B i o g r a p h y (by Official Press)
Play “Just So” to anyone in Germany and they'll tell you it's the music from the Deutsche Telekom television advertisement. Which it is. The kind of exposure many an artist would die for. Well not literally, obviously. Or the kind of publicity an independent spirit might agonize over, venturing into the commercial arena. I can't help feeling that Agnes Obel is not going to have her feathers ruffled by something, in the greater scheme of things, as inconsequential as a song placement in an ad. Yet is not intriguing how a few bars of music can seep into our consciousness and set us off wondering where they came from? This facebookish world of ours offers us the illusion of getting to know people we don't really know. Who their friends are and what they like. Agnes Caroline Thaarup Obel likes Alfred Erik Lesley Satie and Sonic Youth. Debussy and Dylan. Hitchcock and PJ Harvey. But what people like is not necessarily the same as what he or she is like. Clues, perhaps, but as fans of Hitchcock well know, not every clue leads you where you think it might. So we focus on the facts. Agnes Obel is from Copenhagen but she lives in Berlin. She studied at the University of Roskilde, a town renowned for a Glastonbury style music festival and home to a marvellous viking ship museum. She possesses the rare gift of a songbird's voice and is about to release her debut album. Then, like a good detective, we study the photograph. The owl and Agnes. Except their watchful gaze leaves you feeling its they who are looking at us, rather than the other way around. Did you know that an eagle owl's eyes do not move, instead owls can move their heads almost three quarters around without moving their body? Agnes, meanwhile, seriously beautiful, looks a little like Liv Ullmann in Bergman's “Persona,” or Tippi Hedren in self-assured Marnie guise rather than the catatonic figure in The Birds. She appears perfectly balanced alongside the eagle owl, both mutually protective of their proud serenity. A clue staring us in the face, yet conjuring up more questions than answers.
Philharmonics - 2010-10-18 - Falling, Catching (Instrumental) Riverside Brother Sparrow Just So Beast Louretta (Instrumental) Avenue Philharmonics Close Watch Wallflower (Instrumental) Over The Hill On Powdered Ground
Philharmonics
Riverside Down by the river by the boats Where everybody goes to be alone Where you won't see any rising sun Down to the river we will run When by the water we drink to the dregs Look at the stones on the river bed I can tell from your eyes You've never been by the riverside Down by the water the riverbed Somebody calls you somebody says Swim with the current and float away Down by the river everyday Oh my God I see how everything is torn in the river deep And I don't know why I go the way Down by the riverside When that old river runs pass your eyes To wash off the dirt on the riverside Go to the water so very near The river will be your eyes and ears I walk to the borders on my own To fall in the water just like a stone Chilled to the marrow in them bones Why do I go here all alone Oh my God I see how everything is torn in the river deep And I don't know why I go the way Down by the riverside
Brother Sparrow Voices in the street Footsteps on the concrete Guess I hear just every sound On the ground From my window view I know a color blue That can bite so very hard The day apart Picture fresh as water clear Days have passed without you here Street lights dancing on the dark Across the park Waiting for a word from you Waiting for a sign or two Footsteps on the city ground You know the sound Brother sparrow Come tomorrow To my window Brother sparrow Come tomorrow To my window
Just So Black turns beat me bright Turning on the light Today is gonna be the day You hear somebody say We need you right away Tiptoe over the floor What are you waiting for So so and no more That's all to be, so before Today is gonna be the day You hear somebody say We need you right away You hear the moments kick and play The order of the day Is already in your way The window shade The nurse and maid To let it all just work away From head to toe Where shadow grows Since forever and a day Quiet moments home, Where some do you roam Today is gonna be the day You hear somebody say We need you right away No time for tea or lemonade Some moments of the day Were only half awake Drink a toast to the sun, To the things that never go To the break of the day That is all that I say Beast I would know who roars mostly like the beast Going out to hunt and then back to feast I consider you, I consider you I consider you From your hill of beans I will sit and roar Thinking to myself What are you waiting for I consider you, I consider you I consider you Let's go tonight, let the beast run a mile With the dogs and the cattle, let's