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Hod And the Helpers

by Hod And the Helpers

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Hod And the Helpers' debut album is a slick looking LP with beautifully painted cover art by Amy Moon and a full page lyric insert.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Hod And the Helpers via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      $20 USD

     

  • Streaming + Download

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

      $11 USD

     

1.
we gave all our efforts to the war from 1941 to ‘44 because our uncles told us to and our mothers said the snow was much whiter then well we learned much more naive and naked in a leftist snore organization it troubled mom, my rainbow vibrations and then came that ration of love i guess brought on by the white-white snow no man, no woman would ever tell or ever know well well we left them all behind waving kindly and queenly we left them all just fine oh but lately... i’ve been troubled by the bald man’s plight of when to run and maybe when to fight it’s all the mayo in my head it’s all the sugar in my blood it’s all the saccharin in my blood we gave all our efforts to the war from 1981 to ‘84 because the reagan's told us to and our mothers said the blow was much whiter then
2.
don’t sign anything keep that conscience clean because your confidence is everything and pride, well that ranks among it us poor, we’re not in habit of earthy prize or godly pose they’re the easy battles for our lazy armies see we’ve won the war, but lost surprise surprise surprise we’re on the prowl again haunting the hapless the hopeless some are our country men we are blight, solution the cut cut hand we’re waking that urge between thighs by dancing on tables with knives so don’t sign anything well the lake we called it an ocean it seemed to cause undo commotion well it’s big, yes, but is it salty? like bob weir recalling his jerry and the power of many was cultured by few so we took back some power so we could be few too the horned beast gives us the seasons succeed, we must practice reason well delight was not an option cuz sight was revealed to the wicked and the power of many was taken by few so we took back some power so we could be few too surprise surprise we’re on the prowl again haunting the hapless the hopeless some are our country men we are blight, solution the cut cut hand we’re waking that urge between thighs by dancing on tables with knives so don’t sign anything!!! build walls, these are some answers the fall is not that painful we’ll all just go down burning us poor we’re not in habit of earthly prize or godly pose
3.
if i learn to relax i’ll hand in all the bad things for a life full of good things with chairs and with hats is that all there is that there is to know with a wink and a mai tai oh boy he was my kind of guy he’s counting dreams he’s only 24 gee there should have been more and what is water under bridges for to forget the past it’s such a bore and no i never learned to keep good score but why i never knew and how i didn’t know and how i never learned to relax and hand in my grand schemes and forfeit my cool dreams for chairs and for hats is that all there is that there is to know so with a wink and a mai tai he explained to everyone we knew why he was my kind of guy he’s counting dreams he’s only 24 gee there should have been more and what is water under bridges for to forget the past it’s such a bore and no i never learned to keep good score but why i never knew and how i didn’t know and why i never learned to relax and hand in my grand schemes and forfeit my cool dreams for chairs and for hats is that all there was that there was to know
4.
He Was Right 03:53
when i found out he was right that the whole world’s got the devil inside oh the devil inside the devil inside every single one of us the devil inside when i found out late last night the new sensation took over all life all the snakes it the trees, the songs that we sing the things that help us forget the way it really is everybody knows about it but what you gonna do about it, right the devil inside when i found out he was right i was an unjaded child in search of the wild tender and mild aware that the wild things they came with a price and that price was just the welfare before before the payday well he was right he never told us why and then he up and died when michael sang
5.
how come i must cooperate with him me and me and my left hand we share something special we call her the stranger and strange ways we work me and me and my best friends we write down the unclear into the favored vine still i’m good in light of all the bad that i’ve done and i took my show to the afterglow man behind the bar now that light has been defined i’ll crawl back into my glory so i resigned mine my old fashioned mean times for the be kind times, those byzantine wine rhymes and i asked friends if i could be cool and they said, that sounds too easy but i tried and it was too hard yeah i tried and it was too hard to be good in light of all that bad that i’ve done so i took my place in the after glow of your ebb and flow and one must respect that a man well kept he should never know that he tried too hard to be cool so i set pace my to furious i bet the race to be won and though i was not curious you showed me life could be fun so i resigned mine my digital fun times to the be kind mines look, we’re boxing ourselves in and i asked myself if i could be fun and i said that sounds too easy but i tried and it was to hard yeah i tried and it was too hard to be good in light of all that bad that i’ve done so i took my place in the after glow of your ebb and flow and one must respect that a man well kept he should never know that he tried too hard so don’t try too hard to be fun or cool
