Kristin Hersh (solo) - C/D, S/D, OPO, RFD, &c.

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IMO, her voice hasn't always been clear - in fact, in my mind, one of the defining characteristics of her voice has been not necessarily gravelly but

scratchy, for lack of a better word. like it always made sense to me that she sang about kissing gravel on Limbo.

― surmounter (rra123), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

If you like "scratchy" then you'll love how she sounds these days!

You're right in that she is fairly limited, vocally ... she doesn't have much range, so her voice is easily stretched. This isn't a bad thing, mind you (it gives the songs a "gutsy" quality), and for the most part she can sing powerfully enough to pull it off. But now, she sounds hoarse even the middle of her range.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

i see

no but totally not a bad thing - i always LIKED the "gutsy" stretching stuff

lots of character

― surmounter (rra123), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

Start with "Sunny Border Blue" then work back then go with the post SBB albums (Muses and solo).

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

Has her voice changed much compared to the 50 Ft Wave full-length?

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:33 (nineteen years ago)

throwing muses are my 2nd favorite band of all time. i think. right? yeah.

i have to hear the 50 ft wave.

― surmounter (rra123), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

You can get a free 50 Ft Wave album off her website (throwingmusic.com).

― milo z (mlp), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:41 (nineteen years ago)

50 ft. wave might have ruined her voice if it really sounds that scratchy now

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

really?? free?? that's so weird

― surmounter (rra123), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:15 (nineteen years ago)

Hmmm, might be production. She sounded pretty raw and raspy on the first Throwing Muses album.

As an addendum to this thread, the additional CD of Kristen Hersh performing Throwing Muses songs solo live in Hoboken that came free with early editions of Red Heaven is well worth tracking down...

http://www.discogs.com/release/534791

In finding that link however I did find this which maybe pretty good too...

http://www.archive.org/details/KristinHersh1999-10-22.cm-s20.flac16

― Treblekicker (treblekicker), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:15 (nineteen years ago)

her voice doesn't sound any raspier or more thrashed than it has on anything else she's done since Limbo, to me. good album.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 6 February 2007 23:34 (nineteen years ago)

She's touring the UK in early march - hurrah!

― Mark Co (Markco), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 11:44 (nineteen years ago)

Wow! Pretty good on my first listen - the 1st track really grabbed me.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:04 (nineteen years ago)

She was amazing live. She played a few weeks ago, and there was barely anyone in the record store--maybe 20 people, tops. So we stepped right up to the front. and it was free(!).
She played mostly new tunes, Gazebo Tree, Sundrops, and I think Your Dirty Answer.
She was so sarcastic, I loved it. (banter about NPR has "hosts instead of DJs," and the wikipedia stub that says she writes songs about many things, like apples and cowboys.)I never get starstruck, but she was just so cool in a very real way. So when I was asking her to sign Golden Ocean, I remember saying some really stupid things, cuz i was semi-nervous. which was annoying, but..aahh, whatever.
But she was definitely hypnotizing.
Mesmerized, it was awesome.

And yeah, her voice was definitely pretty raspy--i.e., my friend who'd never heard a note of Hersh things prior
remarked that Kristin sounded like an 80 year old smoker.
Though, I don't know if I'm just accustomed to her voice,
--I mean, I do usually enjoy my music a little scrambled anyway,
but I really enjoyed her delivery. It was raspy, but it was completely "in there" and sincere.
I just love her, she's great.

― mox twelve (Mox twleve), Wednesday, 7 February 2007 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

thanks for that archive.org link... wow! I forget about that site.

only just got round to hearing the "Live at Noe Valley Ministry" official thing too. Good!

Stream the new one in full here :)

― about:coffee (fandango), Sunday, 11 February 2007 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

i love her voice on limbo

― Surmounter (rra123), Sunday, 11 February 2007 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

i just love her so much. i'm sorry i'm getting all emotional.

― Surmounter (rra123), Sunday, 11 February 2007 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

Continuing my belated exposure to the Muses in general, I got Hips & Makers in the mail today. "Your Ghost" and "Houdini Blues" are as chilling as I remember. As for the rest, stay tuned.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 10 April 2007 00:33 (nineteen years ago)

― Jazzbo, Tuesday, 10 April 2007 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

lucky u

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 10 April 2007 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

I am, as she lives only 15 minutes from my home. I've seen her live surprisingly few times, however.

― Jazzbo, Tuesday, 10 April 2007 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

whaaat. that's hot.

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 10 April 2007 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

I'm planning on seeing her April 19 at the Narrows in Fall River, Mass. Supposedly she's appearing with a "full band with strings." Anyone know how many strings we're talking about? I can't imagine you can fit too many musicians on that tiny stage.

I'd guess what you'll see will be the same as on the recent UK tour - 50 Foot Wave (or Pussyfoot Wave as Kristin calls them in this situation) plus The McCarricks on violin and cello. You may also get The McCarricks as the opening act.

I saw the Manchester UK show and I'm very, very envious of you.

― ExtensionsOff, Tuesday, 10 April 2007 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

here we go. finally.

got my hands on a kh solo, Hips and Makers. Only 3/4 of a song into it, and i'm really, well, i don't even know how to finish this sentence.

"i think last night, you were driving circles around me"

bet it gets even better?

― Surmounter, Monday, 23 April 2007 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

Sundrops! woot!

― Surmounter, Monday, 23 April 2007 23:38 (nineteen years ago)

Alfred I think it was you who reminded of that Tanya song on RAmona, Not Too Soon - was that you? Such a good call.

― Surmounter, Monday, 23 April 2007 23:39 (nineteen years ago)

Strange Angels has more of the "Your Ghost" neurotic/obsessive/claustrophobic vibe than the remainder of Hips and Makers IMO. I'm with the OP's OP.

