Throwing Muses return and sing songs aquatic; toasting the dark blue of the water, the bywater
viewed from Bo Diddley bridge? The bridge collapsing, the water waiting – who is saving us?
Returning with their signature sound, the legendary Boston trio release new album ‘Sun Racket’
on September 4, 2020 on Fire Records.
‘Sun Racket’ has always been geographical. It started as a New Englander in California. A West
Coast sound at New England scale then it travelled to the East Coast and the elements got more
aggressive with deeper roots.
When they made last album ‘Purgatory/Paradise’ a few years ago, they were shattered. Pieces
were coming and going, elements repeating and charging the whole. “It sounded beautiful
jumping around like that”. Two-minute songs reappearing as twisted instrumentals or another
song’s bridge. They mimicked the effect live which kept them on their toes. Whatever was
happening was already over in other words.
‘Sun Racket’ is the opposite. It refused to do anything but sit still. It says, “sit here and deal”.
“All it asked of us was to comingle two completely disparate sonic vocabularies: one heavy noise,
the other delicate music box. Turns out we didn’t have to do much. Sun Racket knew what it was
doing and pushed us aside, which is always best. After thirty years of playing together, we trust
each other implicitly but we trust the music more” – Kristin Hersh
An outpouring of modal guitars, reverbed shapes, echoey drums and driving bass set behind
Kristin Hersh’s well-thumbed notebook of storylines and haunting vocals that get into your
psyche.
Hersh’s songwriting are like a poison pen letter revealing terrible secrets.
“I don’t regret a single drop of alcohol” ‘Milk At McDonald’s admits. This is tell-all phone-in radio,
these are everyday stories, the puzzles of life.
“The devil has no soul” closing cut, the mysterious ‘Sue’s’ explains.
“Pioneers of the 80s/early 90s college rock sound” Pitchfork
“One of America’s finest guitar bands” The Quietus
“A ground-breaking band who changed the face of alternative music rather than follow the rule
book.” MXDWN
And so, they continue. Business unusual.
Track list
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
Listen to the first single, Dark Blue.