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Human Becoming

by Sangster

/
1.
When the papers start to stacking All aligned around the room When the boxes are all emptied And it’s nearing half past noon Oooo You think back to when it all made sense to be around When the tables hadn’t turned Your feet planted on the ground Oooo And everything you said that night keeps ringing in my ears You said you gave up the ghost and was consumed by all your fears And everything is different now You’ll never be the same The joke’s on me now I’ll take the blame Oooo....
2.
Sitting still makes my head spin spinning round; life sets in Well now you’re counterclockwise and you over-analyze Waiting here makes my head spin Dreaming big; life may begin Well now you’re independent and well-meant Well, now you’re laughing When you should be crying And the girls are grown and gone The girls are grown and gone Girls are grown and gone The girls are grown and gone Staring at the neon signs The bright lights; it’s a clever design And you reminisce in synthesis Well, now you’re laughing When you should be crying And you’re laughing When you should be crying And the girls are grown and gone The girls are grown and gone Girls are grown and gone The girls are grown and gone Well, now you’re laughing When you should be crying And you’re laughing When you should be crying And you’re laughing When you should be crying Laughing......crying......
3.
Oh, that sinking feeling It’s back again— Back to call your bluff And it reminds you of the wasted time In a world that doesn’t wait for you And it tears you up inside, I know Oh, those racing thoughts They’re back again— Back to rob your mind And they remind you of the chances lost And I wonder if you think of me In the way that I think of you Oh, You’re not here No Oh, You’re not here No Countdown 10 to 12: You’re back again— Back to clean the slate And you’ve allowed yourself to take the blame For the time you’ve spent building walls I’m sorry...I’m sorry... Oh, you’re not here No Oh, you’re not here No Oh, you’re not here No
4.
Done 05:13
Ooo Ooo These days it seems your skin’s been thicker than your blood And heavy are your dreams you’ve had running through the mud Well, maybe your heart’s been yellow And maybe there’s no place for you to go But, now I am done No more games or tricks to play on my mind For now, I am one No more days to slip through my fingers Ooo Repeat the words; collect your thoughts and turn it upside down Tomorrow’s not today, they say until it comes around Well, maybe your heart’s an open door And now, I am done no more games or tricks to play on my mind For now I am one. No more days to slip through my fingers Ooo Ooo... Ooo And now I am done No more games or tricks to play on my mind For now I am one No more days to slip through my fingers. Now I am done No more games or tricks to play on my mind and now I am one No more days to slip through my fingers
5.
Triangle 04:39
I take your calls and I’ll tear down my walls It’s just a little bit too soon for me Stolen moments on borrowed time - it’s just a little bit too soon for you and me, but we try...try...try in this triangle She cried and you lied and we died in this triangle Two hearts to tend, to comfort and to mend It’s just a little bit too hard to run You’ll keep two candles lit, but it burns you on both ends It’s just a little bit too hard for you and me, but we try...try...try in this triangle She cried and you lied and we died in this triangle Ooo...

about

Best described as mercurial, Sangster has created an album which is at once introspective and vulnerable, yet universal and thought-provoking. The openness of the song writing allows for sweeping multi-faceted musical arrangements that range from deep, pulsating grooves of lush, polyphonic layers, to austere lonely vocals sparsely accompanied by two perfectly plucked guitar notes. This process oriented record reminds the listener that being human is "Human Becoming".

Lauded guitarist, Larry Koonse sums it up perfectly: "I finally got a chance to listen to Afton’s EP. I was totally floored. Her music (and vocal quality) gets me right in the gut and heart. What a gorgeous sound she has along with an beautiful way of shaping the experience (phrasing). Her songs which have a recurring theme of looking at people with great intentions and potential who are left behind by the forward motion of life is so powerful to me. I think about this all the time. In my estimation she would be the "it person" in the singer/songwriter world if the powers that be knew about her. My god …. what a gift!"

credits

released October 8, 2013

“The Conversation” // 2009
Afton Hefley: vocals, background vocals, & guitars
Gavin Salmon: drums & percussion
Artyom Manukyan: cello
Ross Garren: harmonicas, harmonium, & piano
Nick Mancini: vibraphone

“Girls Are Grown And Gone” // 2010
Afton Hefley: vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar, & electric guitar
Gavin Salmon: drums & percussion
Artyom Manukyan: cello & bass
Ross Garren: harmonicas, piano, & additional percussion programming
Nick Mancini: vibraphone & marimba
Grethel Bonilla: electric guitar

“Neither here…” // 2010
Afton Hefley: vocals, background vocals, & acoustic guitar
Gavin Salmon: drums & percussion
Artyom Manukyan: cello & bass
Nick Mancini: vibraphone
Ross Garren: flute sample programming, glockenspiel
Grethel Bonilla: electric guitar

“Done” // 2011
Afton Hefley: vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitars, vocal arrangement, & flute
Nick Mancini: vibraphone, marimba, drums & percussion
Artyom Manukyan: bass
Ross Garren: flute sample programming
Genevieve Artadi: background vocals & vocal arrangement
Keith Woolf: background vocals
Francesco Cañas: violin

“Triangle” // 2012
Afton Hefley: vocals, background vocals, & acoustic guitar
Gavin Salmon: drums & percussion
Artyom Manukyan: cello & bass
Ross Garren: harmonicas, piano, Wurlitzer, & sound design
Nick Mancini: vibraphone, marimba, & additional drums


