2008
Summary: In January, Janet, Jon Langford, Sally Timms, and others perform at a Hurricane Katrina Benefit in New Orleans. In March, Freakwater play two shows, underwritten by a group of fans, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In May, Janet remarries. In July, Freakwater open for She & Him on an east coast tour. The Horse's Ha record their debut record and play at least a half-dozen shows over the course of the year. Catherine works, along with a cadre of artists, to assemble "The Exquisite City", a exhibition at the Chicago Tourism Center, of an sprawling, imaginary cityscape. Eleventh Dream Day headline the Ears and Eyes festival, perform on WXRT's Live Eclectic broadcast, and begin writing songs for their next record.
2008.01 Thrill Jockey releases their artist compilation, Plum.
freakwater.net review:
Recall Sheila Sachs’ poison-greeting-card art for Freakwater’s 2005 Thinking of You LP, and you will understand the packaging of Plum, the new Thrill Jockey 7” vinyl-only box set, which she also designed. (This newly-released collection contains twenty Thrill Jockey artists covering the songs of seventeen Thrill Jockey artists). The collection presents itself pleasingly, as if it were a box of woman’s stationery - open the lid, and you’ll see on the records’ sleeves pictures of fruits on a creamy white background - some halved, showing their pits, some still clustered together on their branches. But something is wrong here: These plums are overripe and unappetizing; not completely wilted, but definitely past the point where you’d want to take a bite. Finally, when you start spinning the discs, the metaphor hits - this is music similarly neglected, well past the point of desirability by consumers who hunger instead for something mass-produced and familiar. For those who actually have the stomach to ingest Plum , there’s nothing left to do but let these neglected fruits ferment and try to get a little high off the bitter brew.
Freakwater bring their version of The Zincs’ “Passengers” here. Recorded by Paul Oldham in Louisville , these two-and-a half minutes give us the first-ever (and uncredited) harmonica on a Freakwater track. Also, Janet Bean plays her new mandola, possibly pointing the way to the sound of any future Freakwater recordings.
Freakwater enjoys the distinction of being covered three times on these records, rather than just once like the rest. Thalia Zedek fleshes out “Flat Hand” (from Springtime) – singing the quiet parts more quietly and the louder parts more loudly, sounding a little like something from Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night. Her effort treats Freakwater’s music as a blueprint, loaded with potential and possibilities for expansion. Bobby Conn’s “Washed in the Blood” is, (shudder), disco-esque, with Electric Light Orchestra-violin parts and plinking children’s toy instruments. Is he an admirer who wishes to present Freakwater in his own idiom, or is his goal total mockery and ridicule? Considering that it’s Bobby Conn, the answer to both questions is probably “yes”. Meanwhile, Califone, the band that supported Freakwater and helped make Thinking of You happen, give “Jewel” their signature earthy, airy treatment. They don’t transform the song so much as simply present it in their own way.
Taken as a whole, Plum is the kiss-off letter that will never reach its intended reader: The music consumer who has no consciousness of the independents. Ironically, it’s up to the record-bin divers with the dusty analog equipment to drink up the bitterness this little box offers. It’s alright, though; it’s a homebrew many have learned to appreciate. There are plenty of people who like their fruit from the pot nine days old, so here is a place for Plum.
freakwater.net review:
Recall Sheila Sachs’ poison-greeting-card art for Freakwater’s 2005 Thinking of You LP, and you will understand the packaging of Plum, the new Thrill Jockey 7” vinyl-only box set, which she also designed. (This newly-released collection contains twenty Thrill Jockey artists covering the songs of seventeen Thrill Jockey artists). The collection presents itself pleasingly, as if it were a box of woman’s stationery - open the lid, and you’ll see on the records’ sleeves pictures of fruits on a creamy white background - some halved, showing their pits, some still clustered together on their branches. But something is wrong here: These plums are overripe and unappetizing; not completely wilted, but definitely past the point where you’d want to take a bite. Finally, when you start spinning the discs, the metaphor hits - this is music similarly neglected, well past the point of desirability by consumers who hunger instead for something mass-produced and familiar. For those who actually have the stomach to ingest Plum , there’s nothing left to do but let these neglected fruits ferment and try to get a little high off the bitter brew.
Freakwater bring their version of The Zincs’ “Passengers” here. Recorded by Paul Oldham in Louisville , these two-and-a half minutes give us the first-ever (and uncredited) harmonica on a Freakwater track. Also, Janet Bean plays her new mandola, possibly pointing the way to the sound of any future Freakwater recordings.
