Sean Real

Empathy Monster

by Sean Real

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Cassette + Digital Album
Art Printing and Cassettes Duplication by National Audio Company.
Tape Content includes "Empathy Monster" on Side A, and "Shy Sun" on Side B
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1.	Paid Sick Leave (demo) 05:33	lyrics	buy track

2.	Van 02:46	lyrics

3.	Simple Machine (live) 04:35	lyrics

4.	Sweeten (live) 03:53	lyrics

5.	Parts & Labor (live) 03:23	lyrics	buy track

6.	Seed Sprouts 03:42	lyrics	buy track

credits

released June 9, 2017

These songs were recorded in San Francisco and Oakland, CA at The Pink House, Rachel Hamburg's House, and The Grand Newsstand
(thegrandnewsstand.com)

They were written and recorded by me, Sean Real, except "Take... Me out..."(ON TAPE ONLY) performed/recorded by Courtney Riddle
(written by Norworth & Tilzer, 1908),
and Nina Berman wrote some lyrics in "Paid Sick Leave"

Side B of the PHYSICAL TAPE is my EP "Shy Sun" and was a birthday present for Courtney

"Paid Sick Leave" is a demo i made for my band
Real Real Talk (realrealtalk.com)

Ash Clayton wrote some of the music for "Sweeten (live)"
Dannie Murrie (littleteethmusic.com) did the rapping on "2years"

All the songs were mixed by me, and mastered by Ash Clayton

Courtney Riddle designed the album art & did a lot of emotional labor to make this release happen <3

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about

Sean Real San Francisco, California

Facebook

shows

Aug 24

Octopus Literary Salon

Oakland, CA

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Track Name: Paid Sick Leave (demo): pinned through to the floor
writhing in pain
no one can hurt me
like my body can

***
california paid sick leave
includes preventative days
so why do i feel so much shame?
so why do i feel so much shame?

for staying in bed
when i can tolerate the pain
when i can just
work right through the pain

but why do i think i deserve to?
you don't think anyone else does,
what's so special about you?

can i survive the way he died?
run out the clock on my own time

and i can't think of stress
as a health hazard
'cause i'm too busy
being stressed on being healthy

but why do i think i deserve to?
you don't think anyone else does,
what's so special about you?

it's a joke that men do
conquer inherently
now i'll try to conquer
my own body

the punchline is when
we succeed

and blame that shit on you

***
giving in, i'll give myself that gift
but what's a gift from me?
Track Name: Van: maybe these glasses work
maybe they bring out the fine
and your sense discomfort
distracts me from mine

and maybe you see me better than you
and maybe i see you better than me
maybe you see me better than you
maybe i see you better than me
Track Name: Simple Machine (live): how can i get over you
when my brain doesn't know you're not here
it's such a simple machine sometimes

trouble sleeping, that's not news
but it always feels like the first time

melatonin, it's amazing how much work it takes
just to shut down

and i'm gonna try
replacing your drug with another

traffic's been low in my room
it's the same air that you breathed out
and i'm not trying to save it, but
when i'm in there's nothing i can do but lie down
down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down,

and it makes me stronger to know
and it makes me proud when i deal
but my brain still rewards me
every time i smell your

tiny skin flakes blowing by
your tiny skin flakes blowing
Track Name: Sweeten (live): i'm standing in
your weird empathy
if sound is just changes in air pressure

your words sweeten the air you breathe
your words sweeten the air you breathe
and your words sweeten the air i breathe
your words sweeten the air i breathe

the things i think i hide
come out in my smell
and all the particulars that waft off you

why do i feel i know them so well
why do i feel i know them so well
why do i feel i know them so well

can i let myself get excited
can i let myself want?

tell me again, tell me again
that you like the way my nervous mouth dances
that one breath could last me the weekend

'cause i need it most when the time is mine
'cause i need it most when the time is mine

thought i left all that shit back in junior high
but it's the same in my brain
same snags same misfires

but the first time feeling is here too
it's hear when i hold you

and at least i can laugh this time
at least i can laugh this time
at least i can laugh this time

mercilessly (please)
mercilessly (please)
mercilessly (please)
mercilessly (please)

mercilessly please, mercilessly

tell me again, tell me again
that you like the way my nervous mouth dances
that one breath could last me the weekend

if i can help not squeeze all the air out
if i can help not squeeze the air all out
if i can remember to breathe
Track Name: Parts & Labor (live): i asked for a new life
i promised not to waste one second
and i got all i prayed for
but i got it one piece at a time

one piece at a time
one piece at a time

and piece by piece by piece by piece
i'm wearing my bones down
and piece by piece by piece by piece
i'm wearing my bones thin

i've got a picture in my head
of how it should look when it's done
oh but the assembly's made to change
and all the parts and labor
are getting in my vision's way

and piece by piece by piece by piece
i'm wearing my bones down
and piece by piece by piece by piece
i'm wearing my bones thin
and piece by piece by piece by piece
i'm wearing my bones down
and piece by piece by piece by piece
i'm growing new bones in
Track Name: Seed Sprouts: i've been inching
towards a better me
the more i do
the more i see i'm best when i'm around you

and when i'm not
i've still got some of what you've left inside
reacting with
everything in sight

***

i'm no stranger to fantasy
but you've stretched out the meaning
i've even thought before about being a dad
but i've never wanted kids

this bad!

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