go I know you said it's like a heel to the head Or a girl in your bed and in your arms Curiosity you do not know But with a gang of me you'll be on your toes I consider you, I consider you I consider you For a bit of skirt you do go my way Singing to the sky, oh like a bird of prey I consider you, I consider you I consider you Let's go tonight, to let the beast run wild With the dogs and the cattle, let's go I know you've said, it's like a heel to the head Or a girl in your bed and your arms For the butter on your bread, for the dying and the dead For your cheeks turning red, let's go Let's go tonight, let the beast run a mile With the dogs and the cattle, let's go Avenue What is wrong at the end of the day What is really wrong no one dares to say You know you're when there's only one right But what is wrong when right is out of sight Right rode away long ago Before rescuing wrong from below I might be mistaken, I know But hey we need to be somewhat Foolish, feebleminded Wrong and senseless Right rode off long ago There's nothing more you need to know There's nothing more you need to show Let us disagree 'Cause wrong was made, for you to be What is false when we can't hear no more And there is nothing to cover for What is wrong in this old wasted game May right and wrong be one and the same Right rode away long ago Before rescuing wrong from below I might be mistaken, I know But hey we need to be somewhat Foolish, feebleminded Wrong and senseless Right rode off long ago There's nothing more you need to know There's nothing more you need to show Let us disagree ‘Cause wrong was made, for you to be
Philharmonics Guess who died Last night In grey stockings In all might It was no loss The only god of mine He fell down Just to drown In a sea Of delight To tame champagne And creatures of the night As the water Took him over Filled his lungs Inside out I sold his gold For flowers and rice Speaking fire He would hire Pawns and peasants Just like me To feed upon the conquered ones But now we are free Close Watch ( John Cale cover ) Never win and never lose There's nothing much to choose Between the right and wrong Nothing lost and nothing gained Still things aren't quite the same Between you and me I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I still hear your voice at night When I turn out the light And try to settle down But there's nothing I can do 'Cause I can't live without you Any way at all I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep a close watch on this heart of mine ??? Oh I'm sure No harm will come to you no more 'Cause I find myself in your hands Don't you be so hard on yourself Over The Hill Over the hill I will be waiting for you I won't pretend That you don't mean nothing to me Come now, come now, Come back now, come back now The doubt will creep And crawl in on you The dark will leap And fall upon you Come back now, come back now Let it be, let it go Let it fall, let it blow Let it come, let it go Let it fall, we will know On Powdered Ground Go back and forward But all is melting like the snow Taking all from us All we thought was left to know On what we treasure Falls a dusty snow Taking us backwards But where we will never know Don't break your back on the track Don't break your back on the track Don't break your back on the track Don't break your back on the track This strong old blizzard I will let it blow To undiscovered places Underneath the snow Don't break your back on the track Don't break your back on the track…
Aventine
Fuel to Fire Do you want me on your mind Or do you want me to go on I might be yours As sure as I can say Be gone be faraway Roses on parade They follow you around Upon your shore As sure as I can say Be gone be faraway Like fuel to fire Into the town we go Into your hideaway Where the towers grow Gone to be faraway Sing quietly Along Pious words to cry into the under Up on your shore as sure as I can say Be gone be faraway I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake Oh, what a day to choose Torn by the hours All that I say to you Is like fuel to fire Into the town we go Into your hideaway Where the towers grow Gone to be faraway Never do we know Never do they give away Where the towers grow Only you will hear them say Sing quietly Along Sing quietly Along
Dorian They won't know who we are So we both can pretend It's written on the mountains A line that never ends As the devil spoke we spilled out on the floor And the pieces broke and the people wanted more And the rugged wheel is turning another round I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake Dorian, carrion Will you come along to the end Will you ever let us carry on Swaying like the children Singled out for praise The inside out on the open With the straightest face As the sad-eyed woman spoke we missed our chance The final dying joke caught in our hands And the rugged wheel is turning another round Dorian, carrion Will you come along to the end Will you ever let us carry on Dorian, carrion Will you come along to the end Will you ever let us carry on Dorian will you follow us down
