, you'll make a lot of people happy, including our
beloved cats, our sassy but tender dental hygienist, and two
shed boyz (nice, but a little gamy) we met the other day on F
Street in uptown Port Townsend, Washington.
Speaking of our
dental hygienist, she is handy with sharp objects and also quite
clever. She has volunteered to be our promotional agent. So if
possible, we would like you to sign us to a big, phat record
contract, plus hire her on as the first member of our staff.
She wants to move back to Seattle, where she will require an
assistant, a super tall mocha with whip cream and a shot of whiskey
every morning, plus a corner office with a view of the Space
Needle or solid waste utility headquarters, whichever is more
convenient.
 For our part, we would
simply like a record contract. We know you will make us famous.
And you know that will make a lot of people (including our cats)
happy.
Yours in Rock,
The Whole Bolivian
Army
--
Hello Mr. Big.
 We were surprised to
not hear back from you after our recent letter. Even stranger
was how unfamiliar with our band and our music your secretary
sounded when we called her at her home. Please apologize to her
for the wakeup call. We didn't realize London is in a different
time zone. But do let her know the only reason we called her
at her home was because she keeps shuttling us into some sort
of eternal-hold netherworld whenever we call your office.
All we really
want to do is talk to you. You hold the keys to our musical future,
and we look forward to a mutually prosperous relationship.
Rock 5!
The Whole Bolivian
Army
--
Salutations,
Mr. Big.
 We can't help thinking
that perhaps something terrible has happened to you. Have you
been beamed aboard the mothership or called to jury duty? Please
contact us at your earliest convenience. Rock and roll is an
impatient mistress.
Still waiting
to conquer the world (with your help),
The Whole Bolivian
Army
--
Mr. Big,
We would like
to give you one last chance to partner with the greatest band
since the dinosaurs roamed the earth (a long time ago).
Curtly,
The Whole Bolivian
Army
--
Hey Mr. Big,
 It's time we tell you
what you can do with that record contract of yours. But not in
a letter. Please meet us tonight at the Taylor (or is it Tyler?)
Street fountain, say around midnight. We will be the ones wearing
all black and holding a gas-powered hedge trimmer. You're welcome
to invite your staff and your legal team with you. Please ask
them to bring extra enema kits. You can deduct the expenses from
our meager advance.
Ready to go indie,
The Whole Bolivian
Army
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SOUND SAMPLES
You can listen to free song samples from North by Nowhere
at CD
Baby,
I-Tunes, and Seattle
Sounds.
VIDEO
"All
My Life"
"Deeper" live at the Skylark
(2010)
"Free
Tonight"
"When
Machines Eat"
TRACK LIST
1. Blind
2. Deeper
3. Free Tonight
4. When Machines Eat
5. Ham Fisted
6. Run Girl Run
7. Seven Ways to Say Muffler
8. All My Life
9. Acolyte
10. Boomerang
11. Keep On
ALBUM
CREDITS:
Mary
Beth Kite, vocals; Matt Kite, music, vocals, lyrics. Horns, loops,
and additional percussion by Scott Ross. Produced by Scott Ross.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Scott Ross at Elliott Bay Recording
Co. (Seattle, WA). Cover photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical
Society (WHS Image ID 11749). Special thanks to Bill Perez, Tommy
Thew, Steve Miller, and the Cannavaro family. © 2006
Gargantuan Records/TWUBBA Music (ASCAP).
Blind
all hail the
power
the broken crown
streets paved with flowers
statues coming down
we couldn't
see
all hail the
melody
bricks and mortar
streets drowned in ecstasy
quarter by quarter
we couldn't
see
all hail the
desert
rivers run dry
streets littered with money
blowin' sky high
Deeper
all I am I
owe half to you
all I dream I dream next to you
you are my reed
you are my reed song
you are my reed
you are my reed song
take me .
. . deeper
the way the
sky explodes, it burns for us
the breeze that touches our skin, it sings for us
you are my reed
you are my reed song
you are my reed
you are my reed song
take me .
. . deeper
take me . . . deeper
take me -- all of me
Free Tonight
Who are you
-- are we -- to break the best in me?
Who are you -- are we -- to chase it back in me?
And I'm free tonight.
I saw you fall -- undone -- shattered by "the One."
I knew we'd fall -- undone -- trying to reach the sun.
And I'm free tonight.
And I'm free tonight.
I warned you, I told you,
I can't live like this.
I hoped to, I hoped to,
escape with a kiss.
Who am I -- am I -- to never show you why?
I hoped you'd see -- you'd see -- the very best in me.
And I'm free tonight.
And I'm free tonight.
And I'm free tonight.
And I'm free tonight.
