Throwing Muses

About

There are two self-titled albums by the Throwing Muses. Throwing Muses (1986) The first was their 1986 debut album, and was the first by an American band released on british independent record label 4AD. It can also be found referenced as "Untitled." All the songs were written by Kristin Hersh, with the exception of "Green", written by Tanya Donelly. Allmusic calls the album a "powerful debut" whose "startling collision of punk energy, folky melodicism, and Kristin Hersh's mercurial voice and lyrics...puts the work of most self-consciously 'tortured' artists to shame." The review praises the record's "fluid, effortless emotional shifts"--also described as "violent, vibrant mood swings". Throwing Muses (2003) The second self-titled album was recorded over three weekends and released simultaneously with Kristin Hersh's solo record The Grotto. This release is shown titled as "Uses" on Kristin Hersh's website, while the Wikipedia entry lists it as the only version that is self-titled. (The 1986 release is shown as "Untitled".) The band features Bernard Georges on bass and David Narcizo on drums as well as original bandmate Tanya Donelly on backing vocals. Allmusic refers to Throwing Muses as "a rare band that had continued to make vibrant and vital music well after a decade of existence." The review praises "the unexpected shifts of tempo, created by the extremely undervalued and unique rhythm section" along with "Hersh's sorcerer-like control over her guitar" -- with "serpentine twists, rush-inducing gusts of noise, straightforward riff shards".

via Last.fm