At the heart of El Salvador is Nick Krautter, a man that has lived life much like he reads magazines, from the back cover to the front - always backwards. Driven by ambition and the energy of San Francisco by junior year Nick had an apartment with a view of the San Francisco Bay and skyline, had to wake up at four in the morning to get to his morning show producer job, and was working as a band manager. "After a few years of working from four AM until late in the night I got burned out; I was sleep walking through life and I realized I needed a major change. I quit radio, stopped working with most of the bands I was helping, and moved out of my nice apartment to a tiny sailboat that was barely floating. I also changed musically. I used to write songs by layering tons of sounds and cutting stuff up on a computer; I ended up with just an acoustic guitar and my voice. With the songs broken down, sonically speaking, I was able to focus on the essence of what I was trying to say and how I wanted to say it. I'm a big fan of pop music but I also love Leonard Cohen and I hope that comes through in these songs." After spending the winter of 2004 working on his songs Nick went into the studio with the rest of the band El Salvador and recorded an album in only three days and after only two rehearsals. "I'm incredibly lucky to have a band where everyone is at least three times better than me musically speaking; it made recording the album so easy." The second stage of El Salvador has had quite a few interesting turns. "I had to sell my boat to pay for my album, so after the tracking sessions were done I was essentially homeless, which gave me the freedom to do things I had been neglecting: travel, help out family, and reconnect with friends. I'm living in Portland, OR now and I'm just getting started, but it's so exciting to be playing my own songs and having people react so positively." Lyrics: (All songs copyright 2005 Nick Krautter) "Angel" Angel your eyes are bigger than the sun I want to tell you things but God knows you are so young I'm the oak tree in the blowing wind You're the willow bending to your own whim Chorus x4 Come on come on yeah Don't wait a minute Angel your love is bigger than the moon I got to tell you something got to tell you soon I'm the oak tree in the blowing wind You're the willow bending to your own whim Chorus Bridge I know you're watching me Eyes wide open, glued to the window Know I'm watching you Eyes wide open, hands on the window I know you think about me When you're dreaming in your bedroom Know I think about you When I'm sleeping on your sofa Chrous x8 "Wake Up" Wake up When you're crying Now break up When loves dying You know you have to go alone You know you'll make it on your own Pre chorus 1 Wake up let me in to your heart this time Wake up let me down to your shore this time Pre chorus 2 I remember when The two of us Were so young And so dumb Desperately cling To everything It don't mean I've given up Chorus Cause I'm still hanging on you now I'm still hanging on somehow If you wanted me to stay I'm sure I could find the way Wake up You're gonna get through When you see What you have to do You know you have to go alone You know you'd make it on your own Pre chorus 1 Pre chorus 2 Chorus Refrain [instrumental] "Counting the Stars" Remember counting the stars On the hood of your car Parked behind your mother's house But we don't go there no more Pre chorus Now the hours have their way with us We still fight but can't win I wish I hadn't taken for granted Anything Chorus x2 Like you and me walking through the park at night I thought I'd have this always When you were here with me Remember all of the days We spent counting the rain Seemed like such a silly thing But how were we to know Pre chorus Chorus Bridge Here with me Here with me Here with me Here with me Chorus