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mal a' propos

by Michele Ari

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    mal a' propos" is a heartfelt and passionate no-holds barred collection of songs. Modern new wave music calling to mind Blondie when punk was sexy.

    The title mal a' propos is a French word meaning "out of place" or "not fitting," which described not just Ari's journey at this time, the one that came in between her first record and her second, but Ari herself.

    "These songs ring true (even if you are a guy and therefore on the wrong side of the fence) and that makes the post punk songs on this EP all the more resonant. With so much faith placed in transitory fame these days, it's a relief to encounter an artist who tells it straight. It's actually difficult to do but Ms. Ari neatly avoids the pit of angst and self pity and makes it all real for us. I've never even met her and I already like her."

    Includes unlimited streaming of mal a' propos via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 4 Michele Ari releases available on Bandcamp and save 10%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of New Page, Uncharted Territory, mal a' propos, and 85th and Nowhere. , and , .

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1.
6am 03:38
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Lying on the floor with your face in your hands and you're oh so tired of one night stands So you check all the lines on your face in the mirror and you wish life would get so much clearer Next you toss and you turn cause your memories burn with a fate that you feel you never deserved but you, it was always you Standing outside cause its 6am but you won't go home you won't go to bed Can't sleep well from the screaming in your head seems the ghosts from your past are really not dead So you blame the girl with the sun in her eyes think its all my fault you're dying inside but you, it was always you Here we are again under covers and then suddenly out of nowhere you tell me how troubled you are I care but I really don't care No, we've just met I couldn't have ruined your life just yet And by the way, if I'm so bad why do you keep calling me and showing up in my bed? Walking away when you're trying to stay you put on a good show, put on a display Give yourself some reasons why you behave like a lovesick fool on Valentine's Day You never found the card that never did say 'I love you but I don't know why I act this way" You, it was always you
2.
Atom Bombs 03:02
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Brave but not immune arrange my knife, my fork , my sppon just like I'm used to Counting back from ten, my paper and my pen my trusted friends Change is all around I move up and I move down tho I'm still standing It's easy to believe but it's not what you perceive sometimes I'm dying Sometimes my head explodes like atom bombs Sometimes my head, it never rests Was so in love with you I did all that I could do even crossed the ocean But it all got washed away on that rainy English day when I came calling Those bridges that you burned oh London how I learned why they're all falling I had some other dreams all woven in the seams they too went tumbling Sometimes my head explodes like atom bombs Sometimes my head, it never rests
3.
Boxes 02:14
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You paint a box around me You think you know There's nothing left for you to solve Lean in closer Listen to me You don't know anything at all My pride won't let me drown beneath your wake you can ask again but I will never take I've already given you my finest days I can't get them back they say Those pictures that you paint don't hang out on my walls Ring me all you like I won't return your calls Rose tint glasses sure hide your eyes I'm sorry if I took you by suprise Smoke and mirrors sugar cookies you can sugarcoat it till you're dead Still Il'll maintain and stick to who I am I'll never eat again from the palms of your dirty hands
4.
Don't Go 02:49
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Don't walk away so soon maybe I'm in love with you I might want to take you home I might be what you need so Don't go Don't laugh when I cry on the phone please hide those faults of your own I might be the one that you want I might be what you've always known Don't go Is there a light at the end of this path Is there a brass ring to grab Where is my pot full of gold How much for that river you sold Don't say there's no love at first sight I'm holding on very tight I want to take you home I am just what you need so Don't go
5.
Transatlantic Love Affair 03:08
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A tiny pink light shines on the wall and I sigh You're thousands of miles from here still you come crystal clear say words I want to hear and I die You must have escaped things they said about you you didn't take it all in like living's a sin and then die but you never thought they'd hurt you like they tried to endlessly turn their eyes form beauty try to shatter all your dreams no one knew the price you'd pay for taking all their love away but if you let me in you know I'll stay you know I'll stay I can't keep my hands still you give me a thrill and I smile thousands of miles from here still you come crystal clear say words I want to hear and I die I must have escaped those things they said about me I never took it all in like living's a sin cause I'm free And I never thought they'd hurt me like they tried to endlessly turn their eyes from beauty try to shatter all my dreams no one knew the price I'd pay for taking all their love away but if I let you in I know you'll stay I know you'll stay A tiny pink light shines on the wall and I sigh thousands of miles from here still you come crystal clear say words I want to hear and I

about

"There is a classic directness in her work... a renunciation of artifice."
Rock and Reel Magazine, UK


The title mal a' propos is a French word meaning "out of place" or "not fitting," which described not just Ari's journey at this time, the one that came in between her first record and her second, but Ari herself.

The cover of a girl all made-up with nowhere to go but the circus( or carnival given no circus was in town at the time of the shoot) may quite possibly be a take on how Ari views the world, but the music she makes is completely “a' propos” for the times injecting rock and roll with the passion it is so often lacking. The press in Scotland summed it up best:

With so much faith placed in transitory fame these days, it's a relief to encounter an artist who tells it straight. It's actually difficult to do but Ms Ari neatly avoids the pit of angst and self pity and makes it all real for us.”

From 80's new wave sounding "bad for you" lovers songs to late 70's punk a' la the Sex Pistols to 60's pop flirtations with strangers and post-punk love songs reminiscent of The Psychedelic Furs “mal a' propos” covers it all wrapped in lyrics for the intellect and singing for the lost, the dreaming and those with more than just a few things on their mind.

Upon the release of "mal a' propos" the Swedish press referred to her as "gifted" while the American press declared her a "bona-fide frontman."

Ari's second EP was her first completely solo body of work and was written, produced, and released by Ari in Nashville, TN. and was recorded with local talent.

credits

released January 10, 2009

Produced by Michele Ari and John Roberson
All Original Words and Music Michele Ari
Guitar: Jeff Hime
Bass: Matt Halpern
Drums: Joe Dorn
Keys: "Fish" Michie
Theramin: Steve Poulton
Engineered by Dan someone or other.
Recorded at Nashville, TN
Mixed and Mastered by John Nixon, Ron Rose Productions, Detroit, MI

Photos: Richard Call

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Michele Ari Clearwater, Florida

Having written and recorded alongside renowned guitarist and songwriter, John Ashton, of The Psychedelic Furs fame New Page, (2022) her 5th solo release features Furs alum and friends providing the musical landscape that takes her “heart on your sleeve” lyrics and emotionally impactful vocals into the stratosphere embracing her late 70s/early 80s Punk /Glam/New Wave influences ... more

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