We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Sketches from the Passing Years

by Mikayel Abazyan

/
  • Streaming + Download

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

      $8 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in gatefold card cover that holds a printed inner cover and a 28-page booklet with lyrics, artworks, and more. All is put in a Japanese mini-LP sleeve polypropylene bag - ideal for such a packaging!

    17-page digital booklet in PDF format contains the original artwork, Preface, the lyrics, a short essay on the collaborators, and provides easy navigation (see the picture) and is supported with clickable URLs to the related external web-resources. Best viewed in Full Screen mode.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Sketches from the Passing Years via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 2 days
    edition of 80 

      $12 USD or more 

     

1.
As of Now 01:21
(Instrumental)
2.
In these hazy times in our troubled minds, in the circumstances about which I’m unsure, something’s going on... Something wonderful, maybe terrible, misconceptional, yet exceptional, is happening to us all... People were informed, population warned, big boys played their games through to the closing act. How should we react? I will make a fire, if you’re sick and tired find yourself a place and we’ll sing along an old forgotten song. New times are coming. What do you think – can we succeed now, or shall the start again meet the end? Open up your eyes, do not close your ears, do not shut your mouth in your noble years, try to stay alive. Take a look around, can you hear that sound? It’s with you that I could recall the old forgotten song. Life seems so appalling when you see the last bastions fall, but every circle is closed in the end. Consciousness calling. in the end we must grope for the wheel and find the right pedal, or else.... New times are coming. What do you think – can we succeed now, or shall the start again meet the end?
3.
I. Primrose Everdeen I noticed her one day when she walked past. Her face was sooty, but her soul was clean. I turned around and watched her going, a frail child, soon to be thirteen. The people ‘round her hardly could imagine the heaviness of weight she carried on her back, the cruelty of the selfish world she lived in, the meaninglessness of life she had to live. Still she hoped for good. She wanted to believe in a future and to be one who loves and who is loved, and to fulfill her dreams. The things that we were born to do and the deeds that we are known for are usually not very much the same. We are all equal when we’re born and equal we are still when we die. What matters is what lies there in between. As we grow up we improve our skills and talents that we use to hurt, abase, abuse, belittle, terrorise, harass and humiliate, oppress and kill (our favourite skill!). A mind-blowing expertise! Achievements mesmerise! “You must be the best, the winner, Number One! This is what we are taught and what we learn. If you unlock your heart today or do a favour to a lesser someone you shall see him fill your place tomorrow. You shall know the shame and sorrow. Shame and sorrow!” “Purity of soul saves. Goodwill holds the world in place. All are one and one is all. This is all-embracing Love that conquers all”. Confessing this, she bears her heavy burden, a frail child, soon to be thirteen. Where would I be, what would I do if I had not met you then, my guardian angel Primrose Everdeen. II. Guardian Angel (Instrumental)
4.
Do force me not to get back to that fairy tale. We finished writing it many years ago. Another book that starts with “once upon a time...” and ends with “... realised it was time to go”. This book is ours. Nobody has the privilege to add new pages or rewrite old ones, to change the characters and rules, to alter storyboards. The full stop is waiting for us – let’s put it there at once. Only with you could I create that fairy tale. Only to you I would always say: “Good night, I love you” when I closed my eyes... and only you taught me to distinguish pale from grey. It’s true: we’re through. No more illusion about this. You’re now the master of your own fate – and so am I. But still, aboard the vessel of our memories, we’ll have all our time on earth to contemplate people exploiting the same generic mould, to watch them stencil the pages of their books, to ask, to answer, or to go into silent mode... And give our blessings to our lucky stars. For only you and I could write that fairy tale. Only for you I’d always wake up and say: “Good morning, dear, I love you”... and only you taught me to distinguish pale from grey.
5.
Ignorance 06:45
Life is hard. I know you know that life is but reality we have to bear. When your neighbours annoy you with their daily problems and you want to hit them, lock the door and close the windows, filter and clean up your social media right now. Don’t worry – nobody will dare to find you hidden there, behind the wall of multimedia. “I didn’t see!” Oh yes, oh sure. How could you? You were completely unaware. “I didn’t hear!” Oh, that’s ok. You were searching there for something in your underwear. “I didn’t say!” Of course, you didn’t. If you did, your lungs would burst and your nose grow long. I tell you what: you’re not alone. And for the likes of you I sing my song. Ignorance is practical, useful and didactical, its manoeuvres are tactical. So practical! Ignorance frees you from pain. You will never have to pay, you will never be supposed to say anything. Just stay away from others’ problems! Life is hard. I know you know that. We cannot escape from this reality (alas). Sooner, maybe later, it will surely want to test your vitality, like the Moon, eclipsing the Sun on a peaceful morning in a treacherous way. Would you then be happy to get back all that you have given us the other day? Do you remember what you said to us? Ignorance is practical, blissful and didactical, its manoeuvres are tactical. So practical! Ignorance frees you from pain. You will never have to pay, you will never be supposed to say anything.
6.
Sincerity 03:59
Sincerity’s an amazing luxury, no one is required to have it. If you don’t like something – forget it, if you don’t believe – accept it, otherwise you’ll regret speaking up. Smile and say “Amazing! Brilliant!”, clap your hands and jump right where you stand. No one really would feel comfortable if you open up your heart and soul, if you decide to act noble. Sincerity’s against our way of life, it rings like your alarm in the peaceful morning. Go away with your fucking sentiments, you shall never get our compliments. You bet all that you had on nothing. You bet all that you had on nothing!
7.
It's Time 14:28
I can’t... I really cannot understand you when you speak, nor do I read your books where numbers substitute for words, blank spaces lose their meanings and commas are neglected. Your new rules... Your embarrassing new rules... I’m either deaf or ultrasensitive to the sounds of your new music that speaks of nothing, sings of nobody, the nuts and knots are used instead of notes to write it down, so it becomes accessible, sterile, processed and saved, but never played. No, never ever played or sung at all. And then the child spoke: “Hello, world!”, then made his first steps and climbed to virgin heights so quickly that his parents were so shocked. Happy and shocked to know what he was going to become soon. “Hello, world!” Is there a reasonable limit to life’s acceleration rate? The speed we all are running at frightens as much as it stimulates. All goods are digitised, arranged, impalpable, available... All deeds are visible, exposed, discussed, condemned or praised, and then immediately forgotten in anticipation of a new sensation. I’ve seen enough. I’ve had enough. I think it’s time for me to leave this scene. In an atmosphere of overwhelming ignorance that overfills the cup of patience and common sense I cannot breathe... My lungs refuse to ventilate this air, this fusty air, this filthy air. This plastic water... This bloody meal... Unlock thy seventh seal! It’s mine – I’m its. You give me more and more and more and more of your deadly, fatal hits. Enough – I’m leaving now. My love, I’ll never know what waits for us tonight. Perhaps, I’m not the first, nor am I the last who, haunted by the past, is forced to climb the tallest mast, but the die is cast. So do it! Hit me with your staff! I smile, I laugh, for my all-forgiving Mother, my Mother-Earth is ready to embrace my tortured essence, my spoiled essence, my misbegotten essence, my dying essence, my fading essence, my lost and scared, scared and tiny essence. I look ahead - it’s here, it’s very close! I turn to see what I have left behind... and overlook the instant when I should have said goodbye.
8.
Wake Up 01:08
Wake up, my child, from your troubled sleep. The ordeal’s over. Rise and shine, my child, a new life is waiting for you.
9.
The New One 05:48
(Instrumental)

