“The Cynic rides west
He prays for salt to turn to seas
The Cynic breathes his own disease
The Sun won’t set if I keep riding east”
All songs written, performed and produced by Robert LaSalle except "Half Mile Away" with Luke Freeman playing drums
Album art by Megan Kelley
During the 2020 lockdown, the artist released these 2003-2008 teenage mixes as Impaster:
(2004-2005) CYNIC & THE SUNRISE I
(2004-2005) CYNIC & THE SUNRISE II (acoustic)
(2006-2007) ROOTS OF PARADISE I
(2006-2007) ROOTS OF PARADISE II (acoustic)
(2008) LOVE IS NOT AS BLIND AS ME
CALM DOWN OLD MAN
Growing up in fury every day
Telling what you can and cannot say
Being told you can and cannot do
I know you know we know they want us to
It’s too late, it’s too late
What’s this got to do with age?
It’s too late, it’s too late
What’s this got to do with age?
Conquer all the world and then they’ll know
You have the power, not the time to grow
When’s the best time to believe?
When you peak, you’re just a memory
It’s too late, it’s too late
What’s this got to do with age?
Calm down, calm down
Calm down, calm down
Make your mark on me and me to you
If you race you might get there too soon
Slow down you might be all alone
You’re too angry, man, you might be getting old
It’s too late, it’s too late
What’s this got to do with age?
Calm down, calm down
Calm down, calm down
IT'LL ALL COME BACK (ACOUSTIC)
You’s the law man
You says what's is true
But your morals still stuffed
Deep inside of you
You’ve covered them up
With your bloodstained hands
And stomped out the ashes
In every other man
I could wash your brain too
It needs the cleanse
But I choose not to fuck you
To make amends
Take your hand off the book
And lift it to your head
You were born with integrity
Now you're better off dead
Take it all away
It’ll all come back someday
If what you say is true
It’ll all come back on you
Civilized now
No more savages in cages
Only oppressed desires
And fat middle ages
Steel-toe battles
With guns and knives
All the good folks are whore lawyers
With fat housewives
Think twice
Before you really know what's good
And if you think you're better
You probably shouldn't
Who’s the judge? Who’s the jury?
And who's here to endorse them?
Where’s the baby blue peasants
You pay to enforce them?
Take it all away
It’ll all come back someday
If what you say is true
It’ll all come back on you
All of the good I plan to do
The only one in my way is you
Take it all away
It’ll all come back someday
If what you say is true
It’ll all come back on you
HALF MILE AWAY
Too late today
You’re a half a mile away
There’s nothing left to say
No, there's nothing left to say
I tied us up in twos
I gave everything for you
Now there's nothing left to do
Now there's nothing left to do
Give myself to you
But you long to see me dead
I guess what's left is in my head
I guess what's left is in my head
Our love’s a perfect knot
But your heart I strung’s now lost
Once love's now love that's gone
Once love's now love that's gone
Too late today
You’re half a mile away
But I’m walking anyways
No, I’m walking anyways
I tied us up in twos
I gave everything for you
Now there's nothing left to do
Now there's nothing left to do
I wander to your place
For a last glimpse of your face
But I find myself alone
Now and longing for a gun
I tied us up in twos
Now I’ll tighten up the noose
‘Cause what’s left I leave for you
What’s left I leave for you
SETTLE FOR LESS (ACOUSTIC)
Heaven is a mountain
If hell is just a hill
I’m here for answers
I’m here to kill or be killed
What’s this you say?
I’m in a valley?
What good is this to me?
I’m climbing, getting tired
I’ve stopped to rest beneath a tree
So, yes might settle for less
And build a castle on this hill
If it doesn't make me stronger
Then it's bound to make me ill
Settle for less
I’ll never ask for more
And I’ll never be the best
I’ll settle for less
Incompetent excuses
Call me lazy if you wish
The Cynic and The Sunrise
The product of someone else’s eyes
I’m free to do whatever I want and so are you
So are you
Revisions and sadists and crud in your head
I’ve come clean, I’m Godspeed, and I’d rather be dead
Don’t surrender, don't decay, don't be shun from the day
Can you feel it? It’s real
It can blow you away
Fuck your dreams
Fuck your fortune
Fuck the sparkle in her eye
Fuck your "feelings inside”
Fuck all four stable lives
Do I pray for this sentiment?
Is this not what won’t hit me?
My prayers do have answers and they're all 50/50
I’ll settle for less
I’ll never ask for more
And I’ll never be the best
I’ll settle for less
Incompetent excuses
Call me crazy if you wish
The Cynic and The Sunrise
The product of someone else’s eyes
The Cynic rides west
He prays for salt to turn to seas
The Cynic breathes his own disease
The Sun won't set if I keep riding east
The Sun won't set if I keep riding east, eh?
Wouldn’t it be great if we all died and God said…
A NEW LIGHT
On the second floor in bars and chains
Is there nothing here I can change?
The good fight for a bitter life in vein
Is there nothing here I can change?
Tomorrow’s light will be the same
It’s a burden breathing down my neck
Is there nothing good
Is there nothing good to come?
I can't believe what I have done
Is there nothing good
Is there nothing good to come?
I can't believe what I have done
Hopelessly the last of me has built a castle in The Sun
Is there nothing good, nothing good, nothing
Nothing good to come?
