I doubt she'd thank me for it, but you could argue that - nearly two decades since she made her first record and (ulp!) 16 since your reviewer first saw her onstage with Throwing Muses - that Kristin Hersh is approaching 'veteran' status in this game.
The thing is, though, her recent activities don't just make a mockery of such a theory, but make a bonfire out of it and gleefully lob on petrol and matches to boot. If you want evidence, check out Ms.Hersh's 2003: give birth to fourth son....record first Throwing Muses album for yonks....record fifth solo album ("The Grotto")....undertake major tour to promote....move house across country. Bloody hell, just reading the itinery gives this writer the bends. Wasn't it Lou Reed who once noted: "My week beats your year"? For Kristin, it should read: "My year beats your decade!"
So, just when you think she might finally feel like a breather, she's instead gone off and formed a cracking new combo with Muses bassist Bernard Georges and drummer Rob Ahlers and they've already made their debut mini-LP. And are already undertaking a major US jaunt to see it into the world. Well, you would, wouldn't you?
Yes, you bloody well would, says Kristin, and you can only marvel at her modus operandi, as "50 Foot Wave" is a damn-near perfect, 20-minute introductory blast to her ace new project who rock seriously hard and more directly than the Muses ever did. Instead of making regular albums every 2 years like everybody else, they plan to let off these mini-LP fizzbombs every nine months or so, so be ready after the next pregnant pause.
Last year's, self-titled Muses album showed Kristin had rediscovered her love of the dirty electric guitar but it's with "50 Foot Wave" she's really hit paydirt. Things kick off with "Bug" and within seconds they've cranked up a sawn-off garage-y intensity Messrs.Mould, Cobain and Francis would love and apart from Kristin's gleeful riffing, Bernard Georges has slipped into his brilliant, counterpoint muscular bass action and Ahlers is making like a (disciplined) octopus on a bucket of PCP. Ace.
It gets better, too. "Clara Bow" veers towards Seattle territory and it's dead catchy and visceral. "Them bones were made to be broken", Kristin sings with vicious glee and the band switch up into a dangerous fifth and stay there for the duration of "Long Painting" as well, though this does also nod to arty, nervy Muses in places before bringing in a chorus that smacks you like a metal door in the face.
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"Glory Weed" initially brings a minor respite; it's swaggering opening riff coming on like ZZ Top meeting The White Stripes down a truly dark alley, but it soon buzzes into full-pelt mode and prepares you for the Johnny Ramone-ish ramalama riffing of the speed-gobbling "Lavender", which is blistering, harem-scarem fun all the way and gives Kristin a chance to finally let go of one of her trademark, kooked-out screeches.
After that, it's down to "Dog Days" to wrap up, which it does in fine style, scything away and opting for a staccato stagger and deranged standpoint closer to the Muses (almost like a heavier "Mania") than anywhere else on the album. Even here, though, the band have muscle in reserve and the record ends in a blaze of glory with Kristin screaming "Don't touch me, I don't know where you've been", like any sensible girl who listens to her Mum would. Smashing.
So, after almost 20 years in this messy business, is "50 Foot Wave" the sound of Kristin Hersh slipping into drssing gown and slippers and slurping cocoa around the fire or the sound of Kristin Hersh once again doing incredible things with guitars, bass, drums and bug-eyed vocals, only this time with added in-your-face spice? Think you already know the answer to that rhetorical question. As introductions go, "50 Foot Wave" is a veritable tsunami.
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