The group has fully realized a record of astounding ambition and scope.
September 3, 2012 1:06 PM Subscribe
In 1995, The Mommyheads released the now out-of-print Bingham's Hole. Far and away the Mommyheads' best album, Bingham's Hole also may win the title for "least heard best record of the mid-'90s."
Track listing:
1. Only Star
2. Bingham's Hole (live, 2010)
3. Fast Enough For You
4. It's Okay (30 second clip)
5. Needmore Pennsylvania (live, 2010)
6. Broken and Glazed
7. Queen of the Ant Race (30 second sample)
8. Fragrant Rota (dodgy free mp3 site) (alt.30 second sample)
9. Hiawatha's Lullaby (utterly unavailable, even as a sample)
10. Pig in a Blanket (30 second sample)
11. Cora (dodgy free mp3 site)
12. Lead Balloon (30 second sample)
13. Post-Mort (30 second sample)
The band, fronted by guitarist & vocalist Adam Elk, broke up not long after releasing a lackluster eponymous follow-up on Geffen Records, but re-formed in 2008, and are releasing new music. 3 of the original album tracks, the title track Bingham's Hole, Fast Enough For You and Fragrant Rota are now available on the compilation Finest Specimens. Bonus: The Story of the Mommyheads.
Track listing:
1. Only Star
2. Bingham's Hole (live, 2010)
3. Fast Enough For You
4. It's Okay (30 second clip)
5. Needmore Pennsylvania (live, 2010)
6. Broken and Glazed
7. Queen of the Ant Race (30 second sample)
8. Fragrant Rota (dodgy free mp3 site) (alt.30 second sample)
9. Hiawatha's Lullaby (utterly unavailable, even as a sample)
10. Pig in a Blanket (30 second sample)
11. Cora (dodgy free mp3 site)
12. Lead Balloon (30 second sample)
13. Post-Mort (30 second sample)
The band, fronted by guitarist & vocalist Adam Elk, broke up not long after releasing a lackluster eponymous follow-up on Geffen Records, but re-formed in 2008, and are releasing new music. 3 of the original album tracks, the title track Bingham's Hole, Fast Enough For You and Fragrant Rota are now available on the compilation Finest Specimens. Bonus: The Story of the Mommyheads.
Ooh! I loved the Mommyheads. I was lucky enough to see them on their first tour when they moved from NY to CA and several times after that. Great songs, great musicians, funny, smart dudes. I still think about a lot of their lyrics: 'You would understand me more if I was a glass of water', 'When I was a kid, I swallowed a tomato seed, and all my friends said tomatoes would grow inside of me', 'I believe in Grandpa snoring on the couch, I believe in touching the spot that makes you go woo, but I also believe in tension'. So glad to hear they're playing again. Thank you for posting this!
posted by aquanaut at 2:58 PM on September 3, 2012
posted by aquanaut at 2:58 PM on September 3, 2012
What? A band name as cool as The Mommyheads and I never heard of them? Fuck I'm lame.
posted by telstar at 3:41 PM on September 3, 2012
posted by telstar at 3:41 PM on September 3, 2012
I still think about a lot of their lyrics:
They tackle some tough subjects on BH. The title track seems to be about a lynching or some sort of hate crime & a kangaroo court trial, Needmore PA is about being in love with a battered woman who won't leave her abuser, Pig in a Blanket is about attending a close friend's funeral & not being able to accept it, & Cora is a lovely piece of introspection about how a loving person can turn our bad attitudes around for us with kindness in response to our cynicism. None of the lyrics are available online, unfortunately.
posted by Devils Rancher at 3:49 PM on September 3, 2012
They tackle some tough subjects on BH. The title track seems to be about a lynching or some sort of hate crime & a kangaroo court trial, Needmore PA is about being in love with a battered woman who won't leave her abuser, Pig in a Blanket is about attending a close friend's funeral & not being able to accept it, & Cora is a lovely piece of introspection about how a loving person can turn our bad attitudes around for us with kindness in response to our cynicism. None of the lyrics are available online, unfortunately.
posted by Devils Rancher at 3:49 PM on September 3, 2012
They are touring again too. My band played with them in Baltimore, and they are simply awesome. Some of the most amazing musicians and songwriters you'll ever come across. I'm more of a "Flying Suit" guy, but all their records are great. And if you can track down a copy of their early demos (the "Swiss Army Knife" cassette on Simple Machines), it will re-arrange your head. Did mine.
-J
posted by jetsetsc at 4:22 PM on September 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
-J
posted by jetsetsc at 4:22 PM on September 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Jetsetsc is being coy—his band shared a single with the Mommyheads.
posted by sonascope at 6:03 PM on September 3, 2012
posted by sonascope at 6:03 PM on September 3, 2012
I remember the Mommyheads! - they're on the second side of my tape of WFMU's Music Faucet from November 8, 1992. Grenadine's on side A. Incidentally, Jenny Toomey (Grenadine/Tsunami vocalist) has covered a Mommyheads song.
posted by unmake at 9:51 PM on September 3, 2012
posted by unmake at 9:51 PM on September 3, 2012
I remember the Mommyheads! - they're on the second side of my tape of WFMU's Music Faucet from November 8, 1992
Ah, that's where I know them from! I loved the Music Faucet so so so much.
posted by TonyRobots at 8:18 AM on September 4, 2012
Ah, that's where I know them from! I loved the Music Faucet so so so much.
posted by TonyRobots at 8:18 AM on September 4, 2012
So, this is one of those albums that I totally don't have to feel guilty about just pirating, right? Because it's out there and pretty easy to find.
posted by klangklangston at 12:16 PM on September 4, 2012
posted by klangklangston at 12:16 PM on September 4, 2012
I pirated it first, then snatched a new copy during one of its brief in-of-print stints n about 2004. There's used copies of the CD on Amazon, too.
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:35 PM on September 4, 2012
posted by Devils Rancher at 12:35 PM on September 4, 2012
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posted by steinsaltz at 1:38 PM on September 3, 2012