Throwing Muses: C-o-D

written at age 18 iirc, just amazing

incredible song. love that album so much

all time opening couplet

"I could be a smack freak
and hate society
I could hate God
and blame dad"

Just an astounding song. The emotional power blows you away. Such an incredible band.

A shout out to Leslie Langston’s bass play on the early albums as well. Such melodic lines.

I think she's a senior social worker in MA these days!
Yep: https://medical.mit.edu/find-a-provider/leslie-langston
Extraordinary player, fully half the appeal of the Muses' early records to me.

That’s awesome.

I watched some of those YouTube videos where the video maker plays along with records on his bass, and the guy tackled a couple of early Muses songs. Ofc it was fun to hear the bassline brought out front, but also: iirc he freely admitted it was a bit puzzling and hard, and LL came along in the comment field going something like "hi! the reason that bit doesn't quite work is because you need to use the thumb from the top of the fretboard at the same time you see". This was couple of years ago or something?

Ha, that’s excellent. Just a natural, free-floating coolness to these guys.

In the mid 90s I interviewed them for a no-circulation music zine - in Australia - and when they toured they invited me and a friend to the band room after, gave us drinks and cigarettes, Bernie showed me how to open a bottle using another bottle … it was a blast and they were such nice folks. K was a bit reserved after delivering a huge show but I probably would have passed out if I’d talked to her.

Fun fact: I played "Hate My Way" for my family on or about Xmas day, from my phone. In boring moments we've developed a game where one nominates "the best song ever", choosing something fresh each time. This might have been the first time there were demands that such a selection be turned off lol.

jesus christ I told my same little fan boy story twice in the same thread, wow cool guy

I love K. Hersh pretty much across the board. Saw her a couple years ago with Bob Mould and she remains a compelling presence.

For Muses particularly, of course yes to University ("Bright Yellow Gun" already mentioned upthread) but for many persons of my age and class and temperament, there is an iconic scene in Empire Records set to the song "Snakeface." It is a memorable one.

all time opening couplet

"I could be a smack freak
and hate society
I could hate God
and blame dad"

the next song's opening line is right up there too.

"He won't ride in
Cars anymore
It reminds him of
Blowjobs"

xp I've also thought "Hate My Way" is the "best song ever" at times, but it's definitely something that would freak out normies.

I think Limbo is their best album after the debut. It's always been underrated coming after University, made worse by its absence from streaming due to being on Ryko. It has my favorite rhythm guitar tone ever-- shimmery, surfy, just perfect

My dad brought Limbo home to me from a work trip to Chicago (we lived in Norway) when I was 12, after an older cousin had bought University for my birthday the year before. Those records (as well as Doolittle, which the same cousin bought me for Xmas the same year) rewired my brain.

My college station played "Bright Yellow Gun" a few times in early '95 (approximately as much as they played Belly's "Seal My Fate"), but it's hard to tell what their profile was like. Was University a thing in alterna-music circles?

J. Sam otm re the guitars on Limbo. The solo on The Field, god yes.

Was University a thing in alterna-music circles?

It certainly was in the Boston area, lots of play on WFNX.

seems like it got a decent promotional push — makes sense since Belly and the Breeders had broken through to some extent. i saw a pretty under-attended show on the University tour though.

University came right after Belly/Breeders for me and was just what I needed. I vividly remember the big Rolling Stone story on Throwing Muses, with its, uh, provocative photos (that few magazines would dare to stage now).

I miss the all-consuming fervour I used to feel for this band

The go listen to their entire catalog in a row, it'll reignite it.

I found Red Heaven in a pawn shop and tried it because I knew there was some connection to Belly, who I was a big fan of. “Pearl” won me over big time.

It's a great song. I recommend their 2003 self-title for more of that giant-wave vibe.

Limbo is the last one that I spent time with, but I don't remember a lot of it. University was the big one for me, and the first one. I had a shirt with a bright yellow gun on it which I probably wouldn't wear today.

Saw Kristin and Vic Chesnutt in Atlanta. If I remember right, they both had acoustic guitars and would go back and forth, trading songs. Very, very good.

I had the same shirt and thoughtlessly put it on a few days after the Port Arthur gun massacre (which was near my city). Had to retreat into a bathroom and flip it inside out when I realised the looks were not from Throwing Muses fans.

So I sit up late in the morning
And ask myself again
How do they kill children?
And why do I wanna die?
They can no longer move
I can no longer be still

^chills down the spine at that part

am down with a Throwing Muses listening thread

yes please

I don't know if the "Mr. Huberty" reference in "Hate My Way" is common knowledge (I only learned about it a few years ago), but he's the man responsible for a 1984 mass shooting at a McDonald's in California:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ysidro_McDonald%27s_massacre
This song still rattles me every time I listen to it, after 30+ years...

