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Make it Make Sense (EP) coming out January 27  

‘Soft’ vinyl has finally arrived, get it here
Yellow Ostrich

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Like a Bird: An Alex Schaaf Anthology (2010-2021) coming out on March 26th.  

The Mistress Deluxe Edition out now, get the vinyl here


ALL IS TOO MUCH


release date: September 15, 2017
as: Human Heat
on: self-released
format: digital, cassette, CD





SONGS


Close to My Chest
Best For You
I Need My Space
Remember When
Slippery
Feel Settled
Someone Closer
This House
Your Flaws
Real To You
2 is a Stranger

LYRICS


Close to My Chest

dont you get too close
there is nothing but decisions after this
before it gets too late
you might as well come in to see the damages

ready or not
i’m all that you’re gettin
just wanna make it clear from the very start
there’s not much more than what you are seeing
so don’t be too sad once you see that

don’t you hear it now?
the little noises you have always tried to miss
don’t you feel it yet?
the little doubts that slowly eat away at this

ready or not
i’m not gonna change it
but rest assured it’s only out of laziness
you can call it inauthentic
but i don’t mind that, don’t you see that

this is what i wanted to hide
a little uptight
must always be right
this is what i wanted to keep
close to my chest

Best For You

i hope you don’t get that job
it’s half a world away
i know that it’s not quite fair
not something i should say
i know it’s no way to be
try to be all that we need   
the pressure would be too great
its something i concede

but i want the best for you
the best for me
i’m selfish i can’t help it
yeah i want the best for you
the best for me
but for me that involves you

it’s something i can’t hold back
the truth is in the wind
i know that it’s early yet
but so is everything
it’s only a drive away
but i know its too much
the reasons you cannot stay
are higher than i can touch   

and i want the best for you
the best for me
i’m selfish i can’t help it
yeah i want the best for you
the best for me
but for me that involves you  

i want it all
you in the room
day after day
building something new
i want it all
you in the wild
chasing the light
doing as you do
i want it all
happy at home
happy away
happy no matter what
i want it all
you in the room
day after day
and it’s the life you want

I Need My Space

I need my space

I’m getting the lines out
every time I leave my door
I’m turning the lights out
once I get myself off the floor
Well ask me something else
why I see you every day?
‘cause I can’t face it
so I turn away

I need my space

I’m drying my mind out
everytime I walk the street
I’m giving it my best
when I look for people to meet
But tell me something now
Is it like this every day?
‘cause I can’t face it
since you walked away

I need my space
If I could stay in this bed for longer
I would do it, I’m not stronger than that
if you see it, maybe it’s real
If I could find someone worth finding
I would do it, I’m not waiting for that
just not quite convinced just yet

I need my space

Remember When

Every time I see you, I just fall apart
bathing in the screen light, watching from afar
Though I try to hide it, bury everything that’s left
Every time I slip up, I remember when

Every time I see you, I just fall apart
Corner of a party, glancing at the bar
Hair is long and brown, she’s even got your orange dress
Every time I go out, I remember when

Every time I see you, I just fall apart
Try to lock it away, cheat before I start
Refreshing all your feeds before I throw my phone away
Every time I see you, I just start to break

I can’t check my phone, makes it harder to be alone
Feel that I need something to sleep
I’m quite forgetful of the things that I have paid for
Figure out a way to remember me

Slippery

To be around the world
more than you are home
To have too many friends
to call even one up on the phone
To be far away, there’s nothing you can do
It’s for another day, it’s for another you

To see all the best
but never know what’s good
To be sure of what you can do
but never know what you should
I know I missed your call
I watched it ring and go unanswered
It’s nothing personal, I must be on some great adventure

Slippery I am now, but there’s not much
Glamour in mystery, there’s just a touch
It’s mostly too vague to try to hold
Try to hold onto
Slippery I am now, so back and forth
Not asking anything, but wanting more
I beg you can you please, just try to hold
Try to hold onto

To look back and see what you have to show
For the days you spent
living out on the road
It leaves a mark but not something deep that lasts
A flaming star, it soars
but it is burning out quite fast

Slippery I am now, but there’s not much
Glamour in mystery, there’s just a touch
It’s mostly too vague to try to hold
Try to hold onto
Slippery I am now, so back and forth
Not asking anything, but wanting more
I beg you can you please, just try to hold
Try to hold onto

And I swear this time
that I will stay around
What can I do prove it
I’m standing on solid ground
I’ll build a house so tall
that no one will dare question
if it will ever fall
‘cause my foundation’s been tested

Feel Settled

I just wanna feel settled
It’s nothing more than that
The other side of my sorrow
Feel it coming fast
I just wanna feel settled
least that’s what I think
I’ll take any old answer
please just make it quick

It’s a calm, cool day - can’t you see?
If someone’s anxious now, can’t be me
‘cause I’ve got my feet on the floor
and I can’t quite think about much more

