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Stretching Skyward

by Gnoss

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A physical copy of 'Stretching Skyward' in a stunning 4-panel digisleeve with enclosed booklet designed and put together by Beth Lane. The sleeve notes accompany the music with the credits and song lyrics.

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    Get all 5 Gnoss releases available on Bandcamp.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Stretching Skyward, Dirt & Bone, The Light of The Moon, Drawn From Deep Water, and Brother Wind EP. , and , .

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1.
Stroma 03:21
2.
Hamnavoe 03:06
In the grass we burned them Broken bones and rafters The moon dancing in our eyes Sleeping in the longship Silver coins and riches A salt wave washed against the hull And we sing the songs our fathers did And we carry all their hopes Landed on a new land Pushed shields to the castle The sun danced along my axe A soothsayer warned us homeward No good will meet you here Vultures feathers flood the floor And we sing the songs our father did And we carry all their hopes They’ll write songs of us The poet / The ravens They’ll write songs of us The mountains / The heavens And we sing the songs our fathers did
3.
Christine's 03:34
4.
Honey Wine 03:16
Made a stop on main street Watch the horses graze We’ll be ten towns gone by the end of day Roamed the length of Scotland Living where we sleep Just your folks’ old trailer, and you and me. We’re rolling Rolling down the road Worked a while as farmhands Your family and I It paid like shame but it felt like pride Spent a week at John Boy’s Horse tied to the gate When the council called him traveller, they sent his kids away. Cooking on cast-iron Drinking honey wine Swear the sweet sugar dulls the thought of crying We’re rolling Rolling down the road Pitched up somewhere north-east Said you couldn’t sleep Kissing like your tongue’s a fire flitting through the trees Sunrise seemed to ask me Are you where you want to be? Got me wondering thinking - can you ever be? We’re rolling Rolling down the road.
5.
The Drovers 03:07
6.
Keefa Hill 03:27
7.
God's Land 03:45
Can you see the shore? Maybe ours’ll be the next. The water’s roar The clouds turn over me And we say goodbye In prayer, in mourning, we say goodbye. Under city skies They held us like cattle On the cold stone of the docks in Leith Now the flags fly high as the captain sails us West Some call it God’s Land Some call it death Some call it God’s Land, some call it death (x2) It’s a single strand, all the time that’s left. Some call it God’s Land, some call it death Under dead of night A storm brewed on the water Our only shelter was the bay But the anchor didn’t hold us 200 captives felt the hull give way. And the rocks below Sung so softly of the future I found the cargo door Tried to force it with my hand But it stood firm against me My knuckles bruised and bloodied I heard a stranger pray for the other side Some call it God’s Land, some call it death (x2) It’s a single strand, all the time that’s left. Some call it God’s Land, some call it death 47 men. All that lived from hundreds The captain said: “Each slave alive will cost me coin” So we turned and we fled to the village on the island To carve a life At night l think on them How in life they were hunted And I pray in death they’re free For there’s nothing left Save some some graves by the ocean where the cattle tread Where land meets the sea
8.
Audrey's 03:42
9.
Vore Tullye 03:35
10.
Dirt & Bone 03:57
Spent nineteen chasing railroads taking photos as we’d run; Travelled round the powder river basin. Slept on steel and cardboard as the carriage carried on. FREE across your knuckles, I carved the ink. Leaning out into the wind. The sun was lying low. Both eyes closed, one arm stretching skyward. I kind of think you knew one day the world would see you glow Smiling, as I loaded up the camera. I’m leaving here tomorrow Early as the sunlight breaks Until the leaves have left the laurel The film’s on the final frame I still see the day we met. The sky was wild and grey. I’d been kicked outside for smoking. We were young and stupid but we were free, not down and out. Trying to catch the thunder on the mountain. You looked me in the eye and said “I want to get in trouble. I want to live my life, not pass it by. I’m leaving here tomorrow Early as the sunlight breaks Until the leaves have left the laurel The film’s on the final frame." But In your eyes I swear was sorrow Maybe freedom is a heavy chain. I’m leaving here tomorrow Early as the sunlight breaks. Time stands still more these days I spend it trying to save a little money But these old photos of you and I Make me want to live a brighter life. One of these days we’ll fly right back down the line. One of these days. (x2) I’ll be leaving here tomorrow (x2) One of these days I’ll be leaving here tomorrow
11.
Hard Times 03:56

about

We decided to write this album about change.

Our last record took shape throughout 2020, was recorded at the end of that year, and released to a hopeful Spring in 2021. Since then, all we’ve seen is change; a world returning to normal, trying to find what normal is, building something new entirely. Change has felt like the only constant.

We thought writing this record about ten different stories with change at their hearts might give us pause to look at the change that’s taken place in our own lives over the past two years.

Of course, the music has changed since the last time too. We’d like to thank Scott Wood for exploring all these new directions and sounds with us — we can’t thank him enough for truly bringing this record to life and we’ll be eternally grateful for the work he put in. Please Scott, get some sleep!

We’d also like to thank all of you for buying this album. We hope you like it!

We’d like to offer further thanks to; James Lindsay for his ever-excellent low note contributions, Beth Lane for the album artwork, Rory Barnes and Sandy Butler for their photo and video work promoting this album, Craig Corse of CCM Live and Lone Lambert Jensen for helping us take this new music out to see you live, Birnam CD for their continued support of us and the wider folk scene, Fabrice and the team at Absilone for their online work behind the scenes, Jane Brace and Innes & Campbell Communications for their PR support and Tyrone Stoddart for his design work on our posters and merch.

Finally, to all of our family, friends, and partners for their endless support and advice.

Thank you so much,
Aidan, Connor, Craig, Graham

credits

released May 12, 2023

Gnoss are; Aidan Moodie, Connor Sinclair, Craig Baxter and Graham Rorie

All tracks written and arranged by Gnoss, except track 11 “Hard Times” written by Gillian Welch.

Produced, Engineered, and Mixed by Scott Wood at Oak Ridge Studios Additional Recording by Graham Rorie at Rumley Sounds
Mastered by Nick Cooke

Featuring James Lindsay on electric bass and double bass.
Artwork and Layout by Beth Lane Additional Photography by Rory Barnes Printed by Birnam CD

© & ℗ Blackfly Records 2022

All rights of the producer and owner of the recorded work are reserved. Unauthorised hiring, renting, public performance and broadcasting of this record are prohibited. BFLY05CD. Made in The Netherlands.

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Gnoss Glasgow, UK

Glasgow based folk band.
~~~
Gnoss: a dynamic four-piece of fiddle, flute, guitar and bodhran that tackle energetic tune sets and driving folk song with a "maturity of ability many of a greater age will envy" (Living Tradition). ... more

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