Karate, by H. Kink

Karate

by H. Kink

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sprock A thrillingly eclectic selection of tracks on which Lisa really pushes herself vocally. Timm's nervy but often peppy compositions rub up against Lisa's wryly angst-ridden lyrics in interesting and appealing ways!

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Eco-Mix Vinyl Edition of our latest album, Karate.

*BE ADVISED* This special run takes advantage of surplus wax present at the manufacturing facility. This approach not only minimizes waste but also results in each vinyl having a one-of-a-kind coloration. From deep blues and fiery reds to luminous greens, the hues are utterly unpredictable. Each copy is a singular work of art.

✶ IMPORTANT NOTE ✶ This is a pre-order of an ultra-rare vinyl. We anticipate them arriving in mid-November. We'll send any updates we get from the pressing plant, and we'll ship them out as soon as we receive them!

Includes unlimited streaming of Karate via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Once In A While 03:42	lyrics	buy track
No don’t you worry, baby. I know I can seem crazy. Once in a while. Once in a while. Once in a while. Once. Sometimes I get so needy, cuz ya never even wanna see me. Not even once in a while. Not even once in a while. Not even once in a while. Not even once. I get so moody lately, cuz I miss when you called me baby. Been a long, long while. Been a long, long while. Been a long, long while. Been alone. HEY, DUDE! I think it’s strange. What makes you think that you can treat me this way? Cuz I’m a real live wire! I’m made of fire. Afloat in the dark where the fishes sing. Go faster! Run run run run run run to the door! It’s your last chance, cuz I ain’t your whore and if you didn’t want it, you could’ve said so. Instead you left me here to clean your pretty mess, oh. Cuz I have a hole inside, you can not fill. I got this hole inside, you can not fill. There is no end in sight to this hole inside. There is no end in sight to this hole of mine. I’m your trash. I’ll be your trash girl. Yeah, yeah. No don’t you worry, baby. I know it feels so heavy. Once in a while. Once in a while. Once in a while. Once. HEY, DUDE! I like ‘em strange! Blue and black all over but feeling no pain. Oh! A real live wire! Dancing through fire! Afloat in space on a crystal wave.
2.	I'm Trying 02:39	lyrics	buy track
Yo. Hand me a La Croix. I’m trying to be a good person and shit. Turning over a new leaf and shit. I’m being all conscientious and shit. Making you feel all important and shit. I’m living life with integrity and shit. Helping old people cross the street and shit. Hold myself accountable and all that shit. Waking up and going to bed all early and shit? All I ask is for a chance, you motherfucker . To show you that I’m advanced as a motherfucker. Don’t judge a book by its cover, I’m the kind of girl you can bring home to your mother, fucker. Money in the bank and healthy credit and shit. Daily meditation so I’m present and shit. Taking on responsibilities and shit. Giving what I can to charities and shit. Going to hot yoga and pilates and shit. Sweatin’ out the toxins in my body and shit. Vision boards and daily affirmations and shit. Filled with gratitude and inspirational shit. Ok. Now I just… just want you to be a good person. Just be a good person and dance.
3.	Good Stuff 02:25	lyrics	buy track
Beat it up! You know ya wanna eat it up! Cuz I-I-I got that Good Stuff! Nah-nah-nah don’t play no games, tell no lies. What’s ah-matter you? Do you really wanna see me cry? Cuz baby, Goddamn! Ya went and left me SAD. So why’d you go and do a thing like that? Beat it up! Come on, Come on! Beat it up! Yeah, dude ya better heat it up! Cuz ya know I got that Good Stuff! You got me hiding away. Hiding my face. I’m high and insane. It’s a shame what you’ve done to me cuz this ain’t how it’s supposed to be. Nah-nah-nah I don’t like the way you act. You jumped the train off the track. You went and left me SAD. So why’d you go and do a thing like that? Beat it up! Come on, Come on! COME ON! Beat it up! You know I got that Good Stuff. Beat it up! Come on, Come on! COME ON! Beat it up! You know I got that Good Stuff. You know I got that Good Stuff. You got me hiding away. Hiding my face. I’m high and insane. It’s a shame what you’ve done to me cuz this ain’t how it’s supposed to be. Nah-nah-nah I don’t like the way you act. You jumped the train off the track. You went and left me SAD. So why’d you go and do a thing like that? Beat it up! Come on, Come on! COME ON! Beat it up! You know I got that Good Stuff. You know I got that Good Stuff. You know I got that Good Stuff.
4.	Better Part Of Yesterday 02:48	lyrics	buy track
