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This Time Next Year

by MDH

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1.
You act as if he doesn't know it, but you know he does You think your armour doesn't show it, but you know it does You wanna block it out, as you wait for the next episode There's a finger right on your weak spot that decides when you will both explode And the cloud of lies will fill up this blue sky And be seen for miles and miles around 'Cause you can't find a way to convincingly say you're sorry And you can't find a reason to ask him to forgive And while he's biding his time, you're losing your mind So come on over to your favourite place to hide You bet he's told his friends about it 'Cause when they look at you you can see the knives in their eyes and where they're pointed when they smile at you You look away in shame 'cause you took his name and they welcomed you The silent tide of blame is boiling over, up and through the cloud of lies That fills up this blue sky and is seen for miles and miles around 'Cause you can't find a way to convincingly say you're sorry And you can't find a reason to ask him to forgive And while he's biding his time, you're losing your mind So come on over to your favourite place to hide And the cloud of lies will fill up this blue sky And be seen for miles and miles around So, Make it rain - so you can take shelter Make it rain - take cover with me 'Cause you can't find a way to convincingly say you're sorry And you can't find a reason to ask him to forgive And while he's biding his time, you're losing your mind So come on over to your favourite place to hide
2.
Been walking this line so long Been singing my lonesome song So many times that it's tattooed on my mind Been searching each lonely cloud Wondering where and how the road will go Past the end of the rainbow Tell me that there's nothing wrong Tell me that it's just my imagination running hard away It's just that, we're tired and we're terrified The mist is lifting in my mind, so don't even try Cause you don't have to - to give yourself away - to be careful what you say - to tell me what her name is Cause I've already seen Enough for me to know That it's time for me to go So I'll set my sights and keep on walking on my own Been casting my mind back down This landslide and looking around Peering through the dust to find something left of us This emptiness fills the air And I wonder if it's always been there Hiding behind you, even through the good times Tell me that there's nothing wrong Tell me that it's just my imagination running hard away It's just that, we're past the point of talking And any happy ending has disappeared and been used up and torn to pieces So you don't have to - to give yourself away - to be careful what you say - to tell me what her name is Cause I've already seen Enough for me to know That it's time for me to go So I'll set my sights and keep on walking This line so long Singing my lonesome song So many times that it's tattooed on my mind
3.
I don't know what might happen If I pull up a chair You can sip your Manhattan and push back your hair It's such an old situation For me to ask you your name You won my infatuation and I lost the game And the room suddenly empties The lights suddenly dim And the air seems to push me towards you but you turn away and walk off with him My chest locks like a handcuff My heart sinks though the floor And the air it completely deserts me and follows you both down the hall out the door I don't know why I do this The same thing every time When I hear you've met someone and you're doing fine It's not that I'm feeling jealous But I am darker than blue Each time I get rejected it reminds me of you And the room suddenly empties The lights suddenly dim And the air seems to push me towards you but you turn away and walk off with him My chest locks like a handcuff My heart sinks though the floor And the air it completely deserts me and follows you both down the hall out the door I'll move on any day now I'll work out what to do Once every heartbeat Starts yearning for you
4.
You stand up to put your sweater on And you fumble for your keys You say you’ll see me later on But who you come home to won’t be me Cause I’m striking out on my own, the swallows have flown Leaving home for the summer breeze I wait to hear the front door slam I reach in the closet right to the back All my things and everything I am All packed up in this rucksack I’m striking out on my own, the swallows have flown Leaving home for the summer breeze And if I can’t help you, when I’m right here with you Then I’ll leave you by yourself As the hand that feeds you, I could start to heed you when you say I might as well go and be happy with someone else I make it to the garden gate Then I stop to look behind I tried so hard not to hesitate Made it 4 steps closer this time To striking out on my own, the swallows have flown Leaving home for the summer breeze And if I can’t help you, when I’m right here with you Then I’ll leave you by yourself As the hand that feeds you, I could start to heed you when you say I might as well go and be happy with someone else
5.
The sidewalks of Nashville are covered with gold I paid for my ticket with the songs that you sold on the golf course And it forced me to fold I hold my convictions real close to my heart There's lots of good music forsook from the charts, I'll get lucky After my next false start You call up your family and lie down the phone You wish that they'd leave you alone I said I'd die for my country In my boots and my spurs Lay me next to John Henry Where the prairie wind stirs When my folks come to see me They'll recollect what they heard I said I'd die for my country And I gave country my word You found that the aces were stole from the deck You've got all your near misses tied up round your neck, man it's heavy But it keeps you in check I could try some writing but I'm drinking instead The advice I was given was laden with dread and false wisdom And it went to my head They can take my tape player and my beat-up car But they won't take my Rhinestone guitar Because I'll die for my country In my boots and my spurs Lay me next to John Henry Where the prairie wind stirs When my folks come to see me They'll recollect what they heard I said I'd die for my country And I gave country my word I said I'd die for my country And I gave country my word
