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Cicada Exoskeletons

by Tim Stiles

supported by
David Grigsby
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David Grigsby Tim is passionately creative and so it makes me smile and I love the word artistry as well as the sounds, allows me to close my eyes and visualize his amazing creative perspective.

Favorite track: Froggy Window.
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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Deluxe double vinyl version of Tim Stiles' solo album, Cicada Exoskeletons. Pressed on 180gm, merlot and teal vinyl with full color gatefold jacket, shrink-wrapped. Featuring custom art by Ryan Breault and Richard Lim. Limited to 300 copies.

    LIMITED EDITION VINYL BUNDLE 15% OFF + FREE SHIPPING: timstiles.bandcamp.com/merch/limited-edition-vinyl-bundle-cicada-exoskeletons-visceral-candy-feat-tim-stiles

    IMPORTANT: Do you want your copy signed? If you would like the cover signed by Tim Stiles, please use the send a message option at checkout in order to request a signature. Signed copies will have their shrink-wrap removed but will be placed inside a resealable poly bag. Unsigned copies come fully shrink-wrapped.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Cicada Exoskeletons via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 300 

      $45 USD or more 

     

  • Purchase both Limited Edition Vinyl LPs at 20% off (Normally $70).

    Includes:

    - Cicada Exoskeletons Limited Edition Double Vinyl (180 gm)
    Details: timstiles.bandcamp.com/album/cicada-exoskeletons

    - Visceral Candy Feat. Tim Stiles Limited Edition 12" Vinyl LP (180gm)
    Details: timstiles.bandcamp.com/album/visceral-candy-feat-tim-stiles

    - Digital Download codes of both albums (CE download included when checking out, VCxTS redemption code sent separately via email)

    Includes unlimited streaming of Cicada Exoskeletons via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 5  4 remaining

      $56 USD or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $15 USD  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 17 Tim Stiles releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Wearing My Jordans, Who's The Boss?, Cicada Exoskeletons, I Dropped The Ball This Christmas (A Poem For Casie), L.M.C., A Fish Like This feat. Trinity Richter, Let It Be feat. Trinity Richter, Start With An 'E' feat. Paradame (Qreepz Remix), and 9 more. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $50.79 USD or more (10% OFF)

     

