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Overwhelming Odds for Underwhelming Dreams

by Backyard

supported by
Thanos Stergioulas
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Thanos Stergioulas Backyard Universe manages to create a great listening experience with the loud stunning guitar lines, the groovy basslines, the melancholic and sweet melodies and the relatable and introspective lyrics. Overwhelming Odds for Underwhelming Dreams has me really looking forward to listening to more music from Eli. Favorite track: Out of Order.
Griffin
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Griffin absolutely amazed by the production quality, Backyard Universe is truly a hidden gem that puts a smile on my face and a rhythm in my step everytime I hear a track, good job guys! Favorite track: Questions.
bstonemets
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bstonemets love the grunge and sweet lead guitar!
Jordan Thornquest
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Jordan Thornquest "Fear has a funny way of diggin' in." Eli Stonemets' affectation is at once a bit cheeky and a little weathered. Through his project Backyard Universe, Stonemets weaves these folksy musings between wiry grooves, elastic & space-soaked guitar lines, and trickling textures. The tunes suggest blurry, triumphant anthems; the words invoke solaced, woodsy reflections. Favorite track: Questions.
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1.
Decisions 04:00
I miss you in my mind but I don’t feel it anymore That’s part of the cycle to close an open door I hate to say it but I know this will go away Our right now affection will be feelings of yesterday To push to pull to give and take To love and send it away To hide to seek To have to say goodbye to every person that you meet It’s a strange dilemma taut with possibilities Forcing confident decisions keeping agile in the knees It’s for the better if we say that we know but inside we’re just making it up as we go To right what’s wrong To gracefully just move along To numb to feel to not be scared Shaking hands with stranger lands Overwhelming odds for underwhelming dreams Chasing tails in circles Is as good as its gonna be Sound and sonic distractions making our bodies sway The sensation of progression keeps us going anyway
2.
At the YMCA swimming pool I was learning how keep my cool In water deeper than my head Just started to get a grip listening to the muted screams underneath I was beginning to be at peace But I knew it wasn’t going to stay this way To pass the class I had to play The diving game like all the other kids From way up there it looked mile down My knees were locking I was crying now It doesn’t help that they’re cheering me on I couldn’t jump I was wasting time So the teacher told me they'll make up my mind Or they'll have to drop me in My heart was beating faster than I thought it could My legs quit working when they really should Fear has a funny way of digging in My arms start flailing like a cat in the tub I couldn’t figure out which way was up I think this failure is sinking in I think my failures are sinking in Years went by avoiding anything deep Diving lessons never worked on me But I think it’s time to try again My pal said that he could give me a hand We’ll take it slow we're not far from land We’ll have a lifejacket just in case I start freaking out But I lost track of my peaceful mind I was grabbing on to anything I could find I almost drown my friend who was just trying to help me swim My heart was beating faster than I thought it could My legs quit working when they really should Fear has a funny way of digging in My arms start flailing like a cat in the tub I couldn’t figure out which way was up I think this failure is sinking in I think my failures are sinking in
3.
Some nights I dream of fighting with my fists Some days I want to wake up not knowing where I am But some little punk is telling me that’s not who I should be So I’m going to make sure he knows I have a problem with him Is the story worth telling about a boring little chicken out man Sitting in his home town just wondering when? Is the story worth telling if my heart’s not beat and broken Left in all the places that I’ve ever been? I just want to have a rock star legacy I just want to be like Lou Reed or Jimmy but that’s not me I just want to be a fight club kinda guy I just want to give some asshole a black eye But that’s not me I know that’s not me cuz My skinny arms tire too easily My passive nature forces me To apologize if you look angry But I know that’s not me I’ll go out of my way to agree Even if inside you’re killing me I can take what you dish so easily My Push over state of mind is aggressively Making me feel less interesting Here’s to my beta male mentality Shutting me up and keeping me clean I will never have a rock star legacy I will never be like Lou Reed or Jimmy Just let me dream I will never be a fight club kinda guy I may never give some asshole a black eye That’s okay with me I can’t fight but I can scream That's enough for me I don’t care if you’re listening I just need a moment to clear my brain
4.
Out of Order 04:45
Rows of graphite and spongy eyes Feed me that textbook medicine Just don’t want to miss out on potential worth To shove into my pasty skin Format matters as a matter of fact Fact is I’m feeling formidable Test my patience like you test my mind Writing answers that crossed the line Business school college rule Time to Make something of yourself Out of order today Just can’t get my mind over matter made out Cheating from the corner of my eyes Connecting the dots but they don’t want to align Ten-pound books tearing through my mind Page by page I found myself stop trying C’s get degrees that are hotter than mine F is for fantastic use of my time Hey check out my next party trick It’s time for me to drop out again real quick I’m not cut out for the A to B plan Does that make me a lesser man? Business school College rule Time to Make something of yourself Out of order today Just can’t get my mind over matter made out Cheating from the corner of my eyes Connecting the dots but they don’t want to align Kids get your checkbooks out Play a little game for fun Freedom ringing in your ears Feeling like a loaded gun Out of order today Just can’t get my mind over matter made out Cheating out of the corner of my eyes Connecting the dots but they don’t want to align
5.
Questions 04:28
Question everything that you see Blurry on your own history Never trust someone who knows the truth They’re probably hiding something from you Speak up louder than the last guy That really helps prove that you are right Now I can’t help but fall into your arms So articulate smart and strong I know the static wins You can talk this life to death But static wins I know you’re screaming Your point has been made But static wins My respect is earned by honesty Honestly it doesn’t matter to me We’re in a big game of the price is right Come on down and be our winner tonight Clarity can set the mind at ease Or is that just ignorance blessing me? Maybe someone’s watching out for you And the signal's just not coming through I know the static wins You can talk this life to death But the static wins I know you're screaming Your point has been made But the static wins I know the static wins Little melodies start creeping in Just as I start singing The static starts questioning I know the static wins Little melodies start creeping in Just as I start singing The static starts questioning
6.
Stupid Kids 05:16
Chasing dreams at night Like Olympic athletes in the games For the glory of that piece of gold Flying far above like hero's To save the day from tragedy Because the bad guys just won't take a break Card games on the concrete and Candy from across the gravel street I swear we would never get bored Getting close to bedtime I would turn pretend off on a dime and You would stay there the whole night through Those were the days We were just stupid kids under the pine trees Making mud pies and booby traps for The suits that would fight our anarchy We were just stupid kids out in the backyard Fighting monsters and madness That tried to swallow up our families We were just stupid kids High school came so quick I think both of us were fed up with it You would still escape in a fantasy Time crept in the way And I got swallowed up by the everyday Tasks of trying to learn reality Weeks turned into years Before it all became so very clear How much those times together meant to you I’ll try my best to keep our quest alive and well No matter where in life we really go Those were the days We were just stupid kids under the pine trees Making mud pies and booby traps for The suits that would fight our anarchy We were just stupid kids out in the backyard Fighting monsters and madness That tried to swallow up our families We were just stupid kids We took some dark turns Lost our tracks maps out back We just got frustrated separated Left behind to find your own way home We were just stupid kids under the pine trees Making mud pies and booby traps for The suits that would fight our anarchy We were just stupid kids out in the backyard Fighting monsters and madness That tried to swallow up our families
7.
The Party 03:37
You keep talking and talking and talking all night long Just keep fighting and fighting and fighting all night long The lights are blue you seem down to me Where do you go? The lights are blue you’re distant from me. Where do you go? Something’s different it’s different Please tell me Have I let those dark vultures Just pick you right from me? The lights are blue you seem down to me Where do you go? The lights are blue you’re distant from me. Where do you go? Why did I come here? Is it someone's birthday? Is it a new year? Why did they invite me I'm so unprepared for this This is a catalyst For me to disappear I'm going to disappear The lights are blue you seem down to me Where do you go? The lights are blue you’re distant from me. Where do you go?
8.
The weather brought me out this way It's hot upstairs sweat drops forming on my face Trying to calm a nervous knee Some fresh air would be good for me There's times to bite my tongue and cheek Now's not the time I've got to come clean Because I care for you and it's eating me away It's eating me away I have lied far too many times A\bout about the thoughts running through my head When I said there was joy it might have been rain I'm unamused by most everything So keep being you and I'll follow along Slowly picking these rocks out of my brain I do my best to plan ahead The t's are crossed dot's on my eyes Now I can't read what I wrote Scratch that ill put it in my memory I tend to drive over medians I'm going to have concrete in my engine Is it supposed to sound this way? It keeps running I guess it's ok Hold on I'm on my way I have lied far too many times A\bout about the thoughts running through my head When I said there was joy it might have been rain I'm unamused by most everything So keep being you and I'll follow along Slowly picking these rocks out of my brain The weather brought me out this way Just curious how long can I stay?
9.
I don’t know what I believe Is it what you told me? Is it from Sunday school Is it what makes me cool Maybe it boils blood Maybe it makes me a fool Maybe tomorrow I’ll believe in something new Breaking down is how we start Quitting school is the easy part Being broke is way more fun Being alive is coming undone Quitting time is in the dirt R.I.P is victory Don’t waste your time visiting my body Robots will kill humanity Use our blood artistically Forget about our history Til earth is out of batteries Claim they are invincible Because there’s one to save them all As long you answer that robocall All I am Is all of Us A moment awake A bunch of dust All I am Is all of Us A moment awake A bunch of dust
10.
Couch Days 02:48
If I spent as much time coughing up diamonds As I do sitting with opinions and vanishing I could make a buck or two and a friend or three Breath fresh air start feeling free Couch days Landlocked and unafraid Maybe unamused It’s where I lay I’m here to stay 2am reeling am I resting? Or just restlessly avoiding everything Dodging all decisions watching underwhelming dreams Catching what is easy the odds are overwhelming Couch days Landlocked and unafraid Maybe unamused It’s where I lay I’m here to stay

credits

released May 22, 2020

Credits:
Written/Recorded/Produced by Eli Stonemets
Drums by Patrick Henry

Special Thanks:
Jordan Thornquest
Patrick Henry
Bryan Stonemets
Heidi Stonemets
Jeremy Abbott

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Backyard Twin Falls, Idaho

Hello, my name is Eli. This is the music I make.

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