Aventine Will you go ahead to the Aventine In the holly red in the night Dirt under my shoe from the old at heart Right under you, grinning in the dark You carried my heart in the night To bury the wave in the tide You carried me onto the fields There is a grove, there is a plot Deep in the snow, breaking your heart One step ahead, a thousand miles A trail ablaze to the Aventine You carried my heart in the night To marry the wave with the tide You carried me onto the fields You carried my heart in the night To bury the wave in the tide You carried me onto the fields I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake Play it down, down, down Down, down, down, down, down, down Play it down, down, down Down, down, down, down, down, down
Run Cried The Crawling Crawling down From high hopes to the ground While trouble sings along Baby my heart and soul A giant in the room I left him long ago, following you Wind heavy on the ground A cloak before the moon I guess I've never known Someone like you Falling down From high hopes to the ground There's no way out Baby my heart and soul A giant in the room We took the walk alone And now we are through Wind heavy on the ground A cloak before the moon I guess I've never known Someone like you Nature will get her way Though you took her for a fool Walking on the lake Frozen under you Baby my heart and soul There's nothing we couldn't do Summer's blowing cold And now we are through I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake I'm alright here in your arms, darling I'm alright here in your arms, darling I'm alright only in your arms, darling I'm alright here in your arms, darling
The Curse And the people went into their hide, they oh From the start they didn't know exactly why, why Winter came and made it so all look alike, look alike Underneath the grass would grow, aiming at the sky It was swift, it was just, another wave of a miracle But no one, nothing at all would go for the kill If they called on every soul in the land on the move Only then would they know a blessing in disguise I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake The curse ruled from the underground down by the shore And their hope grew with a hunger to live unlike before The curse ruled from the underground down by the shore And their hope grew with a hunger to live unlike before Tell me now of the very souls that look alike, look alike Do you know the stranglehold covering their eyes If I call on every soul in the land on the move Tell me if I'll ever know a blessing in disguise The curse ruled from the underground down by the shore And their hope grew with a hunger to live unlike before And the curse ruled from the underground down by the shore And their hope grew with a hunger to live unlike before
Pass Them By We come together, here we go Around the fire, here we go Flaming higher, here we go To my surprise a fever grows Lamps will glimmer on the gloom Prey on the light in the room As we fill it to the brim We say the words, we take them in Oh how the hills were laughing Oh how the creeks they cried Oh how the grass would cheer on As we passed them by Room for many, room for few Here in the dark I made for you Oh why do I hear you and believe That we come together to make it sweet I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake Oh how the hills were laughing Oh how the creeks they cried Oh how the grass would cheer on As we passed them by
Words Are Dead I wanna buy you roses 'Cause the words are dead Follow in the blindness On the arrow head 'Cause the words are dead And you know it Yeah the words are dead Lower them down Didn't know if you could Deny the dead Leaving them in silence On their mouldy bed Oh I am numb And over Their kingdom come Lower me down I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake They are dead, they are dead Oh, don't cry for me Oh, don't cry for me Oh, don't cry for me Oh, don't you cry for me Lower them down in the ground Lower them down in the ground
Smoke & Mirrors Oh my one, I'm so happy That you've got so far But I know the good, the great Is working you like a charm Oh my one, rushing away With a bag full of bones I know the place you left Still won't leave you alone The crow, the cat, the bird and the bee I'm sure they would agree That my one is falling for tricks Smoke and mirrors playing your wit I'm always on the run and I hate copy paste for god's sake A hue and cry waiting to blow Under your skin, wherever you go Still I wish that I knew The taste of something that good
Citizen Of Glass
