Wrinkle In Time

At the risk of severe understatement, I think we can all agree that the quality of Frank Black's solo work is uneven at best. At fourteen albums and counting, his solo catalog dwarfs that of the Pixies, yet all but the most die-hard fans can't help but feel that his best years are behind him. That said, the man is one of the masters of indie rock songwritng, and there are moments on his solo albums that rival anything he accomplished with his distinguished band.

Teenager of the Year has always been my favorite of his solo albums, and though it's somewhat bloated at 22 tracks, there are great moments spread throughout the disc. "Headache" is one of them; a perfect piece of jangle-pop with vivid imagery and an oddly optimistic sound considering the subject matter. It's also noteworty for being prescient about the Myspace phenomenon at least a decade before it emerged ("I thought about my space, and it really got me down...").

This one's for Audrey Le, who introduced me to the song and was a huge factor in broadening the musical horizons of a hip-hop obsessed teenager. Thanks, Aud.

The Mumlers release long-awaited debut

Our favorite local band The Mumlers release their debut album Thickets and Stitches on Galaxia Records today. It has been a supremely interesting experience watching the band grow over the past few years, and I believe they are headed for big things. Here's a one-sheet I wrote for their press package a few months ago:

Galaxia Records is proud to present Thickets and Stitches, the debut album from Bay Area indie rock ensemble The Mumlers. The band is comprised of seven talented multi-instrumentalists, including frontman and songwriter Will Sprott. Their sound is comprised of wry, witty lyrics and traditional rock instrumentation tastefully embellished by more unusual elements including swelling brass, plaintive slide guitar, and just a touch of accordion. Like most good things, the band began as a lark; Will recruited a few friends to help him demo some of his original compositions. The current lineup coalesced during these informal basement recording sessions, which became their charming self-released/self-titled EP. Low-key performances at dive bars and art galleries brought them local attention and overwhelmingly enthusiastic word-of-mouth praise. The band’s refreshing blend of lighthearted stage presence and seriously well-crafted songs soon won them fans all over the west coast, including accolades from the press and inclusion in the prestigious Bleeding Edge and Noise Pop festivals. They have played shows with such indie stalwarts at Yo La Tengo, Clinic, Money Mark, and label-mate Tommy Guerrero.
Thickets and Stitches is a portrait of a young band in love with music, exploring the various textures of the rock genre and creating something satisfyingly original. There are crowd-pleasing mid-tempo rockers ("Red River Hustle"), mesmerizing ballads ("The Hinge’s Lament"), call-and-response soul stompers ("Shake That Medication") and songs that defy easy categorization. The result is an entertaining, accessible work of art that music lovers of all stripes are going to fall in love with.
In an effort to maintain warmth and spontaneity, the album was recorded live to 2-inch tape with minimal overdubs. Though the writing and producing was handled within the group, they sought the singular talents of The Legendary Stardust Cowboy (bugle) and Sarah Jo Zaharako of Gojogo (violin) to flesh out their sound. The majority of tracks were recorded at Snowghost studios in rural Whitefish, Montana by engineer Brett Allen. Additional material was recorded close to home at the studio of Jarrod Dandrea. Some time later the tracks were mixed by Thom Monahan (past clients include Brightblack Morninglight, Devendra Banhart, and Vetiver) at the Hangar in Sacramento, CA. Mastering was handled by J.J. Golden (Calexico, Rachel’s, etc.) at Golden Mastering in Ventura, CA.

You can listen to tracks and catch up on band news at www.myspace.com/themumlers or purchase an album here: www.galaxia-platform.com