Freakwater enjoys the distinction of being covered three times on these records, rather than just once like the rest. Thalia Zedek fleshes out “Flat Hand” (from Springtime) – singing the quiet parts more quietly and the louder parts more loudly, sounding a little like something from Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night. Her effort treats Freakwater’s music as a blueprint, loaded with potential and possibilities for expansion. Bobby Conn’s “Washed in the Blood” is, (shudder), disco-esque, with Electric Light Orchestra-violin parts and plinking children’s toy instruments. Is he an admirer who wishes to present Freakwater in his own idiom, or is his goal total mockery and ridicule? Considering that it’s Bobby Conn, the answer to both questions is probably “yes”. Meanwhile, Califone, the band that supported Freakwater and helped make Thinking of You happen, give “Jewel” their signature earthy, airy treatment. They don’t transform the song so much as simply present it in their own way.
Taken as a whole, Plum is the kiss-off letter that will never reach its intended reader: The music consumer who has no consciousness of the independents. Ironically, it’s up to the record-bin divers with the dusty analog equipment to drink up the bitterness this little box offers. It’s alright, though; it’s a homebrew many have learned to appreciate. There are plenty of people who like their fruit from the pot nine days old, so here is a place for Plum.
2008.01.05 Brett Eugene Ralph's Kentucky Chrome Review, featuring Catherine Irwin, play the Air Devil's Inn, Louisville.
2008.03.21 Freakwater superfans living in Chattanooga, Tennessee host Freakwater for two shows, one a the Barking Legs theater on Friday and a private show on Saturday. Here's a clip from Friday:
2008.03.22 Multi-instrumentalist Jon Spiegel, who was performing with Freakwater in Chattanooga, sat down to chat. Download an abbreviated transcript:
| a_conversation_with_jon_spiegel.docx |
2008.03.25 The Horse's Ha open for the Mekons at Schuba's, Chicago.
2008.04.16 Catherine Irwin plays the Harry Smith Festival at the Pour Haus, Louisville.
2008.06.21 The Horse's Ha play Schuba's, Chicago.
2008.04.29 Jolie Holland, in an interview, cites Freakwater as an influence.
2008.06.28 The Horse's Ha play Corbett v. Dempsey, Chicago.
2008.07 Freakwater open for She & Him on their east coast tour. Wednesday, July 23, The Opera House, Toronto, Ontario; Thursday, July 24, Academy of Music Theatre, Northampton, Massachusetts; Friday, July 25, Trocadero Theatre, Philadelphia; Saturday, July 26, Terminal 5, New York City; Monday, July 28, Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, North Carolina; Tuesday, July 29, Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, Georgia.
2008.07.29 Freakwater completed their week-long opening slot for She & Him, M Ward and Zooey Deschanel’s pop project, at the Variety Playhouse Tuesday, July 29th. Of course a few people in the crowd behaved like middle schoolers, but, for the most part, the crowd of about 500 gave polite attention and showed genuine enthusiasm between songs. Freakwater’s performance was flat-out fantastic – they took their work very seriously and delivered a strong ten song set: Buckets of Oil, Binding Twine, Heaven, Cheap Watch, Cloak of Frogs, Sap, Cathy Ann. For the last three - Washed in the Blood, Louisville Lip, and Crazy Man - Freakwater were joined by M Ward as well as his tour drummer and mandolin player. Ward played some lead parts on his black Gretch and provided some vocals for Crazy Man, but respectfully held the position of a supporting player. These three musicians really enhanced Freakwater’s sound, making it dynamic enough to grab the entire hall of people, and it was electrifying to watch. After She & Him performed their set, Freakwater joined them onstage for the country standard “Hello Stranger”, the show’s closer. Zooey smiled to Janet and Catherine, gave them her place at center stage, and stepped back to share the microphone of her backup singer. M Ward began with the familiar opening line “Hello strangerrrrr. . .” and Janet and Catherine together wailed “Put your loving hand in miiiine. . .” in reply. It was beautiful. Props and kudos to Mr. Ward and Ms. Deschanel for supporting Freakwater. - freakwater.net review.
2008.10.16 The Horse's Ha open for Citay at the Hideout, Chicago.
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2008.10.19 Janet holds an event, "Breaking the Silence", to raise awareness of atrocities against humanity in the Congo at the Hideout in Chicago. A benefit CD, Congo's Angels, features Janet, Neko Case, Irma Thomas, Susan Cowsill, Eliza Gilkyson, and others.
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2008.10.20 Janet Bean plays a solo set at the Hideout, Chicago.
2008.10.26 Eleventh Dream Day play the Hideout, Chicago.
2008.10.30 The Horse's Ha and Sally Timms play the Hungry Brain, Chicago.
2008.11 Catherine Irwin posts her version of the Rolling Stone's "Mother's Little Helper" to her MySpace page.
2008.11.13 Eleventh Dream Day play ___?
2008.11.24 The Horse's Ha play the Hideout, Chicago.
