VIOLENT FEMMES
''WE CAN DO ANYTHING''
MARCH 4 2016
30:28
********************
01 - Memory 03:04
02 - I Could Be Anything 03:42
03 - Issues 03:05 (Gordon Gano, Kevin Griffin, Sam Hollander)
04 - Holy Ghost 02:35
05 - What You Really Mean 03:51 (Cynthia Gayneau)
06 - Foothills 02:43 (Gordon Gano, Sam Hollander, Dave Katz)
07 - Travelling Solve Everything 02:58
08 - Big Car 02:55
09 - Untrue Love 03:16
10 - I'm Not Done 02:12
Tracks By Gordon Gano, Except 5
********************
Paul Cebar/Guitar (12 String Electric)
Gordon Gano/Banjo, Guitar, Vocals
Blaise Garza/Bass, Contrabass, Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
Jeff Hamilton/Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion, Six String Banjo, Ukulele, Vocals
Kevin Hearn/Accordion, Guitar, Organ, Piano, Vocals
Brian Ritchie/Acoustic Bass Guitar, Vocals
John Sparrow/Cajon
Brian Viglione/Drums, Percussion, Vocals
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The Violent Femmes spent the bulk of the 21st century either touring their old hits or suing each other over the proper royalty payment of said hits. Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie buried that hatchet in 2012 and reunited the following year, losing drummer Victor de Lorenzo after those 30th anniversary concerts -- but the pair soldiered on, recording We Can Do Anything, the band's first album of original material in 16 years, with Dresden Dolls drummer Brian Viglione. We Can Do Anything doesn't bear any signs of outright animosity: Gano sounds as twitchy as ever, always poised on the brink of apoplexy, either at himself or some piece of nonsense, while Ritchie shouts back in solidarity or sarcasm. The years have turned the Femmes' rare ballads into something sweet and bruised -- "What You Really Mean" is as romantic and affecting as this group has ever gotten -- and that functions as a nice counterpoint to the numbers where the geekiness feels studied, pushing the tunes toward the realm of novelty. This delicate balance of tone always proved to be a problem for the Violent Femmes -- declarations of angst and galloping cowboy numbers begin to curdle past their sell-by date -- but even if the middle-aged Gano and Ritchie can't resist the clarion call of drunken sea shanties or tunes better suited for a kids records, they do know how to use their craft to not only sharpen the songs themselves, but the record. Even when things get silly on We Can Do Anything, the silliness blows on by, headed toward a bit of revved-up folk or unexpected introspection, and those twists are what makes the album worth hearing.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
The textbook American cult band of the 1980s, the Violent Femmes captured the essence of teen angst with remarkable precision; raw and jittery, the trio's music found little commercial success but nonetheless emerged as the soundtrack for the lives of troubled adolescents the world over. The group formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early '80s, and comprised singer/guitarist Gordon Gano, bassist Brian Ritchie, and percussionist Victor DeLorenzo. Ritchie originated the band's oxymoronic name, adopting the word "femme" from the Milwaukee area's slang for wimps. After being discovered by the Pretenders' James Honeyman-Scott, the Violent Femmes signed to Slash and issued their self-titled 1983 debut, a melodic folk-punk collection which struck an obvious chord with young listeners who felt a strong connection to bitter, frustrated songs like "Blister in the Sun," "Kiss Off," and "Add It Up." Though never a chart hit, the album remained a rite of passage for succeeding generations of teen outsiders, and after close to a decade in release, it finally achieved platinum status.