1.
Plip-plop, go a matter of drops Paying close attention to H2O’s reflection on... The window--the canvas, The rain, the paint, with the windowsill--their guard Water makes its way based on the artist, the wind’s say And the amount of drips involved From the inside we watch Their confusing execution and cavernous crawl After a few slick turns and quick stops Rivers are portrayed like a tangled rope of slip knots Some beads proliferate While others dissipate and soon dissolve Moving in closer, we begin to contemplate Did nature just create patterns for us to solve? Our breath condensates upon the windowpane So we spell our name with a greasy palm From the start of the raining, we’re a part of this painting Equally artists involved, Mesmerized by the causeways Reflections of webbed feet soon become the cost paid Within throws of the fog Green skin starts to glow, fingertips grow enlarged Soon each breath we take finds a timely escape And formulates the shape of frogs, anyway! Hip-hop, goes the amphibian’s walk... Minding his own, traversing the pond Searching for a mate at a stepping-stones pace Hopping lily pad to pod Tick-tock, go the hands of the clock As a past unsolved remains in his thoughts Hickory, dickory, dock... Oh, how quickly we evolve with such wizardry involved Hip-hop, goes the amphibian’s walk... Residing alone, submerged in his pond Happy in his place, keeping his own pace Not bouncing from pad to pod Tick-tock, go the hands of the clock Might be time to move on but he thinks not Hickory, dickory, dock Oh, how stubborn we evolve with such misery involved He goes a hip, hip, hop (x3) He goes a hip, hip… hop! Time goes a tick, tick, tock (x3) It goes a tick, tick… tock! He goes a hip, hip, hop (x3) He goes a hip, hip… hop Time goes a tick, tick, tock as he hip, hip, hops... Time goes a tick, tick... tock Until the clock’s ticks... ..Stop...
2.
[Tim Stiles] This site wants to know my location Sure, I'll allow but subsequently send me notifications? Nope, I throw in the towel My own accord's been out-waged by the proud Robot overlords coding open doors like Blaise Pascal When convenience is tantamount We become lenient letting data rain from the clouds As soon a privacy gets sold at a premium It feels as if we're being disemboweled Look, I'll accept your cookies with a satiated sentiment But my data's sensitive, invading it takes precedent Over any internet mandate or intent for its betterment I don't care if it's to aggregate or eradicate pestilence Encapsulating eating habits with my average weight To feed me targeted ads through packets grazed Is an undeniable breach of my rights Sure, I clicked accept but a white flag wasn't raised [Hook] They say it's for my own protection, It's so deceptive when they pry so hard Data being driven in so many directions A backseat passenger drives my car No perspective on what they're collecting Unclear objective, where'd the driver park? That's how riots start I wish they'd keep their hands to themselves, off my private parts... [The Grouch] Dat-data and information that if taken Down and recorded is important Yeah, I get it I don't really fear it Cause love will prevail and we can afford it An assortment of details So you can get to know me well without knowing me Well, I heard it in a seashell that Sally sold Before the Silicon Valley mode We had the northern Cali cold in seasons A story of two worlds we believed in I never sell my soul for the wrong reason No one could take that from me if I'm breathing Nature is sacred, that's what I put my faith in No effort wasted, unplugging from the matrix But the web we weave is a sticky one Will your trigger finger squeeze when you get the gun? The car, the house, the promotion Is success worth the death of the ocean? No, I say "success" in quotes and I'm hoping To provoke thought and get your heart open [Hook] [Tim Stiles] Most of the time we ignore keep on clicking Accept this, allow that just to load a page we're visiting Ads litter screens and block what we're reading One index misstep leads to malware imprisoning That's when they sell us apps supposed to rid it clean Then all of a sudden that cleaner itself begins soliciting CPU cycles dwindle as the virus starts to chisel away Until the data loss is crippling Nothing could outweigh the cost you're will to spend to stop it Kick and scream all you want, the robots are gonna profit So many security layers smother us while we're all asleep Data miners will keep laundering the middle-ware cloth of kings [HOOK]
3.
One Man Show 04:00
From a deep sleep, grinding teeth REM Eyes are opened by the sound of rotor blades closing in What a way to awaken, I'm bothered at best Realizing my bed's become a helicopter's nest Uneasy breathing, dreams gone disrupted Stuck in a machine, climbing peaks to nothingness Where are we headed? North, south, east or west? I can't even read the needle of the compass on my wrist Plumes of smoke rushing in, crushing my chest Oxygen growing thin, nervous system distressed Make my way to the cockpit to notify the pilot All I find's an empty seat. There's no one flying this!? An abandoned backpack is sitting there instead With a ripcord labeled, PULL ME WHEN YOU SEE 'IT' The word 'IT' is written in RED. I don’t get it All I see is foggy, blue skies, and mist ahead Escape from the trouble, no dismay from rebuttal When you stay in your bubble... It’s a one man show Form the clay with your knuckle to create one to love you To lay with and cuddle... It's a one man show When solely facing the struggle there's no way to be befuddled Just stay in your bubble... It’s a one man show From the sea to the sand, the streets to the jungle Wherever you land... It’s a one man show A metal deathtrap’s no place for the fledged As the hell of this copter begins its tailspin of dread Panic sets in. I grasp the back of my neck Sirens start to scream. I wish I was back in bed! Off rips its manifold... I flip switches In one last ditch attempt to understand its controls I can't.... Glance out the window What do I witness? A resemblance of land? Alrighty then... On goes the backpack with no hand to hold Blow a kiss to my gone mistress and out the door I go Jumping ship into the abyss Wondering where, when, and if 'Isle-land' below Escape from the trouble, no dismay from rebuttal When you stay in your bubble... It’s a one man show Form the clay with your knuckle to create one to love you To lay with and cuddle... It's a one man show When solely facing the struggle there's no way to be befuddled Just stay in your bubble... It’s a one man show From the sea to the sand, the streets to the jungle Wherever you land... It’s a one man show Gracefully gliding through white noise of wild wind Increasing divides between cries & childish grins Cheek bones tighten. Pin needles strike lips Stretched skin forms a smile as I descend In and out of consciousness at break-neck speed A feeling of flight so ominous soon takes its lead At the break of a breaking dawn, pulling the rip cord out its seams Leaves shapes of a shaky hominid, breaking waves on a beach This nightmare set the stage, mic-tested my nerves Only one ticket sold, sound check was the worst But it made me take a second to check surroundings and learn Seclusion only lasts for so long until the bubble bursts Escape from the trouble, no dismay from rebuttal When you stay in your bubble... It’s a one man show Form the clay with your knuckle to create one to love you To lay with and cuddle... It's a one man show When solely facing the struggle there's no way to be befuddled Just stay in your bubble... It’s a one man show From the sea to the sand, the streets to the jungle Wherever you land... It’s a one man show
