[Musical Nutshells] Kristin Hersh/Throwing Muses, Chris Brady/Pond, Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Survival Knife/Unwound, David Bazan/Pedro The Lion

Posted on October 24, 2012 at 3:15 pm | 4 Comments

Kristin Hersh, the distinctive voice and guitar of both Throwing Muses & 50 Foot Wave, let fly some seriously exciting news in her latest email update to fans, and I must share. Frankly, I can hardly contain myself.

First: “The new Throwing Muses record — four years in the making —  is finally mixed and mastered. We’re now designing the book that it will be (like the Crooked book, but with a CD included).” Kristin is supported, in large part, by regular contributions from fans (called “Strange Angels“), who get a variety of special perks and access to new songs in the making. One of those fringe benefits was an early listen to this upcoming 33-track (!) Muses record, not due out until early next year. It’s titled Purgatory/Paradise, and it is absolutely epic. I’m overwhelmed by it, in the best way.

Next, Kristin says: “I’ve just recorded basic tracks for what I believe is the best acoustic record I’ve ever made. And because of you, that record includes Martin McCarrick (cello) Rob Ahlers (drums) and Dave Narcizo (drums, too.)” For those unaware, Martin McCarrick is the brilliant cellist who has contributed to a wealth of beautiful string sounds to songs from the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees, This Mortal Coil, The Glove, Therapy?, Lush, and so many more. And those drummers? Naturally they’re her bandmates from 50 Foot Wave and Throwing Muses, respectively. Both of them on the same record? Hot damn.

But wait, there’s more: “50 Foot Wave just finished another Ep with Mudrock. As soon as we find a spot in the release schedule where it will get the most attention — from us and you — we’ll get it out there in the world where it can make friends.” More 50’~? Yes, please.

Also? “I’m writing a new book, with another two in the pipeline…” I inhaled her written debut, “Rat Girl”, and the promise of more thrills me.

As exciting as all that info is, she tops it with this corker: “I’ve started a happifying new project called Outros, with Rob Ahlers and Chris Brady (Pond & Audio Learning Center), two of my favorite people and favorite musicians.” Now this, I can hardly believe. Y’see, I’m basically a Chris Brady fanboy. I absolutely adore the songs he wrote with Pond and ALC, love his bass playing, voice, and lyrics, and have always hoped he’d get back to making new music. The fact that he’s doing so with Kristin is a dream come true – a dream I never knew I had. This trio is the musical version of a comic book superhero team-up.  The first time I heard a Chris Brady-penned song? 1992, just before (the real and only) Pond’s debut album for Sub Pop was released, and just after they finished their first UK tour… opening for Throwing Muses. Full circle.

Work on Ted Leo & his Pharmacists’ next full-lengther is well underway, and I’m assuming/hoping we’ll get some news from Matador any day now on when we’ll hear the results. While we wait, Ted’s been touring solo with some truly talented ladies lately (the UK with Rebecca Gates last month, and a North American tour with Aimee Mann, that starts tonight – with Boston on 11/3), and I figure he’ll kick into full-band mode once the record hits (in early 2013?). His personal Soundcloud page, where he shares the occasional self-recorded oddity, has been pretty quiet for the past few months, until he offered up a little gem a few days ago. As he says: “Francesca Blumenthal’s heart ripping torch song re-purposed for election season.” Have a listen…

I’ve lamented this too many times, but one of the great disappointments of my band-loving life is the cancellation of Unwound’s Boston-area show during the tour for their final (and my favorite) album, “Leaves Turn Inside You”. The reason was more than understandable (the date? 9/11/2001), but the fact that they broke up shortly after was a tough pill to swallow. No future chances to see them, and worse, no new Unwound songs. Ever.

Which makes this year’s unexpected arrival of Survival Knife all the more appreciated. It’s Justin Trosper (vocals/guitar) and Brandt Sandeno (guitar) from Unwound, Meg Cunningham (bass/vocals) from Blues Druid, and Kris Cunningham (drums) from Western Hymn. The quartet made their debut in late March with a show in Olympia, Washington, and they were tight right out of the gate. According to Facebook, they’ll start recording in November, and yes, they sound just enough like Unwound for me to love them immediately and intensely. Oh, how I’ve missed Justin’s guitar playing and songwriting style. Feels like a long-empty void has been filled.

Gloriously, you can watch the entirety of their first show on YouTube. Here it is…

I first became aware of the band back in early May thanks to Swan Fungus, who shared up the setlist from that debut show along with a soundboard recording of one song, “Thud of the Jackboot” (it’s since been removed). Rather than reshare that track, here’s another live one. Tag team: Let’s see another blog share another song, and so on…

Next week David Bazan and his band will hit the road for a month to play Pedro the Lion‘s amazing “Control” album from front-to-back, and they’ll be in Boston at Brighton Music Hall on November 13th. Tickets here. They’ll no doubt be lugging boxes full of newly-remastered Pedro the Lion vinyl releases, so make sure you bring extra cash and hit the merch table. I couldn’t quite pull the trigger on buying the beautiful box set of Sloan’s “Twice Removed” LP for $90 when I was at their BMH show last week… but $70 to pre-order those 5 remastered Pedro LPs (Hard To Find a Friend, The Only Reason I Feel Secure, Control, Achilles Heel, and Winners Never Quit)? With bonus goodies that won’t be sold individually? Yeah, I pre-ordered that sucker the day it was announced. Bring it on, Mr. Mailman. They have arrived!