― wanko ergo sum, Monday, 23 April 2007 23:53 (nineteen years ago)

(I swear there was a period in '89 - '90 where I was R.E.M.'s #1 Fayunnn but Stipe has kinda ruined the wondrous "Your Ghost" for me these days.)

― wanko ergo sum, Monday, 23 April 2007 23:56 (nineteen years ago)

Recent introductees, do yourselves a favor and go buy Sunny Border Blue tonight.

― milo z, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 00:08 (nineteen years ago)

Strange Angels is really, really good. I'm so glad I bought it a couple of weeks ago. "A Loon" = scary.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 03:37 (nineteen years ago)

er, Hips & Makers, that is (I was listening to Laurie Anderson a few minutes ago).

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 03:43 (nineteen years ago)

omg A Loon is amazing

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 04:19 (nineteen years ago)

love that

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 04:19 (nineteen years ago)

OK so I like the strings on strings and voice, but I wish she had more sonic depth in places. i am intrigued by the songwriting, it seems meditative, deliberate. interesting to hear what pops out in more listens

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

OMG she's playing tomorrow night at the Bowery! who's going?

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 24 April 2007 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

honestly, i love A Loon, and i can't believe i get to see this woman tomorrow night. i just got this CD yesterday, and i've never seen her before!

― Surmounter, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 00:16 (nineteen years ago)

i saw her, talked to her and she signed her new CD to me and thanked me for coming.

what else can i say? night fulfilled.

― Surmounter, Thursday, 26 April 2007 05:01 (nineteen years ago)

um Learn To Sing Like a Star sounds GREAT.

i love that i recognize some of the hooks from the show.

― Surmounter, Saturday, 28 April 2007 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

Did you go buy Sunny Border Blue yet? Did ya? Huh, did ya?

― milo z, Saturday, 28 April 2007 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

i saw her, talked to her and she signed her new CD to me and thanked me for coming.

Colour me jealous! I saw her solo some years ago when I think only Hips & Makers was out, so she did some of that and some 'Muses songs, just her and an acoustic guitar sittin' on a stool. It was mesmerising and she told little stories in between the songs. Awesomely good.

― Trayce, Sunday, 29 April 2007 02:02 (nineteen years ago)

no i didn't! i have to.

i know, it was amazing. she signed her new CD and i left, but then i was like, wait a minute, kristin hersh is on the lip of the stage talking to people and i didn't even have her sign my name? so i went back and had her sign To Ramzi :-)

she had a "full band with strings" this time, and it sounded AMAZING - it felt so nice to hear the muses sound again, xcept with a whole lotta strings. the new album is also pretty much backed by a full band with strings, and it's a great combo of muses and solo acoustic sound. she produced it herself and i love how it sounds like it she did.

― Surmounter, Sunday, 29 April 2007 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

and let it also be said that she is SOOO nice and gracious ;-) i'm honestly a little overwhelmed by this new album. this sugarbaby song? my only thing is that sometimes the vox should be a bit louder. i just love the self-production, the density, the thickness of all the strings, guitars together. yay!!!

― Surmounter, Sunday, 29 April 2007 20:27 (nineteen years ago)

Me and my charms

wow.

― Surmounter, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 00:13 (nineteen years ago)

just saw her show here in austin, very nice. it was at a tiny venue, probably not much more than a hundred people (max. capacity for this place is 150, so it wasn't at all empty). the full band with strings was great, the last few times i've seen her it's been her doing solo acoustic sets.

it was mostly stuff from learn to sing like a star and hips and makers, but she did at least a couple of muses songs... white bikini sand and hook in her head. and possibly something from the new self-titled muses album that i don't have yet. and i was surprised to hear the letter in the encore... she prefaced it with "god i hate this song. they make me do it. if it were up to me, no. but..." it was so good though!

she's headed to the west coast at this point, you should all go see her.

― f. hazel, Thursday, 3 May 2007 05:25 (nineteen years ago)

I would love to hear a full band version of "Sundrops".

― Trayce, Thursday, 3 May 2007 07:25 (nineteen years ago)

i just did!

― f. hazel, Thursday, 3 May 2007 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe it was nearly 14 years ago that I took this photo of KH outside the ICA in London...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/133765068_db3e168a92.jpg

― Michael Jones, Thursday, 3 May 2007 08:40 (nineteen years ago)

Oh thats a gorgeous pic of her :)

― Trayce, Thursday, 3 May 2007 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

it really is, how sweet is that smile?

― Surmounter, Thursday, 3 May 2007 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

um so i can't stop talking about this but this new album is riDICulous. i mean CRAZY. she pins the drums up against the strings with her voice in the middle and it's devestating.

― Surmounter, Friday, 4 May 2007 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

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highest recommendations for Rat Girl, just a great book

― I painted my teeth (sleeve), Tuesday, 2 April 2024 14:31 (two years ago)

God I love her

― Mule, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 19:44 (two years ago)

same

― the absence of bikes (f. hazel), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 21:02 (two years ago)

I have her book about her relationship with Vic chestnutt but I couldn’t get very far. Anyone else read it?

― Comfortably numbnuts (Heez), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 21:14 (two years ago)

I haven't, but I can second the Rat Girl recommendation, it's an amazing memoir. I need to read the more recent one.

Hips and Makers finally getting a very overdue vinyl reissue (along with Strings) for RSD this year.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 22:49 (two years ago)

Never got around to Rat Girl, but I will

― Mule, Thursday, 4 April 2024 07:41 (two years ago)

one year passes...

she's the best

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW4JvnK6R6c

― papal hotwife (milo z), Saturday, 12 April 2025 07:19 (one year ago)

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