I don’t care about anything you said. I will be happy when you’re dead. It may sound harsh, perhaps impolite, but I can’t apologize. Not with the recent events that’ve come to light. Now I get to sit and wonder who is under you, you dirty rat. I spent the better part of yesterday just trying not to tell you that I love you. I spent the better part of yesterday thinking up new ways to hurt you. I don’t feel so good inside my head. you should have told me but instead, you went ahead and called me ‘crazy’. You went ahead and gave me hope. You went ahead and called me ‘baby’. But, Darlin, I ain’t no one’s joke. I spent the better part of yesterday just trying not to tell you that I love you. I spent the better part of yesterday… and every word was a lie. You just sat back and watched me almost ruin my life. I spent the better part of yesterday just trying not to tell you that I love you. I spent the better part of yesterday thinking up new ways to hurt you. and I should’ve had enough when all the flowers you put in my hair had bugs. I saw you. I see you. I saw you. I see you. I saw you. I see you. (I saw you but I didn’t want to see you) You went ahead and called me ‘crazy’. You went ahead and gave me hope. You went ahead and called me ‘baby’. But, Darlin, I ain’t no one’s joke. I spent the better part of yesterday just trying not to tell you that I love you. I spent the better part of yesterday thinking up new ways to hurt you. I pray to God it hurts.
5.	Sweat 03:17	lyrics	buy track
1 2 3 4 Hey you, over there. I got a little secret I wanna share… When you come around I sweat. I sweat. Ya make me sweat. and hey you with the tiny hands, with the chelsea collar ambivalence, gonna make you mine. Make you mine. Bet. I’m so tired of being all alone. I need someone I can hold. Someone give me a little time. You! You’ll do just fine! 1 2 3 4 Got a hole in my heart that goes all the way to China! I got a hole in my heart that goes all the way to China! Hey you with the baby blues, I got some thoughts on what we can do. I can be your heart, you can be my soul. Forget about gender roles and make a mess. You know I love a mess! A real fine mess. Let’s make a mess! A real fine mess! I’m so tired of being all alone. I need someone I can hold. Someone give me a little time. You! You’ll do just fine! I ain’t gonna lie to you, baby, I got issues. and if you could hear what’s going on in my head, man, you would, you would really run. I like to pretend that like, I’m all nice, and normal, and cool, and I could hold like eye contact like I’m listening and care about your day a lot, and like I’m a go-getter, and like super motivated, um, and like have good hygiene… But, um, I’m afraid that’s not the case here. I’m ok with it! I just I hope you will be. I love you.
6.	CIRCIXX 03:01	lyrics	buy track
Say what you say. I’m not listening anyway. Get off of my case and walk away. Get outta my face. I won’t obey. Bet you really wanna know. But I’ll never let it show. This man talk to me. He said, “My, oh my! I have never seen a girl so dead inside!” And I said, “Whatchya know about me, Papi?” Then I swallowed down a little pill. Then I said, “Your lucks run out, Papi cuz I eat what I fuck and I fuck what I kill.” He took off running like he’d seen a ghost. I said, “Baby, you don’t need to do the most.” Then he said, “I come from the land of Minnesota, my baby. You don’t know the real me.
7.	Weird Inside 03:06	lyrics	buy track
Something is wrong with my poor brain. Wish I knew what to do, but I’ll tell ya, I haven’t got a clue. Used to be so strong. Used to be ‘someday’. But I’m a big girl, I faced the reality. Ain’t gonna lie, it ain’t been a pal to me. The man in the moon. My baby’s first tooth. Means everything and nothing. Means everything and nothing. So where do we go, my dear, when you’re broken beyond repair, and all that you have inside is loneliness? Loneliness and weird? So weird inside, I’m weird inside. I lost my mind, I’m weird inside. I broke my brain now it don’t work right. Whachya do, stupid girl? Lookie here! It’s all your fault. Just hanging with Timm, we were killing time expanding our minds. The flowers that bloomed when we wrote our first tune! Means everything and nothing. Means everything and nothing. So what am I supposed to do? I’m so confused, cuz all that I feel inside, is loneliness. Loneliness and weird. So weird inside, I’m weird inside. I lost my spine, now I’m weird inside.
8.	Monster 02:39	lyrics	buy track
