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A Dark Murmuration of Words

by Emily Barker

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    The new album on white vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      £22 GBP or more 

     

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Pressed on 140g classic black vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      £22 GBP or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    This hardbound book package has 24 pages including lyrics, credits and my notes on each song.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      £12 GBP or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in gatefold card sleeve with 12-page lyric booklet.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      £10 GBP or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

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

    For the audiophiles - the download is available as 24/96 hi-res wavs should you want that format and features the full length unedited versions of some tracks that have been edited other streaming services.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £7 GBP  or more

     

  • Original artwork
    Poster/Print + Digital Album

    I made a promotional video for the album where I wrote every word used in the lyrics on a single piece of art paper, creating a "murmuration of words". This is the resulting artwork. There's only one!

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

  • Test pressing
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Limited edition white label test pressing of the vinyl album in white card sleeve, signed.

    Includes unlimited streaming of A Dark Murmuration of Words via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Sold Out

1.
RETURN ME (words: Emily Barker; music: Emily Barker and Ted Barnes) Return me to where my eyes first glimpsed Sun-kissed folds of your Blackwood lips I’ve been gone so long Time is moving on Come with me to another land Our skin can thin together hand in hand I’ve been gone so long Tell me will you come? The hues of your summer haunt my way I feel the path we’ve known begin to stray Chosen journey many selves ago Turned to me with a mind of its own Am I following? Knowing where I’ve been? I’ve loved this movement every coast to coast Fell for others but I love you most I’ve been gone so long Tell me will you come? The hues of your summer haunt my way I feel the path we’ve known begin to stray So come with me to another shore We can learn a new way to mourn Are you following? Knowing where you’ve been?
2.
Geography 03:18
3.
THE WOMAN WHO PLANTED TREES (words and music: Emily Barker) I can tell my age By the height of trees By the years they’ve stood Growing over me When I was a girl You planted seeds And cast your love Forever over me When the land was dry No food to eat When the soil was sick And the river weak You took a spade Bare hands, bare feet And sowed your love Roots down deep In the cool, dark shade Leaves sing your name Wild green tongues glisten in the glade Your branches warp, my fingers weft Weave me through this gift you left From a prison cell You dreamt of trees Blood dried black Upon your cheek You didn’t know Around the world People listened People learned Water returned Soil healed Hope restored with every yield Trees grew high Bones grew strong Enough for everyone In the cool, dark shade Leaves sing your name Wild green tongues glisten in the glade Your branches warp, my fingers weft Weave me through this gift you left I can tell my age By the height of trees By the years they’ve stood Growing over me
4.
Where Have The Sparrows Gone? Blow the dust off Your grandma’s gas mask Hide in the place we played Where the woods were once They closed the bridge again They’re not letting us out Though we told them years ago They didn’t listen to us shout Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? We’re headed north Which way were you going to go? I heard there’s a truck that leaves From the Old Kent Road Wild fire, wild weather The prophecies came true We read about them years ago No one to blame but me and you Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Took too much from the ocean Took too much from the earth We took more than we needed to More than we could return Ashes in my pocket I’ll scatter them when we stop He loved to be by water Down where the waves bow and buck Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Blow the dust off Your grandma’s gas mask Hide in the place we played Where the woods were once They closed the bridge again They’re not letting us out Though we told them years ago They didn’t listen to us shout Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? Where have the sparrows gone? They’re where the woods were once Where the woods were once Where the woods were once They’re where the woods were once Where the woods were once Where the woods were once
5.
6.
Machine 03:17
7.
8.
Ordinary 03:17
9.
10.
Sonogram 03:34

about

"an album of spare, striking beauty" Mojo ★★★★

“...a kind of Australian equivalent of PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake” UNCUT 8/10

“bold, direct, uncompromising” CLASH

“a high-class piece of songwriting and beautifully expressed musicianship” Americana UK 9/10

"irresistibly catchy...an album replete with nooks and crannies, light and shade" The Australian ★★★★★

“an album full of grace and danger" RnR ★★★★★

credits

released September 4, 2020

Produced and mixed by Greg Freeman
Engineered by Owain Fleetwood Jenkins and Greg Freeman
Recorded at Studiowz, Pembrokeshire, November 2019


Strings arranged by Misha Law, Emily Hall and Emily Barker, recorded at Good On Paper, Stroud

Digital master by Norman Nitzsche at Calyx Mastering, Berlin

license

all rights reserved

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about

Emily Barker UK

Emily Barker is the award-winning songwriter and performer of the theme to BBC TV’s Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh. Her music is an indie blend of influences from alt-country to folk via 60s pop, with comparisons ranging from PJ Harvey to Joni Mitchell. ... more

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