“I Write Music for Soundtracks Now”
Shudder to Think “Gang Of $” “Ballad Of Maxwell Demon”
I’ve been on a Shudder to Think tear lately, so wanted to share a little taste. They were one of the few bands from the indie scene that actually got better when they switched over to a major label, going from Dischord to the Sony Empire–although it seemed to do them little good. My earliest memory of Shudder to Think was as a band pushed hard, and quickly discarded, by Los Angeles’ powerhouse alt-rock station, KROQ.
There’s evidence out on the Interweb that some folks consider 1994’s Pony Express Record–now out of print in the States–to be a sort of epochal yet forgotten release, but “IRL” I don’t think I’ve met anyone else who cares. It remains one of my favorite records of the 90s.
“Gang Of $,” off that saidsame album, shows off their collage of the popular and the sub-popular: tribal, kick-heavy drumming by Adam Wade; taut, pulsating bass work from Stuart Hill to keep everything rocking; turn-on-a-dime song structures that nod to the prog; Nathan Larson’s short attention span lead squiggles and stadium-sized windmills throwing off sparks of grandeur equal parts glam and postpunk; winks and pleas, swoons and smiles, sass for miles from singer Craig Wedren, all Freddie Mercury gone punk, I mean, soul.
So it’s big rock, groovy, unquestionably off–even the lyrics are a tug of war between some kind of surrealistic urban tuff and a real, earnest need.
In 1998 the Shudder crew was tapped to do their best Bowie in the service of Todd Haynes’ glam cinema opus Velvet Goldmine, as film scoring became more of a main gig for both Wedren and Larson. They responded with a pair of titanically catchy slices of alien pop, “Hot One” darker and “Ballad Of Maxwell Demon” light.
That opening riff feels all-time great, Larson’s epic harmony guitars climbing up and down the scale. The idea of pitch-shifted backing vox sounds awful, but the execution of them on this song sounds right-on. Wedren’s vocal performance splits the difference between subtle and ridiculous–he’s feeling every line 100%, even though it’s all spaceships, ladytrons and solar love.
Urgent and key: the sexy sass (again) of “the slap on my ass by a lipstick-kissed elbow glove.” Basically, everything’s clicking, and the answer is “effervescence.”
Pony Express Record at Amazon. (and at iTunes.)
Velvet Goldmine soundtrack at Newbury Comics. (and at iTunes.)
yay! i especially love STT’s work off the Velvet Goldmine Soundtrack!
have you heard Nate’s new band, Hot One?
Also great… Craig’s work on Wet Hot American Summer’s soundtrack. (Wet hot indeed!)
Comment by celeste — January 11, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
Haven’t heard Hot One yet, but it’s on the list. I thought Craig’s music on Wet Hot American Summer was great, and I’ve always been a little disappointed that there was never a soundtrack album released. His cameo in the movie was also, erm, impressive.
This is a little boring, but if anyone cares, I ran into Craig Wedren the day I bought my favorite guitar. This was probably 1999. The guitar’s a red Epi Dot (ES 335 copy) that I got from Sam
GoodyAsh in the Sunset 5 Plaza. Craig was enjoying some coffee from Buzz by himself (I think), so I did the fan geek thing, said hi and gave him props for Pony Express Record and the Velvet Goldmine stuff. When I apologized for bothering him, he said something like, “I’m always happy to get pats on the back. There have been too many hard knocks lately.” (This was around the time that stories about his Hodgkins disease were out in the music media.) I took off when a companion, an attractive dark-eyed woman if I remember correctly, joined him at his table.In fact, I can make this more boring and inside: I’d actually driven past Craig the day previous to the above coffee interruption. I was on the way from work to the gym (yeah, that worked out) when I passed him walking down Melrose near Paramount Studios. I sort of reflexively smiled and waved, and he gave me a bemused/puzzled look. (You don’t randomly run into someone two days in a row in L.A.)
And I’m still a huge geek.
Comment by Wayne — January 11, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
sam goody used to sell guitars? i forgot about that place. ahh the old days…a wherehouse in every strip mall and a sam goody right next to it. never had any music you wanted though–except Verve Pipe! Man they rocked!
Speaking of running into people, I was at a NYE comedy show this past 12/31 (Galifanakis, Posehn, etc) and who was right next to me, er my knees? Scott Ian (?), you know beardy from Anthrax!? I asked him about Shudder to Think, in anticipation of this comment, and he said he too had ran into him at buzz one time. Just kidding, I did not ask him anything, but your story reminded me of my most recent band member siting!
Comment by robb — January 11, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
I meant Sam Ash. Thanks, Robb, yr my fact-checkin’ cuz. At least recently. I need as many fact-checkin’ cuzes as I can get.
Comment by Wayne — January 11, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
oh, i thought goody might actually have sold guitars (you know, goody got it!). there was a point there where they seemed to try and sell everything related to music, they looked like a radio shack swallowed a tower records, then divided itself. though, Sam Ash did cross my mind later on…their on line store has Ric strings for like $4!
anyway, speaking of music, I got a band i can’t decide how much i hate, or if i actually like them as a guilty pleasure….hmmm…they combine coldplay vox with (that should be enough to hate right there, rights?) with… i dunno, one song sounds like wilco’s via chicago. I really shouldn’t like the sad yells toward falsetto, but i kinda like The Silent Years. god, i am lame and old. right?
Comment by robb — January 12, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
I think you should like what you like and not second-guess yrself. Althought I know what you mean about being torn as to whether something bugs you or you love it or not. I pick love over hate, so maybe you should just ignore their Coldplayisms as much as you can and enjoy.
Comment by Wayne — January 12, 2007 @ 12:59 pm
but have you heard them?
Comment by robb — January 12, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
Haven’t. Or maybe I heard an mp3 once and went “meh” and forgot about it.
Comment by Wayne — January 12, 2007 @ 4:01 pm