Listen to the remastered “Control”…

… and one remastered track from each Pedro the Lion LP …

Big weekend coming up… heading down to Brooklyn with Colin & Dana to play drums on some Let’s Whisper recordings. Equal parts nervous and excited… hope the rust comes off easily. Keep an eye on my Twitter account for potential in-studio updates from within Marlborough Farms, if you’re into that sort of thing.

[20 Years Ago Today] Sub Pop’s Vermonstress Fest in Burlington, VT

Posted on October 10, 2012 at 7:41 pm | 4 Comments

129 live MP3s, and this time I’ve saved you some effort: Here they are in one gigantic .zip file.

(As I mentioned when I first offered this up, the old Maxell XLII-90 cassette with Buffalo Tom and The World According to Steve’s sets sadly disappeared ages ago. I think I’ve finally given up hope that it would find its way back to me one day. Apologies, fellow BT fans. And if anyone knows the missing titles of the HP Zinker tracks, speak up.)

Vermonstress – Day 1
Saturday, October 10th, 1992

Codeine
01. Realize
02. Jr.
03. Barely Real
04. Cave-In
05. Hard to Find
06. D
07. Broken-Hearted Wine

Come
01. Dead Molly
02. William
03. Submerge
04. Last Mistake
05. Fast Piss Blues
06. Bell
07. Car
08. S.V.K.

Drop Nineteens
01. Delaware
02. Mayfield
03. Winona
04. Astral
05. Happen
06. My Aquarium
07. Reberrymemberer
08. Angel (Madonna cover)

Velocity Girl
01. Doesn’t Matter
02. 57 Waltz
03. Copacetic
04. Pretty Sister
05. Stupid Thing
06. Warm/Crawl
07. My Forgotten Favorite
08. Creepy
09. Crazy Town

Crow
01. Eyes are Bruised
02. Railhead
03. Light
04. Prisoner
05. The Charley Horses
06. God-Fearing Shareholders of the World
07. EJ

Pond
01. Grinned
02. Young Splendor
03. Perfect Four
04. Wheel
05. Pretty Thing (Bo Diddley cover)
06. Spots
07. Agatha / Filler

Beat Happening
01. Tiger Trap
02. Teenage Caveman
03. Sleepyhead
04. Dreamy
05. banter
06. Red Head Walkin’
07. Other Side
08. Revolution Come and Gone
09. Nancy Sin
10. Noise
11. Godsend
12. Cry For A Shadow
13. Me Untamed
14. You Turn Me On
15. Crashing Through

---

Vermonstress – Day 2
Sunday, October 11th, 1992

Six Finger Satellite
01. Sex Transistor
02. Niponese National Anthem
03. Laughing Larry
04. Polish the Shine (Satchmo)
05. Home for the Holy Day
06. Crippled Monster Bearing Malice

Green Magnet School
01. Sonic Exterminator
02. Noxin
03. Barmecide Room
04. Don’t Cry (Neil Young)
05. Singed
06. 12 Guage
07. Penance

Sloan
01. Sleepover
02. Lucky For Me
03. Shame Shame
04. Ill-Placed Trust
05. Underwhelmed
06. Take It In
07. Marcus Said
08. Pretty Voice

Giant Sand
01. Neon Filler
02. Song 02
03. Sage Advice
04. Wearing the Robes of Bible Black
05. Solomon’s Ride / Stuck
06. Unwed and Well Sped

Barbara Manning
01. Never Park
02. Breathe Lies
03. Someone Wants You Dead
04. Don’t Rewind
05. Winter Song
06. On On and One
07. Smoking Her Wings (Bats cover)
08. Lock Yer Room (up tight)
09. Scissors

Eric’s Trip
01. Kiss Me Baby / Smother
02. Listen
03. Haze
04. Belong
05. Happens All The Time
06. Float
07. Belly
08. My Chest Is Empty (part 2)
09. Blinded
10. Bring Down the Rain
11. Easier Last Time
12. Open Your Heart (Madonna cover)

Chris Harford
and the First Rays of the New Rising Sun
01. Swinging Bridge
02. Raise the Roof
03. Looking For Light
04. Road With You
05. If You Forget Me
06. Pop Life (Prince cover)
07. You Brains
08. The Living End
09. Gather Round / Sing, Breathe, and Be Merry

HP Zinker
01. Song 1
02. Song 2
03. Song 3
04. Trapped
05. Song 5
06. Song 6
07. Song 7
08. Song 8
09. Song 9
10. Warzone City
11. Song 11

the Vermonstress press release (click to enlarge)