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That Was Zen, This Is Now

by Craig Haller

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    Physical media has been vanquished. But if you're the sort that likes tangible trinkets, this brief booklet sheds light on the creative process behind That Was Zen, This Is Now.

    It's basically liner notes for the digital age. A download of the album is included with every purchase.

    Includes unlimited streaming of That Was Zen, This Is Now via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
Jukebox Heartbreak (words & music by Craig Haller) The sun cracked a smile It was endless summer for a while Stoned like a ghost Burning bright—delirious with hope Standing at the edge of forever, baby I really don't know what it's about We're living our lives with our feet in the fire Dancing to that jukebox heartbreak It’s all a perfect mistake A memory trapped inside of a song That you remember when you’re singing along To that jukebox heartbreak I scroll through the dust Where shiny metal turns to rust The shadows rejoice Silhouettes—delirious with joy Everyone is some kind of crazy, baby Let's wager the gift of desire Life is a dream in a field of daisies Singing with that jukebox heartbreak Oh, what a perfect mistake A memory trapped inside of a song That you remember when you’re singing along To that jukebox heartbreak The battles we join Are made up sides of a made-up coin Just open your mind Please just listen to that jukebox heartbreak It’s all a perfect mistake Just a memory trapped inside of a song That we remember when we’re singing along To that jukebox heartbreak
2.
Aw Shit 02:59
Aw Shit (words & music by Craig Haller) Wishful thinking has its place And every dog has its day The wishing well has cleaned me out But it’s much too late to pray Oh no, I hope it’s not the end of the road Oh no, I sink like a stone Tried to get to heaven But it’s already closed…aw shit I tumble like a pair of dice It’s snake eyes all the way I need a taste of paradise Before I fade away Oh no, I hope it’s not the end of the road Oh no, I sink like a stone Tried to get to heaven But it’s already closed…aw shit I laid a path of blood and tears And tried to keep the faith When I get lost I ask the dust To point me the right way Oh no, I hope it’s not the end of the road Oh no, I sink like a stone Tried to get to heaven But it’s already closed…aw shit
3.
Beautiful Beyond Belief (words & music by Craig Haller) If God is love and love is blind Then I'm not surprised he looks the other way We're born to live, we live to die So we fix our eyes on a world beyond the mind It's beautiful - so beautiful Beyond belief The prophet profits on paradise We're all in debt 'cause free will has a price Spinning fiction - a world of lies We seek redemption well beyond the mind It's beautiful - so beautiful Beyond belief True beauty can’t be explained It disappears when you give it a name The more you reach the further it gets The sun rises and it sets without a home Illuminate the shaded light Contemplate the emptiness inside If God is love and love is blind Don't compromise the world inside your mind It's beautiful - so beautiful It's beautiful beyond belief
4.
Take My Time 03:18
Take My Time (words & music by Craig Haller) If you were a song, I’d sing along Every word would keep me hanging on Replaying endless on repeat Over and over, I’d surrender to your melody We’d take our time and do it right Weather every storm that blows by We’d take our time and do it right I want to take my time with you If you were the sea, I’d be a boat Sailing across your picture-perfect glow I’d risk it all to feel your waves Carry me to the new horizons that await We’d take our time and do it right Weather every storm that blows by We’d take our time and do it right I want to take my time with you
5.
If Only I Could Fly (words & music by Craig Haller) When I look up at the blue sky, it gives me the blues I notice all of the birds flying wherever they choose (that’s what I want to do) Gravity’s keeping me grounded - down on my knees I wish that I could be boundless - so I could be free (just flying with the breeze) Live like I mean it Love like I need it Fly with the seasons And go where I please If only I could fly When I wake up in the morning, I gotta punch the clock I listen to all the birds sing, and I sink like a rock (‘cause I feel stuck) I want to burn like a Phoenix in the desert sun And rise up from the ashes like a loaded gun (I’d show everyone) That I could live like I mean it Love like I need it Fly with the seasons And go where I please If only I could fly Live like I mean it Love like I need it Fly with the seasons And go where I please If only I could fly
6.
Run, Virginia (words & music by Craig Haller) When Virginia left Virginia, she headed to LA She had a second cousin who had a place to stay Pursued by shapeless shadows, she agonized her dreams Halfway through Arizona, she wanted to retreat Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide She's on the run, so terrified Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide She's on the run She ended up in Phoenix, the Valley of the Sun She met a man named Manny who hated everyone His mind was like a riot, powered by cocaine The day he struck Virginia, she shot him in the face Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide She's on the run, so terrified Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide She's on the run Run, Virginia, the law is closing in Run, Virginia, while you can Damn, Virginia, didn’t know you had it in ya He had it coming, but it's time to disappear Run, Virginia Afraid of facing judgment, she fled to Santa Fe Found redemption as an artist on a canvas full of rage Sometimes she wakes up in a frenzy, haunted by the ghost She knows there’s no forgiveness, just the punchline to a joke Oooooh - nowhere to hide She's on the run, from what’s inside Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide But she's on the run Run Virginia
7.
We're All Alone In This Together (words & music by Craig Haller) No use pretending, it is what it is One story ends as another begins Collecting moments and building a home A fragile house made of sticks and stones Plan for the future - collect the past Racing through the moment with your foot on the gas Your heart is wounded - you took a chance Time heals nothing, but you’d do it again Cause a little bit, a little bit of heaven goes a long way The world keeps spinning round The world keeps spinning around around around Time means nothing now Cause we’re all alone in this together now Embrace the silence, give it a voice The world makes joy, the world makes noise The empty spaces are filled with doubt Alone in this together as we figure it out You want the blessing but not the curse You want the money, honey, but not the hurt You want it all, babe, you want it now Open your heart and pour it out Cause a little bit, a little bit of heaven goes a long way The world keeps spinning round The world keeps spinning around around around Time means nothing now Cause we’re all alone in this together now
8.
This Is Now 03:19
This Is Now (words & music by Craig Haller) Wakey wakey, time to break the spell of solitude You’ve been down so long the song is over, time to start anew You can’t hold it back the flood is coming To wash away the sands of time You better learn to swim and keep on moving You’re riding on a rising tide It’s all alright - it’s all alright now Nothing brings us closer than a blow of tragedy The plan is fucked, we’re stuck, collapsed, calamity We can rise above with love and kindness And help each other off the ground We need to learn to see without the blinders What goes around comes around It’s all alright - it’s all alright now It’s all alright - it’s all alright That was then, but this is now Wakey wake, your brain is buzzing like a bumblebee No one needs another comatose commodity Don’t let your failures go to waste Face the fears that bring you down Release the tension that’s been mounting It’s all gonna come back around It’s all alright - it’s all alright now It’s all alright - it’s all alright That was then, but this is now
9.
Say Something True (words & music by Craig Haller) One-sided, two-sided, red-sided, blue Distorting the truth with a blind point of view You say you have the answer - I have to disagree, sir You don’t know what you’re talking about Distracted, protracted, outlandish disputes You overreact with malicious refutes It’s all a bit reductive, not a bit productive No one cares how loud you can shout Just say something true It’s getting harder to break through Say something true Or better yet, say nothing at all (shh) Left-sided, right-sided, blind-sided fools Power is taken by breaking the rules We need a new solution, a seismic revolution Or maybe we’re too little too late To say something true It’s getting harder to break through Say something true Or better yet, say nothing at all Better to say nothing at all We’re all in this together, tethered by the weight of the world One-sided, two-sided, red-sided, blue We all sing along while ignoring the tune A broken little whisper, fading like a picture Burning in a flicker of light Say something true It’s getting harder to break through Say something true Or better yet, say nothing at all Better to say nothing at all We’re all in this together, tethered by the weight of the world
10.
Moment's Notice (words & music by Craig Haller) A string of silence Vibrations in the dark Slow and steady You’re such a heavy heart Tender when you surrender But broken in between A faded morning glory Burned up in a sunbeam Love’s a lie that tells the truth A moment’s notice can be anything you choose Don't let it hurt you, don't get upset A moment’s notice is all you're gonna get These aspirations Will leave you wanting more A tired purpose Behind a closing door A fruitless fabrication A sentimental dream Break out the crazy maybe You can disappear with me Love's the lie that tells the truth A moment’s notice can be anything you choose Don't let it hurt you, don't be upset This moment’s notice is all you're gonna get
11.
Your Name Is A Broken Heart (words & music by Craig Haller) The stitches from your kisses left a mark Memories of music in the dark We did it right, but it turned out wrong No, I’m not bitter, but it was time to say “so long” I hope you know I wish you all the best But we know nothing is cheaper than sentiment Your name’s a broken heart Now don't you come back knocking down my door 'cause I really don't wanna see your face anymore The war is over - I called your bluff You're not invincible, but I'm not in love with you I hope you know I wish you all the best But we know nothing is cheaper than sentiment Your name’s a broken heart
12.
One Rush 03:52
One Rush (words & music by Craig Haller) Wilted flowers in a frayed bouquet Your tired footsteps swept away Uncertain silence in the great beyond The face of love lives on and on One rush in the blink of an eye Life passes you by A little window to soak up the sun One rush before it’s done Brightness born on the wind and waves The shaded light shines through the haze Every hero is full of flaws And every villain has a cause One rush in the blink of an eye Life passes you by A little window to soak up the sun One rush before it’s done

about

That Was Zen, This Is Now is the album I've always wanted to make. It pulls off a balancing act between mystery and inevitability by bridging subconscious yearnings with deliberate ambitions.

My inspiration for this record goes well beyond music. My love of order, chaos, literature, and eastern philosophy were all guests of honor at the creative party. The album reflects my deepest rhythmic, harmonic, lyrical, and ideological sensibilities.

I'm indebted to the people who helped bring this vision to light. I love working with exceptionally talented individuals and aim to capture a piece of their humanity to collapse with my own.

Thank you for supporting my music. It means more than you'll ever know. It empowers me to continue creating something meaningful in a world where destruction is fashionable. May it bring you joy.

credits

released September 2, 2022

PLAYERS
- Ryan Madora: bass
- Derrek Phillips: drums
- Mike Hicks: keys
- Ellen Angelico: guitars
- Alex Bachari: guitars
- Craig Haller: vocals, guitars, keys, mallets, tape loops & percussion


CREDITS
- Produced by Craig Haller
- All songs by Craig Haller
- Recording, programming & editing by Craig Haller in Nashville
- Vocal recording by Mikie Martel at The Sanctuary in Nashville
- Mixed by Brad Jones at Alex the Great Recording in Nashville
- Artwork & design by Craig Haller


℗ 2022 Settlement Orange Music. All rights reserved.
© My Buddy Craig Music (BMI)

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Craig Haller Nashville, Tennessee

Craig Haller was born with a chip on his shoulder and a song in his heart. His music is the byproduct of many hours spent in obsessive contemplation. With a flair for memorable melodies and an overabundance of poetic license, he happily casts himself as lord of his own creative landscape—a land of genre fluidity, appetizing aural atmospheres, and turns of phrase that refuse to be pinned down. ... more

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