4.
These problems weigh way more than a ton You can tell by the hunch in my shoulders Plus the swell in my gut How do I solve them, or at least absolve one? I swallow a pill and keep the doors shut I express this to listeners, to my parents, psychiatrist and coworkers But I get treated like I’m no further from A lone goat herder without a cane, stripped of his tongue This mundane ho-hum struggles to retain relationships  With a positive outcome Attempts to do so are rarely gratified Complacency tends to leave the unsung unsatisfied The weight of the world is getting heavier Dishes are piling up, let alone the weather sucks I ain’t smiling as much as ordinarily This Introverted side is escalating at a rate that's sorta scaring me The hair on my head is falling Approaching 42, getting closer 50 dismays me Yet I'll still crawl out of bed today With a mouthful to say before my heart starts to palpitate  I try to do the right thing but you never know what the night’ll bring It starts with engines idling, exhaust fumes, then a tire screech Gears grind... desires vs. needs As an ominous automaton babbles on from the driver's seat It takes one to know one when neither know which road they're on I'm the hominid and he's the opposite of kind to me With pessimistic put downs rock bottomless I curl up like a nautilus to pretend to look like I'm asleep See, tonight I'm feeling kind of weak In this time of need, his words sting worse than a hive of bees Permanent ink within  his quotes cannot be washed away with soap Should've been slept on for an entire week I've got 99 problems... if I could just kick one A less wicked state would this way come A single solution to bring a new day’s sun And a path to resolve the other 98 of ‘em 99 problems, if I could just kick one! A less wicked state would this way come A single solution to bring a new day’s sun And a path to resolve the other 98 of ‘em These problems weigh way more than a ton You can tell by the hunch in my shoulders Plus the swell in my gut I’m carrying a lot of weight here But who isn't getting older soon to lie belly up? These problems are most definitely first world You can tell by the way I keep talking about the first girl I kissed... like this, muah! Still feeling it appropriate to continue this blog! I let the past prevail, inviting this fog With the saltiest of thoughts Can you offer any sentiment? Drawing conclusions in an office like Tom As Milton’s dissolutions burn Initech to sediment I still cold call, like an old dog all Hooch to Turner An abusive cig burner... Being spoon-fed concoctions promising to make me think further But nopes... A quantum conundrum, rocking the boat Someone toss me a rope, this spoonful weighs a ton
5.
[Ian Malcolm: Genetic power's the most awesome force the planet's ever seen but you wield it like a kid who's found his dad's gun.] [Dr. Grant: The world's just changed so radically and we're all... running to catch up.] Before we appeared, its evolution crafted Extraordinary creatures we couldn’t even imagine Phylums fantastic, appetites gigantic Bird-like lizards with a surprising advantage Survival of the fittest brought an age of massives Cretaceous synapsis through days Jurassic And in those days giant tree limbs snapped with A slow moving stream made of sap, which Encased proboscis suckers, blood residing thoracic As amber preserved Dee-oxy-ribo-nucleic acid Which stayed safe for millennia like Current day plastics. Until we arrived to extract it With lasik-like precision, visions of reliving the past, Advents in cryogenics, the first egg hatched It took the world by surprise How could time's passage all of a sudden become elastic? [Ellie Sattler: Where do you get 100 million year old dinosaur blood?] [John Hammond: It's all part of the miracle of cloning.] [Mr. DNA: Bingo! Dino DNA!] They say rage is primal But we’re just tiny mammals When it comes to the wars we wage Beliefs are motifs Until their waves become tidal Drowning all in glorious ways DNA spun a vital Double-helix recital Millenniums before we reigned History is suicidal If man remains its rival We'll all go extinct Like the dinosaur age [Dr. Grant: We're out of a job | Ian Malcolm: Don't you mean extinct?] Evangelicals say Earth was created in 7 days But their literature has no pictorial proof Saying God created dinosaurs but considered them corrupted So he killed off that phantasmagorical OOPS! I guess the Garden of Eden had no regard for the heathens It wouldn't dare let in such gargantuan, great groups Adam must've thwarted behemoths from reaching the gate While Jesus guarded Eve from that garden snake's tooth Disregard for discoveries made in the midwest plains Turns the real dino story dissolute Some are so ridiculously in the dark, they think brachiosaurs fit on the ark That doesn't float in the primordial soup Evolution's not a theory, Creationism's an illusion The 'Good Book's editorial pursuit Bible thumpers keep trumping along With such assumptions which couldn't carry the weight of a T-Rex foot [Ian Malcolm: You didn't earn the knowledge for yourself so... you don't take any responsibility for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could. And before you even knew what you had you patented it, and packaged it and slapped it on a plastic lunch box. And now you're selling it! You want to sell it!] They say rage is primal But we’re just tiny mammals When it comes to the wars we wage Beliefs are motifs Until their waves become tidal Drowning all in glorious ways DNA spun a vital Double-helix recital Millenniums before we reigned History is suicidal If man remains its rival We'll all go extinct Like the dinosaur age [Dr. Grant: Dinosaurs and man... Two species separated by 65 million years of evolution have just been thrown back into the mix together.] Look I know its a lot of time to digest No way we could know the entirety of what life did exist All we can do is turn stones and describe what’s left Study footprints and bones, surmising the rest I just think claims of supersized humans are kind of a stretch [Ray Arnold: PLEASE!?] Assuming dino's lived beside man in (the book of) Genesis is the wildest guess… [Ellie Sattler: They have no idea what century they're in] It was one thing for Cope to put an Elasmosaurus skull on its tail instead of its neck…. But quite another to claim they were human giants A union of God's sons and the daughters of men Pencils up class, it's time to reflect Imagination's beneficial and we're trying our best But bone wars keep breaking ties that bind and protect Our own existence which consists of the tiniest speck So, when you think of the past, show a little respect Five mass extinctions, at the brink of the next? What have we learned? Life on earth’s been kind of a mess I say lets keep gathering facts For what little time we have left... [Ian Malcolm: I'm simply saying uh..] Abolish history’s abominable text and Quit pretending we’re an indomitable Rex [Ian Malcolm: ...finds a way...]
