50 Foot Wave: songs that toss muses like tissues

In the world full of hyping, scheming and maximising products, top artists make albums every three years on average. The historical fact is that The Beatles first two albums came within eight months of each other. The demand on artists to ‘work’ albums is enormous and promotional/touring requirements so huge they really, even if they wanted to, can’t be more creative.

Radiohead have talked about bypassing this regime by releasing EPs every few months rather than albums every couple-plus years. Well, they’ve been bitten to it by Kristin Hersh and her new trio, 50 Foot Wave. One’s notion may be of an uber-frau, considering that she issued two albums in March 2003 - her fifth solo work, ‘The Grotto’ and first all-new Throwing Muses LP in seven years - touring for months and having her fourth child.

Anyhow, this eponymous mini-album contains six tracks in an attempt to keep things published frequently - every nine months. Backed by regular touring - 100 shows in the States alone a year are planned - that would keep things very interesting for listeners as well as the act. On evidence of the first fruit…

Hersh, augmented by Throwing Muses bassist Bernard Georges and drummer Rob Ahlers - sounds different, rawer, meatier, more defiant, all-out rocking. The general feel of the disc is punkoid, driven by guitar and wild-like-Iggy Pop vocals while the bass-drum combo marshals some serious cadences. ‘Bug’ lands the procession of feral noises that balances on the precipice of chaos.

The cohesive moment is Kristin who keeps a liberal reign over the songs: her vocal on ‘Clara Bow’ is such an interplay with music to keep it really raunchy, bouncy and blistering. If there was any justice and education in the world, as well as good taste - this should be Number One on the UN’s Hit-Parade and not that swearing idiot with an Irish name! It is also true that it could become less precious… We are elitists - let the charts wallow in its own regurgitated crap.

‘Long Painting’ is a huge scream of epic sounding proportion, ‘Glory Weed’ is more melodic and looser, almost getting stoner until it gets an injection worth of X-Ray Spex, it then gets proggy for a mo before it gets back on punky track! ‘Lavender’ keeps the pace of fury with passion and dedication, ‘Dog Days’ sounds like it’s ready to bite you!

‘50 Foot Wave’ is as colossal as its title but surfing it is delightfully rough, risky and life affirming.

A delicious 20 minutes of blast. A release of the week, if I know my muses [thrown or retained].

9/10