Throwing Muses
Anthology
4AD CAD3101
Release date: 19th September 2011
You need something in your life that is both beautiful and necessary.
Beautiful might not be pretty, and necessary might not be understood.
The New Wave was the last occasion when great music and chart music could be considered one and the same thing. From 1980 everything that mattered dwelt in the underground, the alternative choosing to work to its own agenda as the mainstream became swamped in painful mediocrity, only occasionally touched by grace. In these shadows, one of the growing number of independent labels that drove this change was 4AD. Inauspiciously born, it struggled to find its feet, but slowly gained purpose and direction by embracing the post-punk deconstruction and assembling a roster of bands not only remarkable for their innovation and dark, addictive beauty but also their brutal rejection of hapless conformity. Its releases were dressed in gorgeous packages, each one an event; an occasion to celebrate music as the one art form that could lift your soul to the gods. By 1983 4AD had become a trademark of quality, everything they produced worthy of investigation, worthy of proclamation, worthy of respect.
Days change, and three years on the scene had started to mellow, so the net was cast abroad to the USA. Two bands were signed who it was hoped would renew the energy and fight that, alarmingly, had begun to ebb at home. Of these, Pixies went on to change the world, their crunching, helter-skelter anthems inspiring nascent global superstars Nirvana and the consquent grunge scene. Throwing Muses just changed lives.
The Rhode Island four-piece were the first signed, with their debut album thrown out in 1986, and suddenly all of the boundaries changed. Steal the emotion from every soul record and the pain from the blues, drape them over shards of broken glass and you can come close to capturing the essence of this remarkable record. Dominated by the mesmerising vocals of Kristin Hersh crashing through tidal guitars and driven by a worryingly authoritarian rhythm section, Throwing Muses was at once a scream of pain and a creation of utter beauty.
So began the Muses' crooked journey. Two more startling albums followed before the question of whether the band could match the jagged glory of their debut was casually brushed aside by 1991's sublime The Real Ramona, desolate perfection. Having scaled unimagined heights, the record's aftermath only threw up more questions. Though Hersh had composed the majority of the Muses' songs, her sister and fellow guitarist Tanya Donelly had generally added a couple of tracks per album: if less cutting, still barbed and helplessly captivating. Now Donelly was to depart the band, along with bassist Fred Abong, leaving Hersh and drummer David Narcizo to face an uncertain future. 1992's Red Heaven was a majestic riposte; the heart of the band remained and it obviously pumped as painfully as ever. Drafting in original bassist Leslie Langston to aid the recording process, this was the Muses' most muscular album, though its impelling toughness did not obliterate the moments of delicate beauty that graced all of the band's work.
With the creative world at their feet, it was commercial reality that was to stop the Muses in their tracks. Almost. 1994 saw the release of Hersh's first solo album, Hips And Makers, revealing a gentler approach to her music, and the release met with considerable success; in contrast the band was struggling to bring in enough revenue to sustain its existence. 1995's University, with new bassist Bernard Georges, unveiled a more contemplative mood, with the following year's driving Limbo marking the end of Throwing Muses as a going concern.
Hersh continued to release a series of solo abums and Narcizo experimented with Lakuna, but the band was never completely wound up and 2003 saw the release of a new album which had been recorded two years earlier and titled (again) simply Throwing Muses. Beautifully packaged by 4AD, whose glory years were otherwise long behind it, this was a stunning record and the band promoted it in the UK with some vibrant shows; the Astoria, for one, full beyond bursting. Was this the final goodbye? Thankfully not. To mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the debut album, 4AD commissioned the release of an anthology with the tracks chosen by the band. Packaged in artwork designed by Narcizo and accompanied by an essay written by Hersh this was to be no greatest hits collection, but a personal gathering of some very special moments. Again heralding a UK tour, the chosen songs were ones the band would be able to play to their loyal audience and, as such, did not contain a single one of Donelly's creations, making the finished article not a complete representation of what Throwing Muses were, but a snapshot of what Throwing Muses currently are.
All tastefully remastered, two tracks from the debut album (1986), two from the Chains Changed EP (1987), one from the 4AD compilation Lonely Is An Eyesore (1987), three from The Fat Skier mini LP (1988), two from House Tormado (1988), one from The Real Ramona (1991), two from Red Heaven (1992), two from University (1995), three from Limbo (1996) and two from Throwing Muses (2003) make up the first disc of Anthology with the second disc given over to the harder to find B-sides. On the whole it is a staggering collection of works, like nothing else on earth yet rooted in the very frailties of humanity and the ongoing trials of existence. Of course, every fan will be shaking their head at the omission of some of their favourites. 'Delicate Cutters', 'Hook In Her Head' and 'Pearl' would grace any record ever made, but accompanying this is the relief that we have included 'Hate My Way', 'A Feeling', 'Furious', 'No Way In Hell' and 'Tar Kissers'. The debate will rage.
If you are new to Throwing Muses' work then buy Anthology. If not, then buy it anyway as it captures one of the greatest ever bands on one of the greatest ever record labels all wrapped up in a fabulous package.
Beautiful and necessary. In fact, magnificent.
1. Garoux Des Larmes
2. Finished
3. A Feeling
4. Marriage Tree
5. Fish
6. Hate My Way
7. No Way In Hell
8. Colder
9. Tar Kissers
10. Mr. Bones
11. Limbo
12. Summer St.
13. Furious
14. Bright Yellow Gun
15. Pretty or Not
16. Flying
17. You Cage
18. Two Step
19. Vicky's Box
20. Mania
21. Cry Baby Cry
