Get all 36 Color Theory releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Disappear, Thoughts Can't Hurt You, Underneath These Dying Stars, Underneath These Dying Stars Remixes, Ghosts Again, Death of You, Just an Echo, Outside the Lines, Vol. 3, and 28 more.
1. |
A Work in Progress
04:26
|
|||
This is my unfinished symphony
Yes it's a little pretentious
But humor me
Try not to laugh
I'll fix it in a second
In the second draft
Like a promise from a lifelong friend
The process has a beginning but no clear end
This isn't math
It's hard enough to collect my thoughts
With all the rules of behavior
The shoulds and oughts that guide our ways
Confused like hamsters circling
In a dead end maze
Wrapped up in cosmic uncertainty
Our actions trailing off into infinity
Like summer rays
We're still imperfect but we've grown
A broken contraption
Flesh and bone
Making it up as we go along
In formless fleeting moments of magnificence
Remember nothing we are is set in stone
We're still imperfect but we've grown
Homeless at heart
Everything is temporary
Chasing perfection on the road to damnation
Without a script or storyline
Forever a work in progress
Sometimes I catch myself mid-mistake and wonder
"If I twist this that way will it break?"
And then it does
Don't ask me why I did it
I'll say "just because"
Failure to act or participate
Is like expecting to high five the hand of fate
In latex gloves
Better to ask for forgiveness than permission
Better when faced with a proposition
Start with yes
There will be time to question
Time to second guess
Sometimes the mind has to disengage
Or fear will rattle the bars of your mental cage
And stage your death.
|
||||
2. |
Headphones
03:14
|
|||
We're private in public
As everyone stares down at their tech
It's hard not to notice
The neon cord dangling from my neck
But somehow this less than subtle clue
Appears to have no effect on you
Don't want to talk right now
Can't you see I've got my headphones on?
I'm pointing at my ear
What was that?
No I can't...
I'd rather not hear you
If I'm being honest
Don't want to talk right now
Can't you see I've got my headphones on?
I'm not antisocial
But usually I'd rather be alone
So if you're looking for conversation
Then maybe it's time to buy a phone
So what if the music isn't on?
I'm sending a signal
Move along
Like I said before I...
|
||||
3. |
What You Said
03:40
|
|||
What you said was too rude to repeat
What you said made me squirm in my seat
What you said was a showcase of wit
What you said was a box office hit
So you think that you're above me
Well you're obviously high
So you think that you can snub me
Look me right in the eye
Uh oh bang bang you're dead
Shame you said what you said
What you said dragged my name through the mud
What you said left me thirsty for blood
What you said in your head
Maybe seemed innocent to you
But instead what you said hurt
Even more because it was true
So you think that you're above me
You've forgotten your place
So you think that you can snub me
Say the words to my face
Uh oh bang bang you're dead
Shame you said what you said
So you think that you're above me
Don't get carried away
So you think that you can snub me
Better watch what you say
Uh oh bang bang you're dead
Shame you said what you said.
|
||||
4. |
The Best Revenge
04:15
|
|||
Teach me a lesson
A wound at your hands
And justice demands that I
Should pay attention
Vengeance is fine
But who has the time?
Call me a coward
Go on the attack
I won't fight you back
Or grant you any power
An eye for an eye
Leaves everyone blind
A tooth for a tooth
Is dental abuse
No I won't chase down a hit and run
Throw my life off track for anyone
Moving on is the best revenge
A minor uproar
An insult to you
That karma and voodoo dolls
Can not atone for
A prisoner of war
You'll settle the score
A lack of control
That eats at your soul
Stardust falls from the sky tonight
Let your guard down and feel it
Really feel it.
|
||||
5. |
Playing Favorites
04:19
|
|||
Everyone has a favorite band
Favorite book, favorite film,
Favorite brand
Not me, I don't believe in that
Hey, it's true!
What are you laughing at?
Because I'm more than just a set of likes
Because I won't get caught up in the hype
You go on ahead and spread your top ten list
As for me, I'm sure mine won't be missed
Credit where credit is due
I'm playing favorites with you
A favorite perfume
A favorite dress
A favorite reason to be obsessed
There's no accounting for my taste
When your aim is to claim it's misplaced
Give me reasons instead of ranks
No more multiple choice
Fill those blanks!
