Song Of the Day: July 25, 2005
Music of my youth from the almost unbearably earnest Miracle Legion. Their first EP created a bit of a stir and was very difficult to find within a few months of its release, granting that expectations for this sort of thing were considerably lower than they would be now. (Selling 2000 copies of something like this would have been considered no small triumph.) They received plenty of the usual R.E.M. comparisons, but managed to establish their own identity over the course of several releases; one I particularly enjoy is the Me and Mr. Ray LP (1989), a stripped-down, largely acoustic affair that tends (like all of their records, really) toward sad melodies and movingly clunky lyrics. You can probably still find it pretty cheap in America's used LP bins. Songwriter/lead singer Mark Mulcahy continues to make the occasional solo record, and re-dubbed a later lineup of Miracle Legion Polaris to provide music for The Adventures of Pete and Pete.
I remember seeing Miracle Legion's one-time labelmates Dumptruck cover this song at a show in the mid-80s.
5 Comments:
Holy crap, I'm listening to the Adventures of Pete & Pete soundtrack right now!
I have no shame.
Jeff-
Is it pretty good? I've been curious...
Jon
Yeah, it's surprisingly fantastic- more upbeat and poppy than most of the Miracle Legion stuff I've heard, but in the best way possible. I'd highly recommend it, especially to old-school REM fans.
See if you can dig up Miracle Legion's first full-length Surprise Surprise Surprise. The vinyl turns up occasionally, but a cd is only available through Japan. Anyway, a great record. Mark Mulchahey is rumored to be remixing/remastering it for re-release.
I saw these guys play in a tiny venue (read: closet) at UConn back in the late 80's. "Backyard" had been one of my favorite local-indie songs at the time, thanks to the best college radio station ever - WXCI 91.7 out of Danbury, CT. - and I just had to see them play it live. There might have been 25 people at the show. what a pity. These guys were REALLY good.
Post a Comment
<< Home