6.
I’m tired of not believing Depressed by what I’m seeing Guided by my mind, ignoring what I’m really feeling There’s a different meaning From this mess I’ve been in These old sunken eyes they desperately need redeeming There’s a road A thousand steps cut in the hillside You got to climb But the sight will give you butterflies All my cares will look smaller from there The view will give me chills I’ll see you there, with the wind in my hair I’ll meet you at the top of blast off hill The temperature is cooling Ready for re-fuelling The drudgery of every passing day is gently gruelling The habit’s set for breaking Time for demonstrating Like is for filling up, for burning bright and not for wasting There’s a road A thousand steps cut in the hillside You got to climb But the sight will give you butterflies All my cares will look smaller from there The view will give me chills I’ll see you there, with the wind in my hair I’ll meet you at the top of blast off hill There’s a different meaning From this mess I’ve been in These old sunken eyes they desperately need redeeming There’s a road A thousand steps cut in the hillside You got to climb But the sight will give you butterflies All my cares will look smaller from there The view will give me chills I’ll see you there, with the wind in my hair I’ll meet you at the top of blast off hill I’ll see you there, with the wind in my hair I’ll meet you at the top of blast off hill
7.
Please find me something to do today To keep my spirits up It's so overcast and grey We could find some fun Across the ocean in the U. S. of A. New Orleans, Chicago, L.A. The open roads of San Antone Could drive my cares away A quarter for the telephone, OK I wanna take everyone I know to America Better get your coat the taxi's here I'm gonna take everyone I know to America Right about this time next year The signs are screaming loud and clear They're pointing to the door To get me outta here Better save the date And co-ordinate for the summer next year JFK, LAX, O'Hare And then at last we'll raise a glass At San Francisco Bay Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses, OK I wanna take everyone I know to America Better get your coat the taxi's here I'm gonna take everyone I know to America Right about this time next year Right about this time next year Right about this time next year
8.
Face the day, turn and run You know you shouldn’t pay a penalty for soaking up the sun Time has past, I think we’re done here You know forever lasts for just as long as clocks are being spun I was holding the floor while you were falling You were waiting for a moment to arrive We were watching the clouds and now we’re calling time Face the day, turn and run The ultimatum that you’re reading from has got you overcome So let it fall down from your fingers And let the feeling of the freedom linger count it down to one I was holding the floor while you were falling You were wondering when I’d start to recognise We were reading the answers and ignoring the signs You’re hiding something in the dark behind your eyes But I can see the spark in the tears you’re cryin I’ll be waiting up and marking time for you to settle your mind Face the day, turn and run I think the bigger the mistakes we make the closer we become
9.
Better Days 04:18
We ride on punctured tyres Past bunting and barbed wire Benches ripped out from the ground And stacked up on the fire There’s no life left in this town, just pick-ups passin’ through Help me up and lead me out, what else is left to lose? Delay, delay, delay Can you hear what the televisions say? If you can’t get away Save it up for better days Streetlights block the sky Yellow like your eyes The clouds are screaming as they fly and muscle pink behind There’s no life left in this town, just pick-ups passin’ through Help me up and lead me out, what else is there to do? but Delay, delay, delay Can you hear what the dial-up modems say? If you can’t get away Save it up for better days You hear the humming rails But you never see a train A windmill with no sails remains Steadfast in the gale
10.
Happiness 03:39
Impatience rattles its chain, pride’s predicting rain Hope is closing the blinds, fear comes knocking again Its pistols at high noon for luck and misfortune As tension starts counting from ten Happiness is a promise you can’t trust Decent lives are hard to lead before the dust and ashes and stone, as the rust fills your bones Happiness, this time stick around or just leave me alone Denial gathers his thoughts and starts changing his mind Contentment stares at the clock, he’s running outta time Jealousy sneers, checks himself in the mirror And reckons he’s looking alright Happiness is a promise you can’t trust Decent lives are hard to lead before the dust and ashes and stone, as the rust fills your bones Happiness, this time stick around or just leave me alone And love is waiting here at home for you Beggin please, send some relief Because friendliness is just loneliness for two Happiness is a promise you can’t trust Decent lives are hard to lead before the dust and ashes and stone, as the rust fills your bones Happiness, this time stick around…
11.
I used to walk the gutter show up in time for work I didn’t mind the weather or puddles by the kerb But my job was gettin’ harder and the punches suffocated the perks Now I’m on the lookout I read my horoscope Easy come and easy go for heartlessness and hope Make a list of what you wanted and sit down behind your old periscope Now I’ve padlocked the icebox and I’m pacing the floor And I won’t dread the mornin’ no more I started out on merlot and finished off the rum That was forgotten in the cupboard from when your friends had come It was early in the morning when my eyes closed I was finally done I was waking up declassified beneath the human race Angry acetaldehyde was beaten on my face And then people started exiting and calculating all of the waste Now I wake up full of acid feeling bloodshot and sore And I won’t dread the mornin’ no more Say mister can you help me I’ve fallen through the cracks All my redeeming features well they’re never coming back Could you spare a silver dollar, a four-leaf clover or a heart-attack You didn’t get my message I was talking to the wall I heard a deathly rattle and I had to heed the call I thought that all this matter, it seems it doesn’t matter at all Now I’ve padlocked the icebox and I’m pacing the floor And I won’t dread the mornin’ no more Now I wake up full of acid feeling bloodshot and sore And I won’t dread the mornin’ no more Now I’m eating cold turkey on God’s golden shore And I won’t dread the mornin’ no more
12.
Decide slowly, she said I know how that pendulum swings in your head You're just a passer-by Not in the camera's eye And you're pulling way too hard on that thread Decide slowly, she wrote Like one of those awful motivational notes Take your time and I'll Be along right behind You know that you're not doing this alone There's a fork in the road Searchin' high and low, where to go Into the unknown, with no-one to follow Look left and right It takes time in your mind to balance the signs Life's not black and white When drawing the line, it's safer you'll find to Decide slowly, she said Decide slowly, she said You won't put a foot wrong if you mind where you tread And you're movin' on With every step you're long gone And the light is waiting for you up ahead Decide slowly and don't forget Sometimes it rains and yes your feet might get wet But the sun will shine And your trainers will dry The dark clouds haven't taken the sky yet There's a fork in the road Searchin' high and low, where to go Into the unknown, with no-one to follow Look left and right It takes time in your mind to balance the signs Life's not black and white When drawing the line, it's safer you'll find to Decide slowly, she said Decide slowly, she said I know how that pendulum swings in your head
13.
Sittin’ here lookin’ at an empty glass Countin’ ev’ry minute as the hours pass me by Any second now I’ll see the sun come up I hide from the daylight so no one sees me cry Sure, I know this is how things go When someone goes and leaves you left behind In emptiness and silence You took your car and your toothbrush too And the space you left got filled with too much time Will it be tomorrow if I go to sleep? Or will this feeling last forever What will follow in the mornin’? Will I be greeted with more sorrow, if so I think I’ll just keep myself awake Red eyes burnin’ in the dawns blue glow Shadows creepin’ down to the cheekbones of my face I see the stars fade through the cold window I think of where I’m headin’ but I’m stuck in outer space I scream your name but the sound won’t come The fresh air has been taken from my lungs In emptiness and silence The glass fills up and the eyes re-set On the blurry middle distance and the things I should’ve done Will it be tomorrow if I go to sleep? Or will this feeling last forever What will follow in the mornin’? Will I be greeted with more sorrow, if so I think I’ll just keep myself awake Two years just went rushin’ by like I was in a dream Now ev’ry minute drags its heels I’m stuck here in between Will it be tomorrow if I go to sleep? Or will this feeling last forever What will follow in the mornin’? Will I be greeted with more sorrow, if so I think I’ll just keep myself awake
14.
Walkin' On 04:12
WALKIN’ ON Well I was sold, if truth be told On the promise in your auburn eyes And certainly, it seemed to me We’d be together ’til the end of time The feelin’s good, when love it true Your heart swells to twice the size But as things panned out, it shrinks back down When you discover they’ve been telling lies So now I find you Standing on the corner screaming “what the hell is goin’ on!?” So realise that Once you dry your eyes you’ll see the reasons why I’m walkin’ on Once again, you were working late In the morning you forgot your phone What sealed your fate, occurred at 5 to 8 When I was startled by your message tone The screen lit up, your game was up You were mixing pheromones with Mr Jones I’m jumpin’ out this rut, I’ve had enough I’m sick of spending evenings on my own So now I find you Standing on the corner screaming “what the hell is goin’ on!?” So realise that Once you dry your eyes you’ll see the reasons why I’m walkin’ on So now I find you Standing on the corner screaming “what the hell is goin’ on!?” So realise that Once you dry your eyes you’ll see the reasons why I’m walkin’ on Oh with ev’ry step I take towards the light Oh you fade into the distance black and white, and it feels alight, yoo hoo hoo! So now I find you Standing on the corner screaming “what the hell is goin’ on!?” So realise that Once you dry your eyes you’ll see the reasons why I’m walkin’ on
15.
No one knows I’m here Sure when was the last time you saw me Must’ve been last year Hey we never made it to that movie You could be forgiven for thinking that I might’ve lost my way No one knows I’m here So I’m staying home, and staying lost today I know you’re too polite to stare in windows I thought you’d like it if I kept the curtains drawn I’ll put my answer in an email by tomorrow Once I finish off this song No one knows I’m here And though you might imagine that I’d like it Well my diary’s clear But I can’t find peace in peace and quiet No one’s here to interrupt My working reverie No one knows I’m here So just carry on until you hear from me

