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Edge Of The City

by Greg Fleming and The Trains

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    "Edge of the City" on compact disc.
    Comes in a super jewel box CD case with 16 page booklet (lyrics, credits, photos)

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1.
More Time 05:04
Big moon shining down summer in the air, and if I die tonight, I’ll die fair and square. Look at my girl in her blue dress, it’s brand new she says it’s second hand. I got a drink there’s nothin’ left, this party wasn’t planned. Jenny’s lost her keys she says she’s staying all night. And whose ever kids are these hey hey they’re all right! Look inside and you will find some Thai chicken and some Spanish wine, give those clock hands a wind back and make some more time. More time to mess up and around, shut up shop put up a sign – “Gone to get some more time.” I woke up dreamin’ once, never slept again. They say daybreak is close, closer than it’s ever been. Jenny wakes up and she says “I love you guys you’re the best” but right now she’s got to fly into the sunrise.
2.
Hi Fi Blues 02:53
I got the hi fi blues hi fi hands hi fi books I don’t understand. Chandeliers hanging on trees. I got hi fi flowers waitin’ for hi fi bees. Hi fi fear hi fi ghosts, runnin’ cables out to the coast. Hi fi drugs hi fi geeks, hi fi girls that never speak. I got hi fi ears hi fi eyes. Hi fi stairs right up to the sky. Chandeliers hanging on trees. I got hi fi flowers waitin’ for hi fi bees.
3.
Elijah 03:49
It cost me all I had in gas to drive to his place up north. When I got there he was drunk, riding on a black horse.   “Elijah,” I said, “it’s me don’t shoot, let’s go inside, let’s play some pool. Let’s see if I can’t beat your arse again”   And he talked to the devil he talked to God and the middlemen in between. I looked into my brother’s eyes he weren’t seeing anything anything, anything, anything. Inside the house it looked OK no sign of Jules or the kids. I hugged my brother on a magnet on the fridge. I slipped the pill into his beer and broke to start the game. When he dropped I carried him out on my back in the rain.   And he talked to the devil he talked to God and the middlemen in between. I looked into my brother’s eyes he weren’t seeing anything anything, anything anything. Elijah, Elijah, Elijah. When you get that call you drop everything and go. You cross that bridge my brother but we pay the toll.   Elijah, Elijah, Elijah.   And he talked to the devil he talked to God and the middlemen in between.
4.
Auckland in its bed. I watch from the city’s edge. Last train pullin’ in just memories again.   I watch tall buildings shine. They built ‘em while we drank our wine. I loved you then, you my second skin.   At the edge of the city tonight. At the edge of the city tonight. At the edge of the city tonight. I watch the lights.  The city hums still in my dreams. The backdrop to every scene. You talked as fast as the traffic rushing past.   At the edge of the city tonight. At the edge of the city tonight. At the edge of the city tonight. I watch the lights.   This far out we’d never come. This was where the rain came from, and then we had to run and race the setting sun.   At the edge of the city tonight. At the edge of the city tonight. At the edge of the city tonight.
5.
Recent Hire 05:51
I was two men down when he walked in the shop, when I gave him the job his face lit up.   He started the very next day. After a week I raised his pay.   He told me his name was Warren James, back in Sydney, he used to drive a crane. He worked hard. I had no complaints. His welds were clean and he was never late.   It was my daughter Lucille who opened the safe, they caught a plane to Asia someplace.   They’d struck up some kind of bond and Lucille always liked those outlaw songs.   He reminded me of myself back when I got out on the street again.   I blame myself. I don’t know why, am I paying for the crimes for which I was never tried?   Lucille if you hear this please call your mother your mother or me.   We love you no matter what, you’re still young it’s not too late to stop.   Lucille if you hear this please call your mother your mother or me.
6.
Wait Up Mama 04:18
Wait up mama, don’t close your door. Wait up mama, I don’t want to crawl. Wait up mama, it won’t take long. One kiss mama and I’ll be gone.   Wait up mama. Wait up please. It’s only me, it’s only me mama. Don’t make me leave.   Wait up mama, turn on your light. You’ll see mama I turned out all right. I took your advice mama, thanks for that. Wait up mama, don’t turn your back.   Wait up mama. Wait up please. It’s only me, it’s only me mama. Don’t make me leave.
7.
Sonny Jim 03:17
The party’s been over for a while, but it’s nice to see you after all this time. Please refresh my memory. What was your poison And did it set you free?   We’re closing soon, but come on take a seat. I remember now, whiskey neat. The old crowd has gone, scattered to the winds. The first one’s on the house, Sonny Jim. The first one’s on the house, Sonny Jim.   You’re looking well, The picture of health. Some people they don’t seem to help themselves. Remember Walter? He went out with Marie, he lost the battle back in 2003.   We’re closing soon, but come on take a seat. I remember now, whiskey neat. The old crowd has gone, scattered to the winds. The first one’s on the house, Sonny Jim. The first one’s on the house, Sonny Jim.
