The Minus Five's Killingsworth Due In July

[Jahfin]

From CookingVinyl.com:

The Minus 5, led by underground icon Scott McCaughey, will be releasing a new album Killingsworth on Monday 6th July 2009.

Killingsworth is an aptly named thoroughfare that borders northeast Portland's "Alberta Arts District", where the tracks were primarily conceived and executed. Scott's old buddy John Moen, who has been a Dharma Bum and a Maroon and a Jick, and is now a Decemberist, wove a noose out of papyrus, and helped lasso his current bandmates and other notables to flesh out the arrangements on a dismal and disturbing array of soon-to-be-classics. The effervescent smokin' drinkin' Little Sue and the four ultra-stylish priestesses once known as the Shee Bee Gees provided welcome feminine counterpoint to the song cycle's wanton depravity (it's not truly a song cycle, nor is it a Richard Strauss tone poem, but the caliber of the material deserves a modicum of pretension). Various members of M. Ward's combo, as well as the very great Norfolk & Western (some of them the same people), played crucial roles in delivering the goods. They were poorly remunerated. Noted novelist and Richmond Fontaine frontispiece Willy Vlautin provided a golden lyrical trampoline, and Timothy Bracy of Mendoza Line fame collaborated on the dance-floor-bound "Dark Hand of Contagion". As ever, Peter Buck put twelve strings or less to optimal use whenever cajoled. Ken Stringfellow sang on a Scandinavian ferry, fully clothed.

Thus begins a new chapter in the Minus 5 saga. Different than the rest, yet barking up the same monkey tree. And if you have any questions or comments about the music itself, Mr. McCaughey would be glad to elucidate all over you, to the best of his ability, which varies according to the situation.

Tracklist

1. Dark Hand of Contagion

2. The Long Hall

3. The Disembowelers

4. The Lurking Barrister *

5. It Won’t Do You Any Good

6. Vintage Violet

7. Scott Walker’s Fault *

8. Big Beat Up Moon

9. I would Rather Sacrifice You

10. Ambulance Dancehall

11. Gash In The Cocoon

12. Smoke On, Jerry

13. Your Favorite Mess *

14. Tonight You’re Buying Me A Drink, Bub

* These songs previously appeared on last fall's Sad Hasselhoff vinyl EP

[danelectro]

For some reason Minus 5 never clicked for me. Strange since I freakin' love Young Fresh Fellows.

[Jahfin]

I love the one record I have by the Young Fresh Fellows (Because We Hate You). I'd heard of the Minus Five for years due to Peter Buck's connection with Scott McCaughey but never really got into them until the Fast Horse Hootenanny tour where the Minus Five shared a bill with the Wayward Shamans, Tuatara and Cedell Davis. On another McCaughey related note I've also been enjoying the Baseball Project record as well as the latest from Robyn Hitchcock (Goodnight Oslo).

[danelectro]

What originally brought me to the YFF was Kurt Bloch joining the band, as a Fastbacks fan it became tough to ignore them. From there I kind of followed Scott around. One thing's for sure, he can lead completely different musical personalities as he moves from band to band. Strangely I didn't care for M5's Down With Wilco album despite the help the Wilco's.

Edited May 4, 2009 by danelectro

[Jahfin]

What originally brought me to the YFF was Kurt Bloch joining the band, as a Fastbacks fan it became tough to ignore them. From there I kind of followed Scott around. One thing's for sure, he can lead completely different musical personalities as he moves from band to band. Strangely I didn't care for M5's Down With Wilco album despite the help the Wilco's.

I was aware of the Minus Five as far back as The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy record but it took seeing them on the Fast Horse Hootenanny tour to finally pique my interest. They did a great version of Van Morrison's And It Stoned Me that night that kicked my ass up and down.

I never have picked up anything by the Fastbacks but they did enjoy seeing open up for Pearl Jam on the No Code tour.

I've been meaning to buy that Down with Wilco album for years and even had another chance recently when Yep Roc had one of their $5 sales. Hopefully they'll have another one of those soon.

[Jahfin]

For those interested, new Minus Five and Young Fresh Fellows are streaming here.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Jahfin

[Jahfin]

My favorite show of the year without question was the Steve Wynn IV/The Baseball Project/The Minus Five at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro this past weekend. Here's a clip I shot of them performing The Ballad of John & Yoko with special guest Peter Holsapple of the dB's sitting in:

The Steve Wynn IV/The Baseball Project/The Minus Five

Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC

9.26.09

Set 1

Past Time

Ted Fucking Wiliams

Twilight Distillery/I'm Not Bitter

Gratitude (For Curt Flood)

Out There On The Maroon

Love Me Anyway

That's What You Always Say

Vintage Violet

It Won't Do You Any Good

The Lurking Barrister

Tell Me When It's Over

Waiting Like Mary

Betty Let The Good Times Crawl

Lies Of The Living Dead

Amphetamine

Set 2

Broken Man

Jackie's Lament

The Death Of Big Ed Delehanty

Cindy It was Always You

Harvey Haddix

Dark Hand Of Contagion

Satchel Page Said

Ambulance Dancehall

Trial Separation Blues

Medicine Show

Ichiro Goes To The Moon

Buckner's Bolero

The Straw That Stirs The Drink

Revolution Blues

Days Of Wine And Roses

Aw Shit Man

Encore

Teenage Head*

Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White*

The Ballad Of John And Yoko*

Strychnine

* with Peter Holsapple

[Jahfin]

For last night's show at the 40 Watt in Athens, GA the Steve Wynn IV/The Baseball Project/The Minus Five were joined onstage by Bill Berry and Mike Mills of R.E.M. for The Ballad of John and Yoko and Hang on Sloopy.

[Jahfin]

More from the 40 Watt:

[Jahfin]

Another clip from the Cat's Cradle show:

[Jahfin]

According to this update from REMhq Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers also jumped into the fray in Athens last night:

MINUS 5/BASEBALL PROJECT AND FRIENDS ROCK ATHENS