We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

PuSHING THE PuLL DOoR

by Tom Houston

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £7 GBP  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Limited edition card wallet. Comes with an two sided A4 insert with lyrics and notes on each track.

    Includes unlimited streaming of PuSHING THE PuLL DOoR via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 25 

      £10 GBP or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 7 tomhoustonmusic releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Everything In The Delicatessen, PuSHING THE PuLL DOoR, Gap in the Fence, Plastic Trumpet, Filling in the Cracks, For Kate, and Open the Skylights. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      £43.20 GBP or more (20% OFF)

     

1.
2.
Face Down 01:20
3.
4.
Gloria 02:11
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

about

Pushing the Pull Door is my 5th solo Album. I'm based in Scotland and I write a mixture of songs and spoken word, mixing alt folk and acoustic with beats, soundscapes, stories and a bit of mischief and mystery. I am honoured to be accompanied by some great musicians who add sparkle and colour to the compositions.

I operate on a self-release basis which allows for great artistic expression but can make the promotion and marketing a real challenge.

credits

released November 1, 2022

Pushing the Pull Door - The songs
We place the USB plug in the port. It fits. We move on giving that moment no more attention. We forget it happened. We remember when it doesn’t fit.
I am driving along the coast in Wester Ross. It’s the magic hour of light in early summer that can stretch out over a few hours. I notice a sheep that seems trapped in a trance. The trance takes me over. I meet four teenage cows with attitude. I am getting close to the beach at the edge of time.
I am thinking that the Mannequins are lying in shattered glass, but now I’m thinking they are looking, scrolling. It used to be called surfing.
I don’t know when I developed the taste for dining alone. But at the same time I remember a holiday in Crete. I stayed in a flash hotel. A holiday on my own. The evening meals proved a bit torturous as my need for human connection became more and more pronounced.
The yellow school bus. I’m guessing that’s why I said sidewalk rather than pavement. I’m also assuming that Gloria was in North America, maybe in the Midwest, although the rain does betray my Scottishness.
The way the seals break the water in the bay. Time to spare. I’m not sure what sort of Jazz, but I’ll hazard a guess it could be Weather Report.
I must be subconsciously trying to break into the American market. In the UK only a disorientated fool would travel all the way to the Haberdashery on Floor 7 for a new hat. But here I am. One step at a time on my way.
I realise the all tracks in the Album are caught in some sort of spell. Not all of my own making. Our heroine is naked. It must be convenient to blame it all on someone else.
I listen to Alexander Leaving and can never figure out what’s going on. But I still listen entranced. I wonder what would happen if they stayed, or if we just thought they’d left.
Lingering still lingers. Now in its fourth incarnation.
I imagine an audience. Everyone brings out their phones and we set our timers. I’m thinking that about 3 to 4 minutes is as long as we can manage. We put the phones away. If I can help us all forget what we’ve just done I’m thinking that the cacophony of sound will be a shock, and break the spell. However in the recording the spell is broken by the waves.

The TITLE
It’s just a line in the song Haberdashery Floor 7. Our hero is not taking themselves too seriously. Or are they bad at the detail? poor with instruction? always making life difficult for themselves? fighting a lost cause? Looking for a new hat?


The Making
Pre-lockdown I had starting experimenting with spoken word (you can hear those As If By Destiny in my first album Filling in the Cracks). During lockdown I created The Den or ‘homestudio’ and started experimenting with various loops and digital delights. I was lucky enough to have the support of David Harper Gray in coming to terms with basic engineering and recording.

Then along came the ‘itch’ to create a new Album that mixed songs with spoken word. Early in 2022 I was delighted that Neill MacColl came on board as producer.
We developed a hybrid approach with The Den providing roughs to the spoken word, and takes for the vocals and acoustic guitar parts. With Neill’s Atticus Studio providing no little genius, additional instrumentation and arrangement.

The final polish of mixing and mastering was provided by Mattie Foulds at Caribou Recording. It all seemed to come together in a 3 week period.

