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Transmissions to Trappist 1e

by Empty Stage

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samgotter
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samgotter a truly inspiring album about love, pain, and hope, as well as an occult scientist, a bank robbery, a clone, and, of course, a lighthouse. The soundtrack to finally getting out of my parent's house. Favorite track: Song for the New York Subway Red Line.
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1.
I sit on my bed, watch the clock on the wall, count the seconds till my life can begin next fall. My friends all have gone. They're out on their own. I'm twenty years old and still living home. The days grow long. The years they extend. Each new turn is a new dead end. I should be off, living on my own, but I don't think I'll ever leave this home. I run every night in my old ratty shoes. I could leave right now. I have paid all my dues. Will friends ever ask what happened to me? I'm going to Boston, a town on the sea. Sometimes I could leave, just walk out of here but I know if I go I'll be back next year so I'll take my time. My school I'll complete. Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet. Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet. La La La (ad nauseam) I sit on my bed and I work through my books gaining wisdom from the poets and the scholars and the crooks. My friends all have gone. They have said goodbye. But give me some time and so will I. Just give me some time and this bird will fly.
2.
It's time to get up. In comes the cold. The sunset is burning like fire; orange and violet and gold. I head downstairs for some breakfast and I gaze at the coast. I'm the only soul on this island, a specter, a ghost. Soon the sky will be dark out and the ships need a light. That's why I live in this lighthouse. It's why I'm awake all night. My striped scarf is warm but tonight the rain will freeze. Sometimes I miss you, especially on nights like these. I head to the top of the lighthouse to turn the bright signal on thinking of that day in August we kissed on your back lawn. Soon the sky will be dark out and the ships need a light. That's why I live in this lighthouse. It's why I'm awake all night. Now I'm thinking back to your smile. That infectious arrogant grin yet here I am in this lighthouse alone and drinking gin. I'm changing the light bulb and I ask where I went wrong.. You and I were so happy for so damn long. Ah but then I remember the monsters. The shouting, the cheating, and fights. That's why I live in this lighthouse. It's why I can't sleep at night.
3.
Gateway 03:53
I cook us up a meal while you grab our supplies. We'll need to be well fed to make it through this with our lives. What we're about to do, we'll doubtlessly regret but if we cannot carry through we'll surely die of debt. I drive up to the bank and get out of the car. You park it somewhere else that's not too close and not too far. I step up to the bank and pull out my new gun. This is where the fear begins but also starts the fun. Oh no. Here I go. I step up to the desk and people start to flee. I then set off a warning shot so they won't toy with me. And then they all stand still. They're under my control. They hand me all their jewels, and phones, wallets, and dollar rolls. I grab the buffalo bag. I might make it out of here. But then I whip around hearing a gunshot in my ear and there he stands the cop his barrel pointing straight, this moment thick and heavy with the gravity of fate. Oh no. Here I go. I didn't want to kill. I'm not that sort of man but as the cop keeps shooting I feel tremors in my hand. I'm not leaving alive. I can see it in his eyes. They tell me that one of the two of us will have to die. And so I start to shoot and he's lying on the floor. I think that I just killed a man. I never have before. The worst part is I feel something new and something strange. A fundamental part of me is now about to change. Oh no. Here I go. I finally step outside and Katie's waiting there. The sun shines in her eyes and reflects her perfect hair. She helps me with my bags. We put them in the truck. We could really get away with this. All we need is luck. And sirens can be heard in quickly raising pitch. We need to find the other car so this one we can ditch. Katie's driving faster than she's ever done before. I can feel her hunger as we hear the engine roar. Oh no. Here we go.
4.
I've fallen for fourteen girls before and none of them caught me. Always got some bruises when I hit the floor but that never stopped me. But now I fall for you so fast and if I hit the ground I will surely snap my neck and die with such a sickly sound. Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh Should I roll the dice or should I slow down. You are different and if I fail with you it'll hurt more this time round. We consulted the fates. Their answers were clear. Our futures are bound and, God, I wish you were here. Oooooh Ooooh Ooooh Ooooh There'd be not an inch between us or our starving forms. We would tell each-other stories to weather political storms. Your hands at my chest. My hands at your thighs and in that sacred moment we'd be stars of the ancient skies. Oooooh Ooooh Ooooh Ooooh
5.
I roll down the window as the red sun fades You're blasting Chicago as we pass the graves Your eyes catch the stars. They catch mine too and I realize that I still love you Ah but things stay the same I have played this game You will never feel the way I feel Things will stay the same I can see it in your face You know the score Despite my lack of intentions I can't hide like I did before So I put up the volume and we sing along And you drive down I 95 till dawn Ah but things stay the same I have played this game You will never feel the way I feel Things will stay the same
6.
Interlude 02:10
7.
I measure the supplies for rocket fuel in a ceremonial goblet adorned with jewels. I then fill up the fuel tank it's time to fly. I'm gonna give this rocket one more try. I shuffle aside an unholy book. I try to recover the notes I took. Using sacred candles with Satan's seal I light the rocket engine and begin to real. She's hidden herself in midnight skies so I will build this rocket and then will rise. I'll use my math and science for all it's worth. If only to see you I'll escape the earth. I reach for the blueprint and turn it back, write the sacred symbols and begin to laugh. My girlfriend Betty's ready to begin to fully desecrate this lab we're in. I donate to the Devil. All scientists should. I meet with their ring leader. He says I'm doing good but all these prayers and summons are not for the fiery beast. They're so I can touch Babalon or gaze on her at least. They're so I can touch Babalon or gaze on her at least. She's hidden herself in midnight skies so I will build this rocket and then will rise. I'll use all of my magic for all it's worth. If only just to bring you down to the Earth. She's hidden herself in midnight skies so I will build this rocket and then will rise. I'll use my math and science for all it's worth. If only to see you I'll escape the Earth. She's hidden herself in midnight skies so I will build this rocket and then will rise. I'll use all of my magic for all it's worth. If only just to bring you down to the Earth.