Hallowed Ground
With 1984's Hallowed Ground, Gano's lyrics began to reflect his devout Baptist upbringing, while the Femmes' music approached more traditional folk and country structures. Produced by Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison, 1986's The Blind Leading the Naked advanced toward a more mainstream sound; a cover of the T. Rex chestnut "Children of the Revolution" even became a minor hit. After the record's release, the Femmes temporarily disbanded: Gano recorded a self-titled 1987 album with his gospel side project the Mercy Seat, while Ritchie issued a series of solo LPs including 1987's The Blend and 1989's Sonic Temple & Court of Babylon for SST. (I See a Noise appeared on Dali Records in 1990.) In 1989, the group resurfaced with 3, followed by 1991's Why Do Birds Sing?, which featured the Femmes' deconstructionist cover of Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"
Add It Up (1981-1993)
Following the release of the 1993 compilation Add It Up (1981-1993), DeLorenzo exited the Violent Femmes to resume the solo career he began two years prior with the release of Peter Corey Sent Me; his sophomore effort, Pancake Day, appeared in 1996. Former Oil Tasters and BoDeans drummer Guy Hoffman was tapped as DeLorenzo's replacement in time to record 1994's New Times for Elektra Records, which proved their sole release for the label. Rock!!!!! was released in 1995 on Mushroom Records only in Australia; the live Viva Wisconsin followed on the American indie label Beyond in 1999, trailed early the next year by a new studio effort, Freak Magnet. In the spring of 2001, the Femmes released their first MP3-only album, Something's Wrong, through the website EMusic.com; it collected an assortment of rarities, including covers, acoustic live tracks, alternate versions, demos, and the like. In 2002, Rhino/Slash reissued their debut as a two-disc deluxe edition that featured 22 previously unreleased tracks, followed by Permanent Record: The Very Best Of in 2005.
We Can Do Anything
The Violent Femmes closed out 2005 with a New Year's Eve show featuring all three original members and Guy Hoffman. This union was punctured in 2007 when Ritchie filed a lawsuit against Gano, seeking proper accounting of royalties while also claiming he was denied credit for songwriting; additionally, he stated Gano licensed "Blister in the Sun" for use in a Wendy's commercial without permission. During the lawsuit, the Violent Femmes managed to release a single -- a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," appearing in June of 2008 -- but the tensions caused the group to split in 2009. Ritchie and Gano settled out of court in 2012 and the Violent Femmes reunited in 2013, playing a number of shows, including a slot at that year's Coachella festival, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their landmark debut. Following these shows, drummer Victor DeLorenzo departed acrimoniously -- in a statement, he claimed "In regards to my history with the Violent Femmes, the dream never quite got there" -- and was swiftly replaced by Brian Viglione, a drummer with the Dresden Dolls. Over the next couple of years, this lineup played frequently and released a four-song EP for Record Store Day in 2015, a teaser for the full-length We Can Do Anything in 2016. By the time that album appeared in March 2016, Viglione had resigned from the band.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************
''WE CAN DO ANYTHING''
MARCH 4 2016
30:28
********************
01 - Memory 03:04
02 - I Could Be Anything 03:42
03 - Issues 03:05 (Gordon Gano, Kevin Griffin, Sam Hollander)
04 - Holy Ghost 02:35
05 - What You Really Mean 03:51 (Cynthia Gayneau)
06 - Foothills 02:43 (Gordon Gano, Sam Hollander, Dave Katz)
07 - Travelling Solve Everything 02:58
08 - Big Car 02:55
09 - Untrue Love 03:16
10 - I'm Not Done 02:12
Tracks By Gordon Gano, Except 5
********************
Paul Cebar/Guitar (12 String Electric)
Gordon Gano/Banjo, Guitar, Vocals
Blaise Garza/Bass, Contrabass, Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor)
Jeff Hamilton/Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion, Six String Banjo, Ukulele, Vocals
Kevin Hearn/Accordion, Guitar, Organ, Piano, Vocals
Brian Ritchie/Acoustic Bass Guitar, Vocals
John Sparrow/Cajon
Brian Viglione/Drums, Percussion, Vocals
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The Violent Femmes spent the bulk of the 21st century either touring their old hits or suing each other over the proper royalty payment of said hits. Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie buried that hatchet in 2012 and reunited the following year, losing drummer Victor de Lorenzo after those 30th anniversary concerts -- but the pair soldiered on, recording We Can Do Anything, the band's first album of original material in 16 years, with Dresden Dolls drummer Brian Viglione. We Can Do Anything doesn't bear any signs of outright animosity: Gano sounds as twitchy as ever, always poised on the brink of apoplexy, either at himself or some piece of nonsense, while Ritchie shouts back in solidarity or sarcasm. The years have turned the Femmes' rare ballads into something sweet and bruised -- "What You Really Mean" is as romantic and affecting as this group has ever gotten -- and that functions as a nice counterpoint to the numbers where the geekiness feels studied, pushing the tunes toward the realm of novelty. This delicate balance of tone always proved to be a problem for the Violent Femmes -- declarations of angst and galloping cowboy numbers begin to curdle past their sell-by date -- but even if the middle-aged Gano and Ritchie can't resist the clarion call of drunken sea shanties or tunes better suited for a kids records, they do know how to use their craft to not only sharpen the songs themselves, but the record. Even when things get silly on We Can Do Anything, the silliness blows on by, headed toward a bit of revved-up folk or unexpected introspection, and those twists are what makes the album worth hearing.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