Lyrics

The Beach on the Edge Of Time A freeze frame sheep in shock Not knowing what to follow Or how to lead Four black cows have taken over the road Crashed through the gate They are walking to the beach Holding a bright red balloon It’s our turn to party As the girl in the bikini is looking for a signal She is crouched on a rock typing out her message Hoping the connection is strong enough To send a picture Five motor homes have stopped for the night Waiting for the sun to set Watching The same dark wave crash onto the sand Rolling like thunder As the girl in the bikini is looking for a signal She is crouched on a rock typing out her message Hoping the connection is strong enough To send a picture And the ancient rock has seen it all before Although it can’t remember quite when Sand martins dance and dart through the dunes Too quick for the lens, but a WONDER on the I’m chasing time looking for the tribe That walk barefoot on the beach The water’s too cold to go for a swim At least that’s what I keep on telling my feet Then the girl in the bikini, who looks like Annais Mitchel Grabs hold of the bright red balloon The sheep move on the mountain and the mountain remembers And it isn’t a moment too soon Cause all around us the waves crash like thunder I’m sending you a picture of the scene As the sun sets on the beach

Face Down

All things bright and rosy
Face Down
A world that’s warm and cosy
Mannequins in the glass

Better not to dig too deep
Face Down
Below the surface fast asleep
Mannequins in the glass

break

Let me take a step ahead
Face Down
Smash avocado on my bread
Mannequins in the glass

If I need a get out clause
Face Down
I’ll empathise with your cause
Mannequins in the glass

break

No need to rub your noses
Face Down
Give me fresh white roses
Mannequins in the glass

Dining by myself
You grab hold of the menu and ask me if I am from Glasgow Order a dirty cocktail and a buritto I like dining by myself Something in your eyes Caught me in a spell And now here I am Telling you all I know You walk up to the jukebox cry out remember these Echoes of Volcano, the Shack and Tiffany’s I like dancing by myself Something in your move Caught me in a groove And now here I am Floating above your knees You pause for a moment and ask me what happens next we could drive to Mexico, that would be a fun ending to the verse I like writing By myself But I guess there’s nothing wrong in letting go of the song And seeing where it ends up By itself You head up to the rooftop and whisper let’s begin the show As the moon and the stars flickerdance over Glasgow I like dreaming by myself But when the northern lights Take over the night Here I am asking you Please don’t go

Gloria
There’s cold toast on the table Left by mum Spread with some sort of yellow marmalade with no bits Gloria’s getting ready for school And she doesn’t need to tie her laces She’s got Velcro Then she gets on the bus with her automated pass And watches the rain spatter onto the side walk The bus stops at the fourway roadworks Gloria is mesmerised by a repetitive pattern of raindrops falling on the black tar She finds herself drawn into a strange new world Somewhere so deeply familiar and painfully alien at the same time A world where girls tie their shoelaces in the morning Where mum serves hot homemade pancakes with maple syrup Where the dog jumps over the fence and barks excitedly as you cycle off to school Gloria looks up for a moment Everyone remains captivated by their screens The lights change The bus jolts into action, speeding through the rain spattered streets But inside Gloria Glows the hot pancakes Glows the rich sweet maple syrup Today is a day like no other A day when Gloria can say goodbye to cold toast Goodbye to yellow marmalade And say Hello To new sensations, with bits Hello

Smiling at the Croft

I swear I saw a mermaid
Lying on the Rocks
She was glistening in the sunlight
And smiling at the croft
I didn’t want to scare her
But I wanted to get close
So I crept along the reed bed
And hid behind the boat

Shiver me timber
Loosen the rocks
Who’s that smiling
At the croft

Up popped a grey seal
He took a lazy view
He was listening to Jazz
On Radio2
I say ‘ Pump up the volume
I wanna listen to the groove
But don’t scare the mermaid
I think she likes the blues’



Shiver me timber
Loosen the rocks
Who’s that smiling
At the croft

In comes an eagle
She circles round the bay
So we turn our heads skyward
to hear what she will say

