Customer Reviews

Hunkpapa

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is probably my least favorite Throwing Muses album; I've always been frustrated by the "wet-blanket" production, giving the whole thing a muted, stifled sound. The most egregious example of this is on the song "Take", which sounds limpid and laconic; not at all like the Muses (note: a *vastly* superior live version of this song is on the hard-to-find _The Curse_ live album, and is also on the "Freeloader" single). The horns contribute absolutely nothing. Also stunting this album are what I consider Tanya Donnelly's two worst songs, the embarassingly twee "Angel" and pointless "Dragonhead". Okay, maybe "Dragonhead"'s not totally irredeemable, but it's easier just to lump the two together. ;-)

Okay, now for the good news. Cock-ups aside production-wise, most of the songs themselves are still great. The hidden blessing in having stifling production values is that the *songs* really come through, if they're there (and they are, of course). That's the cool thing about each Throwing Muses album sounding quite different; not having a particular *sound* really forces the *songs* themselves upon you, if you're listening. That's something I've really learned to appreciate more recently, the more I listen. _Hunkpapa_ has many classics; Devil's Roof, Bea, the surprisingly infectious Dizzy, Fall Down, and Mania (in spite of cheesy horns); great, great songs. And I'd like to add, for myself, the hooky, syncopated No Parachutes, which has always been one of my favorites although rarely cited by others for some reason. Also, this album has some of Kristin's best lyrics, intricate and evocative.

One other great thing about this record: Leslie Langston's basslines! Although the production makes the overall sound a bit mechanical, Leslie's incredible bass countermelodies wind around so tightly with their impeccable patterns and propel the songs along wonderfully. I'd say that getting _Hunkpapa_ just to behold Leslie Langston's awesome bass prowess is a good enough reason by itself!

One of the first video clips of the Throwing Muses , " Juno " , showed little more than some images of a woman sitting or making bread - her face remained hidden - plus some clips from one of their live shows . Still it was a suffocating experience , somehow frightening and at the same time highly addictive .

There are moments of similar beautiful intensity in " Hunkpapa " . The speedy " Mania " is one . Hersh's perfomance is so powerful and psychotic . Furthermore " Devil's Roof " is well-written and with a great refrain , " I'm Alive " displays how wonderfully the sweet vocals of Donelly can be combined with Hersh's arresting voice while " Bea " with it's changing speeds and magic melancholia is the album's ultimate highlight . The rest of the tracklist though is not as stong , incuding " Dizzy " a song Hersh herself doesn't sound that proud of really ... " I wrote the song Dizzy to play the game " she said in an interview . " We did House Tornado which was this record on this other planet , really insular and complicated and female . At the time we thought we were just a rock band then everyone heard it and flipped out , especially our american label who said ' why do you have to sound so much like the Throwing Muses ' . We thought ' ok we'll give them a stupid song ' so we did this terrible song and remixed it on this terrible way ... " Not that the song is that bad really - it's just that it's rather harmless for a band which has such a devoted fanbase for being the exact opposite .

The key question concering the Muses and records like " Hunkpapa " today though is whether there is a possibility of an important number of new listeners in the near future . The answer unfortunately seems to be no . Music fans younger than twenty - twenty five will probably not even remember once million selling Belly let alone the Throwing Muses of the 80's and as much as i enjoy 50th Foot Wave and Tanya Donelly's solo albums , i'd wish the band members and 4ad would give some more energy promoting their excellent back catalogue . The Pixies have recently released a best of recollection , a dvd and finished a great reunion tour - all of which gathered important media attention and gave the chance to a new audience - including myself - to get to know and love their music , even now , more than a decade latter since it's initial release . God knows how much albums like " The Real Ramona " , " University " and even " Hunkpapa " deserve similar recognation .

I have been wild about Throwing Muses, since being introduced to the Real Ramona. When I finally got my hands on Hunkpapa (not an easy find in the deep south)I was elated. However, this isn't one of my favorites. If I wanted to introduce someone to the Muses,I would use "LIMBO" or "UNIVERSITY". This is not for an infant Muses fan...this has to be for a fan who appreciates their other work. Songs like "Bea" and "Dizzy" are phenomenal songs and I think the Muses always deserve lots of respect for their musical diversity. Kristin is amazing as always....