Matt I think I was at that 94 show too - there was merch that I recall was a tomato or apple on the front of the tshirt? And I was mad I couldnt buy one cos I hadn't brought any extra money with me (which seems bonkers but in those days I didnt drink).

I also have the red bright yello gun tshirt ha.

hi guys, this revive made me dig out my old external drive so i could hear limbo again. thank you for the discussion and reminder of this masterpiece! it's such a monolithic album of 90s indie-ness and every goddamn song is arranged so incredibly perfect. it rocks out, it does ballads, classic jangly chamber pop, and a whole lot of heart. the way a lot of the songs just drop and change direction is so disorienting and exhilarating —— i could kiss you for remembering my address for crying out loud. i know i talk a big mess about the first album being kristin's definitive statement (and i probably will ride with that in the end); but if that album was unrefined, unfiltered, unadulterated chaotic kristin, limbo is all of those things polished over and made to be the best versions of themselves. i used to ride hard for "tar kissers" and swore up and down that was the pinnacle of this era. but listening now, i have at least 5 tracks that i could see saying the same exact thing about (and none of them are "tar kissers" — though that one still smashes). i was wanting to pick a song to put on my radio station playlist, but i can't narrow it down further than half of the damn album! is limbo her best work? dunno, but it sounds better than ever.

(and it has one of the prettiest/best hidden tracks ever with "white bikini sand")

i had some extras saved on that drive and i wanted to play you guys the demo of "serene" (retitled here "serene swing") so i had to upload it to youtube—
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c94BhagMCP4

i guess if forced to pick a single favorite track right now, it's definitely "serene." the original album version is pretty nice chamber pop and one of the album's calmest moments. "serene swing" though — !!?!?! clattering and just the complete opposite of everything about the finished version. really dig the crazy horse vibes. this fucking woman. what an absolute titan.

i have not the language to convey what i'm saying here so i'm just going to spit—

that transition from "shark" to "white bikini sand" just has something so entirely period specific to it. like there's certain media or technology that we sometimes say, "well that could have only worked in the (time period)." and i think about that transition "shark" is ultimately a rewarding song, but it's noisy, kind of dissonant. it ends on a long fadeout, an unsure coda. then "white bikini sand" comes in and is nothing but steady pleasant vibes. and it works so perfectly that the only cliche i can come up with is that it only would worked in the 90s.

I love Limbo too, it hit hard after a run of slightly diminishing, more cluttered albums and they came back ripped and focused as a trio. Everything about this record is a reinvention, down to the artwork, and I fell in love with them all over. Favourite is probably the title track, so apocalyptic and off-kilter, but it's ALL gold. Also loved the fast version of Teller they played on the tour.

slightly disappointed that, of all the times i've seen kristin in all of her various roles, they've never played anything from limbo.

Ignore my stupidity, of course University was a trio album as well, but Limbo was much gnarlier and more muscular.

def feels like a lost album these days (so does the kind of contemporaneous bob mould self titled album on ryko)

also hi again, sorry for tangent--

if you like the more orchestrated, multi-parted beach boys-esque turns mid song, and more of kristin's wry, yowling narratives and you've never dug into her albums sky motel and sunny border blue, do yourself a favor and visit/revisit. it's almost like an epic spiritual trilogy in hindsight -- that was basically her trajectory from 96-02: limbo-> sky motel-> sunny border blue. each album gets a bit more reflective and rootsy until sunny border blue contains a few songs about her old band and ends with pure catharsis on "listerine." gives me chills just thinking about it. anyway, yeah: those albums maybe don't ROCK as hard, but are definitely part of the same universe as limbo. highly recommended.

jeez she has a new album and I didn't even know

(Clear Pond Road released on May 30th)

New Music Announced

The new Throwing Muses record “Moonlight Concessions” is done, teaser single coming soon. Thank you Strange Angel listener supporters for helping us stay musically idealistic in an industry that prefers vanity and product. It’s everything to us. pic.twitter.com/I8x5frTyro

— Throwing Muses (@throwingmuses) October 23, 2024

listening now. it's good and comforting to hear her. "albatross" is great.

this is good but I don't know how this isn't just a Hersh solo album; is David even on it?

yeah, it definitely feels like more of her album, but muses are touring so idk if dave is still on board. info is sparse.

but again: regardless of what name she's using, the album is good.

Seing them (or is it only her?) in Oslo in two weeks.

The guitar tone in The Field is the greatest ever.

Per a Reddit thread, the current tour is Hersh, Pete on cello, her son Dylan on bass and Fred Abong on drums. They sound pretty flat in the performances I saw on YouTube. Not sure if I’d want to go tbh.

I am so glad you posted this - they're playing in Glasgow tonight and I only found out about 30 mins ago and I was feeling really annoyed I had completely missed any news about it