The Tea Club is:

Dan McGowan - Vocals/Guitar

Patrick McGowan - Vocals/Guitar

Joe Dorsey - Keyboards

Jamie Wolff - Bass

Dan Monda - Drums

Written, arranged, and performed by The Tea Club

Engineered, mixed, and produced by Jeff Aderman at Big Blue North Studios.

Additional sound design and treatment on keys by Samuel Rollins.

Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music

Chasm is The Tea Club’s sixth studio record. It was written, arranged, performed, tracked, mixed, mastered, and agonized over for five years.

During that time the band underwent a series of life, death, and rebirth cycles. The music emerged as a reflection.

And so someone might say that Chasm is a mirror.

They were smiling but it wasn’t right

When I came to meet you by the road

The day came and went

But I won’t forget

Their plated faces like little soldiers

Who will stand?

Who will stand?

Who will stand up and say: “Enough”?

They were laughing but it wasn’t right

Running through a field of rye

Lullabies

Lizard eyes

Running through a field of rye

Come along now, children

Come along

You’re in the way and have been since the day

Since you were born

(Come along, come along)

We never could remember

Which day you were born

Come along, come along

We’ll get around to it whenever we remember

You might see them around from time to time

Little beggars in sheep’s clothing

Plated faces like little soldiers

Oh, little soldiers

(Who will stand)

When the children are unwanted

Who will stand and say: “Enough”?

Come along now, children

Come along

You’re in the way and have been since the day

Since you were born

(Come along, come along)

We never could remember

Which day you were born

Come along, come along

We never could remember

Which day you were born

Come along, come along

We’ll get around to it whenever we remember

Copper and carbon and silicon

Iron and cobalt and nickel and chrome

Europium opium on my screen

These are a few of my favorite things

Pull me into your glowing womb

Where all of my memories you exhume

100% quantized to the grid

‘Cause I’m your baby and you let me win

You let me win

And the danger outside my door

I could’ve gotten sick

Or drowned in the pool

You could’ve let me play outside

But I’m your baby and you pulled me in

Oh, Silicon Sally

Somebody said that I’ve lost my way

In the uncanny valley

Why would I work when I can play?

Oh, Silicon Sally

I’m beginning to wonder why

Someone would wanna get older

Now that we finally have the time

Oh, Silicon Sally

Somebody said that I’ve lost my way

In the uncanny valley

Why would I work when I can play?

Oh, Silicon Sally

Why would I still wanna go outside?

You brought back the good old days to me

And now I finally have the time

Now I finally have the time

Wake up, fall in love

In love with me

Go to work love eat lunch love drive home

And at night fall in love with me again

And again and again

How many hours just went by?

What happened to my hair and my skin?

If I could get you closer

I’d open my face and shove you in

I thought we had forever, why can’t I stay?

There’s so many films to research

And games to play

So many old friends to visit

So many dopamine hits

Don’t let me die mother

You promised I’d have time

I’d have time

I’d have time

I’d have time

You have forgotten

The low and lonely

The old and ugly ones

You were to be stewards

On behalf of the orphan

But you have forgotten

You have become…

You have forgotten

The low and lonely

The old and ugly ones

You were to be stewards

On behalf of the orphan

But you have forgotten

You have become

Unjust

You will die like men

Let your laughter be turned to mourning

Your joy to gloom

Let your yes be yes and your no be no

Let your yes be yes and your no be no

But you have forgotten

You have become

Unjust

You will fall like stars

Let your laughter be turned to mourning

Your joy to gloom

Who will come to make things right?

When will I see you again?

When can I hold you again?

What kind of life is this?

