The Autumn View

Throughout high school and college I played in a couple of bands. One of the bands was called (for the majority of the time) "The Autumn View". I started out playing guitar in the band in middle school when we were called "Westbound". We evolved over the years, as many adolescents do.

"This Room Could Swallow Me" by The Autumn View

This video is a collection of footage from our recording session in Chicago of our 2 song EP with Matt Allison at Atlas Studios.

In 2003 we released our first full-length record on our friend's label, Uniform Records. This release is titled "Fist-Fighting with Broken Wrists". Below is the album artwork for the CDs that went into production. I did the graphic design on the album.

2003 Sumer Tour

We started our tour at one of the local VFW halls known for shows. Hawthorne Heights actually opened the show for us; kicking of what I believe was one of their first tours on Victory Records. This is footage from that performance. We then took off on tour to California and back.

"If Only Household Solvents Could Solves This" by The Autumn View

This video is a collection of footage from our 2003 tour and other random clips from around that time period. This was edited by Tom.

Merch

Every year or so we'd have new t-shirts printed for shows. Here are 2 from both The Autumn View and Uniform Records:

These are 2 of many t-shirt designs we came up with over the years. The one on the left was, I believe, the most popular design. The "TV Girl" on the right was one of my favorites.

Music

Here is a collection of music we released as "The Autumn View" for your listening pleasure.

The Autumn View - 2 Song Demo (2003)

Recorded in Chicago with Matt Allison at Atlas Studios

Lyrics

This Room Could Swallow Me

I can’t slip far enough into this computer screen, 
a technological miscalculation of human error
where to turn when humans and machines have failed

[Chorus]
Rip the phone cord from the wall
drop the television from the window
[drop it, drop it out now]
Leave the pen 
Leave the paper
Goodnight

Let’s fast-forward this autobiography
Two months in the too near future
Replacement parts won’t do
Gripping these standard felt memories only kills time

I can’t slip far enough into this TV screen, 
This technological disaster
Where to turn

[Chorus]
Rip the phone cord from the wall
drop the television from the window
[drop it, drop it out now]
Leave the pen 
Leave the paper
Goodnight cruel world

I’ll be back when this mirror doesn’t spit in my eye 
when this vacant chest is filled

If Only Household Solvents Could Solves This

With the fluidity of a cement block I spell out these sleepwalking emotions
Traverse the catacombs to find a crackerjack message
Flail your wings and beat your desperate fins

[Chorus]
So stay where you lie
I’m the fish with the smooth back and underbelly
But slice me open and I’ll cut us both
And if household solvents could solve this now I might become an addict
I’m turning into
But an internal disease doesn’t require external medication

And this sinking ship
We still don’t need navigation
Our navigation’s love

[Chorus]
So stay where you lie
I’m the fish with the smooth back and underbelly
But slice me open and I’ll cut us both

And I’ll kindly cut us both 3x

So slice me open
I’ll spill my guts for you
And we will sit very still as you look in horror at the color of my blood
It’s black and filling your cupped hands
It’s black and filling your cupped hands

The Autumn View - Fist-Fighting With Broken Wrists (2003)

First and only full-length

Lyrics

Bring Out the Leeches Doctor

lethargic and apathetic
these hands and feet failed again
its like taking sewing scissors to prison chains
and its part of the culture
and its deep inside this skin
with corpses all around
i watch some more tv
take the needle and the ink to my arm to remind me
maybe it will cut too deep
and bleed out the poison
bring out the leeches doctor
hold off on the sedatives nurse     

Babies to Jets

a finger to the lips
like a coal to the ashes
keeping me alive
like the moonlight by the sun
breathe dont even motion
these baby steps i take
it seems like i crawl to get to you
but i fly when i leave
i swear to god this building never sleeps
maybe its just me

This Long Goodnight

do you know i watch you walk away
long after we have said goodnight and kissed goodbye
and its the subtle traces of love that linger on
they are what keep me going on
my hands are dry and youre holding them anyway
holding my head up to watch you sleep
and every long 
goodnight and minute that youre late keeps me up and eases me to sleep
because i sleep better knowing that there is love in your heart
and that theres a place for me
lets tear it all down
and build it new again and stronger still
our foundations have been laid
and im waiting for you

The Perils of a Microscope

dust the dusk to reveal a tired landscape of sinking expressions resting on trodden torsos
a cavalcade that leaves no disappointment to the imagination
spelled out with rhyme
reason
rhetoric and cat o nines tail
metamorphosis serves as temporary disillusionment
and ultimately leaves a larger hole
sitting safely with water brimming to our eyelids
threatening to flood this whole city upward
if only marching two by two onto wooden deck had worked or would work now
drown us all
start over

One Fifty-Three

i sit in the white glow of a blank night
the stars are above
but my heart is dim
cold its so cold
but im sweating out my life
time serves its purpose as the bearer of changing tides
and the fireflies are singing
they dance around my head
they sing the song of uncertainty
and i lose my thoughts to them
i curse and kick for i cant find my way out

Unbalanced

turn and walk away
she says to me
dim light falls upon this room
i fall into your breath
intoxicate like crashing waves
drunk on words of pain
the sunset falls upon these shores
i cant give up when you wont give in
false security still calls to me
i'm still unbalanced
i'm so sorry
she says to me
reflecting looking back
its over
douse the fire
the flames comes back
sometimes its right to be wrong
chilling words
recite to rehearse
break it down until the light is on
swaying high above pine trees
swinging down im still unbalanced

2003 2 Song EP

We recorded this 2 song release in preparation for the full-length in later that year. We released this with Uniform Records and Lucas from The Pacific Agency; who went on to become our guitarist.

The Autumn View - For All The Wrong Reasons... (1999)

Split EP with 52 Pick-Up

Out back of the of The Creepy Crawl in St. Louis 2023 with our friend who washed our van for a t-shirt.