sun on the square, by the innocence mission

sun on the square

by the innocence mission

supported by

frances33 Music that gently soothes the soul. I love her voice. The 2012 ep violet was for me so magical. This is just as good! Favorite track: Galvanic.

AP Have been listening to the Innocence Mission for nearly 30 years, but had honestly been fairly unimpressed with their work in the last 15 years. This album for me is a big return to form and is reminiscent "Birds of My Neighborhood." Love the inclusion of strings and a more fleshed out sound. Favorite track: Light of Winter.

Ferrara Brain Pan such tenderness is sweet medicine for a tired and broken heart Favorite track: Sun on the Square.

most memory The innocence mission live in a special part of my soul. I truly love them so much. Very seldom do I find artists that I can admire and respect for their art and character. In awe of their endless stream of beautiful music that seems to capture the simplicity and complexity of life from one note to the next.

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Coke bottle green vinyl 12", shipping out on or around June 29, 2018

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

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1.	Records from Your Room 02:44	lyrics

2.	Green Bus 04:32	lyrics

3.	Look Out From Your Window 03:22	lyrics

4.	Shadow of the Pines 04:03	lyrics

5.	Buildings in Flower 02:57	lyrics

6.	Sun on the Square 03:28	lyrics

7.	Light of Winter 03:54	lyrics

8.	Star of Land and Sea 03:12	lyrics

9.	An Idea of Canoeing 03:42	lyrics

10.	Galvanic 02:37	lyrics

about

All songs, words and music by Karen Peris
except “Light of Winter”, music by Karen and Don Peris,
and “Star of Land and Sea”, words and music by Don Peris.
© 2018 Umbrella Day Music / BMI
(p) 2018 Badman Recording Co.

Karen Peris: guitars, piano, pump organ, accordion, voice
Don Peris: guitars, drums, voice
Mike Bitts: upright bass on tracks 3, 6, 7, and 9
Anna Peris: viola on tracks 3, 4, and 6
Drew Peris: violin on tracks 2 and 6

recorded and mixed by Don and Karen
artwork by Karen
mastered by Carl Saff

credits

released June 27, 2018

SUN ON THE SQUARE

“A beautiful and timeless album… It hunts out the curious minutiae of being alive, saves them and makes them spectacular. ” Loud & Quiet – 9/10

“Exquisite… Evoking Bookends–era Simon & Garfunkel and Vashti Bunyan, Karen Peris’s voice is an instrument of tender fragility.” MOJO – 4 Stars ****

“They do delicate late 1960s / early 1970s folk–rock as well as anyone, and offer a message of hope in dark times.” London Sunday Times

Karen Peris' gift for melodic subtlety manifests itself on a number of highlights like "Green Bus" and the more expansive "Shadow of the Pines," two songs that dance nimbly between the dark and light places where emotions are most vulnerable. Poignant and poetic, she builds evocative vignettes out of seemingly simple scenes, describing with surprising richness the movements of her brother in the dusty afternoon light of the title song. The arrangements on these ten tracks are somewhat denser and more intricate than on the band's previous few outings, relying on rich string arrangements, horns, reverberating piano thrums and even a handful of clamorous drums - All Music Guide

“Disarmingly delicate folk–pop… Refreshingly otherworldly.” Uncut

The title track may be one of the group’s most quietly devastating songs; its lyrics speak of resilience and hope, but the addition of each new instrument introduces turbulence and melancholy. Sun on the Square is a fragile, gorgeous record, one that is as carefully plotted as it is deeply affecting. - Bandcamp Seven Essential Releases

“The album’s ethereal sadness is beautifully crafted and there’s not a note out of place amid gently fingerpicked guitars, sparingly used piano, and swirling viola and violin.” Rock’n’Reel – 4 Stars ****

“Glintingly beautiful intimacy and wonder from Pennsylvanian quiet folk trio.” Q – 4 Stars ****

“Simply gorgeous… A stunning collection of beautifully vulnerable folk songs.” London In Stereo

“Karen Peris’ enchanting voice stars on this bucolic folky treasure adorned with affecting violin, viola and nylon–strung guitar.” Long Live Vinyl

“The delicacy of Karen Peris’ vocals and imagery are renewed on 10 new songs, on which ‘Green Bus’ sets the mood with its beautiful, rippling acoustic guitar and aching strings.” PROG

"The album starts off lovely and never lets up...a hand-crafted work of art." Paste

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about

the innocence mission Lancaster, Pennsylvania

SUN ON THE SQUARE

The title track may be one of the group’s most quietly devastating songs; its lyrics speak of resilience and hope, but the addition of each new instrument introduces turbulence and melancholy. Sun on the Square is a fragile, gorgeous record, one that is as carefully plotted as it is deeply affecting. - Bandcamp Seven Essential Release ... more

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Track Name: Records from Your Room: records from your room

Records from your room are in bloom,
fountaining out from the buildings
in bright colors onto the street,
and I meet you there out in the air,
I’m listening.

Is there a word for these things
we’ve felt and we’ve seen,
in the blocks of town, the depths of belief,
the kindness of strangers
in leaps and in ranges where I’ve never been,
and you’ve never been before?
A word becomes a door,
soon, to come through.

Rain could be the sigh we would breathe at this time.
Umbrellas open now could be the arms we would reach.
And I meet you there out in the air.
You’re glistening.

