Fireballet ‎– Two, Too… (1976)

Two, Too… is the second album by American symphonic/art-rock ensemble Fireballet, released in August 1976 on Passport Records.

A1. “Great Expectations”

4:30 | art-rock | exuberant, flamboyant, theatrical, showtune

Written by Jim Cuomo

Syncopated time in motion
Syncopated time in motion in contrapuntal line
Syncopated time in motion
Syncopated time in motion in contrapuntal line

Changing places with that which came before
In sequent toil, the cycles meet
And as the curtain rises, the sound
at its zenith we hear

We write the songs with great expectations
Planning each melody, phrasing and rhyme
Anticipation and great expectations
In strict compositionary process and line

Counterpoint arches string signature bows
Commanded by Lord Major-Minor
The Score Jester parlays for dissonant tones
Indifferent to melody

Syncopated time in motion
Syncopated time in motion in contrapuntal line
Syncopated time in motion
Syncopated time in motion in contrapuntal line

Rising colors send rainbows toward the sky
On ancient canvas, the colors blend
But soon the antique etchings are scattered
as leaves on the wind

Receive each song with great expectations
Follow each melody, phrasing and rhyme
Anticipation and great expectations
In strict compositionary process and line

Non-chordal tones pass in momentary lines
Elaborate but quite unessential
In circular movement the melody climbs
The rhythms restate

Round and round and round etc.

In the land of half-tones lives indefinite pitch
Where the high-heeled longhairs play no common time
Can the songs survive, will they find the pathway home
Or are they lost in the whirpooled skies
On the wind like butterflies

Note upon note upon note upon note
The harmonies cascade and fall
The staves are of moonbeams
The script leaves its mark
In traces of silver and gold

Heaven chorused by chessboard soloists
Queued chambers of stone, silent now
Angelic carollon, song of the skies

Receive our songs with great expectations
Sing out the joy that is held in your heart
Commence the journey with great expectations
The music will carry you best on your start

With each passing chorus, keys will modulate
The words repeat, but the beat stays steady
Move to the coda as the end approaches
Mark the spot, turn the page, cadence and finale

We write the songs with great expectations
Rehearse every melody, tempo and rhyme
Anticipation and great expectations
In a strict compositionary process and line

A2. “Chinatown Boulevards”

6:42 | art-rock, zolo | symphonic, lavish, jagged, abstract

Written by Jim Cuomo and Ryche Chlanda

a. Crosstown Overture / East-West Melange

Sirens cut through the nite
Murder in the streets of Chinatown
Dragon lanterns tell the tales
They know so well so well so well

Rainwet streets
Paintbrush Paper Poets
Neon signs
Mark the streets where East meets West
Nites colors turn from gray to gold

Rickshaw tourist taxis
Shuttle Grant Avenue
Pilgrim Lundry Landlords
Mechanize points of view
Frisco nights will call you
Let the melodies fill the air

Shanghaied, boats in the night
Odds are ten to on you won’t come back
To the streets of Chinatown
To the streets of Chinatown

b. Datelines, Deadlines, Parables, Headlines

Chinatown and Golden Gate
That city by the bay is calling me

A3. “It’s About Time”

6:12 | art-rock | symphonic, lavish, jagged, abstract

Written by Jim Cuomo

Clocking the distance ‘twixt now, then beyond and before
Keeping life’s pendulum swinging on course straight and sure
Life in your pocket and time on your hands
Keeping time in time with time
To say these are the great times of your life

Futures are numbered each hour, month, day on a page
Living a secondhand life on a Mickey Mouse stage
Wound up inside you, no cause for alarm
Keeping time in time with time
To say these are the great times of your life

Time has meter shape and form
Works best when words don’t get in the way
Syllables hinder rhythmic motion
Don’t make sense and are hard to rhyme

(repeat above stanza)

B1. “Desirée”

2:45 | orchestral pop, art pop | lavish, harmonized, emotional, windy

Written by Michael Brown and Tom Feher

Everything returns again
Both the laughter and the rain

She is living somewhere for a while
Still I ask her in my lonely way to stay

Desirée, Desirée, how can you leave me

Desirée you know how it hurts me
Living alone through all the years
Nothing can hide the tears in me

Everything remains the same
Yet she answers not her name
Still If I could look beyond these skies
Standing here again before my eyes I see

Desirée, Desirée, how can you leave me

Desirée you know how it hurts me
Where do I run to, is it real?
Nothing but pain I feel, so real

Desirée you know how it hurts me
Living alone through all the years
Nothing can hide the tears in me

Desirée, Desirée, Desirée

B2. “Flash”

5:11 |

Written by Ryche Chlanda

Born unto royalty, Flash was such a lucky lad
The only son, a little rare… the Prince of Tift
was bestowed upon him
Never to work a day in his life

I recall when Flash was young
He wasn’t like my other boys
Always reaching for the stars
Never really calling Earth his home

Yes, they had big plans for him
Their little man was such a handsome heir
The heads of state and their families
were invited to attend this grande affair
Despite what his family felt
Flash was destined to a life with space

I recall when Flash and I
First attended rocket school
Always reaching for the stars
Never really calling Earth his home

Take me, take me away
They said I wouldn’t understand
That Flash was one of them

Take me, take me away
They urged me to run fast from here
That lift off time could not be changed

The hatch was locked, the timer set
With a blinding light, the ship was spacebound

Flash, goodbye
He’s traveling through space and time
Ever since that day
He’s always on my mind

I recall when Flash and I dreamt
of racing through the stars

Together

Seeking out virgin planets
Being a top notch space commander

B3. “Carrollon”

6:00 | zolo | zany, jagged, galloping, kaleidoscopic

Written by Jim Cuomo

Follow the sign past the hatter and hace
…on to morning

We move fast through tune and tone
Rainbows our guide home
Lost in motion of sight

Patterened timesteps mark our path of light

Past the day, time will stop
One who plays, stops us not

Back through the looking glass
Memories pass of the Red Queen’s song

B4. “Montage en filigrée”

4:49 | instrumental

Written by Jim Cuomo

Tracklist:
A1. “Great Expectations” (4:30)
A2. “Chinatown Boulevards” (6:42)
—a. Crosstown Overture / East-West Melange
—b. Datelines, Deadlines, Parables, Headlines
A3. “It’s About Time” (6:12)
B1. “Desirée” (2:45)
B2. “Flash” (5:11)
B3. “Carrollon” (6:00)
B4. “Montage en filigrée” (4:49)

Credits:

Jim Cuomo — vocals, drums, vibraphone, tubular bells, wooden blocks, timpani, sleigh bells, finger cymbals, bell tree, gong, triangle, Polymoog, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, tambourine, Clavinet, songwriter, harpsichord
Brian Hough — vocals, organ, saxophone, synthesizer, recorder, pipe organ, Polymoog
Frank Petto — accordion, electric piano, autoharp, synthesizer, backing vocals, Polymoog
Spike Biglin — bass
Ryche Chlanda — guitar, mandolin, zither, songwriter
John Zangrando — woodwinds
Brian Cuomo — harpsichord