Throwing Muses: C-o-D

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wrongness combined with arrogance sucks

― Surmounter, Friday, 23 February 2007 01:31 (seventeen years ago) link

Alfred, you need the first Muses album. I hate to jump and say it's better than the other albums, but it sure seems like it counts more, it's more emotional. It's just too important to miss. God I can just hear "Call Me" in my mind right now. The entire album is awe-inspiring from start to finish. I remember when I first heard them I thought they were strange, not annoying but strange, and then I began to understand there were hooks in that strangeness, and I was hooked. Maybe that's why I still like the first album the most because it was such a shock going from a non-Muses world to one in which they existed. They were truly one of a kind.

Come on folks - back me up here, isn't the first album the best?

As for Hunkpapa, it occurs to me F.Hazel is exactly on the money about the stale production. That's got a lot to do with why that album is so inferior despite several fine tracks which were so much more fun live (Mania was my fave btw). But at the time I never thought much about production so I could never put a finger on what was wrong there. By golly, that's it!

― Bimble, Friday, 23 February 2007 05:34 (seventeen years ago) link

first album's my favorite, with 'chains changed' ep as my aux favorite

'house tornado' / 'fat skier' are in the footsteps of the debut, 'hunkpapa' was the first attempt to simplify the production & density of songwriting to go pop, and it's got many great songs, but in hindsight it's a warmup for 'ramona'

still love the 2003 s/t muses reunion, most of the strongest songs are in the 2nd half

― Milton Parker, Friday, 23 February 2007 05:44 (seventeen years ago) link

i'd put house tornado on the same level as the first album, and they both have great followup EPs as well... chains changed and the fat skier. university and limbo are really great too! i probably prefer them to the real ramona and red heaven. as albums. every one of their albums has great songs.

i need to get the newer eponymous one and see how it sounds. the new kristin hersh i'm not sure about yet. loved the grotto however.

― f. hazel, Friday, 23 February 2007 06:12 (seventeen years ago) link

bimble i had no idea!

i seem to be in the minority then, liking the production on Hunkpapa - I did used to have a problem with the production of House Tornado.

i've only heard bits and pieces of the first album - i know. the real ramona is beautiful and i like limbo a lot. i need to revisit the thick of university - bright yellow gun has a way of steamrolling you through to Snake.

the 2003 Throwing Muses is awesome.

― Surmounter, Friday, 23 February 2007 06:33 (seventeen years ago) link

Man, I need to get The Real Ramona. Hunkpapa was the first one I heard, and I liked it, though "Fall Down" is the only song on it that I really love, and there's nothing on it with quite the same power as, say, "Call Me." But to be fair, I could say that about a lot of albums I love.

― clotpoll, Friday, 23 February 2007 07:42 (seventeen years ago) link

Should I buy the first album? Its reputation scares me, slightly.

And get the In A Doghouse version (2 CDs), which has Chains Changed and some demos and some newly recorded (at the time) stuff.

― nickn, Friday, 23 February 2007 08:07 (seventeen years ago) link

Definite classic.

I love The Real Ramona, Limbo and their comeback album, but my favourite of all were The Fat Skier and House Tornado. Never really liked Hunkpapa, perhaps I should give it another listen.

― Xochipilli, Friday, 23 February 2007 16:43 (seventeen years ago) link

Note to self: hit eBay / illegal channels of procurement to find Red Heaven w/ live disc & the House Tornado / Fat Skier twofer. & maybe dust off the TM CDs you just unpacked there, spanky.

― David R., Friday, 23 February 2007 16:56 (seventeen years ago) link

Don't see anything wrong with the Xgau quote. He doesn't like the music, and even if that dislike stems from something he's projecting onto it, he's still entitled to his opinon, which he articulates clearly. The association of the Muses/Hersh with Lovecraft/Nin/Galas doesn't seem entirely off-base to me (Galas being the biggest stretch), and I say that as a fan of all of 'em.

Anyway, I'm with those who rate the first album (and the even better Chains Changed EP) slightly higher than even the best of what followed.

― Pye Poudre, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:05 (seventeen years ago) link

There are definitely a few singular moments on the 1st album that need to be heard. That screamed "Welcome home!" still gives me goosebumps, even though I know it's coming.

