Mal Madrigal is a unique ensemble of musicians which performs songs written… Read Full Bio ↴Mal Madrigal is a unique ensemble of musicians which performs songs written by Stephen Bartolomei. In quieter moods, Mal Madrigal can be stripped down to Stephen's fingerpicked guitar, warm voice, and subtle delivery. At its loudest Mal Madrigal takes the stage as a six-piece band including drummer Eric Ernst (Latitude, Longitude ex. Fullblown, Sound of Rails), vibes and keys player Ben Brodin, guitarist Mike Saklar (No Blood Orphan ex. Ritual Device, Ravine), multi-instrumentalist Dan McCarthy (McCarthy Trenching, Mayday) and a rotating group of bass players. Framed by this collection of instruments, homemade amplifiers and effects, each member carves his own sonic niche, all buttressed by Ernst's formidable and dynamic percussion. Such diverse musicianship yields an impressive live show, both sonically and visually. Nuanced, engaging, and eclectic all serve to describe the sound of Mal Madrigal.

Mal Madrigal is self-reliant and principled in its "do it yourself" work ethic . The band spent late nights at a local guitar store recording a collection of more than 30 songs. The building, built in the late 1800s, was an inspiring environment to track the songs live to 1/2" analog tape. The majority of the recordings were made in this way, with overdubs done on the computer when necessary. Mistakes were kept, songs left pure, and sounds unadulterated by technology.

Mal Madrigal has shared the stage singer/songwriters and rock bands alike including Nina Nastasia, Eric Bachmann, Vic Chesnutt, the Medications, Ladyfinger, Back When, Shiny Around the Edges, Mayday, Simon Joyner, Scout Niblett, Damien Jurado, Edith Frost, Jesse Sykes and many other like-minded artists.

Close to Me
Mal Madrigal Lyrics

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You are beauty blessed and broken,
And I offer this simple token.
Peasant poor; my words
Soft spoken prayer.
Will you stay close to me?

Will you stay close to me?
When mother calls and father flees,

My words are merely tiny things,
Oh would you hold them close to thee?

Or will you crush these bones to powder?
Then swallow in some future hour.
So I am skin and holy gases,
Soul and sin and succored sadness.
Even if this moment passes,
I could not breathe in your absence.
Fool's prayer, as such, I ask this,
Shift my focus through such vastness.

Oh will you stay close to me?

Will you lie close to me?
Will you walk close to me?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mal Madrigal's song Close To Me suggest that the singer is enamoured with someone who is both beautiful and broken. They offer a simple token to this person, in the form of soft-spoken prayers of a peasant poor. The words of their prayer ask for this person to stay close to them, even in the face of external pressures, such as a mother's call or a father's abandonment. The singer asks if this person will hold their words close, or if they will crush them to powder, suggesting a fear of rejection. They also describe themselves as being made up of skin, holy gases, soul, sin, and succored sadness, emphasising that they are imperfect, yet still hope that this person will stay close to them.

The chorus repeats the question of whether this person will stay close to them, with variations in the verb tense suggesting different meanings. "Will you stay close to me?" is a simple question, while "will you lie close to me?" suggests physical intimacy. "Will you walk close to me?" might suggest a desire for long-term companionship. The singer admits that their prayer is that of a fool, acknowledging the risk of rejection and heartbreak. They ask this person to shift their focus through vastness, perhaps pleading with them to see beyond any flaws or imperfections.

Overall, the lyrics to Close To Me hint at the universal desire for connection and the fear of vulnerability that often comes with it. The singer acknowledges their own flaws and imperfections but hopes that this person will still stay close to them. The use of religious imagery throughout the song - references to prayers, holy gases, and sin - further emphasises the idea of seeking salvation through human connection.

Line by Line Meaning

You are beauty blessed and broken,
You possess both beauty and imperfections.

And I offer this simple token.
I give you this humble expression.

Peasant poor; my words
I may be poor in worldly possessions, but

Soft spoken prayer.
I can offer you a quiet prayer.

Will you stay close to me?
Can you remain by my side?

When mother calls and father flees,
When my parents need me but cannot help me,

My words are merely tiny things,
My words may seem insignificant,

Oh would you hold them close to thee?
Can you keep them close to your heart?

Or will you crush these bones to powder?
Will you destroy me completely?

Then swallow in some future hour.
And consume me when the time is right?

So I am skin and holy gases,
I am made of flesh and air,