Throwing Muses return this fall with their first new record in a decade, but it’s much more than just an album: Purgatory/Paradise is being published as a 64-page book designed by drummer Dave Narcizo featuring lyrics, stories and essays by Kristin Hersh, not to mention the 32-track album on CD — plus links to exclusive downloadable content.
The album/book is set to be published Oct. 29, nearly a year after Hersh announced that she had “just finished writing the book that is the Throwing Muses’ new record.”
The Muses — Hersh, Narcizo and bassist Bernie Georges — began work on the record in early 2010, with Hersh posting demos online and soliciting funding for the project through the CASH Music platform she co-founded. In January 2011, Hersh announced that initial recording sessions had been completed.
Below, check out the full tracklist (via Pitchfork) and stream the song “Sleepwalking 1.” You can hear another new song, “Sunray Venus,” at throwingmuses.com. Plus, you can still check out some of those initial demos for the album at the Muses’ Cash Music page.
Tracklist: Throwing Muses, Purgatory/Paradise
1. “smoky hands”
2. “morning birds 1”
3. “sleepwalking 2”
4. “sunray venus”
5. “cherry candy 1”
6. “film”
7. “opiates”
8. “cherry candy 2”
9. “freesia”
10. “curtains 1”
11. “triangle quanitico”
12. “morning birds 2”
13. “lazy eye”
14. “blurry 1”
15. “folding fire”
16. “slippershell”
17. “bluff”
18. “blurry 2”
19. “terra nova”
20. “walking talking”
21. “milan”
22. “curtains 2”
23. “folding fire 1”
24. “static”
25. “clark’s nutcracker”
26. “dripping trees”
27. “sleepwalking 1”
28. “smoky hands 2”
29. “speedbath”
30. “quick”
31. “dripping trees 2”
32. “glass cats”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Kristin Hersh announces completion of first new Throwing Muses album in a decade
- Video: Throwing Muses, ‘Bright Yellow Gun’ — filmed live in U.K. during ‘Anthology’ tour
- Throwing Muses announce European tour in support of new ‘Anthology’ best-of
- Bob Mould, Throwing Muses, Dead Milkmen to headline Athens PopFest in October
- Throwing Muses to release ‘Anthology’ best-of with 22-track bonus disc, go on tour
- Throwing Muses record first new album in 8 years, document session with video
- Kristin Hersh sharing new Throwing Muses demos, raising money for album
This is exciting! From these two tracks, it sounds like a continuation of the self-titled album, production-wise — kind of rough and tumble, as opposed to the clarity and polish of ‘Limbo’ or ‘University.’ But it’s Throwing Muses, and they basically rule, so I’ll buy it.
Some of my very best concert memories over the years are associated with this band, two in particular — in Seattle (the St. Paddy’s Day show at King Cat Theater, ca. ‘University’) and Portland (at Pine St. Theater I think [?] it was, on the ‘Real Ramona’ tour with the Walkabouts opening). Also saw them open for New Order when ‘Hunkpapa’ came out. Good times!
Correction: the 1991 Portland show was at Melody Lane Ballroom. Just so the historical record is straight!
this needs singles with b-sides. Just kidding! 32 tracks!?