8.
Cut Man 04:03
I work the corners. I was good and I was quick. The best cut man in the business, that’s what they said. I fixed up champions and contenders, losers as well. I staunched their bleeding just in time for the bell.   I used to fight myself a long time ago, but whenever I got hit my blood would flow. So I became a cut man, the best in the biz. I went from the streets of Auckland city to the casinos of Las Vegas.   Bobby Ford had a great left hook but he was lazy on defence, third round the ref stopped the fight, Bob came in bleeding like a pig. I worked my magic but I looked and I saw the fear in his eyes. The next round he went down and later that night he died.   Maybe it was that, I really don’t know, but I quit a year later and caught a plane back home. Then I get a call from Tommy, he’s got a new kid now out of Tennessee, and he’s after a cut man, a cut man just like me.   So I’m back in the corners, I clean ‘em up and send ‘em out to meet their fate. I don’t look in their eyes no more. That was a mistake.
9.
Watching TV at home alone an old movie comes on that starts me wonderin’. The girl looks like you and the guy looks like me, back when we got married. He knows she’s foolin’ round with another man, it’s not the first time but this time he’s had enough. So he follows this guy one rainy night. He stops him, he kills him, with a piece of pipe.   I started thinking it through if it was me could I do the same thing too? What’s fair? What’s true? and would you do the same thing for me one day too? Your phone goes straight to message. It’s 1am and the movie it’s long finished. The guy ended up getting the chair. He didn’t even seem to care. I go to bed. I dream of us. You seem real but you keep just out of my touch. Then there’s trouble and you scream my name out into the night, I move, I take the arrow to my own heart, and I save your life.   I started thinking it through would you do the same thing for me in your dream too? What’s fair? What’s true? And would you do the same thing for me one day too?
10.
I’m up at six still dreaming I gotta be at work by eight. I trip over my guitar, truth is, I aint feeling great. A long night at The Whiskey Bar, beltin’ out the songs. I down a coffee and kiss my kids and out the door I’m gone.   I’m working two jobs, night and day working two jobs that’s me. One job for the money, one for my sanity. I’m working two jobs, working two jobs working two jobs that’s me. One job for the money, one for my sanity.   Now I aint gonna be no rock’roll star, ride in no long black limousine. That time’s long past my friend and that’s okay with me. I got a girl who understands. I got a band that rock. I get up every morning, head in and punch the clock.   I’m working two jobs, night and day working two jobs that’s me. One job for the money, one for my sanity. I’m working two jobs, working two jobs working two jobs that’s me. One job for the money, one for my sanity.
11.
Clouds coming in from the West and my heart not in my chest, and the morning train on fire in the rain, and the flames leap high and the sirens cry. I always acted so tough, but couldn’t you tell by my touch? That I loved you yes, and here I confess. And I’m climbing the stairs but the smoke doesn’t clear.   Train on fire, expect delays. Train on fire in the rain. Train on fire, expect delays. Train on fire in the rain, in the rain, in the rain.   And the stationmaster prays they come and haul this old train away. I remember when we rode this line for free. But those days, those days have passed now I pay with cash.   Train on fire, expect delays. Train on fire in the rain. Train on fire, expect delays. Train on fire in the rain, in the rain, in the rain.
12.
Elevators 03:13
Timing is everything that’s what they say. Just keep your feet on the street. Round the corner there’s a highway leading to the city of your dreams. Elevators, staircases, corridors. A masterpiece written on a prison wall. Following the signs until they say, You’re going the right way. You’re going the right way. D missed the boat She got to the port just a Just a little too late She met a poker player from South East Asia And she got her lucky break. Elevators, staircases, corridors. A masterpiece written on a prison wall. Following the signs until they say, You’re going the right way. You’re going the right way. The universe aint such a scary place when you break on through. Elevators, staircases, corridors. A masterpiece written on a prison wall. Following the signs until they say, You’re going the right way. You’re going the right way. The universe aint such a scary place when you break on through. Elevators, staircases, corridors. You’re going the right way. You’re going the right way.

