Throwing Muses - Sun Racket

  by Cila Warncke

published: 9 / 8 / 2020

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Review

Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly founded Throwing Muses in 1981, while in their first year of high school. Let that sink in. One of the most most formidable, influential alternative rock bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s was founded by 15-year-old girls. Step-sisters. As a story to dine out on, that’s hard to beat. What sets Throwing Muses apart from their (almost exclusively male) peers is they still rock. Forthcoming album 'Sun Racket' is, above all, a brilliant guitar record. Hirsh plays like her soul’s on loan to the devil; bold, grungy six string sorcery that begs to be played loud. Opener and lead single ‘Dark Blue’ whisks me to the rain-drenched, pot and pine-scented, flannel shirt-and-corduroys rural Oregon of my youth. "If I were a better dreamer," Hirsh sings, "you’d be a dream come true" – evoking a volatile mix of longing and resignation. Hersh and her long-time bandmates drummer David Narcizo and bassist Bernard Georges neither avoid nor pay homage to the band’s history. 'Sun Racket' has integrity, in the sense of internal consistency; specific gravity. The only tell, as it were, is the music’s tautness and precision. It is the sound of a band that’s had a decade, or a few, to work out the details, leaving it free to gowl, leap, prance and howl. In less than two minutes ‘St. Charles’ gives guitar master-class backed by drums echoing like the band is jamming in a (well-miked) empty warehouse. ‘Bo Diddley Bridge’ is an onimous, riff-driven tune for our time: "the bridge collapsing… who’s saving us?" The answer, it seems, is "no one." ‘Maria Laguna’ demonstrates the band is just as prepossessing at a slower pace; Hirsh’s low-toned storytelling underpinned by intricate guitars. ‘Sue’s’ loping bassline has a hint of 'Automatic for the People'-era R.E.M., which only serves as a reminder that Throwing Muses outlasted that outfit in terms of both chronology and credibility. While ‘Bywater’ offers the skewiff tale of a goldfish: "Don’t flush it,” she warns. “It’s Freddie Mercury… a moustached amputee>" Shifting moods and sudden detours are delivered in two and three minute bursts, sonic solace for teenage angst, and all the years after. 'Sun Racket' will be released on Fire Records on the 4th September 2020.

Track Listing:-

1 Dark Blue
2 Bywater
3 Maria Laguna
4 Bo Diddley Bridge
5 Milk At McDonald's
6 Upstairs Dan
7 St. Charles
8 Frosting
9 Kay Catherine
10 Sue's

Label Links:-

https://twitter.com/firerecordings
https://www.facebook.com/Firerecords
http://www.firerecords.com/
https://firerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/fire_records/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Firerecor