In comes a poacher
With a driftnet in his sack
He says ‘I’ll split the salmon
If you take up the slack’
then the mist came in
I couldn’t see what happened next
But it’s well after midnight
And nobody has left

Shiver me timber
Loosen the rocks
What’s that cooking
At the croft
Shiver me timber
Loosen the rocks
What’s that cooking
At the croft

Shiver me timber
Loosen the rocks
We’re all smiling
At the croft

The moral of this story
The moral of the tale
If you can smell peat smoke
Don’t inhale

Haberdashery Floor 7
Heading to the top One step at a time. The 7th Floor I push the pull door. Sorry about the door sir. Can I help you? I think I’d like a new hat. Make me look cool. And the music goes. One hour in front of the mirror and still no hat. No cool and the music goes. Sorry about the door sir.

Alexandra’s staying They’re not going to leave I saw them this morning When I took round the keys We talked of the weather The warmth in the breeze A thin veil of satin Which sings in the trees Alexandra’s staying They can’t quite let go They went down to the river The river said no I don’t last forever My water is low So best not abandon The home that you know Alexandra’s staying Despite saying goodbye We can visit them later With our voices and wine I left the door open For those wanting to pry Hello Alexander Is that you waiting inside Alexandra is staying She’s not going to leave I heard them calling So I went round to see We sat in the garden Then walked to the trees That’s where I found His voice in the breeze

Lingering #22
Take your soldiers, take your kings, fire your arrows, fire your slings. And keep your armour waiting. Take your husbands, save your wives, hide your daughters, sharpen knives.And lead me to the water. Past the clouds along the stream, and in the islands grab your dreams, of forgiveness. We are the chosen few, the ghosts of causes fought and lost and lingering. We are the chosen few, the ghosts of causes fought and lost and lingering.Che Guevara, Bobby Seale, seize the time, and let it heal. In constant revolution. Stop the bomb, save the trees, heat your home with the breeze. Hope springs eternal.Past the clouds etc Shades of red amongst the green, ast meets west, and in between.
The lovers are hiding. Take a trip inside your soul, come together, become whole. The Hippies are arriving.Past the clouds along the stream, and in the gutters lies their dreams,of forgiveness. We are the chosen few, the ghosts of causes fought and lost and lingering.

Where’s Veronica

Where’s Veronica When I need her
Where’s Veronica When I need her
Useless Child Useless Child
She walks naked in the penthouse flat
Fancy this Fancy That
Enjoys the smell of fresh green paint
Patron Saint Patron Saint
In the bathroom there’s an empty square
Almost there Almost there
Where’s Veronica When I need her
Where’s Veronica When I need her
Useless Child Useless Child

The Next Available Agent

I am waiting for the next available agent
Listening to tiny music on the phone
All agents are currently busy
I will continue to hold
You are experiencing a higher number of calls than normal
All agents are busy
I have been placed in a queue My call will be answered by
The next available agent
You are sorry about the wait
But as soon as the nest available agent is free
You will put me straight through
You are sorry about the wait
But as soon as the nest available agent is free
You will put me straight through

My call is important to you
You are working hard to get to me
I will stay on the line
You will be with me as quickly as possible

You are sorry about the wait
as soon as the nest available agent is free
You will put me straight through

My call is important to you
You will be with me as quickly as possible

You are sorry about the wait
as soon as the nest available agent is free
You will put me straight through

You are sorry about the wait
as soon as the nest available agent is free
You will put me straight through

You are sorry about the wait
as soon as the nest available agent is free

My call is important to you
I will stay on the line

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

tomhoustonmusic Tillicoultry, UK

Tom Houston releases his sixth studio Album in October 2023.
Everything in the Delicatessen.



Tom lives in Central Scotland and was songwriter of note on BBC Scotland's Iain Anderson's show in 2017.

He is also a regular on Tom Robinson's BBC Introducing Mixtape

'Extraordinary' Tom Robinson 2022
... more

contact / help

Contact tomhoustonmusic

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like PuSHING THE PuLL DOoR, you may also like: