Annabelle Lord-Patey + Laura Gibson + Anna Oxygen and Chris Corsano
We finish off our year long project of #KRS30YRS covers this New Years Eve with Annabelle Lord-Patey's version of Elliott Smith's "Crazy Fucker." This seems a fitting way to close things out as Annabelle's mother, Mary Lou Lord started things off on January 1st, 2021 with her collaboration with Mikaela Davis on Elliott's "Some Song." Thank you all so much for spending time with us this year, this has truly been the MOST FUN EVER!
Annabelle says: "Crazy fucker has always been a tune that has really jumped out at me. Elliott’s early work has a beautiful rawness that can’t really be described; you just have to listen to the songs. We recorded this before any studio version was released, so we had to guess what some of the lyrics were. I think because of that, we have put a bit of our own spin on this track. Shane’s production and Mellotron part holds it all together and keeps it true to Elliott’s style. This project meant so much to us to be a part of; Elliott’s music has touched both of our lives dearly."
Our #KRS30YRS covers this week continue with Laura Gibson's take on the Horse Feathers song "Curs In The Weeds."
Laura says: "I'm pleased to share this wobbly cover of Curs in the Weeds by Horse Feathers. Horse Feathers was one of the very first buddy-bands I made as a twenty-something youngster playing shows in Portland, Oregon. Peter Broderick (who performed the beautiful violins on the original) worked at the pizza place across the street from the coffee shop where I worked. We traded burned CDs of our records in progress, and he introduced me to his bandmate Justin Ringle, a singer with a beautifully weathered voice, and a knack for writing very sad songs. Those first two Horse Feathers records are forever linked to my memories of that time, part of the soundtrack of my becoming—an adult, a musician, a thinker-feeler. I've heard this song a thousand times since then and still, I found myself a little choked up singing the line, Where had you been, son? Not in the street, not in the yard. What happened? I imagine the worst. A desperate search. This might be the saddest of Justin's sad songs, but like the best sad songs, it contains some sort of healing magic. The act of admitting pain to another person—pain caused, pain received, pain tossed down the family line—is ultimately an act of hope, at least that's what this song helps me believe. There is gloom, yes, but also there is something gleaming, just outside the frame."
We start off our #KRS30YRS covers this week with Anna Oxygen and Chris Corsano covering Essential Logic's "No More Fiction (Martian Man)"
Anna says: "I was turned on to Essential Logic shortly after KRS released “Fanfare in the Garden.” Justin Trosper (who recorded my first solo record) shared it with me which must have almost been 20 years ago?! Since then it has likely been my most listened to album of all time. I was and still am surprised at how Lora Logic isn’t more well known given the pure energy and power behind her songwriting and vocal performances. For years I’ve played “Martian Man” ahead of songwriting sessions, at DJ gigs and often on repeat when I wanted to elevate the mood. It’s titled “No More Fiction” here as a nod to her later version and also because this phrase has been playing over and over in my mind in our current political climate of contested realities and psycho truth slinging. It was a no-brainer to ask Chris Corsano to collaborate on this. His drumming blows my mind and I wanted to honor the driving frenetic energy of the original song. Cover art features a sculpture piece by artist Fawn Krieger."
News
Bitch: Bitchcraft
Bitchcraft was born in a move from New York City, where Bitch had lived for 15 years, to a log cabin in the woods. There was all the time in the world to make art, and it was there, in the cabin, that Bitch began to write some of the songs that would appear on Bitchcraft. “It gave me space to think about the biggest version of myself that I could be,” she says of those early days in the cabin. The songs she wrote were a departure from anything she’d ever written before, and she began to craft huge pop tracks with the help of her trusty violin. Then, she moved to LA and Bitchcraft began to shape-shift again.
Devin Hoff - Voices From The Empty Moor: Songs of Anne Briggs
Voices From the Empty Moor seeks to honor the mystery and beauty of Anne Briggs’ music while maintaining its own unique perspective, foregrounding powerful emotion and, hopefully, magical transformation.
The arrangements here include collaborations with singers Julia Holter, Shannon Lay, Sharon Van Etten and Emmett Kelly; oud player Alejandro Farha; saxophonist Howard Wiley and drummer Jim White.
ONETWOTHREE
Q: What happens when you combine three women bassist singers from 70s/80s Swiss bands? A: a trio-full of sinuous music which reclaims the minimalist sound of the post-punk that they first created themselves. The equation seems straightforward, yet it's very powerful: Klaudia Schifferle (Kleenex/Liliput) + Madlaina Peer (Noknows) + Sara Schaer (TNT , Souldawn) = ONETWOTHREE. They sport an impressive heritage but they're also creating something that's unique and proudly their own - spooky, danceable, subtle, compelling music for a post-pandemic world.
KRS30 LIMITED EDITION VINYL
Kill Rock Stars "Maya" 30th Anniversary T
First up in our series of Limited Edition Kill Rock Stars 30th Anniversary T-Shirt's! This one designed by the amazing Maya Kuroki of TEKE::TEKE! Black ink on Coral or Golden Bella+Canvas T. Check out more of Maya's amazing artwork at her website here.
Xiu Xiu: Dear God, I Hate Myself (Deluxe Reissue)
• KRS 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY REISSUE
• REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL AUDIO SOURCE
• INCLUDES BONUS 7” w/ 2 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS
• NEW LINER NOTES FROM THE ARTIST
• DIGITAL DOWNLOAD INCLUDES DRUNK COMMENTARY FOR THE FULL ALBUM
STARS ROCK KILL (ROCK STARS)
30TH ANNIVERSARY DIGITAL COVERS SERIES
In 2020 we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the eponymous Elliott Smith album by inviting artists we admire to record covers of the songs on that album. We had so much fun with that project that we've decided for 2021 to celebrate our 30th anniversary by expanding the idea to encompass the entire Kill Rock Stars release history.
We've got so many amazing artists onboard already, including much of the current KRS roster, along with lots of folks from our extended family and even some new friends! We are so excited to celebrate the music community we've all grown up in, as well as the friends and fans we've made along the way. With that in mind, please welcome Stars Rock Kill (Rock Stars)
