Mother Hips
They created and toured heavily for their best disc to date ("Green Hills of Earth"). Rolling Stone critic Bill Crandall rated it as his Top Album of 2001. They went on "hiatus" (much of it documented in the awesome "Stories We Could Tell"). Most people took to mean that they broke up. There was the occasional show, then a few mini-tours and now this:
Kiss The Crystal Flake, the new studio album by California’s The Mother Hips, will be released April 3 on New York based-indie Camera Records. It is the follow up to the acclaimed Red Tandy EP (Camera Records, 2005) and the first full album for The Hips since 2001’s Green
Hills of the Earth. Featuring 12 new songs Kiss The Crystal Flake reintroduces the world to The Mother Hips’ own brand of California rock, blending a natural psychedelia with their own 21st century musicianship and songwriting. It is produced by The Mother Hips with Badman Recording Co. founder Dylan Magierek (Mark Kozelek, Call and Response, Erlend Oye.)
“Many things have come our way,” said singer/guitarist Greg Loiacono. “Opportunities, challenges, gifts, hard times and misfortune. Kiss the Crystal Flake is about embracing everything. It's about standing face to face with whatever comes.
"This album is almost like a debut album for us,” explains singer/guitarist Tim Bluhm. “It is very different from anything we recorded in the past. You know that saying about wishing you knew then what you know now? Kiss The Crystal Flake is that coming true."
The Mother Hips will tour the U.S. in support of Kiss The Crystal Flake.
I'm stoked :-) They are even touring the East Coast, something that hasn't happened much previously.
I first heard Tim and Greg back when they were in a group called "Allie and the Cats" (the two of them and a female singer named, you guessed it, Allie). Some friends and I accidentally stumbled upon them playing at a party, and only because we heard someone playing Zeppelin's "That's The Way" (we had to climb a few fences to find them!). There have been some departures over the years (first Mike, then Issac) and rough patches. It is great to see that they are giving it another shot. Count me in for a pre-order
Ball-Point Birds
On a similar note, Greg and Tim have a side project, "Ball-Point Birds". Their first CD was great - it stayed in my CD player for a long time. They recently announced that their latest disc "Two Discover" is coming out (you can order it here) and that they are doing a release party at Cafe Du Nord on 2/20/2007. The disc is self-released, so it is available only on their website and at shows. Spread the word!
Tags: Ball-Point Birds, Mother Hips, Rolling Stone