6.
a sizzler buffet, sacramento calay it was my birthday, at a sizzler buffet and crawfish hey, it’s not like a needed a reason to stay but crawfish hey, at a sizzler buffet it’s alright it’s alright then i see a sad american bird the four eyes i think she was the nerd bird this is not a sad place i said to her so why are you sad the food’s not bad the ambiance glad, the prices they’re rad and the salad bar, hey, well well well and then the bird said... ‘i wish i was the vinegarized eagle well as it is i’m just the common seagull’ the chainsaw bear he’s right over there (where?) he’s growling, growling the chainsaw... the chainsaw wears... the chainsaw wears down the chainsaw bears
7.
there’s this house down on franklin street with friends next door and the bums were pretty neat town was near and the dogs were sweet at that house down on franklin street well i gave a nickel to a homeless boy asked, ‘where’s your parents boy and where’s your joy?’ he replied with a lucid nod, he tipped his hat and disappeared into the fog down on franklin street, down on franklin there’s a donut shop, a levy to walk them off a river were all the skunks and coons talk what are they talking about? are they talking about me? i bet they are man, cuz i’m paranoid down on franklin street down on franklin street, down on franklin well i could spend all day on that street because sooner or later you know i‘d meet greg n’ dan n’ vicki n’ shannon well i wasn’t plan’n to party so hard down on franklin street down on franklin the party’s complete
8.
she asked so many questions the only one that i couldn’t answer was how old was i when i first knew that i was a baby, a man-child that i was the angel that mom couldn’t kill, adopt, or sell well, i took it hard, i took wrong but she was right so i moved on we were young then, how old? i don’t know we talked on weekends during summers of weak friends and babe past lovers we were akin then we were blood now we’re at the hip friends where baby food mends and i don’t hold any answers you don’t already know
9.
Warm Place 03:14
i touched the warm space that you left behind it’s a nice place to fall sleep and with your fallen grace i thee wed with insight of our shared, well our shared bed well on a good stretch i’d curl up and cry and on our bed i’ll lie i’ll lie i’ll lie i retrieve my body from the dimpled reprieve i assured the beast that, well, i can still breathe and with my fallen grace i thee wed again with the insight of our shared dread well on a good stretch i’d curl up and die and on our bed i’ll lie i’ll lie i’ll lie i touched the warm space that you left behind
10.
Spite 03:02
don’t need a marksman don’t need a gun don’t need don’t need anyone don’t need a pen don’t need a tongue i’ll shoot you all i’ll write everyone don’t need no poison don’t need no wine don’t need a victim you’ve done just fine i’m a one way street no illusion of empathy a talk show host on daytime tv reality, it never caught up with me humanity, was never my aim to please cuz i’m a western wizard dream catcher philosophy i cast mighty spells with no authenticity frugality, wine and dine me or forcibly ill take what’s owed me cuz im a beach house stairway i’m the rising tide i’m a deep space skylight devoid of sky i’m the trickle-down theory with the marxist eye i stole your girl, but I’m real nice guy oh the humanity it never caught up with me oh and vanity, was much too hard to please i need some poison or just some wine i need a victim you’ll do just fine i need the left hand to tell the right applause for the victims and boo for the spite that i’ve caused for the spite that i’ve caused
11.
Call Mommy 04:29
with hard bunions on her feet scarcely anything to eat these are the women that we meet in the show they’re spinning round and feeling grand and hoping that the dancing fans might meet their eye the feeling’s really hard to beat but success it’s not complete until there’s something good to eat in spite of fame they’re still spinning round and feeling grand and hoping that the common man might meet their eye like a fireman or a cowboy is not a far cry for a little boy or a sports star, or a doctor, nay, more likely a crook, or a street whore these are some realities so call mommy, call daddy and show ‘em what you’ve won and tell ‘em how you’ve done, it’s your life and with arthritis in both feet and her dress the bedroom sheet like a ghost she roams the streets with passing care still spinning round and feeling grand and hoping that the common man might meet her eye please don’t tempt the hand of fate with expectations you can’t meet, lest you find this subject state fraught with error then spinning round and feeling grand is really your most well played hand extend it forth to a fireman, or a cowboy, that's not a far cry for a little boy or a sports star, or the doctor, nay, more likely a crook, or a street whore these are some realities so call mommy, call daddy, and show ‘em what you’ve won and tell ’em how you’ve done, it’s your life
12.
well i love her her list was so steep it begged of a falling so she falls, and i fall with her cuz i love her... so what i still love her... so what the hole was so deep the sides marked with fodder how did we sleep? on slack bellowed visions the trade-list lost fine cursed by the knowing the knowing that time was lost but i love her... so what i love her... so what white cluttered crossings the trade list lost fine i gave her the million and she spent every dime on lust well it’s like she could change if she wanted to no she’s cursed by the plan to change man’s worth but i love her... so what i still love her... so what well it’s like i could change if i wanted to