about

Bass, Drums and Rhodes recorded by Iggy B @ Bella Union Studio
Everything else recorded by Adam Chetwood @ Chetworld

Produced by Adam Chetwood & Michael Humphrey
Mastered by Ed Woods
All songs by Michael Humphrey - MDH
For lyrics etc. visit mdhmusic.com

Thanks to all the musicians, to KiKi, and to Biggy
In memory of Nick Coyle

Review by Katie Bamber:

"If you're an inordinately talented Northern Irish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in south-east London in mid-Trump, mid-Brexit, full-shitstorm 2018, what's the natural response?

To write a full-blown 15-track ode to sun-kissed Americana packed with open roads, pick-ups and prairie winds. Obviously.

Michael Humphrey's fourth album, This Time Next Year, sits on a bedrock of acoustic, bass, drums, organ and harmonies evoking 1970s Neil Young. It takes us on a road trip from the classic upbeat country rock of opener 'Favourite Place to Hide', via the beautifully uncrowded space of 'You Don't Have To' (a track that almost disintegrates halfway through—in a good way), to the frantic, high-energy pop of 'Blastoff Hill'.

There are many kinds of break-up album. This is not the kind you listen to in your bedroom while crying over Instagram photos in your pants. It's a million miles from grey skies, grey streets and naval-gazing: think whiskey-fuelled trip to Nashville during which you happen to stumble across a brilliant song craftsman from Bangor with an incredible band and bevy of backing singers in a dive bar.

Much of This Time Next Year is sung to the nameless 'you' in a relationship that's trundling slowly to its end. There's a thread of exasperation through the whole thing—an awareness of space being filled with 'too much time' that's all too easily wasted and a craving for something, anything, to break the drudgery. It's less American dream, more a romantic dream of an America that represents escape, freedom and a different life, or a life that might have been.

But behind the country rock stylings, it's Humphrey's sterling pop sensibilities that shine through. Yearning for You is a gorgeous, melodic heartbreaker that would suit a summer festival singalong as well as it would a lo-fi acoustic set. You can hear the Emmylou Harris and Ryan Adams for sure—but also Counting Crows, Tracy Chapman, Lenny Kravitz, Joni Mitchell (especially in the bell-like piano of 'No One Knows I'm Here') and early 90s acoustic rock in the vein of Blind Melon and Crash Test Dummies.

To call Humphrey a versatile musician is an understatement (this is a man who's as comfortable arranging Nine Inch Nails and a 12-minute musical medley for a cappella groups as he is giving classic opera a contemporary makeover for the Royal Opera House). His smooth, athletic vocals and the unapologetic, backing-singers-and-big-band joy of this collection of songs make them a tonic for the strained, growly, faux-soul blandness that characterises so many of the male singer-songwriters dominating the charts today.

And maybe dusty-road Americana love songs aren't such a surprising choice for a UK songwriter in 2018. Maybe an album that's part nostalgic escape fantasy, part cry of frustration, part motivational note-to-self to actually do something and make a change, is exactly what these times call for.

Regardless, This Time Next Year is crying out to be played again and again, ideally at full volume while you drive. If that drive is round the M25 in the pissing rain, all the better."

credits

released April 6, 2018

MDH - Lead Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Thigh Slaps
Paul Tompkins - Bass Guitar
Moneer Seify - Drums
Adam Chetwood - Hard Guitar, Pedal Steel
Laura Ralph - Backing Vocals
Katie Bamber - Backing Vocals
Anna Trocmé Latter - Backing Vocals
Lizzie Maughan - Backing Vocals
Chris Tortise - Backing Vocals
Nick Hartley - Backing Vocals

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MDH Bath, UK

MDHmusic.com is the home of recording artist MDH (Michael Humphrey) and the hub for a range of musical endeavours offered by MDH that you may be interested in. MDH writes, arranges, directs, produces, composes and performs – check out mdhmusic.com for more info. ... more

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