Support for the Alaska Live series of live music and conversation on KUAC is made possible by a grant from Design Alaska.

Design Alaska, strengthening the community through support of the arts.

Welcome to KUAC's Alaska Live.

Tonight my guest Casey Smith and his band including Jesse Bartlett and Diamond Fuller.

What's the first song you got for us?

We have a song called "Golden Rule".

["golden rule" playing] She combs her hair and carries on about her day what she has done.

I try to keep my mind straight to give her the time of day.

It's hard to find a friend who cares.

One who gives more than they take.

Those that do will surely stay around for years and never fade.

Listen to the golden rule.

Listen to the golden rule.

You'll never be the fool.

He strokes his beard and stands alone to contemplate what he has done.

He tries to keep his eyes straight to give her the time of day.

It's hard to find the friend who cares.

One who gives more than they take.

And those that do will surely stay around for years and never fade.

Listen to the golden rule.

Listen to the golden rule.

You'll never be the fool.

Well, I know that we'll belong all day.

And that's all I know.

Well, all right.

Let's move away from here.

Listen to the golden rule.

Listen to the golden rule.

You'll never be the fool.

Well, I know that we'll belong all day.

And that's all I know.

Well, all right.

Let's move away from here.

Yeah.

Let's head into another song.

That last one was really great.

Next one is "Haphazard".

["haphazard" playing] One, two, one, two, three, four.

You know I want to believe you.

Read the truth behind your eyes.

But what is real?

But it's so hard to retrieve it when your stories on the rise.

Somehow I know what you're threading long before it's ever spun.

But love is blinding.

How is the future always brighter when you're off staring at the sun?

Been waiting here like a stone.

Tired of left all alone.

Wondering when you'll be home, can you call me?

Come on.

Sometimes it feels like we're headed-- But don't let go.

--towards an infinite unknown.

And just before we reach the truth-- You let go.

--you doubt everything we've done.

It's a little haphazard to keep spinning in circles.

When almost we have it for it only to crumble.

A little misguided.

Are we just frightened?

No, no.

Thought of trying for something we'll never grasp.

Been waiting here like a stone.

Tired of left all alone.

Wondering when you'll be home, can you call me?

I'll be here waiting like a stone.

Determined on my own.

Hoping it will be off in a year or so.

Come on.

Yeah.

Casey, your sound is so hypnotic.

Have you always kind of had that running around in your head?

Yeah, like the idea where, if you listen to something long enough, it-- like, you-- even if it's annoying at the beginning and then eventually you start liking it because it's part of the song.

Something like that.

I have written some songs like that and the parts alone are obnoxious.

But then as you add things to them they become like a trance or something, you know?

Something like that, right.

That's one thing about Casey is he writes in a lot of different time signatures which can be challenging.

That's the trance vibe that you're feeling, probably.

Oh, is that it?

Yeah.

So it's the different time signatures that create that-- It can.

--really hypnotic sound.

Yeah.

So it feels kind of like it's offbeat or something or a weird rhythm.

Right.

Yeah.

Well, let's hear what you guys can do.

All right.

We'll do another one.

This song is the "Blues Song".

Yeah.

Until there's a better name for it.

["blues song" playing] Been tossed around in the waves.

Held down, help me escape.

Sometimes I feel this way, dirt tired, full of complain.

No heart can seal up this pain.

So why won't love come my way?

If you want to love but it seems to escape.

If you got sound but no money to waste.

What we don't have will it show us the way to a life we can obtain?

I sit and watch the tides.

They roll they bring in the fines.

Sometimes when love is lost your eyes can feel defamed.

No heart can seal up this pain.

So why won't love come my way?

If you want love but it seems to escape.

If you got time or no money to waste.

What we don't have will it show us the way to life we can obtain?

If you want love but it seems to escape.

If you got time but no money to waste.

What we don't have will it show us the way to a life we can obtain?

Woo.

Oh man, I don't want to hear another original.

All right.

Well, the next one is called "Strong Enough to Hold" and I think you're going to like this one.

It's a good one.

Jesse, she has a good singing part on it.

["strong enough" playing] I know you belong to a girl I know.

Will this last forever?

Or is it strong enough to hold?

We'll be waiting for each other.

It's enough to make you cry 'cause it's harder than we thought.

It's hard enough when I don't love anything that much.

I know you belong to a guy I know, but this won't last forever.

Or is it strong enough to hold?

We'll be waiting for each other.

It's enough to make you cry 'cause it's harder than we thought.

It's hard enough when I don't love anything that much.

I know we belong to each other now.

But will this last forever?

It's enough to make us try.

Yeah.

All right.

Casey Smith and Jesse Bartlett, it's such a nice voice.

And you got to start out that song with the first verse and it does have a happy ending, right?

I mean, it seems like maybe that song ends with-- We get to try at least.

They get to try, yeah.

Well and that's all we can ask.

It's reality.

Yeah.

That's so true.

Yeah.

Well, Casey Smith, I think we've got time for one more.

What's it going to be?

What's it going to be, guys?

"Alibi."

"Alibi".

That's the consensus.

It's a consensus.

All right.

See?

Thought I'd ask.

["alibi" playing] You know I don't look past the good days.

And when they're here with me I feel OK. You know I can't fight this black haze.

And when I stand in line, I don't know why.

You know I don't know why I feel great.

I want to get to a point that is in my head.

So when I back down I want to stay down.

I want to feel all right to feel OK. You know I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

'Cause that's when I realized that death is just a compromise.

You choose our own alibis and move to a foreign place.

One that we can endure through a long line of corridors.

Well, I haven't more to say 'cause death is a waiting game.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

I don't know why I got this feeling.

Woo.

Oh man.

You can find links to more episodes of Alaska Live TV and download audio podcasts of the Alaska Live Radio Show online at kuac.org.

["alibi" playing] Support for the Alaska Live series of live music and conversation on KUAC is made possible by a grant from Design Alaska.

Design Alaska-- strengthening the community through support of the arts.