Paul and The Patients: New Adventures In Self-Expression

Paul & The Patients - "Hope Is Dead"

There's something attractive about the fragility of emotional self-expression. It's not a weakness as much as it the strength to put one's guard down and expose one's deepest felt emotion. With the honesty of such fragility, there comes a certain level of respect. And those who would normally not be so honest with their feelings sometimes completely open up due to such an overwhelming frustration. From time to time, the frustration is an easy catalyst for letting the lips unseal themselves for the delivery of something fresh. It's a common part of life's routine and it's nice to know that we're not all alone -- when sometimes it feels like no one in the world knows what we're feeling.

Paul & The Patients began a project three weeks ago entitled "To the Lions" where they will be releasing a new self-recorded composition every week. "Hope Is Dead" is the third song to be released and is an intimate look into the disappointment that arises from festivals like CMJ and SXSW. Frontman Paul Holmes describes the meaning of the song:

"This one's pretty self-explanatory, I have the post-CMJ blues. For those who don't know, CMJ is an annual music conference in New York City which for better or worse (usually worse) bands feel compelled to participate in. Expectations for all are high, but rarely ever are they met. In actuality, there are only like four bands that anyone wants to see, and ironically these bands already have to be doing quite well relative to their peers to be on that list, which in many ways defeats the purpose of showcasing as a means of getting ahead in any true sense. We played, what I think was, a great show. I gave every piece of myself. I opened up my soul and whole-heartedly believed every emotion I delivered. Now I'm in my bedroom and those 4 bands continue their North American tours. I will probably write 5 songs today that no one, but me, will ever hear. Unless of course you're reading this, in which case you can hear one now."

You can follow the "To the Lions" project and listen to the previously released songs here.

Paul & The Patients' "To the Lions"

Paul & The Patients MySpace

Paul & The Patients Twitter