― dlp9001, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:16 (seventeen years ago) link

milton's post speaks for me. as far as faves go.

also otm is live mania blowing away album version. but this is true of most throwing muses songs. one of the great live rock bands of my time. 12 inch with live mania and santa claus b-sides is one of the most invigorating things i own. santa claus easily in my top ten of muses songs. maybe top five. ahhh, it kills. first saw them live right before house tornado came out and i should have carved the date on my arm. (there is a tape i made of that show around somewhere. as well as radio IDs they did for me and my radio show. never been more petrified of meeting people in my life. i was a wreck.)

― scott seward, Friday, 23 February 2007 17:30 (seventeen years ago) link

By some strange twist of fate, I saw the Muses live more times than any other band. I don't know how to explain this except that they toured a lot and I went anytime they did a show within 2 hours of where I lived. I talked to them a few times, they seemed like nice people.

For some reason I never got around to getting the In The Doghouse thing. I had the demos on a cassette, so I didn't feel the urgency, but I always planned to get it someday. Wanted to kick myself when it was mentioned here. I don't recall the demos being all that earth shattering, though.

― Bimble, Saturday, 24 February 2007 18:03 (seventeen years ago) link

i love how they leave such room for re-investigation.

― Surmounter, Sunday, 25 February 2007 02:54 (seventeen years ago) link

OK so i'm listening to the 2003 Throwing Muses and i'm on a deadline but i'm getting into it so much i had to post.

anyone empthasize? the burn of the guitars, with the harmonies. yum.

― Surmounter, Saturday, 3 March 2007 13:05 (seventeen years ago) link

I find I like TM overall much more now than I did "at the time." I quite liked Hunkpapa when it came out, but never ran across anyone else who seemed to (odd since I was living in Boston). And Real Ramona had those great, great singles.

Last year I finally got around to listening to Sleater-Kinney. I'm not sure I should be making any connections, but when I did start listening to TM again, I found it much more rewarding -- I was getting something out of Hersh and not just standing against the wall, watching the crazy boho chick.

― mitya, Saturday, 3 March 2007 18:47 (seventeen years ago) link

lol... vast difference though! sleater has never been my cup of tea...

― Surmounter, Saturday, 3 March 2007 19:30 (seventeen years ago) link

Updates...

I bought Hunkpapa a few days ago...I will agree with F. Hazel and bimble that the production: when it's not oppressive (I totally understand why "Mania" would kill live; the album version made me wonder why Hersh is yelling so goddamn much) it's vulgar (the synth tinkles that underpin a depressing number of songs). "Dragonhead" strikes me as second-rate Donnelly, a rehearsal for the twinkle-twinkle-little-star moments on Star and King.

The best tracks: "Dizzy"s killer hook, "Fall Down" (the line about showing a girl her stitches and starting a rock and roll band is unexpectedly poignant), and "No Parachutes."

Still no pox on The Real Ramona[i/] or [i]University.

Next: the s/t, yes?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 22:01 (seventeen years ago) link

mmm... Dizzy and Red Shoes are all I need, but I needs 'em good.

― rogermexico., Tuesday, 13 March 2007 22:41 (seventeen years ago) link

short answer: classic
long answer: ...yeah, still classic

― get bent, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:23 (seventeen years ago) link

The Tom of 2001 could easily get a job with the Guardian, writing like that.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:24 (seventeen years ago) link

one month passes...

I DON'T REMEMBER
I DON't REMEMBER
IF I SAW GOD HERE OR NOT

― Noodle Vague, Monday, 30 April 2007 01:28 (seventeen years ago) link

Hhahahahahaha! You know it! Don't make me pull out my CD's!

― Bimble, Monday, 30 April 2007 01:35 (seventeen years ago) link

The entire album is awe-inspiring from start to finish. I remember when I first heard them I thought they were strange, not annoying but strange, and then I began to understand there were hooks in that strangeness, and I was hooked. Maybe that's why I still like the first album the most because it was such a shock going from a non-Muses world to one in which they existed. They were truly one of a kind.

So so so so OTM.

I remember when I first heard them, it was "Cry Baby Cry" (their original, not the beatles cover). I was appalled and fascinated in equal measure, I didn't know what to make of the strange all over the place time signatures and her cracked voice.

Then it sunk in like a spooked strange bad dream you kinda like thinking back over all the time because it makes you feel all weird on the inside in a secret good way.

