Sustentacula is a band based in Portland Oregon. It is peopled by Ryan Stuewe (pronounced: “stee-vee”) and David Rafn (pronounced: “won-dur”). The word “sustentacula” is an ancient Roman word for a tiny wooden walker with wheels that helped toddlers learn how to walk. Hieronymous Bosch used it in one of his paintinings, supposedly, as a symbol of the sustaining power of the gospel, which teaches us “how to walk”, and stand upright in the sight of God. We use the name in a different but similar spirit. It is our fervent belief that art, music, and creative endeavors of all kinds can make life better, and aid us in fulfilling our destinies as human beings, whatever they may be. As Nietzsche said: “Life without music would be an error.”

Ryan plays drums, David sings/writes words, and we write the songs together. Our producer and co-writer is David Liabratten.

PEACE!

Salem: the luminous city

Surfing the moldy crest of an inverted plain

A seething underbelly of holy goons

A colony of serfs circling a cat’s corpse in silent awe

The milky beard of the sky-human threshing vast clouds of apologies

Pink and red lights raining down like frying pans on the gardened pavement

Cultures living in the ruins of the imperial wall-ball court

Imps of the springtime gnashing their sacred fists into cloven elder blossoms

A lonely wayfarer limping like a ring of birds across the parking lot

Yellow and indigo blood mixing in the sky