I wake up covered in seeds
when the song ends I’ll laugh nervously
I used to be small
but I could pace a hole through the floor
I’ve got a bad feeling about the world
you’re cultured and cursed
with dated ideas about what it means
to have American Dreams
you’re hanging onto the world that already moved
yes I am embarrassed to be here
I wonder if the next mass shooting will be near
if God tells me to keep the flock safe
I’ll keep a gun loaded
with the safety off just in case
I used to be small
supported by 79 fans who also own “I Used To Be Small”
Up there with Joe's best -- it feels like it pulls from every record he's done before while still being completely distinct from any Cymbals record in the way it combines the psychedelia and accessibility with some of the lushest, most ornately arranged music I've heard. Plus the guitars still rock, the solos fucking slap, and the ballads somehow slap just as hard. The narrative based lyrics also hit a sweet spot in Joe's lyricism -- direct but inventive, descriptive and endlessly compelling. Emmanuel Castillo
The L.A. DIY mainstay offers a homespun collection of melodic tunes with occasional forays into noisier territory. Bandcamp Album of the Day Aug 18, 2021
Songs of timeless beauty and power in the mold of Vashti Bunyan and Nick Drake from enigmatic Los Angeles artist Shannon Lay. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 4, 2017
Shannon Lay put her unique spin on some favorite songs, from Elliott Smith and Vashti Bunyan to Ty Segall and Arthur Russell. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 16, 2023