These songs were recorded in less than an hour at The Hollow Recording under producer Jim Goldsworthy. I played the songs through live and we just tracked it. I feel like these are particularly vulnerable, transparent recordings that I am proud and humbled to release.

It should be noted with much humility and appreciation that this album is highly inspired by the writings of Ricky Turner, Tyler Lyle, Aaron Weiss, and John Darnielle. All of these are people that I consider extremely talented writers and admirable men and I implore you that should the slightest inkling of appreciation wash over you, that you would in turn set your sights on some of these aforementioned artists. That is not to suggest that I am of the league of or even particularly similar to these fine artists but rather that they are the ones who inspired this sort of reckless plunge into the vulgarities of the old testament to rise again with a greater knowledge of my heritage and the endless expanse of fields where my family prepares for a rich harvest.

1. Strangers I've known you from the start, gave names to all your parts. I even drew that heart inside of your chest. Crafted bones and marrow into them. I pulled your skin so tight against your skeleton and put some color in your eyes. I smiled the moment they first shined and you smiled back, imitating mine. I whispered good like it was the first time. But it wasn't good for you to be alone so I touched your heart and grabbed the nearest bone. I thought of Seth and Cain as you made Eden your home. Then I sought to find you where you sleep, but you hid parts of yourself from me. I fought back my tears the day you chose to leave me. But the day you found captivity, My heart cried out and you were freed. I thought of ten best ways for you to be happy. Then watched my people crowned as kings and lose relationships with me, enslaving others the way they used to be. Yeshua, Noten Dalia. So I made amendments to my plan, re-arranging my commands and summarizing every word in, "Love your fellow man." I made a son without your seed, created grace without your deserving, and in one motion I made strangers into family. Yeshua, Noten Dalia. Yeshua, Redeemer, Hosanna, Come Free us- I hope you're coming soon.

2. Samuel's Son I’ve lungs in repose and a heart that knows nothing to call home. Lips sealed tight and a hand that writes no psalms of hope. There's evidence, I must admit, that points to You but a pain inside that shatters this in two. Time can break a man of wealth and teach him to love like the silhouetted prostitutes my lungs have become. Is it possible that loneliness is just a tool, a symptom of our separation from You? What if you taught me to breathe? What if you taught me to believe? And if you gave a heart to me, would I give it back? Like the Israelites asked for a King, I sought servitude through wretched means. I even gave a tenth of all my things to pornography. Like Saul returned from war with gold, burning fatted calves he stole as an offering before You. And when Judas sold Your only son, did Your oxygen still fill his lungs? I believe his blood is flowing through my veins. Did You see this in Your perfect plan, that Your greatest wounds would come from man? Did You look him in the eye as You died? And on the third day when You rose again, did You hang him up and curse at him or was forgiveness in the white of Your eyes? You are holy and I'm undone. You are worthy and I'm undone. You are faithful and I am Samuel's Son. Like Lot became a homeless man wandering towards his uncle’s land as his wife became a pillar of salt. I was that bastard on your family tree, murdering my friends so their wives would sleep with me before I could repent. And did You hear me as You drug the cross, screaming, "Jesus Christ never ate with us!" to avoid the death I righteously deserved? Did You see this in Your perfect plan, that Your greatest wounds would come from man? Did You know before the first time he lied? And when You touched the dust and painted him, did You shed a tear when You saw his sin or was it love that caused a Father to cry? You are holy and I'm undone. You are worthy and I'm undone. You are faithful and somehow I'm your son. Yeshua, Noten Dalia. Yeshua, Redeemer, Hosanna, Come free us- I hope You're coming soon.

3. Genuine Do we see eye to eye or is it true that all men lie? Because there's a parasite that lives inside and feeds on the truth you hide. And there's a role we're taught to play so that the world believes we're saved. Put on your face, but your fears away so there's nothing to explain. And it's hard to be genuine when you feel like you should lock yourself inside. And it's hard to be genuine when there's truth inside every thought out lie and you're told to be perfect or die. We've been terribly misled by greedy prophets’ hands but a Child was killed by a blind man's cross and it saved my life from hell. With my head in a toilet bowl puking Subway from a tainted soul. There's a truth I've learned that respect is earned but one love has been given away. And it's hard to be genuine when you feel like you should lock yourself inside. And it's hard to be genuine but you read old words until they breathe new life and discover you're going to be fine.

4. Fine I wrote the words to a thousand songs. Could any of them change Your mind? Desperate to demonstrate this love that flows from Your heart to mine. Now, I'm not a spotless bride but you're everything I want. This delicate design you've crafted is in need of lunch and I'm not sure but I think I'm going to be fine. So I put one foot before the other and wind up jealous every time. I am fierce just like my mother, seeking shelter in the fire. Now, I'm not sure but I think I'm going to be fine. Years back, You wrote a melody and it sings constantly inside. You strum on my veins like an instrument and bring these old bones to life. Now, sometimes I'm full of pride but You're everything I know. This delicate design you've crafted is a rolling stone and now I'm not sure but I think I'm going to be fine. So I put one foot before the other and wind up jealous every time. I'm full of reason like my father and it keeps my dreams in line. Now, I'm not sure but I think I'm going to be fine.

5. Tennessee Terah had a dream that he should leave here that he never would complete before he died. And his son decided that he couldn't settle so he left when he had turned seventy five. My father raised me to be full of passion and sometimes that means leaving everything. So I'll march across the states with You inside my chest and take You all the way to Tennessee. Jesus Christ, we want to drop our nets! But we haven't quite paid them off just yet... and I know that our lives cannot be meaningless or you wouldn't have put this hope within our souls. Yeshua walked along the littered shoreline and commanded men to drop their nets. Simon followed after with a curious heart, his career floating away as he left. But I am full of debt and full of worries and I am not a son of Zebedee but I will march across the states with you inside my chest and take You all the way to Tennessee.

6. Family I've got a dog with her own bed, a comfy little place to rest her head. I've got a platter filled with cheese and a cozy little place to lay and dream. But then again, what about my friends? Where do they sleep? I've got a room inside a house. There are some rules but I confess I don't want out. I've got some crackers and some meat- so many lovely, lovely things to eat. But then again, what about my friends? What do they eat? I've got family everywhere. When it gets cold, I wear some shoes. I make a fire sometimes and use a blanket too. And when it snows, I stay inside... use internet to talk to all my wives. But then again, what about my friends? Where do they find heat? I've got family everywhere. I found a room that's far and wide. The ceiling high above me is the sky. I made a bed of mud and grass and watch the busy people as they pass. But then again, what about my friends? What do they dream? But then again, what about my friends? How do they breathe? I've got family everywhere. In every stranger that you meet, there's a small piece of your family you should get to know transparently. If you try, you will eventually. We're not strangers here, we're family. There's no strangers here- we're a family!