8.
Lamb's Blood 05:54
TW this is graphic and about self hate. I wake you up with a punch to the face. Get off the floor. I turn off the security cameras and I lock the door. I grab you by my collar. You're wearing my clothes. You look a little confused so I sock you in the nose. Your cheek is bleeding. Your jaw seems bent. Don't look much worse than you did before. My patience is spent. You're easily my least favorite person. Easy to write off but hard to ignore. Honestly it's so satisfying to see you run across the floor. You scared off all my friends. Well of course you did. You're just a creepy little whiner. Should I get your baby crib? You act like you're so kind but I know that's not true. You just pretend to be goodhearted so that girls will want to be with you. It didn't work. Who would have guess that being so in-genuine would get you in such a mess? You slowly rise up looking like a frightened hound. You weakly try to grab my neck so I kick you to the ground. You're easily my least favorite person. Easy to write off but hard to ignore. Honestly it's so satisfying to see you lying on the floor. Now comes the most perfect part. I pull out my knife. I stab you in your beating chest. You don't even fight. I can't say that I blame you. It's what I'd do. Were I such a pathetic person, I would want to die to. A lot of blood comes out of your body for such an empty heart. Guess I should probably clean this mess. Where should I start? You're easily my least favorite person. Easy to write off but hard to ignore. Honestly it's so satisfying to see you dying on the floor. I catch my breath and wipe the blood away. I mark the time of death. 12:48 in the morning. You'll get no morning. You get no mourning. I pull out my book of notes. That test went so good. It looked and acted and sounded just like it should. What a stroke of luck that on my first try I perfectly cloned myself and made him die. You're easily my least favorite person. Easy to write off but hard to ignore. Honestly it's so satisfying to see you dying on the floor. You're easily my least favorite person. Easy to write off but hard to ignore. But I'm not sure it makes me feel much better to see you dying on the floor.
9.
For a twenty dollar ticket I could visit you today. I would ride the bus for hours, watch the bright stars fade away. You would wait there at the station. We would meet and then embrace. I would finally get to set my eyes upon your perfect face. Mass and energy are finite and entropy unfolds. That is why we all must die when we grow old. But that won't have to happen if I hold you in my arms. Time will stop and we will be protected from its harms. With the universe expanding to a cold and lonely death there will be a day with only one star left and if I had to choose between oblivion with you and living on that perfect star you know what I would do. Because the universe is terrible and wonderful and wide and I don't know how far I'd make it without you by my side so let us set a course into the yawning night and with our shared luminosity the future's looking bright. Ah with countless solar systems all with planets of their own we really don't know how many people call these strange worlds home and I could meet them all but I swear it's true, I wouldn't meet another girl as wonderful as you. You are like an exoplanet that we can barely see spinning around a small dwarf star, Trappist 1-e, you're perfectly sweet and pretty as a peach but sadly you will always lie just slightly out of reach. And the strangest part, we haven't met face to face yet every time I hear from you my heart must race and that is why I pray to to the stars so bright that we will meet on a New York City Night. Because the universe is terrible and wonderful and wide and I don't know how far I'd make it without you by my side so let us set a course into the yawning night and with our shared luminosity the future's looking bright.
10.
The clock strikes two under a flickering light. The fog tumbles in on a starless night. We just got out with our favorite band. We walk down Delancey (a street in NYC) and I hold your hand. We want to escape the new winter air. But the local subway is in disrepair. We cross an old bridge to our favorite park. Our shadows like ghosts dancing in the dark. I love this city though I love them all. With the arts and the music and the buildings so tall. The Skyscrapers mosaics of white and black. I left suburbia a year ago I’ll never go back. The streets are covered with tall dark trees. Who needs a big yard with nights like these? So many things to see and even more to do. But the best thing ‘bout this city’s that it’s where I met you. We finally stumble into my old brick flat. It’s a tiny apartment with a little black cat. I heat up some dinner as you brush your hair. No-one’s looked prettier than you standing there. We talk and laugh and sing about the day we’ve had. I can’t remember times when I was so glad. The streets outside are as loud as day. We wouldn’t have slept much anyway. I love this city though I love them all. With the arts and the music and the buildings so tall. The Skyscrapers mosaics of white and black. I left suburbia a year ago I’ll never go back. The streets are covered with tall dark trees. Who needs a big yard with nights like these? So many things to see and even more to do. But the best thing ‘bout this city’s that it’s where I met you.
11.
Rising 03:18
I've fallen. I've fallen and I can't get up. I don't know what to do about that. So I sigh and I try to make the situation better but the more I try to fight it the worse it gets. I've fallen. I've fallen and I can't get up and all my hopes and dreams are in an iron vault. I'm going to live here for another long long year and the worst part is it's all my fault. I've fallen. I've fallen and I've gotten up before so I fail to see the point in trying anymore. I will sit in my own blood enjoy the soft inviting mud waiting for a light; a good reason to fight. I've fallen. I have fallen and I will get up. I've fought too long to end up here. I'll do better than I've done. Instead of crawling I will run. And I will spread my wings next year. I have fallen. I have fallen and I will get up. I just needed a little time to breathe. I will stand in that harsh sun just to prove that I have on and on my head will sit a laurel wreathe. Hey!