Stretch Your Eyes The darkness and the ghost They dance so sweet and slow Dug-out from below there To damn the gods A grip that will hold So tight and close Around my throat with The weight of all our lives Help and participate instead of copy and paste You can give to my heart Thousand words or more You can give to my heart Thousand words or more The drum you stroke Damn that beat so old In the ground it grows there To damn the sun The gates of gold In your head you hold A kingdom molten May the gods be on your side You can give to my heart Thousand words or more You can give to my heart Thousand words or more The drum you stroke Damn that beat so old In the ground it grows there To damn the sun Familiar Can you walk on the water if I, you and I Because your blood's running cold outside the familiar true to life Can you walk on the water if I, you and I Or keep your eyes on the road and live in the familiar without you and I It glows with gates of gold to true life And our love is a ghost that the others can't see It's a danger Every shade of us you fade down to keep Them in the dark on who we are It's gonna be the death of me It's a danger 'Cause our love is a ghost that the others can't see Help and participate instead of copy and paste We took a walk to the summit at night, you and I To burn a hole in the old grip of the familiar true to life And the dark was opening wide, do or die Under a mask of vermillion ruling eyes And our love is a ghost that the others can't see It's a danger Every shade of us you fade down to keep Them in the dark on who we are Gonna be the death of me It's a danger 'Cause our love is a ghost that the others can't see It's Happening Again I swear it is true The past isn't dead It's alive, it is happening In the back of my head No future, no past No laws of time Can undo what is happening When I close my eyes And with the stars and the moon I woke up in the night Help and participate instead of copy and paste In the same place To save me for my eyes It's happening, it's happening It's happening, it's happening It's happening again It's happening, it's happening It's happening, it's happening It's happening again I took a day or two To exile from the light To unfold that prisoner They call a mind And for a brief moment We could stop the time But with the stars and the moon I woke up in the night In the same place It was sailing before my eyes It's happening, it's happening, it's happening It's happening, it's happening, it's happening It's happening, it's happening Stone They say every sin will have a thousand eyes To guilty fools with guilty minds But I most be cruel to be kind Deep within a my head of stone Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be, can I be Oh how the birds forget to sing Oh, do they know where I have been Oh how I will leave you there again Deep within my head of stone Help and participate instead of copy and paste Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be, can I be You are my only one You are my only one You are my lonely one You are my only one Oh for the trees did grow there And the plants did spring Oh for they know a lovers sin Ain't made of paper or of string It's cast into a head of stone Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be of stone Can I be, can I be, be Trojan Horses These bare bones are made of glass See-through to the marrow as they pass Seek through the keyhole, a fate is cast Deep in the mirror smiling back In shapes like these, they run softly Trojan horses, Trojan horses Trojan horses, Trojan horses Gardens grow in my eyes Oh, why do they Gardens grow in my eyes Oh, why do Help and participate instead of copy and paste Seek what I seek in a blinding flash These bare bones are made of glass In shapes like these, they run softly Trojan horses, Trojan horses With all the children, with all the children I tell myself I wanna hide I tell myself I wanna be lied to Silent reader of my mind Do you know what I will ask of you Tell me if you wanna hide Tell me if you wanna be lied to Citizen Of Glass Rend a black drop from my heart With the weight of days The end of time has just begun I hear it call your name And no straining of the string Can reverse what will begin Help and participate instead of copy and paste Some let go and some hold on There is no mistake If I could wash all ill away Tell me would you stay And no lovers sin Can reverse what will begin Golden Green All I have or should Want to be but never could It's coming at, it's coming at It's coming at, it's coming at It's coming at my heart To spoil my soul with fire All my eyes can see is Born out of your imagery It's coming at, it's coming at It's coming at, it's coming at It's coming at my heart To scorch the earth with fire Help and participate instead of copy and paste Tell me who you really love Tell me who you really love Tell me who you really love Who are you to take over my mind With