about

"Learn to Relax" (Official Video) www.youtube.com/embed/lbYAKIq8LqE

"...An intricate web from the threads of classic AM radio rock. There's a little psychedelia here, some country-rock there, and an unwavering dedication to melody.... floats by in a haze... things get dark and trippy from there."
-PunkNews

"There’s a lot happening with this alt-folk band. One minute, there are sweet harmonies sprinkled on top of swing rhythms. Then there’s a swell of vocal power... howling about the cynicism of men or maintaining a healthy skepticism... It shouldn’t work, but this five-piece hot mess of percussion, keys, bass, guitar and vocals has just enough coordination—between all the clashing and clattering."
-Monterey County Weekly

“Hod’s bizarre and hilarious take on things makes me LOL, no joke. A figurative descendant of Tiny Tim, who lays himself and his pride on the line so you can finally feel free. Let go, you dummy!”
-Kyle Field (Little Wings / Rodriguez)

"His songs aren’t so much quirky as they are complex. Hulphers wears an invisible costume, a character that is partially comedic, antagonistic and vulnerable, one that is always tough for audiences to gauge just where he’s coming from. 'I love riding that ambiguous razor’s edge line between sincerity and complete sarcasm.'” Hulphers says."
-Good Times Santa Cruz

credits

released August 11, 2017

All songs written by Hod Hulphers
Arrangements by Hod and The Helpers
Produced, engineered, and mixed by Jeff Stultz
Mastered by Noah Georgeson
Vinyl cut by Josh Bonati
Cover painting by Amy Moon
Layout by Jeff Stultz
Crepe Place photo by Jim Needham

Hod Hulphers: lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion, bg vocals
Jeff Stultz: elec guitar, percussion, omnichord, synth, bg vocals
AJ Marquez: piano, organ, keys, bg vocals
Dan Potthast: upright bass, lap steel, pedal steel, bg vocals
Greg Braithwaite: drum kit
Malena Zavala: bg vocals
Ariel Plotkin: bg vocals
Briana Bispo: bg vocals on “Don’t Sign Anything"

Recorded in Pescadero, CA at Jeff & Mia’s old place in April 2016. Additional recording at Hod’s, Dan & Shannon’s, Jeff & Mia’s new place.

Special thanks to: Carter Gunn, Adam Bergeron, Amy Moon, Andy Cabic, David Dondero, Kyle Field, James Rickman, for championing us, and allowing their good names to be associated with ours. And a very special thanks to Jeff Stultz for whom this album owes its existence, and I owe my relative sanity through the production process.

Thanks for your support, Hod.

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Hod And the Helpers Santa Cruz, California

Hod And the Helpers is the alt-folk outlet of singer/songwriter: Hod Hulphers. Their lovely psych tinged songs ask the listener to pay attention to their simplest activities. There’s an empathetic pathos to their music, a self-conscious bitterness rare in modern songwriting. The band features the talents of AJ Marquez, Dan Potthast, Greg Braithwaite, Jeff Stultz, and Matt Porter. ... more

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