(Too many thoughts. I got too many thoughts) I wanna say thank you for hurting me. I wanna say thank you for leaving me. Day after day you left me alone. Night after night you killed our home. Cool out. Slow down. Why you never shut that stupid fucking filthy mouth? You thought you’d break me, but I’m standing alone. Better than ever now I’m on my own. Thank you! Broke my heart. Thank you! Tore me apart. Little by little you broke me down. Surprise, motherfucker. I’m the monster now. I’m the Monster. I’m the monster. Monster. So, let me say thank you for killing me and all the times you said you’d never leave. Now i’m so grotesque! Now I’m so deformed! Ain’t a damn thing you can do to try and hurt me no more. I’m the Monster. I’m the monster. Monster. (Too many thoughts. I got too many thoughts)
9.	I Ain't Your Momma 02:46	lyrics	buy track
I don’t like your tone. You don’t need to know my location. I’ll be where I’m at and I’ll be thriving not surviving like your sorry ass. I ain’t your momma! You better call her. Maybe she’ll know what to do. I ain’t your momma. Go on and call her. I’m sure she’d love to hear from you. I’m so uninvolved, don’t look to me to get your problems solved. No nah-nah-nah-nah. Heaven forbid! Don’t need this stress, don’t need this mess, I sure don’t need no kids! I ain’t your momma! You better call her. Maybe she’ll know what to do. I ain’t your momma. Go on and call her. I’m sure she’d love to hear from you. Boy, go and ask yourself, “What makes a man?” There are too, too many things that you don’t understand. Go on, find yourself someone else to give you a hand cuz boy, I’m done. I ain’t your momma. Go on and call her! Call her! I’m sure she’d know just what to do. I ain’t your momma. Hurry up and call her! Call her! I’m sure she’d love to hear from you. Call her! call her! uh huh. Call her! Call her! That’s right. Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her! Call her!
10.	Do You Wanna Dance? 02:44	lyrics	buy track
Am I coming in clear? Hey, man…I said, ‘Am I coming in clear?’ Hey Mister, Do you wanna dance? I see you walking and stumbling all around the place. Do you think I could have a chance? Man. Don’t be uncomfortable, don’t you be so shy. I know I can come off strong, but I’m a real swell guy. Just want sha-sha-sha-sha-shake it with you, all night. So, if that sounds cool, just let me know, I’m only gonna ask a a few more times. La la la la la la la la la la la Do you wanna dance? La la la la la la la la la la la Do you wanna dance? Hey Mister, I really like your pants. But I hate my town, I hate my face, I hate the whole dumb human race, yeah. But not you, so let’s dance. La la la la la la la la la la la Do you wanna dance? La la la la la la la la la la la Do you wanna dance? We are creatures of the night, and you can’t deny it. Let’s light those candles, cast some spells, start a nuclear riot. Just want sha-sha-sha-sha-shake it with you, tonight. So, if that sounds cool, just let me know, I’m only gonna ask this one last time. La la la la la la la la la la la Do you wanna dance? La la la la la la la la la la la Do you wanna dance?
11.	Pusher 02:14	lyrics	buy track
Man, something just don’t feel right to me, and if it just don’t feel right, it just don’t feel right. I smell a rat. All you kids on the boulevard, ya better get home fast cuz the lights are on. It’s getting pretty dark, boys and girls. Don’t ya know it’s a scary world? There’s pigs, There’s beasts, There’s rats, There’s snakes. There’s creeps, There’s weirdos, There’s ghouls, There’s fakes… But worst of all, beware of The Pusher! The Pusher. The Pusher. The Pusher. The Pusher. He’ll get you in his grasp, all the nightmares come to pass. He will leave you oh-so-ill. The things you’d do for a dollar bill. I’m telling you, he’s a real bad man! Better run away as fast as ya can! He’ll kick, and beat, and knock, and slay. You’ll crash and shout, so filled with shame. Fast as you can, be gone from The Pusher! All you kids, don’t disregard. I know it’s controversial and avant-garde. Eyes twirl like kaleidoscopes. Now mom and dad are losing hope. And should you find yourself keeping score, you’ll lose every time to his allure. There’s pigs, There’s beasts, There’s rats, There’s snakes. There’s creeps, There’s weirdos, There’s ghouls, There’s fakes… But worst of all…
12.	Honey 02:45	lyrics	buy track
Close the door and lock the bolt so tight! We’re in for the night. We’re in for the night. Shake the static off, and pull me tight, with all your might. Now the work is done, and I don’t want anyone, but you. But you. People ain’t got what we got baby. Ain’t got what we got baby. No matter where we go, we go together, walking through this dream. That’s right. Just you. Just me. Just eternity. Just eternity. and so I thank you for being true blue. Thank you for being you, the one to count on. So let’s go sleep! We’ll catch some z’s. Come on baby, let’s dream. Did you brush your teeth? Turn off the TV. (Now the work is done) Get close to me. (my beautiful one.) and i only fall asleep with your hand on me. So, let’s get tucked in, dear. This song is my prayer for you. For you.