your eyes on me All for you I am climbing the sky Of golden green Angel green and blue I'm gonna leave my mind with you I know, I see, I wanna be just free I know, it craves, it's running through my veins Tell me who you really love Tell me who you really love Who are you to take over my mind With your eyes on me All for you I am climbing the sky Of golden green Green Green Green Mary Heaven hid her face as we fell down Age old habits echoed in the ground One old sing and one would hold me down They might listen if I make no sound Help and participate instead of copy and paste Oh I know this From my high school heart That nothing is over From a touch it will begin Wide on the sky In my house the silence rang so loud Under doorways, through the hallway down Waiting for the secret to grow out Oh what we do when no one is around Oh I know this From my high school heart That nothing is over From a touch it will begin Wide on the sky In the dark I hear you sing Fingers move and chords they ring Be the witness of my shame Swaying in the summer rain Feathers falling from your wing In the dark I hear you sing Fingers move and chords they ring Be the witness of my shame Swaying in the summer rain Feathers falling from your wing In the dark I hear you sing
MYOPIA
Camera’s Rolling The script is burning On heavy fuel No time to lose What will you do The camera's rolling What will you do What will you do that you can't undo The gun is loaded What will you do Cruel, gifted fools What will you do Broken Sleep Broken sleep All too human A malady It's gazing through when I would (Dream me a dream soft as a pillow) (Dream me a dream) (Deep in the night 'til the morning will follow) Dream me a dream (Dream me a dream) Dream me a dream (Dream me a dream) Dream me a dream Shapes of smoke All too human They grow Like titans I would like to fall, silence every call (Will you level me with a dream) If I could fall, fall I would like to fall (Fall asleep) Silence every call (Will you level me with a dream) If I could fall, I will fall Twisted rope Defies all I know It holds My reason (Dream me a dream soft as a pillow) I will (Dream me a dream) Dream me a dream (Deep in the night 'til the morning will follow) I will (Dream me a dream) Dream me a dream Sea of trees Calling humans To hang like leaves From the willow I would like to fall, silence every call (Will you level me with a dream) If I will fall, fall I would like to fall (Fall asleep) Silence every call (Will you level me with a dream) If I could fall, I will fall Take my word for it, for it In the dark, in the dark In the dark, words can follow Island Of Doom Destiny made her way and found you in a room They told me, they told me To undo the rule of mind and body And nature laughed away as their voices grew They told me, they told me "Clean out the room and bury the body" But I know you with a heartbeat So how does the night feel When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out But now it's gone It's gone, it's gone But now it's gone It's gone, it's gone "Haven't walked for days though I wanted to" You told me, you told me "For with every move the feeling follows" "In nature's empty face, I am of little use" You told me, you told me "I'm just another fool for the earth to swallow" But the road through mines will lead you back And I will be with you Before the road of your mind will eat you up On your island of doom Where the voices all have gathered up To a choir of fools But I know my mind will reach you there And I will be with you Oh, I know you with a heartbeat So how does the night feel When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out When the lights fade out And now it's gone It's gone, it's gone And now it's gone It's gone, it's gone Oh, why you wake me up today Oh, why you wake me up today Oh, when the lights fade out When the lights fade out Oh, when the lights fade out When the lights fade out Oh, when the lights fade out One, two, three, four, five Myopia Have you ever Gone into my myopia Think of a subtle way To let it go, let it go Think of your sanity (Drip, drip) The drip with a frenzy (Drip, drip) To rewrite the elegy That would trigger your fury Let it go, let it go I can't to let it go Think of your sanity I can't to let it go Your god is someone Who would glow when you go along Through so many eyes In the dark with someone Will you go, will you go along Will you go along, will you go along Does memory last (??) I arrive (Where?) (??) Have you ever Been to my myopia Think of your sanity I can't let it go, let it go Have you ever Been to my myopia Think of a subtle way To let it go, let it go I'll be okay, okay, be okay I'll be okay, okay, be okay I'll be okay, okay, be okay I'll be okay, okay, be okay Can't Be I can't be, I can't be I can't be, keep (look I see) Keep digging Keep digging deep Can't keep me calm