6.
[Tim Stiles] I strive for perfection yet I know I'll never see it Every morning meet my reflection getting dressed and tend to feel defeated The diagnosis is depression, I'm lacking endorphins Destined to crawl back in bed and rest until things are back in proportion Everything’s so black and distorted My eyes refuse to adjust to a better mood lighting, lacked in this corner Rays of hope sink down the drain. There's crack in the porcelain Efforts to repair the break lack reinforcement Here I go again reverting back to being bored with The normal course of action when facing pain and torment Dwelling on past mistakes instead of moving forward I surely lack what it takes today, so goodnight. I’ll see you again tomorrow morning As the daylight hits once again, I’m embarrassed by the previous Regret so numbing that I’m turning part paraplegic This lack of feeling has me treading carefully While carrying a credence of carelessness for my own well being This old hell’s seeming like a rundown motel Needing fresh towels and a thorough cleaning before I check out All this dreaming about demons in an unkempt house Has me fresh out of ideas... Left to accept self doubt So on and so on Mistakes are made that prolong A never-ending slow song Called saving face But only for so long is this so, So please hold on Lessons learned in the end Could be your saving grace [Murcii Miller] I've been told that being humble gets you nowhere I've been so mad, so embarrassed, couldn't hold back Something in me kept the failure for moving me forward I'm using swear words to convey the emotion, I'm tortured Saving face it takes the place And lets me hold my dignity I plead my case, I say my grace It got me feeling differently I gain no space my liquor with no chase How much more could I take? I know that I'm a straight diamond in the rough like Tiffany's A little rough around the edges Like college kids, dorm rooms and petty pledges I take a walk on ledges I'm balancing out the act... How many shots and 12 packs of White Claw gonna help me bounce back? Listen, I grab a rope, I pick up the slack They say I'm tripping and I'll probably overreact I'm getting stacks and I'm agro, no not cause I'm black 9-5 saving face, I'm avoiding the tax Moments of embarrassment. Is it making me sad? I don't want to show up rolling stone like my dad I'm letting my ego kick in the door with the keyhole Introvert, its socially awkward I don't like dealing with people I let my insecurities bully me like, Deebo So on and so on Mistakes are made that prolong A never-ending slow song Called saving face But only for so long is this so, So please hold on Lessons learned in the end Could be your saving grace [Tim Stiles] They say try and save yourself from an eventual health scare By saving up your wealth but that really doesn't help here I'm trying to save myself for the sake of mental welfare Save a stubborn face for later days and *not* take it there Feeling accomplished is bound to who your accomplice is Compliments tend to bury themselves in grave states of affairs You've got two choices: Stomp and bitch and wine Or realize repair requires more than one stitch in time So on and so on Mistakes are made that prolong A never-ending slow song Called saving face But only for so long is this so, So please hold on Lessons learned in the end Could be your saving grace
7.
Sample: "Just travel the way... a child travels... Round and around... and back home again... To a place we know we are loved." Come meet the orderlies obligated to an ordinance Of rounding jagged corners for our family's sake When things fall out of order and patching wounds is in order We’re ordered to Band-Aid a scuffed knee or bloody face Repair is important and there’s nothing more rewarding than Reordering the sad gaze on a child’s face But there’s so much more to this, from breadwinning cabinets To breaking bread games while our fists remain quarter-less A penny saved is a penny's earned in plenty of ways, but not when returned By swallowing copper until subordinate bellies ache We remedy disorder while kept within our corner Never sipping wine, just gripping vines, and crushing grapes This mess of obligation soon causes arbitration Such expectations are distorted, at best We are man, myth, Unfortunate Son Ornaments Who hang our crowns, florissant until laid to rest We don’t tear. We don’t feel feelings… We don’t care 'cause we’re not human beings… We don’t share. We don’t need feelings… We don’t share 'cause we’re not human beings We don’t care... Sample: "The hardest part... Is realizing that you're in charge." They are the orderlies obligated to an ordinance Of reading quarterlies while placing makeup on their face When things fall out of order, consulting *us* is their order, Ensuring beds are made before serving up dinner plates Sure, they are gorgeous, and bearing children’s important But it’s blown all out of proportion once the media’s engaged There’s so much more to them. Their true image is distorted when Saying their intelligence is a quarter of men’s This petty game plays Penny’s worth. What Penny claims is never returned, Swallowing copper as her pregnant belly aches She drowns in this disorder. Just stays within her corner, Sipping wine... This design’s a crying shame Excessive consternation soon causes loss of weight and Such expectations keep her cornered, at best She is woman, a saint, an Unfortunate Daughter Ornament Whose name’s to remain honored with the utmost respect They do tear. They have real feelings... They do care 'cause they’re human beings... They will share when they feel feelings But we don’t care 'cause we’re not human beings We should share...
8.
The tall, dark, and handsome always gets the girl Thinking out loud, smiling, looking pretty His lack of substance quenches her thirst As a down-poured smirk is all that’s necessary... To converse with her with his immersive worst She's putty in his hands though he's just a jerk with flirts It’s not intelligence which captures her attention More-so how far his fence spans once first observed Forget intellectual challenge nor respectable talent His face value balances to fit her curves Too often we settle for the greenest of grass No matter how its roots actually hit the curb It’s so damn easy to lie to yourself When you only take the time to mind meld with Millennials Obstinance is the most selfish Way to turn yourself from a human into a sentinel Put a pug upon a pedestal and he’ll resemble The greatest of Danes gaining the same medal The middle class is separated by ages Dog-tagged and rated by systematic ways we assemble... All books by their covers Judgement laid on one another until their bindings crumble No matter how how you look at it, us underdogs are asunder Too often trumped, despite our strength in numbers A partner, pardoning apartheid Outlined by pages clipped from a calendar of the Far Side Don’t take my pessimism wrong, my friend We’ve walked long enough to know where the sidewalk ends And I’m horrified… (CHORUS) They say the grass is always greener It’s not about their shades of blades Nor height in centimeters Their grass is *always* greener... Take a peek over their fence To find jealousy’s demeanor… Their grass is *always* greener And after gazing long enough Our longing