You say you want to get to know me well
So if you want I'll promise not to tell
I'm the one to spill your guilty pleasures to
This request is a test
Think it through
There's one exception to every rule
To fall in love takes a certain sort of fool.
|
||||
6. |
Slot Machine
04:30
|
|||
Maybe tonight
Maybe not for awhile
The odds are not that high
On any one day
But I know our luck too well
To just walk away
Maybe tonight
Maybe not for awhile
It's not gambling when you know
You're going to win
When you and I spend time
The reels start to spin
Then we're busy doing nothing
Immersed in a boring routine
The tiniest readjustment
And like a slot machine
The magic is back
We're like a slot machine
That always pays back
Maybe tonight
Maybe not for awhile
You know we'll strike it rich
Eventually
Just have a little faith
In our chemistry
And just as I start to wonder
When payoffs are far and between
We can't shake the spell we're under
Then like a slot machine
It's cherries and bells
We're like a slot machine
And everything's well
The one thing in my life
That always holds true
I hit the jackpot when
I hooked up with you.
|
||||
7. |
Productivity
03:45
|
|||
There was a time in history
Your next meal was a mystery
If you were lucky you might catch a fish
But we have Amazon now
No need for brains or brawn now
Your wish list to your door in just one click
Pointless productivity
I sit behind a screen
My fingers span the inches
In a blaze of inactivity
Captivity
For hours every day
I dare to call it work
Relentless innovation
Requires concentration
To thrive in this knowledge economy
My digital creations
Have no physical manifestation
I deal in intellectual property
Our avatars
In silhouette
Addicted to
The internet
We type and type
But never sweat
Our bellies stuffed
Perpetually
Defining sloth
And gluttony
We die too soon
But live like kings
For now let's just enjoy it
No reason to avoid it
Who needs an extra gear to coast downhill?
Succumb, my couch potato
Adopt my humble credo
And watch the world revolve while we sit still
Pointless productivity
I sit behind a screen
My fingers span the inches
In a blaze of inactivity
Creativity
I exercise my mind
And laugh to call it work.
|
||||
8. |
Drive You Home
04:01
|
|||
Motivation fades
The clock is ready to call it a day
When a charming guest
Is escorted straight to my desk
With a modest request
So begins the chase
You live on the way back to my place
Could I spare a ride?
I'm overly quick to oblige
Yes I'll drive you home
Your home
Wherever you'd like to go
Yes I'll drive you home
Your home
I'm wanting to get to know you better
A well-oiled machine
We've coasted into a pleasant routine
Talking all the way
We always have something to say
The best part of my day
Making hasty plans
To go hear one of our favorite bands
Saved our ticket stubs
It's obvious we are in love
Yes I'll drive you home
My home
Wherever you'd like to go
Yes I'll drive you home
My home
I'm wanting to spend the night together
You kick up your feet
Reclining into the passenger seat
As you start to snore
I quietly lock both the doors
To keep you safely on board
Finally set a date
A ceremony to commemorate
The horizon's glare
The thrill of the wind in our hair
Yes I'll drive you home
Our home
Wherever you'd like to go
Yes I'll drive you home
Our home
I'm ready to spend our lives together.
|
||||
9. |
The Motions
03:57
|
|||
A fragile tower once rose by my bed
A handy place to stack the books I read
But now the seven basic plot designs
Betray the endings of their storylines
At the first sign
There's no thrill left in the ride
Could we be happy?
Could we be happy?
Heard/seen/done it all a thousand times
Could we be happy
Could we be happy just going
Through the motions
Once every pop song took me by surprise
A rush of goose bumps led to teary eyes
But now it's easy to predict the rhymes
And sing along with every other line
On the first try
We used to see a couple films a week
When life was simple and the seats were cheap
We could have walked out but we never did
We should have talked it out instead of hid
Stupid kids
Don't even ask about falling in love
You already know what I'll say
You're perfect on paper
But spoiler alert
We all turn the page.
|
||||
10. |
OBE
04:29
|
|||
Grew up absorbed in New Age schemes
Astral projection and lucid dreams
Believing every word I read
How you could leave your body in your bed and
Explore the world invisibly
Just think of all the things that you could see
The answer key, the locker room
Turns out the book author was sniffing glue, but
Being with you is an out of body experience
There's a buzz in my head
And a vague sense of dread
Then the vibrations start
And I'm coming apart
Paralyzed locked in place
As I'm floating through space
Unconfined yet connected to you
Tried a few times to no avail
Before I let go of paranormal fairy tales
I'd breathe so fast I'd sweat and shake
Probably started to hallucinate
I never thought I'd relive that thrill
Like drinking caffeine with a sleeping pill
But here you are and now it's back
Between a coma and a heart attack.
|
||||
11. |
The Light Inside
05:17
|
|||
Go on ahead
Don't you wait for me
It's too late for me
There's no guarantee
How I'll feel
There's something wrong inside my brain
Something that I can't contain
Wish I could explain
The radio
Argues with my inner voice
Nothing more than background noise
Funny what the mind enjoys
When it's wild
Panic at the grocery store
Everything is a such a chore
What was it like before?