The textbook American cult band of the 1980s, the Violent Femmes captured the essence of teen angst with remarkable precision; raw and jittery, the trio's music found little commercial success but nonetheless emerged as the soundtrack for the lives of troubled adolescents the world over. The group formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early '80s, and comprised singer/guitarist Gordon Gano, bassist Brian Ritchie, and percussionist Victor DeLorenzo. Ritchie originated the band's oxymoronic name, adopting the word "femme" from the Milwaukee area's slang for wimps. After being discovered by the Pretenders' James Honeyman-Scott, the Violent Femmes signed to Slash and issued their self-titled 1983 debut, a melodic folk-punk collection which struck an obvious chord with young listeners who felt a strong connection to bitter, frustrated songs like "Blister in the Sun," "Kiss Off," and "Add It Up." Though never a chart hit, the album remained a rite of passage for succeeding generations of teen outsiders, and after close to a decade in release, it finally achieved platinum status.
Hallowed Ground
With 1984's Hallowed Ground, Gano's lyrics began to reflect his devout Baptist upbringing, while the Femmes' music approached more traditional folk and country structures. Produced by Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison, 1986's The Blind Leading the Naked advanced toward a more mainstream sound; a cover of the T. Rex chestnut "Children of the Revolution" even became a minor hit. After the record's release, the Femmes temporarily disbanded: Gano recorded a self-titled 1987 album with his gospel side project the Mercy Seat, while Ritchie issued a series of solo LPs including 1987's The Blend and 1989's Sonic Temple & Court of Babylon for SST. (I See a Noise appeared on Dali Records in 1990.) In 1989, the group resurfaced with 3, followed by 1991's Why Do Birds Sing?, which featured the Femmes' deconstructionist cover of Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"
Add It Up (1981-1993)
Following the release of the 1993 compilation Add It Up (1981-1993), DeLorenzo exited the Violent Femmes to resume the solo career he began two years prior with the release of Peter Corey Sent Me; his sophomore effort, Pancake Day, appeared in 1996. Former Oil Tasters and BoDeans drummer Guy Hoffman was tapped as DeLorenzo's replacement in time to record 1994's New Times for Elektra Records, which proved their sole release for the label. Rock!!!!! was released in 1995 on Mushroom Records only in Australia; the live Viva Wisconsin followed on the American indie label Beyond in 1999, trailed early the next year by a new studio effort, Freak Magnet. In the spring of 2001, the Femmes released their first MP3-only album, Something's Wrong, through the website EMusic.com; it collected an assortment of rarities, including covers, acoustic live tracks, alternate versions, demos, and the like. In 2002, Rhino/Slash reissued their debut as a two-disc deluxe edition that featured 22 previously unreleased tracks, followed by Permanent Record: The Very Best Of in 2005.
We Can Do Anything
The Violent Femmes closed out 2005 with a New Year's Eve show featuring all three original members and Guy Hoffman. This union was punctured in 2007 when Ritchie filed a lawsuit against Gano, seeking proper accounting of royalties while also claiming he was denied credit for songwriting; additionally, he stated Gano licensed "Blister in the Sun" for use in a Wendy's commercial without permission. During the lawsuit, the Violent Femmes managed to release a single -- a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," appearing in June of 2008 -- but the tensions caused the group to split in 2009. Ritchie and Gano settled out of court in 2012 and the Violent Femmes reunited in 2013, playing a number of shows, including a slot at that year's Coachella festival, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their landmark debut. Following these shows, drummer Victor DeLorenzo departed acrimoniously -- in a statement, he claimed "In regards to my history with the Violent Femmes, the dream never quite got there" -- and was swiftly replaced by Brian Viglione, a drummer with the Dresden Dolls. Over the next couple of years, this lineup played frequently and released a four-song EP for Record Store Day in 2015, a teaser for the full-length We Can Do Anything in 2016. By the time that album appeared in March 2016, Viglione had resigned from the band.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************
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