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Paws of a Bear

by Sofia Talvik

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1.
Take Me Home 04:05
Take me home to the sea To the waves and the breeze Where the salt grinds your teeth Take me home You can walk every road But only one takes you home Will I walk it alone Take me home How I loathed those grey days and the salt on my face Left for dead in the waves memories of this place Take me home Walking through the empty grounds of the closed down school I still hear the sounds There are only ghosts now in this town Take me home Leave me here on the shore Where you found me before I won’t ask you for more Take me home How I loathed those grey days and the salt on my face Left for dead in the waves memories of this place Take me home You can walk every road But only one will take you home Will I walk it alone Take me home
2.
Siren Song 03:40
what would you say what would you say what would you say Will you fall over Can you stand on your own in this gray water in this place you call home Will these words be enough will they take you along will these strings be your guide to teach you right from wrong what would you say what would you say what would you say With your heart rushing your pulse beating in your ear like waves crashing adrenaline and fear And they take you along they take you out from shore and the siren song is stronger than before what would you say what would you say what would you say And they're all so clear these questions in your mind will it be enough can you leave it all behind Say you could say you would where will it leave you if you do what you do where will it lead to what would you say what would you say what would you say
3.
You're my ball and chain Crafted featherweight Lift me to the sky Never weigh me down Sixteen years ago is when I knew Even driving through this California snow There's no place I would rather be right now Than in this car with you You're my better half Four aces in my hand Wrap me in your arms never let me go The years keep flowing by Oh your love keeps flowing into me and I Can never see a life without you by my side Sixteen years ago is when I knew Even driving through this California snow There's no place I would rather be right now Than in this car with you Sixteen years ago is when I knew That through sunshine Through the rain and through the cold Even broken down beside the road Even in this California snow There's no place I would rather be right now Than in this car with you You're my ball and chain My sunshine through the rain Wrap me in your arms Never let me go
4.
Reflections 04:51
I look in the mirror And all I can see Is my mother's face staring back at me I guess I'll grow older Than I am today But inside I'll always stay the same The days they are flying Past me so fast What can I do to make them last The dreams I once harboured Have sailed long ago Now I'm just fighting on alone Would you believe me if I said You still look the same as you did that day But are we the same as we were that day We lost our edge and the will to play I look in the mirror and I see A strangers face gazing back at me When you look at me what do you see I walk on the wind now I follow a path Will I find a resting place at last My skin has grown thinner See through at best But I still wear my heart outside my chest Would you believe me if I said You still look the same as you did that day But we're not the same as we were that day We lost our edge and the will to play I look in the mirror and I see A strangers face gazing back at me When you look at me what do you see
5.
I look to the sky and I know you are there My northern boy with paws of a bear I sometimes wonder Did you long for me Or just anyone who could set you free Chained to the circus or chained to the road it's the same damn chains just a different load If you really wanted you could have broken free But I guess that freedom was not with me My northern boy with a heart of a bear I might have left you but I'm always there Chained to the circus or chained to the road it's the same damn chains just a different load If you really wanted you could have broken free But I guess that freedom was not with me I look to the sky and I know you are there My northern boy with paws of a bear Chained to the circus or chained to the road it's the same damn chains just a different load If you really wanted you could have broken free But I guess that freedom was not with me
6.
Pharaohs and Friends (free) 03:32
My lung is hurting and I'm losing half my sight But I'll put on my lashes and a halo for the night I will tell you stories about the seven seas Of monsters and of dragons, heroic princesses In the enchanted forest I will let your mind go wild You thought God would be a soldier But she's just a little child I'm working on a puzzle But the pieces are a mess I keep pushing the agenda Like it were a game of chess I will tell you stories of pharaohs and friends Of the ones who live in shadows You know how this story ends In little town and big town You let your mind go wild Expecting God to be a soldier When she's just a little child And though my heart is rushing It's skipping every beat Have you ever felt the gravity It's your own damn heavy feet And I can tell you stories Of pirates and a pea But you'll just keep deciding What you see and do not see In the tower on the mountain She let her mind go wild Expecting God to be a soldier When she's just a little child In this world of lies and half truths I closed my eyes and smiled if you thought god would be a soldier you are just a little child
7.
Blood Moon 03:27
The moon is red over the treetops The sky is dark over Canyon falls The road is long too long to follow it just goes on into the dark you're so far away you're so far away you're so far away The moon is red from the smoke of the fires Where there's a fire there must have been a spark The road is a dream but I keep on going because of the fire because of the spark you're so far away you're so far away you're so far away The moon is red someone said it's a blood moon but what is the color of your moon today you're so far away your moon ain't the same your road is lined with street lights you're so far away you're so far away
8.
I wanted to give you something nice for a change I walked this town like a ghost But I couldn't find a single item for sale that said I love you the most And no one knows me like you do You know me for better or for worse So if someone knows, it's you I can't put it in a box Put a ribbon on the top Of all the love I have for you My hands might be empty And my car might be old That's the truth as you know But together we'll never Go hungry or cold That I promise you And no one knows me like you do You know me for better or for worse So if someone knows, it's you I can't put it in a box Put a ribbon on the top Of all the love I have for you I was walking aimlessly From store to store Nothing special caught my eye I didn't even know what I was looking for But at least I gave it a try So I don't have a gift for you Wrapped in paper with a bow But if someone knows, it's you I can't put it in a box Put a ribbon on the top Of all the love I have for you No, I can't put it in a box Put a ribbon on the top Of all the love I have for you
9.
It's been a while since I heard from you I guess I could've called but then again so could've you At least this settles that I heard you met a nice girl And that she's pretty too I bet she knows her bible Says I'll pray for you All you'd ever want With me it's same old I'm on the road again Making money singing songs about my old boyfriends So I guess this one will do I liked you better when I thought I loved you And she can count to ten but that's it I bet you say she's real smart But how can she be that If she's hanging out with you With me it's same old I'm on the road again Making money singing songs about my old boyfriends So I guess this one will do I liked you better when I thought I loved you I thought you were the bomb But I learned the hard way That balloons can be loud If you pop them and hey I guess that's how this bubble burst With me it's same old I'm on the road again Making money singing songs about my old boyfriends So I guess this one will do I liked you better when I thought I loved you In the unlikely event that I would see you again Please don't stop to chat cause I'm not your friend Just remember what I said With me it's same old I'm on the road again Making money singing songs about my old boyfriends So I guess this one will do I liked you better when I thought I loved you Yeah I guess this one will do I liked you better when I thought I loved you
10.
Die Alone 03:58
So I guess that there are things I'll never know And I might regret some things I never chose to do Some people say that I will die alone But isn't that the truth for everyone And I am told I still have loads of time You might think it's kind to say But we both know it's a lie Some people say that I will die alone But isn't that the truth for everyone Oh, believe me when I say Love can come in different ways So if you think that I will die alone Well so will you and so will everyone Some seem to think that it's a selfish act And some people don't even know how to react But everybody thinks they have a say Isn't that the worst with folks today And no, it's not that it has slipped my mind I know the clock is ticking and I'm running out of time But I'm not even sure that I should care But at least I can admit the question is there Oh, believe me when I say Love can come in different ways So if you think that I will die alone Well so will you and so will everyone And there might be things I do you don't agree with But these are the choices that I had to make And in the scheme of things what does it matter It's not humanity at stake Oh, believe me when I say Love can come in different ways Oh, believe me when I say I feel loved in every way So if you say that I will die alone Remember so will you and everyone