Can't keep me whole Can't keep me whole Can't keep me whole Like a script for the screen I would fall for you Every bit to smithereens By the fall for you Boundless I won't be yours (Too close, too close) With the ripples of the stream With no mind or core I can't be, I can't be I can't be, keep (look I see) Can't reach the sun Can't reach the sun Can't keep me calm Can't keep me whole Can't keep me whole Can't keep me whole Can't reach the sun Don't be, don't be, no ending Don't be what you were, friend... I won't be no effigy I won't be no effigy... Promise Keeper Daylight took your body Took your eyes and your army Just vanish like a bruise And cost you all you had to lose Dream away, dream away You play like none do A game of numbers Promises to keep As far as the eyes can reach A game of luck that I would choose A game of light that I would lose Dream away, dream away A game of numbers will take us under You would leave me under oath Blazing thunder at all You will leave me under the sun And I'll dream of the sea Dream of the sea A day alive can take your body Take your mind and your belief Like a thread from a spool Close your eyes before you lose Dream away, dream away (time, time) A game of numbers will take us under You would leave me under oath Blazing thunder at all You will leave me under the sun And I'll dream of the sea Dream of the sea Won’t You Call Me Lay down where the air stands still Where the moonlight fills up your eyes I stay there in the low No, I don't even know What is on your mind Oh won't you call Won't you call me When the seconds are dancing For the sake of my sanity In the night Growing blind No one knows what the devil did What disguises hid from our eyes So don't burn your fire for their sake Miracles of fate got no enemy but time Oh won't you call Won't you call me When the seconds are laughing For the sake of my sanity In the night Unwinding time
Non Albums Tracks
Between The Bars ( Elliott Smith Cover / Live ) Drink up, baby, stay up all night The things you could do, you won't but you might The potential you'll be that you'll never see The promises you'll only make Drink up with me now and forget all about The pressure of days, do what I say And I'll make you okay and drive them away The images stuck in your head Copy paste is a sin, always on the run is better People you've been before that you don't want around anymore That push and shove and won't bend to your will I'll keep them still Drink up, baby, look at the stars I'll kiss you again between the bars Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air Waiting to finally be caught Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine Keep you apart, deep in my heart Separate from the rest, where I like you the best And keep the things you forgot People you've been before that you don't want around anymore That push and shove and won't bend to your will I'll keep them still
Katie Cruel When I first came to town They called me roving jewel Now they've changed their tune Call me Katy Cruel Through the woods I'm going Through the bogs and mire Straightway down the road To my heart's desire Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin When I first came to town They brought me drinks of plenty Now they've changed their tune Bring me bottles empty Through the woods I'm going Through the bogs and mire Straightway down the road To my heart's desire Through the woods I'm going Through the bogs and mire Straightway down the road If I was where I would be Then I would be where I am not Here I am where I must be Go where I would, I cannot Go where I would, I cannot Go where I would
Poem About Death (Late Night Tales LP) It feels so strange Shameless to think of death When none of those one knows has died Last night I dreamt I was dead I came running with my dog into the room of the dead There was nothing to be seen Only stones and a few bushes A landscape that travellers have often spoken of I would rather not die here But in my own home, where I was not dead All the death All the death In the course of a life Write about death Describe in the poem what you feel, concerning death In the face of death I'm like an animal And the animal can die, but write nothing The words die like flies Their corpses everywhere, swept away from the white paper
Sons & Daughters
( Riverside EP - Studio Version )
We are the ones of the free The sons and daughters Come with us, you will see Our future Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin We borrow we play For we know nothing will stay unchanged Anyway Moving fast with no weight Upon our shoulders Nothing in our world Will ever hold us We borrow we play For we know nothing will stay unchanged Anyway Can you hear what we said ??? Can we call you again All you need is We borrow we play For we know nothing will stay unchanged Anyway Unchanged anyway