to graze makes us upset We’re unable to stare halfway, unless We peer through pairs Of Rose Colored Glasses... They say the glass is half full... It’s not about the vacated space Nor its volume in centiliters Their glass is *always* half full... We subtract the full half And let the vacancy be the handful It’s just the way we look at it... Once the empty half is cracked Would you even fully recognize the half of it? Oh, how our perception is damaged... We’d be better off smashing These Rose Colored Glasses... (Verse Two) This freckled, smart kid never got the girl A skinny piece of parchment with an average build I might as well’ve been a carcass, covered in filth Cuddling darkness due to the way that I felt When I turned 21 I still looked like I was 12 This made it hard to date anyone within my age bracket Approaching girls during college days failed Their rejection only tightened the bindings of my straight jacket I felt evicted, socially restricted A woeful victim, sunken deep into his shell Never being elected and rarely taken seriously Always conflicted me, letting this constriction prevail Nose all runny feeling ugly and filled With an anger and angst all encompassing guilt A no show, stumbling way to the hills with no wind for his sails (Verse Three) Let the designs of greed play into detractors of finding peace Watch these builders of the fence pilfer the expense from The fight that blind mice lead Draw conclusions until these awful delusions Have you shut your eyes to see how others’ lives might be Better than yours, settling scores by Calling the kettle black with a suicide type speech Walk the coals when cold Until the balls of our feet blister and scream from the cauterizing Once the grass’ roots recede, the glass’ll crack in half Spreading shards over lawns, authorizing... Gloom to stand half as tall than we tried to believe And our previous slander will find its retreat Once comparing’s no longer a standard I bet the bloom of roses planted will be one hell of a sight to see... (CHORUS x 1)
9.
[Tim Stiles] Come one, come all where the views astound From the mountains, rivers, lakes and the Puget Sound It's a sight to see where I've thrived rightfully No wonder others feel the same and newcomers are inbound Unsurprisingly emerald states of mind Flock to the Northwest in a hunt for apartments Our housing market's stock full Becoming a run of the bulls thanks to the biggest liars in town Competition stiffens, We can't even pick which neighborhood to live in Due to labor wage restrictions Winners are comprised of companies who subsidize Rent for those with salaries too inflated to begin with Thanks elitists for these rent increases Goodbye teachers and industry folks who feed us As they push us to the outer reaches, they cannot win Let 'em hide behind their picket fence [Sole] They produce nothing, gatekeep Middle-class existence surrounded by surplus Peddling scarceness Drug users in homes never get caught Homeless addicts round it up for heroin While landlords sniff coke You ain't rich, you're as broke as me Just to hope to leverage your position in this Ponzi scheme No skill involved You just make poor people pay your mortgage And the profits go straight up your nose It's a risky business That's why the riskers born are renters And when the equity increases, you keep the winnings No wonder why they say home ownership is the road to riches But a house is not a financial instrument It's what you break your bread and read to kids And try not to die when every day the world ends Landlord's a parasite with an empty balance chest No one owns the land that's predicated on theft [Tim Stiles] Price locked in For a temporary coffin to crawl in While a cemetery plot thickens Not a single place affordable to live in Within city limits even if minimum wage is risen It's not this city's fault For the money pit we're digging in But in my opinion it is its fault for pitching in To damn flaws written in landlord-tenant laws Affecting residents involved, isn't it? The law states within notice of 60 days Rents may be raised at ridiculous rates Who's tipping the cash cow now? Its utterly unforgiving how we're grazed upon Victims of fate Roads used to be paved in this land with milk and honey Now it's just bees buzzing Around the most cranes in the country Our emerald's tarnished As it dissolves, I be the Wizard of OZ turns over in his grave
10.
What started as two, unappreciated Brewed relations in no way they’d have thought The rabbit saw the fox which starting the chasing Lines centuries linked, communications crossed Defenseless and small, soft to the touch Apprehensive, yet in awe of her claws that could crush She sensed very stall and thought it was fun Like run... rabbit.... run... Licking her lips right on the heels of hind legs Ready for a meal, dreaming of how I might taste Knowing how she feels, I decided to take  The moon as my guide and let dumb habits come If I hadn't abated I'd be greater at this When left alone to choose between a bait and a switch As chasing ensued, we tasted the fruit On our way to the moon, where love still exists If only we'd new better, we'd be better at this When left alone to choose between a bait and a switch But as chasing ensued, we tasted the fruit On our way to the moon where love still exists [Hook] The apple of my eye, steel toe in her boot Lets dust fly, kicking rocks on the moon When tongue-tied, she loosens the noose Calling out from inside a telephone booth The rabbit and the fox, now far from removed Still the sound of clip-clops radiate from the moon Our core will never rot, the apple is the proof As calls are still tried inside a telephone booth [/Hook] Right in the nick of time as she closed in swiftly I found a tree to climb onto a limb that fits me She paced around, eye’s shifting  From an apple laying on the ground to mine… I’m tricky After reaching safety, our eyes locked I knocked another down without a sound, time paused We watched it peel itself, then rot What I saw next felt like a tragedy I'd caused There she was just laying there stiff Rotten cores around her body as if age had taken a skip I felt the bough break, sever, then split Knowing her chase was simply to leverage a kiss If I hadn't abated I'd be greater at this When left alone to choose between a bait and a switch As chasing ensued, we tasted the fruit On our way to the moon, where love still exists If only I'd knew better, I'd been better at this I should've let her take my life instead of resisting pursuit When the fox chases the hare it ain't fair to assume The dust she now kicks only exists on the moon [Hook] The apple of my eye, steel toe in her boot Lets dust fly, kicking rocks on the moon When tongue-tied, she loosens the noose Calling out from inside a telephone booth The rabbit and the fox, now far from removed Still the sound of clip-clops radiate from the moon Our core will never rot, the apple is the proof As calls are still tried inside a telephone booth [/Hook]
11.
[Kristoff Krane] Dream, to wake up and write Came to in between trying to break up a fight Soak up what you need, leave no mark behind Cold touch, feeling free when they turn off the lights Stay moving to a beat that was banging before the body bloomed Broke into the black only space and little eyes that move Up and down, no matter what the spirit brings Motivated by the moon, nothing I wouldn’t do to hear her sing, sing Who could divide two sheets to the wind Who believes in God Who sleeps in a breathe, pulled up the spine Awestruck in the gut when the future rewinds Like, Shiva is shepherd, treasure the sunshine, smoke Pump primitive pleasure weather is one mind, poke Yeah, let it bleed, hunting to feed the family Something to keep our heavenly energies intertwined, like [HOOK x1] When we’re flying free, the energy returns to light Family, family is alive, like that Finally, family is alive... When we’re free to breath, the energy comes back to life Family, family is alive, like that Finally, family is alive... [Tim Stiles] We state intelligence separates us as human beings Assuming family bonds lie between just you and me Standing upright on two feet, mistaken for Cupid's wings As a yearn to fly proliferates each lucid dream Perhaps we should explore the roots that create the tree Instead of wasting energy on proof from land of make believe Shift our gaze toward its limbs, graced with leaves And find true foundations of a family, alive... From cracks in between a membrane of white Out reaches a beak trying to break through the side Incubated, little being introduced to the light For once able to breathe and soak in the sunshine New senses developed as his body grew Naturally selected, after Dad and Mommy swooped In to gather twigs through the entire spring Instinctively to create more than a tire-swing Swing, to the rhythm of vital heartbeat of a chest Who'll leave a nest soon Meet success once nurturing excites Proper energy and life for a future in flight, by Preening the feathers to weather the wetlands Coat... oils together to extend the breast and Molt... wings carefully paired to needs of family Now defeating gravity, venturing through the skies, like... [HOOK x2] Flying free, flying free Energies return to light Family, family is alive, like that Finally, family is alive [x2] [Kristoff Krane] Show me where you live Show me what you say Flying free, the energy returns to life Been here for so long Give what it will take Flying free, the energy returns to light Not much room to move Not sure what to make Finally free, the family tree is sure to fight Been here for so long Forget what it will take Flying free, the energy returns to life
12.
Way back when, summer was the best Hunting in the backyard of my grandparent’s residence Chasing critters trying to creepy crawl beyond the fence On the East coast, with the quickest draw in the West Armed with a mason jar I snaked without telling them Filled it to the brim with cicada exoskeletons Morning made for special embellishments But sunset staged extraterrestrial intelligence... These are not the beetles I’m used to So many of them, plus they can glow and fly Mesmerized by such tiny lights, circling information Just had to make room in the jar for a new acquaintance Rounding up fireflies, astoundingly satisfying Seeing eye to eye in a different form of communication I was determined to capture each procession Screw the cap 'n seal all of my new friends in Call it what you will but I snatched all that I could Far before “catch ‘em all" meant some Pokémon collection When those yesterdays feel like fleeting moments Please know they've paved the way of your entire life Don't stop collecting That collection's still growing Sealed tight in a glowing jar of fireflies Oh to see life like a kid again Not a care in the world for how it'll unfurl Nor when and if it ends Just dancing to the rhythm of diligence Never giving up nor into belittlement Attacking moments as if minutes were limitless Back when ignorance meant our age of innocence Bigger fish to fry had no place in our vision yet They were just prey in the lake we were fishing in Here fishy, fishy You cannot not run and hide from What’s in store for you on the end of my line Ha, may have rarely caught a fish though But confidence from one catch was unmatched when we did so After so much time to tinker, tying line, hook and sinker The prize we remember was the praise from our kinfolk We're still the same kids who crave honor Sure, at a different age but on the same page as the same author Nibbles in the lake may not come often But still a single bird in the hand can create a flock of them When those yesterdays Feel like fleeting moments Please know they've paved the way of your entire life Don't stop collecting That collection's still growing Sealed tight in a glowing jar of fireflies I used to take each moment as a way make advances But now I only take chances under certain circumstances You may not make away like a bandit But the beauty's in the takeaway, never taken for granted Gotta weigh advantage with loss in this age of wisdom Life won't always toss ya into a lake full of naked women Aging has its way of showing rate of attrition Commonly in a cubicle where you make a living, like What is this bright looking follicle? And how many are left on the top or the side? Heh, isn't getting older is so majestic? To make loss copasetic I don't throw 'em away like an old dog's bone or bedding Instead reach to the pantry to find a home to leverage Therein lies that mason jar I've been meaning show attention Unscrew the top, drop in the follicles rejected Hold the glass to the light to admire and reflect since This Professor X head is where they cannot stay I let this jar's fire inspire brighter days When those yesterdays Feel like fleeting moments Please know they've paved the way of your entire life Don't stop collecting That collection's still growing Sealed tight in a glowing jar of fireflies
13.
[Tim Stiles] She's an internet princess, cynical and senseless, Maniacally posting golden idols on Pinterest Her interests pop(!) culture balloons I watch her consume popular trends instead of minding my business Usually I’d grimace behind closed doors Disable her news feed and quit perusing her pictures But tonight I'm bored of the normal eye-sores With a face like hers I’m enacting forgiveness I've got a case of “the Saturdays" Funny how my patterns change from indifferent to listless Expectations tend to gravitate from acceptable to sexual Within a matter of seconds A quality I live with, not something to live for Getting all sprung like the Young and the Restless I see a beauty that blissful, defying logistics, Suitably sinful once applying her lipstick I tend to forget regretful, past experiences And make decisions in haste, far too fast and furious Tonight I’m lonely, combing the interwebs So once at my wit’s end I send her a friend request [Bodi] When I first wrote this verse, I was 22 And grew up a little since then, who woulda knew The twists and turns and bridges burned And wishes that now sit in urns We live and learn, I guess, but what I’m running from and running to Are two different things - and you are the latter Not something to climb on, like you’re all that matters Cause you are and you do But I lost track of who I was when we started, say a prayer for the departed But don’t mourn We’re all walking through this storm Alone in the end, but we can keep each other warm In the meantime and freeze time like tears in their tracks And let go of squeezing on to fears in our past I’ve taken you for granted, hope you know I didn’t plan it Grew a rose up through the granite, but the sewn seeds I planted And the damage I’ve done to you and your path Justifies why you said Kiss. My. Ass. [Tim Stiles] Can't sleep, too distressed from social media overdose Need get some rest but instead eating a Toblerone in bed Chocolate covered sheets, I'm a mess Damn this Y-chromosome and it's birds and bees overtones How does she hold her own while I'm so obsessed? We haven't even met, yet I invest so much time home alone Deleting what I write, she's not even my type I should be counting sheep instead of caressing this mobile phone [Bodi] I’ve only known happiness when I leave the past to roam All on its own and kept my eyes off of the greener grasses grown No magic path or stepping stones atone for hearts I’ve torn to bits Shorn the wolf, sheep clothing fits, resorted to recording this [Tim Stiles] Perhaps the moral of the story is: If its not glorious Ensure your pride in morals outweighs acting discouraged, since You never know, after a dime a dozen clicks It'll redirect... “This profile doesn’t exist"
14.
Baby Steps 04:07
We proliferate demons when disregarding others Cold feet won't freeze if we hide them under the covers Solitary works up until we discover That loneliness leads to holding to one another   The abrasiveness of concrete is a perfect metaphor Once we stumble, knees scrape and its time to fight a better war Callused heels start stuttering to the beat like That moment when moths flicker, shadowing street lights Hands quiver, thinking of demands we can’t deliver Man-to-man we stamp a plan to plant a seed It all goes hand-in-hand with labor pains we can’t alleve Fanning the grief until an avalanche has us on our hands n knees   Can't we just be? The answer seems so deep Necromancers dance in dreams for a whole week like old sheep Caught in tradition without a pot to piss in Civilization lost, waiting for a decision (HOOK x2) From birth we are driven To run first, crawl second Never resting, It's all nerves Expectations are indeed The reason we fall first Before we even recognize we’re breathing  (END HOOK)   Russian roulette with our wants, red rover with our needs Games we play to pave the way to later daydreams Trying to stake a claim, we hate the way the day-to-day seems Afraid to escape the trade, the paycheck is what makes ends meet   Craving a mainstay, feeling fulfilled No matter who’s killed within the process, we still ruin in order to build Chain-link barriers prevent theft while the faint of heart Pray for a heaven-sent sense of less stress   What is this mess we tend to set ourselves in? Worrying too much about her and forgetting to help him Melting each relationship with this selfish state of bliss Braincells make a fist to box us in   Its the underlying fault of man, caught in a position Retaining an upper hand that's lost in tradition We are in division without at pot to piss in A civilization sitting in waiting for a decision   (HOOK x2) From birth we are driven To run first, crawl second Never resting, It's all nerves Expectations are indeed The reason we fall first Before we even recognize we’re breathing  (END HOOK) Don't run out of breath yet if you're feeling like I do Take baby steps. Your next life may not lie to you Figuring out the missing link's like digging for a ring lost in a kitchen sink When the whole time it's right behind you Hardship's insignificant once the piano plays the dissonance None of it mattered anyway when you slid back onto your index Mingle around the water cooler pretend like you give a shit About your colleagues and their cannon fodder they call common courtesy   This is not the life you ordered This system does not work for you, you work for it And throw fits further than the worthlessness of credit card purchases A concern so pertinent, you need a perfect way to word it? Well, this description is a perpetual intermission Intellectuals won’t even listen to your pessimistic disposition We are in division without at pot to piss in A civilization sitting in waiting for a decision
15.
Carmel 04:50
[V1] This uncommon, small town is a sight to be seen Lying on the west coast elbow of Cali... With a comfortable temperature at 60-some degrees, She’s rich with scenery and thick with history From Spanish settlements lead by Junipero Serra And Shakespeare plays from the 1700’s era She’s astounding… Once within her surroundings You’ll find no comparison, and you won’t want to leave As the fog builds around her hills and valleys, From villages and ranches advancing toward her beach Traffic crawls until it’s standing where signs reading, ‘Stop’ Rarely cross divided streets Her slower pace yields an independent appeal From mom ’n' pop shops to the Lone Cypress Tree She will *not* let the conglomerate of corporations wander in With Jack In the Box nor McDonald’s offerings... Barking sea lions, cackling scrub jays, Woodpeckers & hummingbirds are heard amongst her trees With Monterey as her sister, she's a fixture Just read Steinbeck’s literature off Cannery Row’s industry From factories to factoring tourism hands of trade She celebrates with airshows where Jazz Festivals are commonplace From adoption to adopting my mainstay I found my way along this Hwy One accolade Although I now reside in a different state, One day I will return... You can find me at the Mission Inn, Sipping wine and listening to the crashing waves [Chorus] If I were to pick one place to spend Sundays From then until the end of the following week No hesitation, no question necessary I’d retire in Carmel-by-the-Sea If I only had one choice where my heart would expire If I had to decide where I’d be laid to rest in peace It’d be the place which molded and guided me... Carmel-By-The-Sea If I *had* to pick one place to spend Saturdays ‘Til the saddest day our earth’s end is reached My decision would be heartfelt, You can meet me at the guardrail By-The-Sea of Carmel If I only had *one* choice... If I *had* to decide right now under this star belt It wouldn't be a hard sell, the land that’s a part of me, Where my heart’s held, the town of Carmel [verse two] If you ever plan a visit you’ll find the kindest of people, Grey and white seagulls and sunset skies unequaled The view from her Point overwhelms revealing Pebble Beach Where The Pro-Am convenes in a contest of technique Travel down Scenic Ave for designs by Frank Lloyd Wright And find the house of former mayor, Clint Eastwood Her one-square mile of rustic cottages, astonishes It’s no wonder so many paintings have been drafted upon an easel Her valley’s rolling hills once depicted by Salvador Dali Plus Thomas Kinkade’s paintings fill multiple galleries Nancy Dodds has been a staple and the photog, Ansel Adams captured her essence, so regal Even Hank Ketcham comics and children’s books by Dr. Seuss Were inspired by her, igniting more than a sequel She’s uncommonly quiet. There’s solace in her silence A reason for advertisement of a place so peaceful Where a gem a with gentle breeze meets a salty smell of kelp Dwells a healthily lived lifestyle You can read all about her beauty in travel magazines But a visit would be far more worth your while I’m a fortunate one for having had the opportunity To grow up with her sands beneath my feet I’m the fortunate one for having her and her community To call my balance beam (Chorus x 1)