about

With her wistfully gilded new album Paws of a Bear, Swedish artist Sofia Talvik gazes upon her life’s journey, carefully weighing each chapter. Lead single “Take Me Home” recently debuted in the top ten on the U.S. Folk Radio Charts, offering a hint of what’s to come for this artist on the rise. Beneath timeless layers of lush pedal steel work and a voice as angelic as it is heart-rending, Talvik explores dualities of stagnation and freedom, sacrifice and dream-chasing, work and family, along the way experiencing personal revelations that forever shift her perspectives on time, life and love.

Talvik has performed at festivals ranging from Lollapalooza to SXSW, she’s opened for Maria McKee & David Duchovny, and has collaborated with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, as well as Tobias Fröberg (Peter Bjorn and John), who produced her 2008 LP Jonestown. Talvik has taken her music across Europe and through 47 U.S. states, riding in her 1989 Winnebago Warrior, digging deep into the American sound and channeling it through her Nordic roots to create a singular brand of Americana.

Delving into folk melancholy akin to fellow Swedes First Aid Kit, Paws of a Bear de- livers Talvik’s own neatly packaged stories across its 10 stunning tracks. Haunting pedal steel intertwines with warm upright bass, acoustic guitars and piano, creating an ideal foundation for the stark beauty of Talvik’s vocal work.

Paws of a Bear plays like a picture book, flipping through some of life’s most earnest moments. Through her unique indie-folk, Talvik’s tells her own tale, while giving listeners plenty of room to contemplate their own lives. As the album unfolds, she lures you into her world with stunning heft and grit, once again proving a master of her craft.

credits

released September 27, 2019

All songs written by Sofia Talvik. Acoustic guitar, Piano and Vocals, ­
Sofia Talvik. Pedal steel, Dobro and Trumpet, Tim Fleming. Electric and Acoustic guitar, Marcus Högquist.
Bass, Janne Manninen. Drums and
Percussion, Joakim Lundgren. ­Produced by Sofia Talvik.
Mixed and mastered by Hans Olsson Brookes, Svenska Grammofonstudion. Artwork by Sofia Talvik.

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Sofia Talvik Gothenburg, Sweden

Unmistakably Nordic in flavor, Sofia Talvik somehow still conforms to American interpretations of her own original music, a North Sea siren blending sparkle and melancholy, creating a special niche of folk music that has been described as neo-folk. She is a veteran performer with 8 original full length albums as well as numerous EPs, singles and tours behind her. ... more

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