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Age of Anxiety

by Rodney Cromwell

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    "Sounds like liquid gold. Age of Anxiety has renewed my faith in the digital age of electro pop" Malcolm Holmes (OMD)

    “Rodney Cromwell’s music belongs to the future. This quirky synth-pop is the sound of industrious robots and the modified toy orchestra hanging out at Argos, and songs like Barry was an Arms Dealer see Cromwell’s offbeat wit shine brightly” NME

    “Rodders joyous debut album, ‘Age of Anxiety,’... choice cuts include the frantic mode Mode-like ‘One Two Seven’ the magnificent, early New Order-ish ‘Black Dog’ and the Kraftwerkian ‘Barry Was An Arms Dealer’, not that Dusseldorf’s finest ever had a song title that good” Electronic Sound Magazine

    “A genuinely excellent album. It’s clever, it’s full of songs that instantly burrow into your head and, like all good pop albums, the majority of songs here could be singles in their own right” 8/10 XS Noize

    Comes shrink wrapped in an environmentally friendly plastic-saving cardboard sleeve designed by Matt Ashton with a free Happy Robots badge.

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

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  • Streaming + Download

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

      £7 GBP  or more

     

1.
2.
Cassiopeia 04:26
Voyager One, so far from everyone. Voyager Two, we never said goodbye to you. Voyager One, so far from everyone. Voyager Two, we never said goodbye to you.
3.
All I asked was for your love, And you brought me a Kalashnikov. All these connections, Where did it go wrong? Where have friends and lovers gone, Was there a rogue Atomic Bomb? Barry was an arms dealer. Barry was an arms dealer. When I met you at Law School, You seemed so icy cool; Velvets and Polyrock, Now you’re selling Glock. Everyone’s ephemeral, If you speak architectural. Barry was an arms dealer. Barry was an arms dealer. Oh, Barry, I’m sorry Oh Barry, you’re lost. Oh, Barry, you’re dead to me. Oh Barry, we’re lost. Oh, Barry, I’m sorry Oh Barry, you’re lost. Oh, Barry, you’re dead to me. Oh Barry, we’re lost.
4.
I went looking for love, Bare my soul for the world to see Made a pact with the Gods, And the laws of relativity Maybe if you looked after yourself, Went to the gym, thought of yourself, A change of clothes, something you need Sort out your hair, it's tragic indeed; Tragic indeed. There's someone out there for everyone For the sad and lonely For the desperate and fussy And the birds and the bees There's someone out there for everyone Moving from heartbreak to agony. Seven billion or more, People walk on the earth today. I can hope and implore, Just one might look my way Sorry to say, that you're not my type You seem pretty nice but your face isn't right You will struggle, to find a wife No shame on being alone all your life. Alone all your life. There's someone out there for everyone For the sad and lonely For the desperate and fussy And the birds and the bees There's someone out there for everyone Moving from heartbreak to agony
5.
One Two Seven. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven, One Two Eight. One Two Seven, One Two Seven One Two Seven, One Two Eight. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven, Disco Heaven. One Two Eight, Disco Hate. One Two Seven. One Two Seven. One Two…. Seven. One Two Seven. One Two Seven. One Two…. Seven. Seven. Disco, Disco, Disco, Disco, Disco, Disco, Disco….
6.
You’re optimistic; you’re living the dream. Your face is known across the scene. Healthy in mind and wellbeing; Obsession, perfection, so obscene. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what it’s for. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what it’s for. I sold some records, but not a lot. I won’t be floating Happy Robots. And now my synths are in the loft, Even the moog that was on ‘Make it Soft’ I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what it’s for. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what it’s for I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what it’s for. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t know what it’s for
7.
Baby Robot 03:50
8.
I wrote your number on the back of a napkin You wanted Valium I only had aspirin [Guilt, insecurity, nervousness, shame] Sun rises over the Peckham skyline, Ignore instructions they’re only a guideline. [Depression, denial ,lethargy, pain] Therapist getting the wrong impression, Sometimes I think I should just go to confession. [Anxious, fearful, panicked, blame] We burn like the darkest stars We burn like the darkest stars This hot feeling, starting in my chest, It is not love, I can keep myself dressed. [Guilt, insecurity, nervousness, shame] Here it comes I can feel now it’s rising, Making it worse with internal chastising. [Depression, denial, lethargy, pain] Cold sweats there in my palm, If I can dance I just might achieve calm. [Anxious, fearful, panicked, blame] We burn like the darkest stars We burn like the darkest stars
9.
I have such unnatural fears The Blackwall Tunnel, The Southend pier. I’d swap London’s tower blocks, For a night with you, at Tilbury Docks. So I met this bloke. at Fenchurch Street. I was minding my business just reading Heat He told me he always wondered, how to kiss a girl from Chafford Hundred. I said I couldn’t help I was from Ockendon. And he ran off to his train on platform ten After I wished I hadn’t told that lie to him I’m from Basildon. Fell in love with an Essex Girl Let me into your Essex World. Fell in love with an Essex Girl Let me into your Essex World. You seem to me, out of my reach As we stood on Shoeburyness Beach. I’d swap London’s city life, For Canvey Island as man and wife. I saw that guy again after about a week Train late, signaling problems in Purfleet. He came out of Tie Rack and bought an umbrella Definitely not my normal type of fella. He came up to me and said can I buy you a drink, I said mate I’m not a cheap as you think. And I told him straight out he had got me all wrong, I’m from Basildon. Fell in love with an Essex Girl Let me into your Essex World. Fell in love with an Essex Girl Let me into your Essex World. Fell in love with an Essex Girl Let me into your Essex World. Fell in love with an Essex Girl Let me into your Essex World.
10.
Black Dog 06:55
Well I don’t know when, This Black Dog descended upon my home, And followed me there on. For there must have been, Some switch, inside that got flicked And turned this dog on. Black Dog, this is not your home Black Dog, leave me alone Black Dog, this is not your home Black Dog, leave me alone It could be anywhere, A bus a plane or in your home, And then she jumps and bites you. All this anxiety, can’t be that good for me. And if a Black and Decker Drilled a hole into my head, Would it let this dog out? Black Dog, this is not your home Black Dog, leave me alone Black Dog, this is not your home Black Dog, leave me alone Black Dog, this is not your home Black Dog, leave me alone Black Dog, this is not your home Black Dog, leave me alone

about

‘Age of Anxiety’ is the sound of personal demons being confronted by the power of homebrew disco. Its ten tracks feature krautrock rhythms, melodic bass lines, toy instruments and a multitude of lo-fi moogs, ARPs and vintage synths. Despite its themes of postmillennial tribulation, it still retains an upbeat innocent pop sensibility. It is an album for fans of Factory Records, 80’s coldwave and those four guys from Dusseldorf who thought they were robots.

credits

released June 29, 2015

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about

Rodney Cromwell London, UK

Rod makes music on old synths, kids toys and guitars from Argos.

Released on Happy Robots Records.

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