Refugee Cycle: What Would We Do?

by Bug Toast

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1.	March Threatened 05:08	lyrics	buy track
"March Threatened" (Christopher Shotola-Hardt) What would we do If we knew we could? What would we do If we knew we should? Would we hide? Would we hate? Would we fight? Would we love? What would we do If we knew we could? What would we do If we knew we should? Would we move away Come what will, what may? Would we find a home? Would we belong? What would we do If we knew we could? What would we do If we knew we should?
2.	Magpie 06:13	lyrics	buy track
"Magpie" (Christopher Shotola-Hardt  Magpie, what’s this shiny thing? my heart fly it home with you … over there, away so far away. We’re not safe here Magpie, fly away can you take us home?
3.	I'll Be Waiting 04:33	lyrics	buy track
"I’ll Be Waiting" (Christopher Shotola-Hardt) Trouble’s brewing, trouble’s here They will take me soon, I fear When you look I may be gone Know I love you and be strong I will break free, I’ll escape I will meet you at that place Keep your head up, keep your pride You and our children must survive I’ll be waiting I’ll be waiting I’ll be waiting I’ll be there They will come to look for me You won’t tell them anything Keep your head down, hide your pride To all their questions, tell them lies Leave the farm and close the house Before the ice comes you must be out Take our children cautiously Tell no one you’re meeting me I’ll be waiting I’ll be waiting I’ll be waiting I’ll be there
4.	Land of Promise 09:55	lyrics	buy track
Instrumental composition
5.	Going Home 05:01	lyrics	buy track
Instrumental composition. Vocal harmonies, but no words.
6.	Migration / The V 09:50	lyrics	buy track
"Migration / The V" (C.Shotola-Hardt, D.Andrews, M.Andrews) Wind Wind in my hair No reason Angle of light … Standing in this cloud wind all around hat sits still hands in pockets vapor beneath caressing my shoes So far … some will die Do not sleep Beat your wings Continue to fly! Up here with geese wearing our over coats standing in this cloud geese all around in the middle of the V wind all around … migration Geese all around Hat sits still Hand in pockets Geese all around

about

"Refugee Cycle: What Would We Do?" is dedicated to the courage, faith, and fortitude of Hermann & Hedwig Hardt, my grandparents, who fled their ancestral homelands in eastern Europe with their children in 1944, and many years later found their way to America.

Growing up as the son and grandson of war refugees, the harrowing stories I heard imprinted values and a certain world view. At any given time, any of us can lose all that we have — our home, our job, our community — and be forced to start over, in a new place. We may lose everything, but no one can take away our education, our skills, our work ethic, or our creativity. As refugees, my father and his family were often unwelcome and despised, had no resources or assistance, and begged and scrounged for food and shelter.

In recent years, various refugee crises have intensified across the globe. It is hard for me to fathom the often rampant, xenophobic rhetoric and lack of empathy for people who have had to flee their homes, their homelands. This Refugee Cycle is my response, my attempt to personalize the arc of one family’s story. In many of these pieces, the song lyrics push the narrative along, but for me, the instrumentation, the compositional motifs and decisions are very intentional, and also push the narrative as well — painting moving pictures, describing the indescribable through music.

— Christopher Shotola-Hardt

credits

released November 11, 2020

BUG TOAST
Dave Andrews (guitar, guizouk, vocals)
Mark Andrews (bass, vocals)
Christopher Shotola-Hardt (guizouk, bouzouki, sound design, vocals)
Susanne Shotola-Hardt (accordion, vocals)
Robert Shotola (drums & percussion on Migration / The V)

Guest Musician: Stephen Cohen (slide guitar on The V)

TRACKS:
1. March Threatened (C.Shotola-Hardt)
2. Magpie (C. Shotola-Hardt)
3. I'll Be Waiting (C.Shotola-Hardt)
4. Land of Promise (C.Shotola-Hardt)
5. Going Home (C.Shotola-Hardt)
6. Migration / The V (C.Shotola-Hardt, D.Andrews, M.Andrews)

All Pieces (except*)
Recorded at Dead Aunt Thelma’s (Portland, OR) & Nonny Tone Studio (Wilsonville, OR)
Engineered & Mastered by Dean Baskerville. Mixed by Dean Baskerville & Bug Toast.

* Migration / The V (previously released on our 2010 album MIGRATION)  Recorded at Studio 909 (Portland, OR). Engineered by Ken Brewer.  Mixed by Bug Toast & Ken Brewer. Mastered by Ken Brewer.

New Photography, CD & Booklet Design: Christopher Shotola-Hardt

Copyright 2020 BMI
Produced by Bug Toast

Visit www.bugtoastmusic.com

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about

Bug Toast Portland, Oregon

Bug Toast defies categorization, playing genre-bending, world-influenced, progressive folk on bouzouki, accordion, guitar, bass, violin, percussion, and sound samples, with textured instrumentation, vocal harmonies, and interesting time signatures. Blended from two musical families, Bug Toast creates richly textured, interwoven pieces with careful attention to counterpoint, voicing, and rhythms. ... more

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