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The life of men



A few sentences about the album >>> The life of a man in chronological order. From his birth, through his death, to the rest of his life. The story of all chapters. No one in particular, a common person, with common happenings, normal conflicts and natural fears. The beauty of commonalities, of the “usual”, of the every-day life.

© Kimon Kirligitsis

This album was written throughout 2019, 2020 and 2021. The first song that was written was what eventually became “Chapter 2: Memories of a Child”, a self-reflection of a person recalling what was like to be and feel a child. From then onwards, the album took off and little by little more chapters were written, completing by spring 2021 the account of all chapters of the story. A story of no one, and therefore the story of everyone.


CHAPTER 1: A NEW DAY

The man wakes up and starts with his daily routine, kitchen, water, moka, coffee. Turns the gas on. It is early and he didn’t rest well. He had an unsettling dream. Suddenly he starts remembering. A dream about his own life. What it was, what it is and what it may be:

“I was dreaming I was born

Now that life is almost gone

In my dream I became old

Too fast, too short…"


While coffee is being made, he stares at the window, looking outside; cars, bikes, trees, asphalt, people, a new day. But his mind is elsewhere, taking him back to his dream. He hears a cello, a guitar. The journey starts.

About "A New Day" production


CHAPTER 2: MEMORIES OF A CHILD

He opens his eyes. He is a baby. He can’t talk. He sees his parents staring at him. They both look happy and sad about the newborn. Tired but excited, angry but loving:

“And you cry when he is laughing

And you laugh when he cries...”


He Closes his eyes. It’s black. Opens them again, and he is a child. Time moves fast. He is traveling through his memories. He now has a brother, he is no longer the only one:


“And you smile when his sadness

Makes you feel like a star”

Another flashback. He is now a young teenager, he experiences his first love. But who was that person? What did she look like? He can no longer remember, he was 12:

“Her Name, was no name

Her eyes you couldn’t see

Cause she looks like those

Who don’t seem

Steep but not afraid

I’m falling with faith

And I don’t know since when”

And with that the other side of the same coin, the first heart pain. How could he understand, he was young, the first lesson, the main lesson, and the start of an ever-learning journey. How could he move on and forget?! Impossible…

“And you run to the future

but the future is now

And you want to forget it

Or learn to remember how”


He had a childhood, like nobody and like everybody.

About "Memories of a Child" production


CHAPTER 3: BACK IN SCHOOL

Back in school. The man starts remembering how was it like to be a teenager surrounded by teenagers. The sweet and the sour. Trying to fit, trying to belong, trying to be noticed, trying not to be made fun of while making fun of others:

"If your shadow

Shines Again

No fool will make

Fun of your name"

Was not particularly an easy time, it never is for anybody. Was not bad, but it wasn't good either:

"Cause God knows what it’s like

To be a king without a crown

And nobody will tell

How is life up in hell"

About "Back in School" production


CHAPTER 4: 20's

He finished high school, grew up, and turned 20. But his dream is now blurry, he doesn't remember much. He only sees a bunch of human-like creatures, with heads like animals, dancing in a circle, like in a ritual, repeating over and over again:

"Don't you wanna smoke inside?

Let's seat here and let's relax"

About "20s" production


CHAPTER 5: AGEING

He is now a full grown adult, life granted him all he thought he was wishing for, a family, a partner, a house, a career. Now, whats next? He thought that would make him happy:

Are your dreams already over?

Is life heavy on your shoulders?

He starts doubting all the decisions that took him to where he is, while he sees the end of his life approaching:


Does that love make you feel lonely?

Are your fears getting closer?

Is all you know dying slowly?

While you become the one and only


I guess, middle life crisis.

About "Ageing" production


CHAPTER 6: DEATH

He is now laying down, he sees all people he doesnt recognize comforting him (or at least trying), are they strangers or he just doesn't remember them? Everything feels confusing, something is calling him away but he wishes to stay, to fight. Little by little he accepts his destiny, he listens to his body. He wishes to comfort the people around him but he can't no longer talk, nor see, it's dark. He smiles, he doesnt feel any pain.

About "Death" production

CHAPTER 7: ASCENSION


He leaves his body while staring at it still laying down. Everyone still there but now there are more people, the invite him to go with them, they all look so old.

He can finally move, he feels his legs again, he can dance and he starts to dance, he doesnt care anymore, while he dances he is ascending, he'll just dance forever.

About "Ascension" production


CHAPTER 8: REVELATION

Still ethereal, the man is now looking at his whole life watching what has happened, what he would have done differently, and which kind of mindset he would have rather had:

"Nobody knows It’s worth it

To waste a lot of time

You can’t be always thinking

Your thoughts will tangle up"


CHAPTER 9: THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

The man shakes up, wakes up from his dreamstate, comes back on himself, he is still standing on the kitchen, waiting for his coffee, looking outisde. Coffee is ready. He still hears guitars. He just remembered the revelation he had on his dream. He now carries on with his life, with the rest of his life.

About "The Rest of Your Life" production


CREDITS Production >>> Quirijn Groot Koerkamp, Arturo Perez Adroher Mixing >>> Tim Visser Mastering >>> Jeffrey de Gans Composition >>> Arturo Perez Adroher, Ronald de Waard Lyrics >>> Arturo Perez Adroher Performance >>>
Vocals >>> Arturo Perez Adroher
Guitar>>> Arturo Perez Adroher, Jop van Bladel
Bass >>> Ronald de Waard
Drums >>> Jasper Sauer
Cello >>> Candela Mier Toran, Elsa Le Moigne, Katia Milano
Piano >>> Quirijn Groot Koerkmap, Jeffrey Dol
Double Bass >>> Alesio Calore


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