Song Of the Day: June 20, 2005
The Primitons first record is exactly the sort that made us think about starting Little Hits. It's one of those records that gives great mileage, y'know? One of those records where your favorite track changes about four or five times, and all of the songs end up on mix tapes, and you eventually memorize every note. Despite having only seven tracks, its depth and variety make listening to it as emotionally satisfying as many a classic LP; the lyrics, contribued by non-performer Stephanie Truelove Wright mesh perfectly with Mots Roden's music to create incisive, thoughtful comments on the two subjects most often on the minds of the college-rock audience who heard this, those being parties and love (or some combination thereof). Please don't think that's any small thing. Please note also that this might be Mitch Easter's best ever production. Not as busy as some of his later stuff, but very sympathetic, with typically great guitar sounds and a big spotlight on the hook.
They had two subsequent releases on What Goes On, which I'm currently re-evaluating, but my gut instinct is that any band would have a hard time topping this record.
posted by Jon Harrison at 9:22 AM
19 Comments:
We used to dance- and I use the term 'dance' loosely- to Jim Bob and the Leisure Suits, the band that preceded the Primitons, at the nick in Birmingham. They were great, too! Please post more Primitons! I can't find this stuff anywhere!
AWWWWWESOME. Jon, you are a benevolent god.
KM, did you ever see Carnival Season? I remember they kinda merged with the Primitons for a minute there- even though Carnival Season was from Mobile, I believe.
What is the meaning of "Throbbing Lobster?" Is it coincidence that there is a band such named? Or a relationship?
Is there a band called Throbbing Lobster? I dunno. You caould ask Chuck warner. he has a label history at the Hyped2death website...
I remember this one getting away from me many years ago during the "division-of-record-collection-splitting" one must undergo following the break-up of a relationship. Bummer, 'cuz I wish I had it back........and I'm sure there were others.
Maybe I was thinking Close Lobsters. I don't remember now. But I was sure, for a brief, know-it-all moment, that there was a Throbbing Lobster(s) in the 80's.
A GOOGLE turned up dick, so I suppose I am simply wrong?
There's Throbbing Gristle - but they aren't a pop band ... unless you have a very loose definition of pop.
I can't believe you posted this and I found it! My roommate's girlfriend was from Birmingham and used to play this record all the time. It just seemed to rise out of nowhere and then sink right back down just as quickly. Where are they now?
The songs on the second album, "Happy all the time", are even better but the production is lacking and it sounds a bit murky. The 12" single "Don't Go Away" is a masterpiece with great production too. It's a shame they didn't get the same chap to produce the album.
Great song!! And Toozeup is right: Don't Go Away is a masterwork, as is You Are Learning from the same record.
Dean,
I used to see both as a kid growing up here in Birmingham. I am almost certain they never merged, and Carnival Season was from Bham-though they played together quite frequently.
ahh youth.
th Artist name in iTunes comes up as "The Stepford Husbands" ...
--mza.
Sitting here on a quiet friday evening listening to the Primitons "Happy All The Time" makes me wonder about why this terrific little group never made the dent in the musical public it should have ages ago. A great musical miscarriage of justice. I digitized both the original EP and HATT just to have it available on the computer, CD, etc. and pretend they are part of the digital age. Long live the Primitons!
Hi everyone
Throbbing Lobster was a record label! I belive it's the one that the primitons were on. Their big act, if I'm not mistaken, was Dumptruck. IMHO the primitons first EP (didn't care for the album) is one of the greats of its time.
Nope.
That is a swell tune you've posted but it isn't the Primitons.
to see the primitons perform live on youtube
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wh-KsfRojY
Thanks for this morsel from a band I remember fondly. I rarely did a shift at WRVU-Nashville in the mid-80s without playing a cut from this fabulous EP. Sure wish I could get a copy of "Falling on Alabama"!
-Tom Wood, Nashville
They stole my heart in my univeristy days.
I'll have to get out the vinyl and refresh my memory, but I recall that each album had a fairly distinct sound from the previous release.
Did the line-up not change a few times?
The EP doesn't make a single wrong move.
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