I pretend to hide
A light inside
But it's just one more lie
Don't give a damn about me
My eyes have dried
Mourning the light inside
I smile and say
Everything's alright with me
So if you want to fight with me
If you want reality
Get in line
Stuck on every simple choice
Things that used to bring me joy
Now just broken toys
Can't fall asleep
Can't focus on TV
But it's even worse for me
To let my mind run free
An empty man
With time on his hands
If there's something I could do
To make things easier for you
Nothing's too much
For someone I love
Yes I can still love
Yes I can still love.
|
||||
12. |
Half
03:33
|
|||
Turn out the lights
Chase that empty feeling
Roll on the floor
And I hit the ceiling
Why with so much room in your heart
Do you only give me half?
The spirit wanes
As the self releases
I broke in two
Conversation pieces.
|
||||
13. |
A Slip of the Finger
04:19
|
|||
I am an outcast
And it suits me fine
God knows my actions
Really crossed the line
Each time you touch a part of me
I fear that you'll break it
Cause I've done something I regret
And I'll never shake it
A slip of the finger
A mark that will linger forever
Hero or villain
A legacy hinges on
A slip of the finger
The fleeting impulse
Of a maniac
A flash of panic
I can't take it back
Kings abdicate and nations fall
For smaller offences
Thought I could justify it all
Until I came to my senses
Nothing to live for
Careless in defeat
Why bother looking
When I cross the street?
I'd promise anything to go back
To when my past wasn't checkered
But every key we press is part
Of our permanent record
One lapse of judgement
Ablaze in the snarling heat of the moment
That's when I lost you darling.
|
||||
14. |
Could It Be Magic
04:21
|
|||
15. |
That
05:22
|
|||
You can do better than that
I won't tell anyone
You can trust me
You can do better than me.
|
||||
16. |
||||
This is my unfinished symphony
Yes it's a little pretentious
But humor me
Try not to laugh
I'll fix it in a second
In the second draft
Like a promise from a lifelong friend
The process has a beginning but no clear end
This isn't math
It's hard enough to collect my thoughts
With all the rules of behavior
The shoulds and oughts that guide our ways
Confused like hamsters circling
In a dead end maze
Wrapped up in cosmic uncertainty
Our actions trailing off into infinity
Like summer rays
We're still imperfect but we've grown
A broken contraption
Flesh and bone
Making it up as we go along
In formless fleeting moments of magnificence
Remember nothing we are is set in stone
We're still imperfect but we've grown
Homeless at heart
Everything is temporary
Chasing perfection on the road to damnation
Without a script or storyline
Forever a work in progress
Sometimes I catch myself mid-mistake and wonder
"If I twist this that way will it break?"
And then it does
Don't ask me why I did it
I'll say "just because"
Failure to act or participate
Is like expecting to high five the hand of fate
In latex gloves
Better to ask for forgiveness than permission
Better when faced with a proposition
Start with yes
There will be time to question
Time to second guess
Sometimes the mind has to disengage
Or fear will rattle the bars of your mental cage
And stage your death.
|
||||
17. |
||||
We're private in public
As everyone stares down at their tech
It's hard not to notice
The neon cord dangling from my neck
But somehow this less than subtle clue
Appears to have no effect on you
Don't want to talk right now
Can't you see I've got my headphones on?
I'm pointing at my ear
What was that?
No I can't...
I'd rather not hear you
If I'm being honest
Don't want to talk right now
Can't you see I've got my headphones on?
I'm not antisocial
But usually I'd rather be alone
So if you're looking for conversation
Then maybe it's time to buy a phone
So what if the music isn't on?