― Trayce, Monday, 30 April 2007 01:44 (seventeen years ago) link

just got another copy of Real Ramona in the mail... mine was roughed up. so excited.

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 01:49 (seventeen years ago) link

i have to sleep tangled in my families hair build a house of something and grow a mask and something and something i can't sayit

she was my head in 1989. she was in my head

― Noodle Vague, Monday, 30 April 2007 01:52 (seventeen years ago) link

u know what's been in my head for like a week?

kissing you's like kissing gravel, it feels like getting off, kissing you's like sinking down into the mud - you look better upside down. you look better lying down.

is limbo underrated?

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 02:05 (seventeen years ago) link

I have to write an essay/review this week. A very educational thread.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 30 April 2007 02:06 (seventeen years ago) link

ooh i wanna read

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 02:21 (seventeen years ago) link

He
Wont ride in cars anymore
It reminds him of
Blowjobs
That he's a queer
And his hair
Stuck to the roof over the wheel
Like a pigeon on a tire
Goes around
And circles over circles...

That song's always been very strange to me, what is it about? Why did they used to refuse to perform it?

― Trayce, Monday, 30 April 2007 02:52 (seventeen years ago) link

(When I saw them live once mind you they did - and they did Delicate Cutters!!! Best night ever)

― Trayce, Monday, 30 April 2007 02:53 (seventeen years ago) link

Limbo always seems to be forgotten.

'Serene', 'LIMBO' and 'Ruthie's Knocking' are songs that most other bands would kill for.

― SeekAltRoute, Monday, 30 April 2007 11:54 (seventeen years ago) link

not to mention cowbirds, which was my fav for a while. but tar kissers takes the cake for me.

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 12:01 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm a big fan of Limbo.

― Colonel Poo, Monday, 30 April 2007 12:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Tar Kissers is awesome. "kissing you's like kissing gravel, it feels like getting off" :D

― Trayce, Monday, 30 April 2007 12:04 (seventeen years ago) link

yeah, tar kissers is like the epitome of what "hook" means to me. that whole fucking song is a hook.

yeah limbo's great. if i were to like tweak it, i'd add some synths in the middle there :-)

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 12:25 (seventeen years ago) link

u put cake down my throat and in my face, what can i give you? what can i take?

omg orgasm

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 14:31 (seventeen years ago) link

OH, and SHARK

SUBLIME!!!

'i could kiss you for remembering my birthday, you should thank me for remembering your name'

― Surmounter, Monday, 30 April 2007 14:41 (seventeen years ago) link

so house tornado. i like it but the production kills me.

― Surmounter, Thursday, 3 May 2007 16:44 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm working on my essay now; this thread has proven quite helpful.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 3 May 2007 16:48 (seventeen years ago) link

good i'm so excited alfred!!!

― Surmounter, Thursday, 3 May 2007 16:55 (seventeen years ago) link

That song's always been very strange to me, what is it about? Why did they used to refuse to perform it?

"vicky's box" is pretty clearly about a closeted gay man, no? "I feel boxed in, home is where the heart lies, etc"

also, the doghouse demo version of it rules.

― Edward III, Thursday, 3 May 2007 17:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah that is kind of what I thought.

― Trayce, Thursday, 3 May 2007 20:53 (seventeen years ago) link

That's the trouble: her songs aren't very clear about anything. I mean, they portend more than they limn situations.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 3 May 2007 20:57 (seventeen years ago) link

very true

― Surmounter, Friday, 4 May 2007 00:17 (seventeen years ago) link

that has KINDA bothered me before but everything else was just so untroubled that i've ignored it

― Surmounter, Friday, 4 May 2007 00:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I have heard one (1) song by this band. Because of this thread I am getting more.

― Curt1s Stephens, Friday, 4 May 2007 00:24 (seventeen years ago) link

seriously

― Surmounter, Friday, 4 May 2007 00:35 (seventeen years ago) link

wat song?

― Surmounter, Friday, 4 May 2007 00:44 (seventeen years ago) link

Personal blissful TM fave of mine: "Flood", from University.

Fly, and you get high, right?
Fly, you'll get by, alright?
Oh god I'm high...

I fucking love that song. It is so joyous.

― Trayce, Friday, 4 May 2007 00:51 (seventeen years ago) link

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