THE BREEDERS – CANNONBALL (4AD)
A song such as “Cannonball” now feels like something of a mutant occurrence from the past. It was most noticeable at the Shellac All Tomorrows Parties event in 2002 when as the event submerged and drowned in an alternative nation of cool but unlistenable acts and their material when the Deal twins hit home with “Cannonball” the festival had its one bona fide moment of true pop success legacy. Later that night as I slept in my bed a roving gang of indie hoodlums decided to gather in the green forecourt of our chalet complex and moo out the intro of the song en mass. It sounded as if the world was ending.
Complete with Jim McPherson on drums and Josephine Wiggs on bass this was the classic Breeders lineup. Pod may remain their best album but this was when they were at their tightest as a band unit.
In a way it culminated when they band were dragged onto MTV and New Year’s Eve night as the station showed its infamous Nirvana Live And Loud concert which was initially accompanied by a few short support moments from The Breeders and Cypress Hill. For The Breeders to have raised this high in the ranks of music was genuinely astounding and a subtle victory for the alternative side of proceedings in the music wars. Of course this wasn’t realised at the time, as a dumb teenager this just felt like the natural placing for the band, to be on TV at this time. Obviously when the station reshows the concert now The Breeders are nowhere to be seen.
“Cannonball” is a song of many layers. From the distinguished vocal distortion of Mrs Frampton goes lo-fi onto the breath holding pint glass click track and eventually the bass bar opening, this is how you start in unconvention. Once the track gets in full flow and grinds a groove it is as bouncy as indie can get without getting ruined. Then all goes apeshit at the chorus. Sheer fucking perfection. It doesn’t even have to use whole words, mere vowels do the job.
Elsewhere for the win I always loved the cover version of “Lord Of The Thighs” by Aerosmith which sung by Josephine Wiggs came stoked in subtle perversion. I had a crush on her for years before I discovered she wouldn’t be into me anyway (yeah, as if ever). This was dark and nasty.
It ends with “900” which feels like being at the beach in the dark and feeling positively haunted by memories and reminiscence with its dense strings interwoven with bass playing and curiosity. At one point I thought life was always going to sound as good as this.
Everyday give yourself a little present.
Thesaurus moment: apogee.
The Breeders
4AD
A song such as “Cannonball” now feels like something of a mutant occurrence from the past. It was most noticeable at the Shellac All Tomorrows Parties event in 2002 when as the event submerged and drowned in an alternative nation of cool but unlistenable acts and their material when the Deal twins hit home with “Cannonball” the festival had its one bona fide moment of true pop success legacy. Later that night as I slept in my bed a roving gang of indie hoodlums decided to gather in the green forecourt of our chalet complex and moo out the intro of the song en mass. It sounded as if the world was ending.
Complete with Jim McPherson on drums and Josephine Wiggs on bass this was the classic Breeders lineup. Pod may remain their best album but this was when they were at their tightest as a band unit.
In a way it culminated when they band were dragged onto MTV and New Year’s Eve night as the station showed its infamous Nirvana Live And Loud concert which was initially accompanied by a few short support moments from The Breeders and Cypress Hill. For The Breeders to have raised this high in the ranks of music was genuinely astounding and a subtle victory for the alternative side of proceedings in the music wars. Of course this wasn’t realised at the time, as a dumb teenager this just felt like the natural placing for the band, to be on TV at this time. Obviously when the station reshows the concert now The Breeders are nowhere to be seen.
“Cannonball” is a song of many layers. From the distinguished vocal distortion of Mrs Frampton goes lo-fi onto the breath holding pint glass click track and eventually the bass bar opening, this is how you start in unconvention. Once the track gets in full flow and grinds a groove it is as bouncy as indie can get without getting ruined. Then all goes apeshit at the chorus. Sheer fucking perfection. It doesn’t even have to use whole words, mere vowels do the job.
Elsewhere for the win I always loved the cover version of “Lord Of The Thighs” by Aerosmith which sung by Josephine Wiggs came stoked in subtle perversion. I had a crush on her for years before I discovered she wouldn’t be into me anyway (yeah, as if ever). This was dark and nasty.
It ends with “900” which feels like being at the beach in the dark and feeling positively haunted by memories and reminiscence with its dense strings interwoven with bass playing and curiosity. At one point I thought life was always going to sound as good as this.
Everyday give yourself a little present.
Thesaurus moment: apogee.
The Breeders
4AD
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