‘cause I just wanna feel settled
It’s nothing more than that
The other side of my sorrow
Feel it coming fast
I just wanna feel settled
least that’s what I think
I’ll take any old answer
please just make it quick

Well it could be a lot worse, I agree
but I can’t help but be the middle of my story
and I know I’m not on your mind
but I can’t lie, you’re still on mine

and I just wanna feel settled
It’s nothing more than that
The other side of my sorrow
Feel it coming fast
I just wanna feel settled
least that’s what I think
I’ll take any old answer
please just make it quick

I want to see you right when I wake
I want to see you end of the day
I know I shouldn’t but I can’t contain it
Can’t you feel that?
Can’t stand the feeling, keeps me awake
Tossing around with nothing to say
I know I shouldn’t but I entertain it
Can’t you feel that?

Someone Closer

There was a plan
there was a place
There was a light at the end of the day
Something to focus on, something to believe
Step at a time, day after day
I put my head down, enjoying the wait
Something about it made quite a lot of sense

but distance made your heart colder
you’re further away every day
Waiting made my heart warmer
but I don’t blame you

So obvious now
I misunderstood
I thought that the bad was part of the good
Something to laugh about when we’re far away

But you couldn’t wait
and I couldn’t see
How far apart you were from me
Here I was waiting for something that never came

‘cause distance made your heart colder
you’re further away every day
Waiting made my heart warmer
But I don’t blame you
Distance made your love harder
when it’s not something you can see
and when you’ve got someone closer
I don’t blame you

when you’ve got someone closer
I don’t blame you

This House

This house is not for us
I really thought it was, but
just something about it wasn’t right
We checked off all our list
tried to imagine it, but
I realized I’m not the guy

but I could see you living there soon

This town is not for us
I really thought it was, but
it’s just a little overstuffed
in Philadelphia
we sang Hallelujah, but
I knew I couldn’t give enough

but I could see you living there soon

This house is not for us
I really thought it was, but
it’s meant for you and someone else
I don’t regret it though
these houses come and go, but
They’ll never get what I have learned

but I could see you living there soon

Your Flaws

Restless, as you know I’ve been up late
Restless and imagining
Even just a dream can tie me down
I shudder at the thought of it

I only wish
that there had been time to see your flaws
and maybe it’d be
a little easier for me now

Not long enough to make it
but long enough to make it hurt
when you exited
Not knowing makes it harder
than proving wrong
this dream I have invented

so I only wish
that there had been time to see your flaws
and maybe it’d be
a little easier for me now

Nothing but the best for you and yours
I wouldn’t lose any of it
but I fear I will be seeing you more and more
I stay awake resisting it

and I only wish
that there had been time to see your flaws
and maybe it’d be a little easier for me now

Real To You

Saw you there on the wall
Saw your picture and I was in love
Didn’t need but a glimpse
I was with you and I was convinced

I can’t explain it but I
felt connected the minute we caught eyes
Yours were glossy and cold
Mine were misty and I lost control

I was there on the floor
a crowd of people began to ask more
I tried to tell them about you
They were laughing and I was confused
I see ya

Doesn’t matter what’s real to you
She is mine and that’s all I can do
Live your own story, I will live mine
Or I’ll try
The ground is cold and it’s all I can feel
Who are you telling me what is real?
Live your own story, I will live mine
Or I’ll try

2 is a Stranger

There’s a couple versions of this
number 1 i knew
number 1 i miss
you’re the one who’s in my songs
but nothing stops, everything moves on

There is a new and foreign life
that soldiers on with some other guy
if that was you I couldn’t live
so to make it work, I separate from it

2 is a stranger

As for me what can be done?
do I close up shop, goodbye to number 1?
is there a 2 within my heart
can I make the split, make a decent start

There is a new and foreign life
that soldiers on with a different mind
but I’m not sure I’m ready to
say goodbye to 1, and hello to 2

2 is a stranger















 

CREDITS


made in Brooklyn NY and Minneapolis MN
from Aug 2016-March 2017.
mixed in April 2017 at April Base in Fall Creek, WI

written, performed, recorded and produced by Alex Schaaf
drums played & engineered by Zach Hanson
sax on FS and RTY by Jon Natchez

mixed by Zach Hanson
mastered by Zach Hanson
artwork by Alex Schaaf with help from Alana Horton and Nick Nazmi

big thanks to everyone that's helped me out over the years. specifically for this album, a huge thank you to Zach Hanson, who I couldn't have made the album without; Alana Horton for general feedback and crucial design assistance, Nick Nazmi for artwork inspiration, Alex Cohen, Eric Klosterman and Alex Bunke for their feedback, Jon Natchez for his long-distance sax magic, Ben Lester for helping with synths, BB for being there from the start, DJ House for providing the CP-70 in our living room, Matt Vannelli, Mike Gunvalson and my landlord Kevin Scott for being in the live squad; and to GC for providing the spark.

VIDEOS