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Half Of Nothing

by Jake Nicoll

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    This package comes with BOTH albums, "Two Things" and "Half Of Nothing" along with printed out lyrics.

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1.
I've been thinking (what is it this time?) about that ever subtle line. Left is the cynic (with a rigid old mind) to the right is the naive kind, so free that it is almost blind. I don't want to (be that old guy) who dismantles your feelings and puts them aside. But I don't want to (give up on trying) to discern the truth from the lies, and the illusions that fuck up out lives, the confusion we're expected to buy. (Is it true? Do we know?) I'm hoping (hoping to strike) that balance within my life. The cynic dismisses (the romantic affirms) too much of either and nobody learns. So I'll hold all the opinions I earn, sort through them when it comes to my turn. And once you start asking what can be known, you won't ever find your way back home.
2.
Last night in my dreams my house was hit by streaming waves of water it was torn from the rock and like a floating dock it drifted to the sea there were no more roads, no more places go only ice cold streams in these sad wet dreams And the road is nicely paved on the way to hell the road is nicely paved on the way to hell we've been living good we've been living all to well. singing la da dee as we empty out the well. We know we're going to go, we got to. We know it's going to go, we got to. With faded light comes faded night at the foot of an island that liquid life sure gives all right, let's us burn it up all night but we're ok the wind will blow away our guilty thoughts, our city smog And the road is nicely paved on the way to hell yeah the road is nicely paved on the way to hell. We spent so much time filling up the knowledge well now it overflows as we're caught under its spell as we all move to the ringing of the bell happened so slow that we all could hardly tell. Now we're living in a world of make believe pushed ahead by fear and daily routine and if we stop and ask what all of it means, We'll we know were going to go, yeah we got to. We know it's going to go, you we got to. We know we're going to go.
3.
Doing Fine 04:55
I know it's a cheat, I know it's lame to write about having nothing to say. But hey sometimes there's nothing profound and all I wanna do is make a little sound I find it odd how much I expect each and every song to somehow reflect an undying truth, some startling observation that seems to be a lot of expectation But I'm doing fine straddling that line yeah I'm doing fine only sort of trying They say "give it your all" "Try 100%" but I have a differesnt sentiment. If you're trying too hard, everybody knows it and sooner or later you are gonna blow it -- I fill my life with big ideas I look to the sky to avoid my fears Don't wanna learn my own songs I just want to record them I'm and impatient guy with a tendency for boredom But I'm doing fine straddling that line yeah I'm doing fine only sort of trying
4.
I need a friend to know what's going inside my head I need a friend to help me get out of bed as long as I'm alone I'll never know what I'm about I leave unsaid all the things I'm scared to say I let them ferment into a sour stew and when someday I drink it I will give a taste to you I'm only having fun I'm only one in the billions of our times You can say what you please and if we don't agree, well that's fine you are a different design I need a friend, well if I'm asking for something, let's make that ten, you never know when you'll need a spare to fill the gap when the loneliness is there. You and I, we're friends, if that word still means something let's make amends before we say anymore we can grab a bite to eat we'll have our words for second course I'm only having fun I'm only one in the billions of our times You can say what you please and if we don't agree, well that's fine you are a different design I wonder how we'll combine?
5.
Dream 02:32
You are a dream, yes you are a dream nothing quite seems so real, no nothing quite seems lost in a dream all is forgotten nothing but you you opened me up, you opened me up didn't know I was stuck but you opened me up lost in a dream all is forgotten nothing but you what does it mean? there's so much meaning all cause of you
6.
Forms 05:23
I used to look for consistency I used to trust what I could see but concepts can't contain the world as it unfurls, as it comes to be the more I try to put it in a box, the more I am locked, stuck in my beliefs. I used to see in black and white solid forms moving in the light I used to try to understand, map out the land, catch it with my pen I saw structure as my hope, but all of them broke and I was lost again How can we hope to be better? How can we learn how to give? When we can tear down all the boundaries? When we can split it all into bits? Take it apart and then rebuild realize that all your concepts can be killed pick through the pieces of your skull, patiently mull, put them into piles you are free to pick and choose, kick off your shoes, it's going to take a while How can we hope to be better? How can we learn how to give? When we can tear down all the boundaries when we can split it all into bits everything so easily pulled apart everything all on its own take those shards and rebuild your window make a stained glass of broken beliefs