All songs written & arranged by Afton Hefley, ASCAP 2013
Tracks 1, 2, & 5 produced by Afton Hefley & Ross Garren
Tracks 3 & 4 produced by Afton Hefley & Nick Mancini
Engineered & mixed by Ethan Carlson at Studio B in Studio City, CA
Piano tracks engineered by Sean P. Jones, assisted by Josh Franks at Stagg Street Studio in Van Nuys, CA
Mastered by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering

Nick Mancini uses a Majestic vibraphone and mallets by Innovative Percussion
Artyom Manukyan uses a custom bass made by Armen Bibulyan
Ross Garren uses Seydel harmonicas and CME MIDI Controllers

Album artwork: Bridget Klappert
Photography: Keith Woolf
Album layout: Keith Woolf & Alana Purcell

THANK YOUS

Gary Denton & Melody Carpenter & Josh Franks at Stagg Street Studio, Abby & Dan Savell at LA Percussion Rentals, Nikki Neves & Cory at Lurssen Mastering, Tim Yalda at Curve Line Space, Rachelle & Tom at Left Coast Wine Bar, Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church, Cecelia at PledgeMusic, Bryan Kelly at Groove House Records, Joon Lee and staff at Blue Whale, & the Tears For Fears family.

To my pledgers….
None of this would have been possible without your donations. I am truly grateful.

Tracy Spears, Dave Meros, Benjamin Sperber, Janis Walkingstick, Arlene Wszalek, Adrienne & Brad Henske, Janice Whaley, Kevin Krohn, Craig Bartlett, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ross Garren, Najam Saeed, Kelly Diaz, Ai Buangsuwon, Carrî ÐuPoint, Maria Beck, Vardan Ovsepian, Suzanne Olden, Nichole Halgren , Sarah Pigion, Eric Schaefer, Stuart Paterson, Curt Smith, Sébastien Proulx, Anitra Novy, Sheila Kingsley, Cynthia Jamin, Toni Lebel, Phyllis Yogi, Rise Hixon,Angie Huber Bair, Cassie Shires, Karen Gaines Wilkinson, Matthew Yeakley, Lael Mark, Dona McClure, Stanislav Sitnitsky, Andressa Andrade, Steve Christian, Dave Hefley, Brianna Zarlinga, Stan DeWitt, Corey Smith, Natasha Agrama, Tom Ames, Steve Hefley, Ben Yadegarian, Cyndy Fujikawa, Kathryn Christie, Celia Chavez, Tom Sheehan, Robert & Carla Hefley, Manisha Shahane, Julie Greathouse, Alan Morse, Allan Humphrey, Gloria Wehrenberg, Nick Mancini, Tim Yalda, Andrea Ketchum, Kit Petrie, Briana Hefley, Tom Bartolac, Danny Hall, Juliane Gralle, James McConnell, Leanne Buckley, Roland Orzabal, Sara Leib, Diana Maio, Cathy Segal-Garcia, Lisa Groening, Jeremy Cordy, Jessica Jeza-Vautor, & Michael Kavin.

This record would also not be possible without the guidance, support, inspiration, & love from the love of my life, Nick Mancini.
And to my ever-supportive family, Momma & Daddy, Briana & Brent (and little Rio): thank you for putting up with my ups and downs, for your monetary and emotional support, your reality checks, and your inspiration. I truly am blessed.
To Doug Petty: it was your guidance and re-assurance to light the fire in me with these songs. You helped shape this record.
To Carla Jamie Perez: for your tutelage, guidance, light, imagery, ass-kickings, and faith. I have found my true voice through you.
To Curt Smith (and family): thank you for the constant guitar loaning, social media shout-outs, employment, friendship, and guidance.
To Rachel & Jeremy Cordy: you know, for everything.
To Tanya Malcolm, for helping me realize when I was “done”.
To my extended family: Mimi, Papa, Uncle Dave & Aunt Charlene, Darren & Angie, Jason & Melissa, Uncle Steve & Eric, Uncle Brian & Aunt Brenda, Nicole, Aunt Dana & Uncle Wayne, Brittanny, & Hunter.
To my old family at New Haven UMC: thank you for my music upbringing.
To my students current and former – you inspire me daily.
To my near and dear friends, new and old:
Angie, Craig, Grethel, Keith, Lindsay, Mikkee, Manisha, Bill “Big Willy” Lanham, Diana Kazakova, Tim Yalda, Bridget Klappert, Sarah Pigion, Yeva Babayan, Marcie Servedio, Kathryn Christie, Tom Ames, Brooks Ball, Karolyn Halpin, Andrew Halpin, Celia Chavez, Chelsea Coleman, Carina Round, Anthony Arvisu, Ellen Petty, Arlene Wszalek, Cheryl Thompson, Geoffrey Rose, Linda Adams, Andrea Calderwood, Matt Salmons, Adrianne Duncan, Jason Luckett, Zach Harmon, Dave Wood, Matt Yeakley, Will Lovell, & Zig and Frida, of course.

This debut record is dedicated to my Granny, Julia Carol Sangster Blissit.

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Sangster Los Angeles, California

Sangster is Afton Hefley. Chosen to honor her maternal grandmother, a musician, like herself.
She recalls her earliest memories of music making - singing in her church choir and tender, young piano lessons. Her songs are a rich mixture of folk and organic textures with classical and jazz sensibilities in a classic pop song form; warm and inviting, straightforward and authentic. ... more

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