about

A single event that may happen in just a few seconds is always a consequence of multiple mini-events that leave their imprints on our destinies, affect our comprehension of life, make us happy or sad. Some events have ability to leave no chance of saying "everything is possible" after they happen. Although it may be very hard to do, but we still must search for something around us, something that is always there looking after us, ready to help and to give hope.

In May 2020 there wasn't even a hint of a new album coming up, only a sketch of some harmony that came to me in January 2019 while I was packing my MIDI controller (I called it "Something new with flutes"), and a song which was written and performed live on May 3, 2020 (I thought it would be just a single). That was all at that moment, but on the 1st of July we already recorded the first guitar tracks knowing that we are heading for a new album.

While introducing the central idea to Levon Hakhverdyan, my friend and permanent creative colleague, I told him this was going to be the heaviest of what we had ever made up to this moment. Still, that wouldn't be my album if it wouldn't be about hope.

(from liner notes)

The year 2020 has ended, and some of us started breathing again, but still anxiously looking around...

However, I am sure the catastrophes, pandemics, wars, disasters, conflicts between people, and simply our daily troubles are never planned on an annual basis by “someone” or “something” to whom our desperate appeals, heartfelt prayers and hate-sodden curses are addressed. All these and more have always been following us, and always will.

You may ask: “Is there anything we can do about it? Or, since we can see no reasonable solution which might provide a reliably happy ending, maybe it would be better to prepare ourselves to leave this scene prematurely?” I would think briefly and answer: “You have all the time in the world to do that, but you don’t have much time for doing something significant, important and valuable. So better use those elusive minutes, hours, days and years for changing your perception of life and the way you live. Do it now! Even minor but regular everyday victories will help you become stronger and make this world a better place in which to live”.

And remember:

“Parfois la pire chose qui nous arrive, c’est en réalité pour notre bien.”

credits

released February 28, 2021

Words and music by Mikayel Abazyan.

Performed by
Mikayel Abazyan - guitars, MIDI controller, vocals and bass
Levon Hakhverdyan - drums, percussion and related exclamations

Special Guests (in order of appearance)
Noïem Thomas - vocals and mystery (1, 3)
Martina Vesta - vocals and hope (2, 8)
Ashot Margaryan - 7-string guardian electric guitar (3)
Vardan Gaboyan - 7-string modern time electric guitar (7)

Produced by Mikayel Abazyan.

Arrangement by Mikayel Abazyan and Levon Hakhverdyan.

Recorded (July 2020 - January 2021), mixed (January - February 2021) and mastered by Levon Hakhverdyan at Brevis Recording Studio in Yerevan, Armenia.
Drums recorded by Sergey Gasparyan at Alpha Sound Studio in Yerevan, Armenia.
MIDI tracks recorded by Mikayel Abazyan at home.
Martina Vesta vocals recorded at S&M home studio by Simone Ercole in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy.
Ashot Margaryan guitars recorded at home studio in St.Petersburg, Russia.

Computer graphics, layout and packaging by Mikayel Abazyan (now you know whom to blame).

Web resources:
Mikayel Abazyan: ‘Mikayel Abazyan - The Musician’ Facebook page
Brevis Recording Studio: www.facebook.com/brevisrecording/

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Mikayel Abazyan Yerevan, Armenia

Born on July 9, 1971.
Self-trained playing piano, guitar and later - bass, which allowed me playing and making a few recordings with various bands in Yerevan.
In 2014, joined a special project dedicated to the music of Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator, which brought me back to studio work. Having released yet another successful solo tribute, started producing my own music.
And I like it!
... more

contact / help

Contact Mikayel Abazyan

Streaming and
Download help

Report this album or account

If you like Mikayel Abazyan, you may also like: