Power-pop veterans the Minus 5 have a new LP on the way. For the forthcoming Oar On, Penelope!, Scott McCaughey's oft-changing band includes R.E.M.'s Peter Buck on bass and 12-string guitar, McCaughey's fellow Young Fresh Fellow Kurt Bloch on lead guitar, Linda Pitmon of the Baseball Project/Filthy Friends on drums, and Debbi Peterson of the Bangles on vocals. The album also boasts appearances from Spencer Tweedy, Patterson Hood, and Ed Stasium.
Our first preview of the LP is opening track "Words & Birds," about which McCaughey says:
“It’s all too beautiful, man!” If not original, that sentiment seems important to me, to this record, to my world. This came together after a few passes in the studio, and it sounds like we played it forever. That’s what can happen when you play music with good pals. Didn’t need to add anything except Debbi shouting along. “Those impossible wings / Messenger that bring / Inexplicable songs / Purple twilight and dawn...”. (By the way, in a radical move — for those who know me — I purposefully decided to NOT put tambourine on every song. Luckily, Ed didn’t care and threw it on wherever it begged).
Watch Dave Gulick's video for the song below.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Words & Birds"
02 "Death The Bludgeoner"
03 "Let The Rope Hold, Cassie Lee"
04 "I Don't Want To Hate Anyone"
05 "The Garden Of Arden"
06 "Last Hotel"
07 "Bison Queen"
08 "Falling Like Jets"
09 "Burgundy Suit"
10 "Blow In My Bag"
11 "Sharktooth"
12 "We Shall Not Be Released"
Oar On, Penelope! is out 5/30 on Yep Roc. Pre-order it here.