I used to love to throw this (tape) into a serious powered mixing board LOUD about an hour before school. Driving drums and bass parts..thrashing guitars, and pretty..sometimes Very pretty vocals...What a mix ! I guess my favorite song is Dragonhead..(which has a nice, tuneful guitar part) .. but its all good. I recommend it to anybody and dont feel i should try to compare it to anybody else.

okay, so whoever produced this did a [bad] job....they tried to take the muses and make them pop, which is close to impossible....i think their record copy tried to mold them into something they're not, and you can tell the muses fight it tooth and nail on this album.....kristin hersh is just brillant, no other way to describe her work....

My first and only owned 'Muses release, though I have other stuff on tape. I picked this up senior year in college a few months after its release over 20 years ago, having already picked up "Doolittle" from labelmates Pixies that July. Sucked into Kristin Hersh's mirror-universe lyrics and the acoustical fury from the opener, "Devil's Roof", I found each track afterward as or nearly as strong, with Tanya Donnelly's contributions (especially "Dragonhead) pointing already to the subversive pop characterizing her future work with the Breeders and Belly. If you need to pick one 'Muses release to own, this is it.

HUNKPAPA was the third album of Throwing Muses, a riotous foursome of young New Englanders who were the first American signing to the legendary British label 4AD, the inspiration for a number of rock acts, and one of the most terribly underappreciated bands for the general public. David Narcizo is one of the stand-out drummers of all time, jumping across complicated times with ease and eschewing cymbals for a highly individual sound. Leslie Langston on bass complements Narcizo to form a rock-solid rhythm section (this was to be her last album with the Muses). And of course, the duo of half-sisters Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donnelly on guitar swung between savage songwriting based on Kristin Hersh's bi-polar disorder and the somewhat unsettling sweetness of Donnelly.

On HUNKPAPA, Throwing Muses are generally in fine form. Among the songs Hersh contributes is "Bea", apparently the memoirs of a desparate prostitute, one of the Muses' finest songs in its combination of surprisingly coherent lyricism with a sublimely elegant musical arc. "Fall Down" is a classic example of Hersh's slower style, while "Mania" goes to the other extreme in describing the frenzy of mental illness. The 37 second-long "Say Goodbye" is one of the album's more mysterious tracks, but this brief acoustic interlude appeared in a wild electric expansion on the Muses' following album THE REAL RAMONA. Donnelly, on the other hand contribues the fine "Dragonhead". The musicianship here is, as can only be expected of these four, of the highest quality. The guitars on the thrilling closer "Santa Claus" never fail to impress me, and as always I find myself asking why Narcizo hasn't garnered more respect from the drumming world.

The only real downside to HUNKPAPA is the bland production. The band was pushed into making a more audience-friendly album this time around, and two tracks, "Dizzy" and "Take", lamely feature syrupy horns. On the former, the song in general is pap which Hersh is somewhat embarassed about now, while on the latter one has to listen deeply to hear how the song might have been in the hands of a more competent producer. The razorsharp edge of THROWING MUSES and HOUSE TORNADO was taken away here, and it never really ever came back afterward.

While I find that no single Throwing Muses album is perfect--you have to collect them all to see just how great this band was overall--HUNKPAPA is one of their most solid efforts in terms of songwriting. Worth checking out for those who find the Muses appealing.

EARLIER MUSES AT THEIR CRANKING BEST. SECOND ONLY TO UNIVERSITY FOR THEM. BUY IT AND SEE

Dizzy is, and has been for 20 years, my favorite Throwing Muses song. There are other good ones and I'm always a fan of alternate/early versions of songs so I like having a shortened version of Say Goodbye.

F Yeah..Southern New Wave mixed with the Midwest..Kristen Hersh's the gravelly voiced sexy Southerner or is it Midwesterner, while Tanya Donelly's the girl who we all want to protect with her voice..Her songs are soft-spoken and whispered pop mixed with angry (mean and soft guitars...) angst at times, while Kristen's voice is angry and (mean guitars mixed with beautiful acoustic..) needy and knowing and sexy..The Southern and mean and sweaty acoustic "Devil's Roof" The passionate and painful song that follows it all show Kristen (and Tanya..) to be a poetic(and musical) (This is one of my favorite bands.) genius. .Go buy this..It is unbeliveably craft-ed..