about

Late in 2016 the world became aware of Trappist 1, an ultra cool dwarf star with three earth sized planets in it's habitable zone. Shortly after, the SETI scientists pointed their instruments at the star to see what they could hear. For months they thought they would find nothing until May 25, 2017, when a series of low quality transmissions were recorded. This album is made up of these recordings.

Thank you to Sam, Madeline, and especially Adam for telling me my songs were good and helping me to make them better.

On a side note it makes me, this was released on not only the 40th anniversary of A New Hope, but on the two year anniversary of a really fantastic EP my friend created was released. Both were purely coincidental and just make me very happy. (Check it out. adamcarpenter.bandcamp.com/track/kansas)

credits

released May 25, 2017

Stephen Plummer transferred the tapes to a digital form and for that I will always be grateful. Without him you would not be hearing Rising, 9.8 Meters per Second Squared, Going to Jack Parson's Lab, the Interlude, or the cassette version of The Lighthouse (Which you can only hear by buying and downloading the full album. Wink Wink).

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Empty Stage Richmond, Virginia

These cassettes with Mountain Goats wannabe songs keep showing up with my door with instructions to upload them to bandcamp with vague threats of demon polar bears if I don't comply. He's probably just crazy but have you seen the damage a polar bear can do? Those things could tear through a baseball stadium made of cereal boxes like they were nothing. I'm not going to take my chances. ... more

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