When Machines
Eat
when machines
eat
they eat me
when they run right
they run me
shut me down now
power down please
pull the plug on me
control alt. delete
ooh, I lost
my appetite
the drool, the drain, the way they drone
ooh, I lost my memory
the meal, the meat, the way they moan
when machines
eat
they eat me
when they save time
they steal it from me
shut me down now
turn me off
pull the plug on me
make it stop
ooh, I lost
my appetite
the drool, the drone, the way they drain
ooh, I lost my memory
the gorge, the grind, the gulping pain
when machines
eat
drown the
Internet
gore the screen
blind the motherboard
disable and wean
when machines
build
they build me
when they breathe in
they choke me
shut me down now
power down please
when machines eat
control alt. delete
Ham Fisted
I'm naked
these are my breasts
this is my scar
this is what's left
I'm stupid
this is my pain
these are my fists
again and again
I'm special
this is my proof
this is my faith
this must be truth
God-given
it is no wonder
I am the one
they are the other
I don't care
what you're looking for
I'm no better than I was before
goose-stepping
all over ground zero
mock-lighting -- he's our hero…
I'm lying
this I can see
this I can feel
this I can breathe
I'm broken
this is my plea
this is my song
this isn't me
Run Girl
Run
my head hurts
I'm hungry
I miss you
feel empty
I own these
lungs
I own these bones
everything I need
to carry me home
I'm not the
type to stand still
I'm not the type to slow down
I'm not the type to stop
until I'm falling down
slowly it rises to me - ground
softly it whispers…
run girl run
I dream this
trail
I dream these woods
everything I need
to be who I could
I'm not the
type to give up
I'm not the type to slow down
I'm not the type to stop
until I'm falling down
slowly it rises to me - ground
softly it whispers…
run girl run
pick myself
up
pick my feet up
Seven
Ways to Say Muffler
she's wearing
her muffler
her tasteful chest protector
a furry beaver stole
too lovely, her choker
let go of
my neckpiece, she says
my sage-green neckerchief, she says
my broken babushka, she says
the mantle of my thief
seven ways
to say muffler
All My
Life
it's happening
again
it's more than I can take
I wait too long to sleep
I wait too long to wake
the sun is
sinking
the night is screaming
another moment slips free
all my life
I've been a second behind
an hour late, a day I can't find
all my life I've been waiting for now
the chance to change, to learn somehow
the moment
is here
it's everything I fear
it's only perfection
early detection
the sun is
sinking
the night is screaming
another moment for me
all my life
I've been a second behind
an hour late, a day I can't find
all my life I've been waiting for now
the chance to change, to learn somehow
it's happening
again
but I won't give in this time
I'll meet the future here
I'll make these seconds mine
the sun is
rising
the night is lifting
another moment for free
Acolyte
Here we kneel
at the altar,
and listen to the faithful whisper.
They made a witch out of me, see.
You press
your guilt against me,
and hope I'll relieve you again.
You made a witch out of me, see.
Not here,
not now.
I can't fill your need.
Not here, not ever.
You won't spill your seed.
You stole
the sun out of me,
and offered it to the priests.
They made a man out of you, too.
You found
the needle in your lap,
and searched my skin for a tap.
I made a man out of you, too.
And I couldn't
feel you coming.
And you-you never heard me leave.
Not here,
not now.
I can't help you feed.
Not here, not ever.
You won't spill your seed.
I love the
way you pray.
I love the way you kneel.
I love the way you say,
"It's time we make a deal."
I love the way you kneel.
I love the way you sin.
I love the way you steal
the truth you made from tin.
I love the way you sin.
I love the way you kneel.
I love when you begin.
"It's time we make a deal."
Boomerang
Every single
day
I work the earth that strengthens me
And I don't mind
The sweat I lose
Every single day
My knees - they bind the soil to me
And I don't mind
The truth I've found
Every single
night
I watch the mouths that worship you
And I don't mind
The hypocrisy
Every single night
I walk the walls that circle me
And I don't mind
The secrets they keep
All roads
- they lead back
Lead back to you
All saints - they fall down
Fall down for you
I found my way back
I fell down
I fell down for you
Every thought
denied
It creeps its way back into us
And I don't mind
The shadow on the ground
Every good intention
I struggle to keep a hold of it
And I don't mind
The discipline demanded
All roads
- they lead back
Lead back to you
All saints - they fall down
Fall down for you
I found my way back
I fell down
I fell down for you
Let me weep
Let me sing
Let me make
My own mistakes
Let me jump
Let me land
Let me break
Whatever it takes
Every time
we speak
We hear our voices echo back
And I don't mind
The boomerang effect
Every time I wake
I wonder where the hell I am
And I don't mind…
All roads
- they lead back
Lead back to you
All saints - they fall down
Fall down for you
I found my way back
I fell down
I fell down for you
Keep On
There's nothing that says
We have to keep going
There's nothing to keep us from stopping
There's nobody here
Nobody listening
Nobody to hold a candle
But we keep on
And we keep on
And we keep on
Looking
For the sky to open up
For the rain to cover us
For the sun to burn us clean
For the wind to break us free
There's nothing that says
We have to make good
There's nothing that says we're finished
There's nobody here
Nobody listening
Nobody to hold us up
I know to close my eyes and ears
to you
To crack in half the things you do to me
I know to keep my head above the mud
To speak the truth and hold it here to see
I know, I know, I know, I know
There's only so much
That we can do ourselves
There's only so much we can feel
There's nobody here
Nobody listening
Nobody to hide behind
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