Is there a word for this time,
the changes we find,
the music that blooms now out of your room,
the kindness of strangers
in cities, in places where I’ve never been,
and you’ve never been before?
A word becomes a door,
soon, to come through.
Track Name: Green Bus: green bus

Down this street,
I ride a green bus,
early, deep into town.
If I could speak, if I could be
as I would like to be now-

and what could I bring you,
now in the meantime?
Fruit from the sunlight,
quartz from the bay?
And where will I find this,
perfect and wondrous?
I look into shops,
I slip into rain.

Leaves on leaves.
I walk through deeply,
gold, green, gold,
for my friend.
I cannot find a thing
beautiful enough for you
again.

And what could I bring you,
today in the meantime?
Fruit from the sunlight,
quartz from the bay?
And where will I find this,
perfect and wondrous?
I look into shops,
I slip into rain,
slip into rain.
Track Name: Look Out From Your Window: look out from your window

Look out from your window now.
Can you see me cheering for you, up and down?
I holler across the park, I’m waving these leaves.
I miss my far- flung heart.

All I cannot say I hope you know.
All you cannot say I hope I can hear.

Then holler across these miles.
We will the same snow, starting the same time.
Not easy to find a friend.
And places we’ve been, now different scenes again.

All I cannot say I hope you know.
All you cannot say I hope I can hear.
Track Name: Shadow of the Pines: shadow of the pines

Leaving the shadow of the pines,
some lost things I will hope to find again.
I imagine us, I can see us in the green air.
The sunlight, the lawn of a park,
carrying all our things.
So far I have only managed the start
of every song this winter.

Birds dart into every building,
connect all of the lines, all of the lines.
I’ll hear from you by tomorrow,
or the next day.

Crossing to your part of the sky,
perfect landing on your roof,
I hold you in my hearing, my sight,
my every thought and wonder,
since your leaving the shadow of the pines.
Some lost things I hope you will find again.
I imagine us, I can see us in the green air.
The sunlight, the lawn of a park,
of St. Margaret’s, maybe.
So far I have only managed the start
of every song this winter.
And we’re leaving the shadow of the pines.
Some lost things I will hope to find again.
I imagine us, I can see us in the green air.
Track Name: Buildings in Flower: buildings in flower

All the leafiness of a thousand miles
is felt in the heart, a change that has started.
The packing up of things, the loading of cars,
the farther and farther darkening dark.

And it’s hard to know, now, where we should go.
And where will we be, before the next season?
Of evenings and days we can hardly say.
From which will we flower?
Brightly from the buildings, now.

Will the lifting of a window let the Spirit in,
and then we begin to vividly live?
With lakes of orange, seas of green, cadmium scenes?
And walking fleetly through a dream,
I will hear everything you mean,
I will see everything you mean.

And it’s hard to know, now, where we should go.
And where will we be, before the next season?
Of evenings and days we can hardly say.
From which will we flower?
Brightly from the buildings now.
Track Name: Sun on the Square: sun on the square

Sun on the square.
My brother there
walks along and will not fall,
he will not fall.

Light on the faces,
light on the buildings,
one and all,
he will not fall,
he will not fall.

The possible noon hour, the bells,
the lemon-colored clang on the rooftops,
footsteps in the sun.
Let it ring out into the air-
let there be more kindness in the world.
And he may be the one,
he may be the one.
Track Name: Light of Winter: light of winter

From the trains
I will be on the way now,
happy, soon to see you
in these blocks of town.
Let streets connect now,
let streets connect now.

Light of winter, I’m seeing you now,
light of winter, I’m seeing you now,
soon now.

Gentle lions, will you rise from these sidewalks
and walk beside me awhile.
Taxis arrive. The snow has arrived,
the snow has arrived.
Light of winter, I’m seeing you now,
soon now.

And the traffic is no match at all for any mom,
and the weather is no match at all for any mom,
any dad.

From the trains
every light may soon give way to green.
From the trains
I will be on the way now.
Let streets connect now,
let streets connect now.

Light of winter, I’m seeing you now,
light of winter, I’m seeing you now,
soon now.
Track Name: Star of Land and Sea: star of land and sea

World inside of me, I know.
The forest and the trees, I know,
the cars upon my street won’t go
I know.

Be a light to all, you shine
into darker lands, you shine,
a friend to friendless men, you shine,
You shine.

Star of land and sea, lead me
into morning sun, lead me
Star of land and Star of sea, lead me,
lead me.

(Don, words and music) guitars, voice-Don
vocal harmony, baritone guitar-Karen
Track Name: An Idea of Canoeing: an idea of canoeing

Circles outreaching and growing wide,
endlessly outreaching, into the hour,
into the hour,
the idea of this: water in flower.

The colors, greens, yellows,
and state park sign arrows,
though I don’t like boating at all,
or being on the water,
somehow gleam into the hour.

And will I see you walking now?
And will I be this reaching out,
here and now?
The understanding and the light,
reaching into the hour,
into the hour?

Will I cross the street to you,
in the traffic breaks,
in the light of this,
in the light of this love,
here and now?
Track Name: Galvanic: galvanic

Days we will see.
The radiant greens
and the long strides.
Walks of our own,
every word to be kind.
Galvanic lights
over us all these miles.
I believe
we’re going to see,
things will come right
this time.

And we will see,
and leap to our feet,
in song flights,
and mark it down:
the healing has now been authorized.
Held in the arms,
carried along this far.
I believe
we’re going to see
things will come right
this time.

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