NO TIME OR PLACE
Simple words with a simple voice
From a simple life in a simple world
Complete my life with those simple eyes
And show them what they've seen
Watch as they fly astray
Has no time or place
Honestly, there's a lot to see
There’s no clouds, and there's no rain
Luckily, there's a breeze today
And hopefully I’ll blow away
And when I land I’ll find that face
Has no time or place
When I land I’ll find that face
Has no time or place
If you've heard those simple words
Watch them as they fly astray
Enjoy the sounds in the senses dawned
And try to find that place
When I land I’ll find that face
Has no time or place
When I land I’ll find that face
Has no time or place
When I land
JONAB
(No Lyrics)
WITNESS TO THE STORM
The Sun’s at the shoreline
The cloud’s everywhere
I see the storm coming
I feel it in the air
Here as I’m witness
To Spring as it's sprung
Here’s the last lone cry
Of the Winter's dusk
The hills disappear
Through the rain as it falls
The water splashes
From its shallow walls
The Winter fights
To survive another day
As I fight
To keep my mind awake
Trees fall
The wind is high
Thunder sounds
In a flash of lights
Spring calls
Storm cries
The storm sings
Lullabies
Goodnight
Walked for miles
Just to witness this
I built a fire
On the edge of cliff
I feel the storm
As it opens up
I’m so tired now
My eyes are shut
Trees fall
The wind is high
Thunder sounds
In a flash of lights
Spring calls
The storm cries
Storm sings
Lullabies
Goodnight
Awoke into The Sun
And the coals are dead
It’s a long walk home
I’m cold and wet
I slept through the forecast
As I could predict
Spring has begun
And I’m a witness to this
DISTORT THE REST OF ME
Welcome back
We will, we will welcome you
Hope the worst won’t
Tear through the best of you
We’ve picked through the change
We’ve promised you
We’ve forgotten all the good things
Understood?
Meaning, must there be?
Distort the rest of me
When you die, remember nothing
Hope the worst won’t tear through you
Bring me the answers to my questions
Still you think you're worthy?
Hope the worst won’t tear through you
Conquer their sadness, nothing matters
Nothing brings you further
Missed the message
Completely dead inside
You think that something comes next
You’re wrong
Lived a good one?
Think you deserve it?
Here’s the answer to all your problems
All eternity
All eternity
These are things you’ll never compre-
Hope the worst won’t tear through you
Bring me the answers to my questions
Still you think you're worthy?
Hope the worst won’t tear through you
Conquer their sadness, nothing matters
Nothing brings you further
Hope the worst won’t tear through you
Bring me the answers to my questions
Still you think you're worthy?
Hope the worst won’t tear through you
Conquer their sadness, nothing matters
Nothing brings you further
NUDE BLUES
Nude blues
Dancing with the savage in your bed
Long ties, long time coming
Practice makes perfection turn to sin
Love is best
To touch her heart, first touch her skin
Practice lovers
You’re bound forever now instead
Here and now
The last place you'd expect to see new life
You borrowed her future
Don’t have to take her home tonight
Love is best
To touch her heart, first touch her skin
Practice lovers
You’re bound forever now instead
Nude blues, nude blues
Nude blues, nude blues
Lust begins and ends in twos
NO REGRETS
Water falls against the earth
I gave up, I dove in headfirst
Water pounds against the shore
All is calm on the ocean floor
No regrets
On the ocean floor
Peace at last
Beneath the storm
Up above the wind is high
Never touch the surface now
Up above the lightning strikes
All is calm beneath the tide
No regrets
On the ocean floor
Peace at last
Beneath the storm
Not to see, not to breathe
Life rises out of me
Water pounds into the shore
All is calm on the ocean floor
No regrets
On the ocean floor
Peace at last
Beneath the storm
No regrets
On the ocean floor
Peace at last
Beneath the storm
NEVERMORE
A flawless kingdom
Touches your senses
Provokes your every nerve
The king writes in bold print
Messenger won't receive it
Nevermore is his last word
He built you a castle
And pushed you off your throne
Never ask for nevermore
The fine lines are inside
Forever etched in stone
Never ask for nevermore
The king never asked him
Was forewarned in bold print
Take you for the last word you send
The fine lines are not on this earth
Send this word to the messenger
Let him know the walls are caving in
He built you a castle
And pushed you off your throne
Never ask for nevermore
The fine lines are inside
Forever etched in stone
Never ask for nevermore
If you see him coming, don't look back
Until the walls around you drop
He set out on white horses
To give the king his fair warning
From coast to coast the clock towers bend
Prepare yourself for the last dance
He said, send word to the messenger
When it ends it never ends again
He built you a castle
And pushed you off your throne
Never ask for nevermore
The fine lines are inside
Forever etched in stone
Never ask for nevermore
UP
Up, it's the only way I’ll ever reach you
'Cause you can't reach me
Why? If I go down, I’ll never see you
You see my contradictions a battleground
I got to hold on tight
Life, a stupid game
Pay attention, you'll agree
When the world's not listening
Listen closely, then you'll know
It’s the only place I want to go
(I got to hold on tight)
Pay attention, you'll agree
When the world's not listening
(Life, it's a stupid game to play)
Listen closely, then you'll know
It’s the only place I want to go
I want to go home