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'Jar Of Fireflies' Official Music Video: youtu.be/dds2FYziASY

Cicada Exoskeletons Album Review (Nada Mucho): www.nadamucho.com/review-new-tim-stiles-album-cicada-exoskeletons/

Cicada Exoskeletons is an album 3+ years in the making, reflecting on both positive and negative aspects of what we know as life. Its songs celebrate and expose Tim's position from point A to Z and everywhere in between, in a manner both genuine and relatable. Comprised of 15 brand new tracks, Cicada Exoskeletons also includes contributions from some of Tim's long-time influences: The Grouch (Living Legends), Sole (Anticon), Kristoff Krane (Fake Four / Crushkill), Murcii Miller, and Bodi (Elephant Memories) as well as production from Qreepz, Mack Formway (Art Vandelay), Captain Midnite (The Let Go).

credits

released September 3, 2021

All songs written by Tim Stiles
Co-written by: The Grouch (Track 2), Murcii Miller (Track 5), Sole (Track 9), Kristoff Krane (Track 11), Bodi (Track 13)

Prod. by Qreepz (Tracks 2, 5, 6, 8, 12, 14, & 15)
Co-Prod. by Automath (Tracks 6 & 14)
Prod. by Mack Formway (Tracks 1, 3, 7, 9, 10, & 11)
Prod. by Captain Midnite (Track 13)
Prod. by Tim Stiles Co-Prod. by Qreepz (Track 4)

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jay Battle @ The Battlefield Studios | Seattle, WA

Artwork by Richard Lim (Front/Back/Labels) & Ryan Breault (Inner)

©2021 Tim Stiles Music | All Rights Reserved | www.timstilesmusic.com

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Tim Stiles Santa Cruz, California

Tim Stiles is an independent hip-hop artist historically known as the lead vocalist/rapper of the satirical hip hop band, Passion Party. Tim is no one trick pony. He’s a clever, crafty wordsmith in his own right with an ability to adapt to just about any concept or genre. ... more

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