I'm sending a signal
Move along
Like I said before I...
|
||||
18. |
||||
What you said was too rude to repeat
What you said made me squirm in my seat
What you said was a showcase of wit
What you said was a box office hit
So you think that you're above me
Well you're obviously high
So you think that you can snub me
Look me right in the eye
Uh oh bang bang you're dead
Shame you said what you said
What you said dragged my name through the mud
What you said left me thirsty for blood
What you said in your head
Maybe seemed innocent to you
But instead what you said hurt
Even more because it was true
So you think that you're above me
You've forgotten your place
So you think that you can snub me
Say the words to my face
Uh oh bang bang you're dead
Shame you said what you said
So you think that you're above me
Don't get carried away
So you think that you can snub me
Better watch what you say
Uh oh bang bang you're dead
Shame you said what you said.
|
||||
19. |
||||
Teach me a lesson
A wound at your hands
And justice demands that I
Should pay attention
Vengeance is fine
But who has the time?
Call me a coward
Go on the attack
I won't fight you back
Or grant you any power
An eye for an eye
Leaves everyone blind
A tooth for a tooth
Is dental abuse
No I won't chase down a hit and run
Throw my life off track for anyone
Moving on is the best revenge
A minor uproar
An insult to you
That karma and voodoo dolls
Can not atone for
A prisoner of war
You'll settle the score
A lack of control
That eats at your soul
Stardust falls from the sky tonight
Let your guard down and feel it
Really feel it.
|
||||
20. |
||||
Everyone has a favorite band
Favorite book, favorite film,
Favorite brand
Not me, I don't believe in that
Hey, it's true!
What are you laughing at?
Because I'm more than just a set of likes
Because I won't get caught up in the hype
You go on ahead and spread your top ten list
As for me, I'm sure mine won't be missed
Credit where credit is due
I'm playing favorites with you
A favorite perfume
A favorite dress
A favorite reason to be obsessed
There's no accounting for my taste
When your aim is to claim it's misplaced
Give me reasons instead of ranks
No more multiple choice
Fill those blanks!
You say you want to get to know me well
So if you want I'll promise not to tell
I'm the one to spill your guilty pleasures to
This request is a test
Think it through
There's one exception to every rule
To fall in love takes a certain sort of fool.
|
||||
21. |
||||
Maybe tonight
Maybe not for awhile
The odds are not that high
On any one day
But I know our luck too well
To just walk away
Maybe tonight
Maybe not for awhile
It's not gambling when you know
You're going to win
When you and I spend time
The reels start to spin
Then we're busy doing nothing
Immersed in a boring routine
The tiniest readjustment
And like a slot machine
The magic is back
We're like a slot machine
That always pays back
Maybe tonight
Maybe not for awhile
You know we'll strike it rich
Eventually
Just have a little faith
In our chemistry
And just as I start to wonder
When payoffs are far and between
We can't shake the spell we're under
Then like a slot machine
It's cherries and bells
We're like a slot machine
And everything's well
The one thing in my life
That always holds true
I hit the jackpot when
I hooked up with you.
|
||||
22. |
||||
There was a time in history
Your next meal was a mystery
If you were lucky you might catch a fish
But we have Amazon now
No need for brains or brawn now
Your wish list to your door in just one click
Pointless productivity
I sit behind a screen
My fingers span the inches
In a blaze of inactivity
Captivity
For hours every day
I dare to call it work
Relentless innovation
Requires concentration
To thrive in this knowledge economy
My digital creations
Have no physical manifestation
I deal in intellectual property
Our avatars
In silhouette
Addicted to
The internet
We type and type
But never sweat
Our bellies stuffed
Perpetually
Defining sloth
And gluttony
We die too soon
But live like kings
For now let's just enjoy it
No reason to avoid it
Who needs an extra gear to coast downhill?
Succumb, my couch potato
Adopt my humble credo
And watch the world revolve while we sit still
Pointless productivity
I sit behind a screen
My fingers span the inches
In a blaze of inactivity
Creativity
I exercise my mind
And laugh to call it work.
|
||||
23. |
||||
Motivation fades
The clock is ready to call it a day
When a charming guest
Is escorted straight to my desk
With a modest request
So begins the chase
You live on the way back to my place
Could I spare a ride?