7.
I stopped watching the news it was giving me anxiety I gave up being in touch pulled the covers over my little life it was all just too much everything was losing its meaning why write songs all day long waste my time on what is selfish and fleeting? I know that I'm missing the point and I've got it all wrong I know it's important there's value in writing a song I love making music cause music is where I belong it gives me my purpose without it I wouldn't be strong so I ducked my head and I gave up keeping along someday I will return I'll keep up with the world as it burns but for now what do I see? I see a world that is new and exciting such interesting people, so many in one small city a pile of memories all here in this town by the sea it isn't all good but it isn't all bad I should say despite my complaints I'm grateful I landed this way who knows if we're fucked? at least I live a good life today
8.
Nothing 03:15
when we discover the truth we will feel nothing postpone the fire of our youth, we will feel nothing it's no use remembering into my memories I'll sprinkle the salt of a new disbelief tucked in behind all the pages I keep in journals stored under my bed, things I once upon a time wouldn't have said nevertheless written to be reread when we discover the truth we will feel nothing boundless our boredom will chew through to the nothing who's waiting and humming a song that we all recognize slowly it brings the tears to our eyes reminds us that living is a compromise a story that's well lubricated by lies a friend who has never removed his disguise a song with a meaning you can't recognize means nothing at all
9.
I am sitting by the road, watching people come and go, kneeling in the dirt and broken glass. Four-ways flashing on the van, while we wait hatching a plan, in the shade beneath the overpass. Wish we could stop and press rewind so we could make the show on time, no we don't like it when our plans are smashed. How does order settle in amongst the noise, amidst the din, how do we amount to anything? Why haven't we all given up trying to fill that half-full cup, when half of nothing isn't anything? Now I'm cirling a spot, spinning round the empty spot where a lover once had laid her head. Oh how lonelyness can live deep inside a happy skin, dormant till the proper words are said. How does order settle in amongst the noise, amidst the din, how do we amount to anything? Why haven't we all given up trying to fill that half-full cup, when half of nothing isn't anything? Now there are times when you are stuck, waiting for a pick-up truck in the hairy hands of circumstance It's a wonder, it's a ball, that anything can work at all when so much of life is random chance How does order settle in amongst the noise, amidst the din, how do we amount to anything? Why haven't we all given up trying to fill that half-full cup, when half of nothing isn't anything?
10.
Little Lies 03:06
I told a lie it was only half the truth I don't know why I didn't mean to I'm sorry guys, to deceive you and now it's fiction I'm living through maybe I'm scared, or just imaginative you never know what's gonna give to spin a tale, to make a wish the sliding scale is out of dish alone again I'll write bad fiction I'll live inside it's friction this black earth will grow the seeds my little lies, my darling weeds my little lies, my darling weeds
11.
we can't have it all, you know either or will have to go take your pick: truth or sex what's written in the subtext? love is so easily confused trust is so easily abused take your pick: truth or sex what's is in the subtext? take your pick: truth of sex good ideas get drowned in tears honesty gets plagued by fears take your pick: truth or sex what's is in the subtext? take your pick: truth of sex then you'll know what to do next
12.
Whistle Tune 03:17
So in conclusion: you have to learn everything on your own. Each of us face the unknown. Don't wait for someone else to say what is the only proper way. We're all on our own and though you can be shown, you will not learn unless you want to learn. All of your answers are something you earn. Don't just listen to me. I don't have any secret key. I'm just saying what I see.

about

This album is one half of a double album recorded by jake over the year of 2015.

credits

released March 18, 2016

all performances by jake except for:
violin by ilia nicoll on "I need a friend"
back up vocals by billy nicoll on "I need a friend"
back up vocals by ilia on "once you start asking"
and violin by ilia on "doing fine"

recorded, manipulated, muddled, mastered by jake

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Jake Nicoll St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Jake Nicoll is a musician currently living in windy old St. John's Newfoundland. Jake plays drums in a number of bands in town and writes songs on piano, guitar, synthesizer and anything else that's around.

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