about

The story of H. Kink’s Karate — and of H. Kink, period — begins with the fateful meeting of kindred creative spirits Lisa Rieffel and Timm Sharp at a house party in Los Angeles, 20 years ago. Rieffel was a Jersey-born actress with a ton of TV credits under her belt (and a stint in a punk band back East); Sharp, from Fargo, was an actor, too, starring at the time on Judd Apatow’s Undeclared. But it was music, not TV, that sealed their bond: By night’s end they’d written their first song together and formed a band, Killola — a band Sharp didn’t stick around in for long but that Rieffel still fronts today. But that’s another story…

H. Kink’s story picks up at another party, 15 years later. With Killola on hiatus, Rieffel asked Sharp if he wanted to try writing again. Now fully committed to acting, he demurred — but offered to send her some tracks he already had to see if anything sparked her muse. “They were just these random instrumentals that I’d written over the years, never thinking they’d see the light of day,” Sharp recalls. “But what Lisa did with them became the first H. Kink album.”

That album, 2019’s Wish I Were Here, packed an obscene amount of fun into 32 dizzying minutes, jerking madly from bathroom disco to rock, electro-punk, and even a hint of country. Equally wild were the accompanying videos, including the demented Sesame Street-on-acid trip of “It’s Yours” and “I’m Nice Like That,” a subversive parody of cable commercials that sizzled hotter (and funnier) than a 1-900 sex line.

Alas, Rieffel and Sharp’s first crack at H. Kink was as short-lived as their first time working together in Killola; after a morale-busting incident with a shyster agent (long story), Sharp wanted out. Determined to carry on, Rieffel took a cue from the first album’s feisty country outlier, “Hit the Road,” and recorded the retro-tinged EP Men. with Killola producer Luke Tierney, followed by a bone-chilling cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” with another friend, Michael Tritter. But one heartfelt call from Sharp in 2022 was all it took to get the original duo back together, leading to the most kick-ass H. Kink project yet.

“It just felt like returning home,” enthuses Rieffel. “Not to be schmalzy, but it felt like everything that had happened just brought us closer.”

Don’t let those warm reunion fuzzies fool you, though: Karate pulls no punches. It’s sassy as hell and tons of sonic fun, a suicide cocktail of punk snarl, serrated pop, and psychedelic disco. But Rieffel’s words in songs like “Once in a While,” “Good Stuff,” and “Monster” make clear this is a woman who knows from darkness — and how to use it.

“It’s about being almost paralyzed for the last two years, but then fighting your way through and coming out a monster, and embracing that monster,” she says, speaking not just for herself, Sharp, and H. Kink, but for all of us. “That’s Karate.”

credits

released November 1, 2023

All songs by H. Kink (Menstrual Camp Publishing)
Produced by H. Kink & Luke Tierney
Mixed by Rick Parker
Additional keyboards on “ Do You Wanna Dance” by Michael Tritter
Additional instrumentation - Luke Tierney

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about

4Bits Records Gainesville, Florida

✨ Independent record label in Gainesville, FL🐊

discography

Come Soon

Mar 2024
Down

Feb 2024
Habit Forming

Feb 2024
Karate

Nov 2023
DREAMS EP

Jun 2023
Astral Apartments

Jan 2023

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