I'm overly quick to oblige
Yes I'll drive you home
Your home
Wherever you'd like to go
Yes I'll drive you home
Your home
I'm wanting to get to know you better
A well-oiled machine
We've coasted into a pleasant routine
Talking all the way
We always have something to say
The best part of my day
Making hasty plans
To go hear one of our favorite bands
Saved our ticket stubs
It's obvious we are in love
Yes I'll drive you home
My home
Wherever you'd like to go
Yes I'll drive you home
My home
I'm wanting to spend the night together
You kick up your feet
Reclining into the passenger seat
As you start to snore
I quietly lock both the doors
To keep you safely on board
Finally set a date
A ceremony to commemorate
The horizon's glare
The thrill of the wind in our hair
Yes I'll drive you home
Our home
Wherever you'd like to go
Yes I'll drive you home
Our home
I'm ready to spend our lives together.
|
||||
24. |
||||
A fragile tower once rose by my bed
A handy place to stack the books I read
But now the seven basic plot designs
Betray the endings of their storylines
At the first sign
There's no thrill left in the ride
Could we be happy?
Could we be happy?
Heard/seen/done it all a thousand times
Could we be happy
Could we be happy just going
Through the motions
Once every pop song took me by surprise
A rush of goose bumps led to teary eyes
But now it's easy to predict the rhymes
And sing along with every other line
On the first try
We used to see a couple films a week
When life was simple and the seats were cheap
We could have walked out but we never did
We should have talked it out instead of hid
Stupid kids
Don't even ask about falling in love
You already know what I'll say
You're perfect on paper
But spoiler alert
We all turn the page.
|
||||
25. |
OBE (Memoryy Remix)
05:09
|
|||
Grew up absorbed in New Age schemes
Astral projection and lucid dreams
Believing every word I read
How you could leave your body in your bed and
Explore the world invisibly
Just think of all the things that you could see
The answer key, the locker room
Turns out the book author was sniffing glue, but
Being with you is an out of body experience
There's a buzz in my head
And a vague sense of dread
Then the vibrations start
And I'm coming apart
Paralyzed locked in place
As I'm floating through space
Unconfined yet connected to you
Tried a few times to no avail
Before I let go of paranormal fairy tales
I'd breathe so fast I'd sweat and shake
Probably started to hallucinate
I never thought I'd relive that thrill
Like drinking caffeine with a sleeping pill
But here you are and now it's back
Between a coma and a heart attack.
|
||||
26. |
||||
Go on ahead
Don't you wait for me
It's too late for me
There's no guarantee
How I'll feel
There's something wrong inside my brain
Something that I can't contain
Wish I could explain
The radio
Argues with my inner voice
Nothing more than background noise
Funny what the mind enjoys
When it's wild
Panic at the grocery store
Everything is a such a chore
What was it like before?
I pretend to hide
A light inside
But it's just one more lie
Don't give a damn about me
My eyes have dried
Mourning the light inside
I smile and say
Everything's alright with me
So if you want to fight with me
If you want reality
Get in line
Stuck on every simple choice
Things that used to bring me joy
Now just broken toys
Can't fall asleep
Can't focus on TV
But it's even worse for me
To let my mind run free
An empty man
With time on his hands
If there's something I could do
To make things easier for you
Nothing's too much
For someone I love
Yes I can still love
Yes I can still love.
|
||||
27. |
Half (Odd Year Remix)
03:45
|
|||
Turn out the lights
Chase that empty feeling
Roll on the floor
And I hit the ceiling
Why with so much room in your heart
Do you only give me half?
The spirit wanes
As the self releases
I broke in two
Conversation pieces.
|
||||
28. |
||||
I am an outcast
And it suits me fine
God knows my actions
Really crossed the line
Each time you touch a part of me
I fear that you'll break it
Cause I've done something I regret
And I'll never shake it
A slip of the finger
A mark that will linger forever
Hero or villain
A legacy hinges on
A slip of the finger
The fleeting impulse
Of a maniac
A flash of panic
I can't take it back
Kings abdicate and nations fall
For smaller offences
Thought I could justify it all
Until I came to my senses
Nothing to live for
Careless in defeat
Why bother looking
When I cross the street?
I'd promise anything to go back
To when my past wasn't checkered
But every key we press is part
Of our permanent record
One lapse of judgement
Ablaze in the snarling heat of the moment
That's when I lost you darling.
|
||||
29. |
||||
30. |
That (Neil Delta Remix)
04:49
|
|||
You can do better than that
I won't tell anyone
You can trust me
You can do better than me.
|
Color Theory Huntington Beach, California
Somehow I never outgrew the 80s.
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