about

REVIEWS FOR "EDGE OF THE CITY":
____________________________________________________________________

FOUR STARS - TimeOut, The New Zealand Herald, 20th Sept 2012

“Overall, this is a masterful collection of songs and performances.”
- Marty Duda, www.13thfloor.co.nz

“Wow. Usually it takes a few listens to get into an LP and then pick excellent tracks but this lead off track is like getting knocked out in the first round.”
- John Apice, NoDepression.com

“What’s impressive, at times almost breathtaking, is how much he (Fleming) manages to pack in to such terse verses… the storytelling is masterful.”
– Nick Bollinger, The Sampler

“Fleming and the Trains work a rare seam in New Zealand music… Rock-noir rendered with poetic allusions to so much more outside of itself…”
- Graham Reid, www.elsewhere.co.nz

“Yet what’s being sung isn’t the trash-pub-rock of Kenny Rogers or a thousand Bruce Springsteen tribute bands (or Dylan tribute bands, whichever) - what’s being sung is sometimes as astute as George Jones, sometimes as warped as Bob Dylan’s album Under The Red Sky.” - Eden Bradfield, www.thecorner.co.nz

Read more here: www.gregfleming.co.nz/reviews/

____________________________________________________________________


A few weeks before going into the studio to record this album, I sat down at the piano and wrote the title track ‘Edge of the City’. That song shared the themes and characters of a novel I’d been working on – dislocation, regret, family, the passing of time; the rewards of good, and the travails of bad, love. I dumped the songs I had up my sleeve and set to work writing those that make up this record. ‘Edge’ set the direction.

The new songs were character sketches, short stories in song, inspired by my love of film noir, crime fiction and songwriters like Merle Haggard and Bruce Springsteen. Its landscape however was local. I knew these people. These characters had shadowed my imaginative life for years. Over the next eighteen months I found them a story and gave them a song. A teenage daughter cleans out the office safe and absconds with her father’s new employee (‘Recent Hire’), a man answers his sister-in-law's call for help after his brother suffers yet another drug-induced breakdown (‘Elijah’).

The narrator of ‘More Time’, in the midst of an impromptu party, happy with his life and family, wishes only for more nights as perfect. In ‘Cut Man’ the narrator can't seem to leave a job that's slowly destroying him despite his best efforts. In ‘Wait Up Mama’ (inspired by Merle’s ‘Mama Tried’) a grown son approaches his long-estranged mother eager to show her how much he has changed.

Despite its beginnings Edge of the City is not a novel set to music. Pop songs need hooks and choruses not plot points and musically, thanks to The Trains, it’s a record with a variety of textures, recorded live in the studio.

— Greg Fleming

____________________________________________________________________

credits

released August 31, 2012

All songs written by Greg Fleming (Control)

Produced by Greg Fleming and Andrew B. White.
Additional production on ‘Recent Hire’, ‘More Time’ by Wayne Bell.

All tracks mixed by Neil Baldock at Roundhead Studio A, Auckland, New Zealand on Neve 8088. Assisted by Benjamin Knapp.

Mastered by Andrew Mendelson at Georgetown Masters, Nashville TN.
Assisted by Shelley Anderson, Daniel Bacigalupi and Natthaphol Abhigantaphand.­­­

Arrangements by Greg Fleming and The Trains.
Additional arrangements by Andrew B. White and Greg Fleming.
Additional arrangements on ‘Recent Hire’ and ‘More Time’ by Wayne Bell.

The Trains were tracked and recorded live by Neil Baldock at the Brick Room, Roundhead Studios, Auckland, New Zealand, February 2010 - March 2011 .
Engineering assistants: Benjamin Knapp and Jason Backhouse.

Drums, bass and acoustic guitar on ‘Recent Hire’ and Greg’s BVs on ‘Working Two Jobs’ recorded at Roundhead Studio A by Neil Baldock.

Additional recording: Electric guitars on ‘More Time’, ‘Hi Fi Blues’, ‘Edge Of The City’, ‘Wait Up Mama’, ‘Cut Man’, ‘Thinking It Through’, ‘Train On Fire’ and ‘Elevators’; slide guitar on ‘Wait Up Mama’; bass on ‘Sonny Jim’; keyboards on ‘More Time’, ‘Hi Fi Blues’ and ‘Elijah’; lead vocals on ‘More Time’, ‘Elijah’, ‘Edge Of The City’, ‘Wait Up Mama’, ‘Sonny Jim’, ‘Cut Man’, ‘Thinking It Through’. ‘Working Two Jobs’, ‘Train On Fire’ and ‘Elevators’; BVs on ‘More Time’, ‘Hi Fi Blues’, ‘Elijah’, ‘Edge Of The City’, ‘Recent Hire’, ‘Wait Up Mama’, ‘Sonny Jim’, ‘Working Two Jobs’, ‘Train On Fire’ and ‘Elevators’; samples on ‘Thinking It Through’ – Recorded, engineered, edited and mixed by Andrew B. White at Level 10 Studios, Auckland. Miriam Clancy’s BVs on ‘More Time’, ‘Elijah’ and ‘Recent Hire’ recorded by Miriam Clancy at Point Wells, Auckland.

Cover and booklet photos, artwork by Andrew B. White.
Photo of Andrew page 10 by Wendy Tattersfield-Fleming.
Trains photo facing page by Ted Baghurst.
Back cover photo of The Trains live at The Whiskey, Ponsonby, Auckland by Calypso Paoli.

©2012 LucaDiscs

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