Your dreams slow

Your screen drains the light from your eyes

Your face glows

Your words fall out of your mouth

And slip through your fingers

I’ve been here and I’ve been there

I’ve been there

But I’ve seen a face that I can’t compare

Can’t compare

I take the fall and then I take the bait

Take the bait

Take the bait

Down goes the wall with the cannonball

From this very moment on

Nothing was the same

Nothing was the same

Nothing was the…

I’ve been here and I’ve been there

I’ve been there

But I’m in a place that I can’t compare

Can’t compare

I take the fall and then I take the bait

Take the bait

Take the bait

Down goes the wall with the cannonball

From this very moment on

Nothing was the same

Nothing was the same

Nothing was the

Same…

Ear on arm

You don’t even notice

Ear on arm

You don’t even notice

Hold my head up high

Hold my head up as long as I’m able

All my words are wrong

But I have to step forward and over

Hold my head up high

While I have another breath

And I’m still ringing the bell

I’m still sounding the alarm

Every morning’s another day

To say what nobody will say

And I’m still ringing the bell

When every moment is wrong

Someone out there must

Hear me, hear me, hear me…

I remembered to

I remembered when nobody else did

I’m still standing here

I’m still standing where everyone else left

Everything I need

Everything is right here

And I’m still ringing the bell

I’m still sounding the alarm

Every morning of every day

Someone must need me to stay

And I’m still ringing the bell

When everybody is gone

Someone out there must

Hear me, hear me

Hear me, hear me

Hear me, hear me ring

And I’m still ringing the bell

I’m still sounding the alarm

Every morning’s another day

To say what nobody will say

And I’m still ringing the bell

When everybody is gone

Cast your light down

Upon me, hear me

Hear me, hear me

Someone heard

Do not be alarmed

For this must take place

Not one stone left upon another

They will come for us and put us to death

And I saw the earth was shaking and starving

This is not yet the end

And I saw the nations and the kingdoms

But this is not yet the end

The pains of birth have only just begun

And I saw a burning light

No darkness could overcome

And I fell on my face

I heard a dreadful sound

Mourning and weeping

Rachel weeps for her children

And will not be comforted

For her children

They are no more

So let there be a reckoning

Revenge is not mine

I refuse to let you make me hate you

Your hate is not mine

But you will stand and give an account

Your hurt is not mine

And on that day there will be great weeping

And where the corpse is

The vultures will gather there

And I saw the earth was shaking and starving

This is not yet the end

And I saw the nations and the kingdoms

But this is not yet the end

The pains of birth have only just begun

And I saw a burning light

No darkness could overcome

And I fell on my face

The first and last

The first and last

The first and last

And last

The beginning and the end

Crimson

Like fresh death

Be still and know

Be small and know

Fear is a small and passing thing

When I was a boy

And fear was the name

Of everything

Someone said

“Come and see”

All now mysterious

Shall be bright at last

Come and see your fear

Is a small and passing thing

What am I escaping into now?

What am I escaping into now?

What am I escaping into now?

What am I escaping into now?

What am I escaping?

What am I escaping from?

What am I escaping?

What am I escaping from?

Until and beyond

The snow faintly falling on

All the living

And the dead

Until and beyond

The snow faintly falling on

All the living

And the dead

All the living

And the dead

All the living

And the dead

All the living…

To the ones who want to work it out

To the ones who

Never saw the writing on the wall

To the young who can afford to lie

Who would ever want to

Admit this is the end?

Doesn’t matter where we were going

Or where we thought that it would end

I had a great time

And I hope to never see you again

It doesn’t matter where I go now

But if you won’t let me through that door

I’ll tear down all these Godforsaken walls

I’d love to stay in the warmth of your eyes

But I’ve met a new friend

Who’s convinced me otherwise

The days are long and still we save face

But late at night I know

You hope to never see me again

Doesn’t matter where we were going

Or where we thought that it would end

I had a great time

And I hope to never see you again

It doesn’t matter where I go now

But if you won’t let me through that door

I’ll tear down all these Godforsaken walls

Stay awake

Don’t you see the little foxes hide away

As they lay In the gray

To spoil the vineyard everyday

It’s hard to say

Will you know the little foxes silent face

Hid away

Shaded gray

To spoil the vineyard everyday

Lay awake

There are days I can’t see any other way

Eyes always

To the grave

As the foxes have their way

Who can say

All I know is everything is not OK

As we wait

For the grave

While the foxes have their way

To spoil the vineyard…

You made for us this gentle garden

Cured of poison

Cleared of stone

You planted choice vines

But our cradle is empty

It’s been a long and endless winter

No one knows when

The clouds will pass

Or if they ever will

Come with me to the river

And let us wait and look for the sun

What else is there to do?

What else was there to do?

What else could I do?

And on the other side of the hill

From where they herd us animals

She took pity on those who never belonged

And there we stopped on the side of the road

A hole there in the gate

That we weren’t meant to see

“Come over with me,” he said

“Another living here

Out of control, off of the schedule.”

“Come over and rest,” he said

“But you’ll never be the same

It’s out of your mind

Into your hands

Now it’s out of the shadows.”

I breathed a sigh of relief

Watched the shadow of the sunset on the hill

And when I laid on the grass

I thought that maybe I could stay here

For the rest of my life

“Come over and stay,” he said

“ ‘Cause you’ll never be the same

Out of your mind

Into your hands

You’ll be out of order.”

And on the other side of the hill

It was a glimpse of how it could be

A hole there in the gate

That we weren’t meant to see

“Come over and rest,” he said

“But you’ll never be the same

It’s out of your mind

Into your hands

Now it’s out of the shadows.”

Nowhere to be on time or be late

It was a glimpse of how it could be

But when she held her head in her hands

That’s when I knew I couldn’t go on…

I have a feeling

I don’t know

What the hell do I know?

I just have a really bad feeling about all of this

I have a feeling

I don’t know

What the hell do I know?

I just have a really bad feeling

And I hope I’m not right

I don’t trust them at all

I don’t trust them at all

I don’t trust them at all

And her?

I don’t believe a single word she says

I don’t believe a single word she just said

I have a feeling

I don’t know

What the hell do I know?

I just have a really bad feeling about all of this

I have a feeling

I don’t know

Man, I can’t be the only one

To have a really bad feeling about all this shit

That was a hell of a speech

That was a hell of a speech

That was a hell of a speech

And me?

I guess I’ll just pretend I don’t know what you mean

I’ll just pretend that the pieces don’t fit

Here come the Gnostics again

Here come the Gnostics again

Here come the Gnostics again

And me?

I haven’t believed a single word out of his mouth

Not a single word this entire fucking time

You can blame it on the dead

You can tear down all the walls

You can take him by the hand

You can grab him by the balls

You can turn it on its head

You can flip it upside down

The graven images seem to know

The road to hell is still the road to hell

Is still the road to hell is still the road to hell…

Has this ever happened to you before?

Did you miss the sunset?

Did you miss the evening?

Did you miss the lunar eclipse?

Will you miss the world end?

Will you miss your phone screen?

Did you have another bad dream?

Were you sleeping when she came home?

Did you miss the morning?

Did you hear him whisper?

Did you miss all of the fun?

Did you ever think of me

While you were waiting for something else?

Did you ever think of me

While you were waiting for it all to be over?