In a radical transfer (for individuals who know him, at the very least), Scott McCaughey was useless set on protecting the tambourine to a minimal on Oar On, Penelope! (Yep Roc), the Minus 5’s first album in six years. Little did he know that he had an ally in esteemed producer Ed Stasium (Replacements, Ramones), who combined the LP.
“Ed didn’t care and threw it on wherever it begged,” says McCaughey.
A stroke survivor and a veteran of assorted bands enormous, medium and small—together with R.E.M., Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3, Younger Recent Fellows, Baseball Mission and Filthy Mates—McCaughey has earned his main music-industry connections with extra blood, sweat and tears than most. There’s additionally the sheer pleasure he will get out of creating music, which infects everybody he’s performed with. And that record is powerful. Jeff Tweedy, the Decemberists, Kelly Hogan, M. Ward, Chuck Prophet, Ben Gibbard, Robert Pollard, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, the Posies and Alejandro Escovedo (amongst others) have all fallen in with the Minus 5 over the previous quarter century.
And, in fact, there are the regulars, most prominently R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, who’s again on bass for this one. (“He performed beautifully all through, in-the-pocket Musicmaster type,” raves McCaughey.) Additionally on board: Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood, the Bangles’ Debbi Peterson and the Fastbacks Kurt Bloch, together with Linda Pitmon (Baseball Mission, Filthy Mates) and Spencer Tweedy (Waxahatchee).
McCaughey walks us via Oar On, Penelope! monitor by monitor.
—Hobart Rowland
1) “Phrases & Birds”
“‘It’s all too lovely, man!’ If not unique, that sentiment appears essential to me, to this document, to my world. This got here collectively after a number of passes within the studio, and it seems like we performed it without end. That’s what can occur if you play music with good friends. We didn’t want so as to add something besides Debbi shouting alongside: ‘These not possible wings, messenger that deliver, inexplicable songs, purple twilight and daybreak.’”
2) “Demise The Bludgeoner”
“I used to be studying and writing numerous poetry in the course of the shut-in years—pretentious, that’s me. Sonnets are a problem, however typically they flip into one thing else. This was sort of a sluggish blues after I tried to tug it into my musical world. Linda mentioned, ‘Nah, this could sound like Rockpile.’ She was so proper. This was reduce dwell, with solely me and Debbi including vocals. It’s not about Marianne Faithfull, however I do wish to shout out to folks I really like. Anyway, she’s the alternative of no matter this can be about.”
3) “Let The Rope Maintain, Cassie Lee”
“Form of a sideways (the Nightcrawlers’) ‘Little Black Egg,’ this track got here in useful on the finish of an extended day’s recording. When mutiny was threatened, I gave my assurance that if the gang might final only one extra track, it will be a ‘one-take surprise.’ It needed to be … It was. We’re all hanging on to our reminiscences by a thread, however the thread may be fairly sturdy.”
4) “I Don’t Need To Hate Anybody”
“This one was tracked with upright piano within the room to guarantee the blessed glue of bleed. Sounds of the early ’70s are very particular to me. Thanks to (British people/rock band) Lindisfarne and Linda for understanding precisely what the track wanted. Her rockin’ spirit shines via this dang album. I really like the best way this take falls aside—just like the sloshed, sing-along ball of fireside we dwell on.”
5) “The Backyard Of Arden”
“I’ve all the time beloved (actress) Eve Arden. So did Bucks Burnett (1958-2023). We couldn’t resist inviting her over. Killer solo, Kurt!”
6) “Final Resort”
“The final lodge is beckoning. There’s a competition occurring, sirens sing gospel rave-ups, Dallas Good is passing a joint, and the neon emptiness signal is all the time on. Huge due to Debbi for singing my unusual phrases so fantastically.”
7) “Bison Queen”
“Recorded the identical session as ‘Boxcar’ from (2023’s) Neil (Vol. 2): Welcome To My Dream World, this one might’ve gone to certainly one of my Neil Younger tributes. Nevertheless it felt at house proper right here. Enjoying with Spencer makes all the pieces straightforward.”
8) “Falling Like Jets”
“This track got here at me one evening, and I knew it belonged right here. Spencer rocked it. Sadly, my proper hand is not downstroke worthy, so I obtained Ed to pay tribute to his buddy Johnny Ramone. I’m occurring document as saying this has nothing to do with the character Juliette from the collection Nashville.”
9) “Burgundy Swimsuit”
“I noticed any individual on TV, perhaps a visitor of Trevor Noah … I can’t bear in mind. Nevertheless it was urged {that a} burgundy go well with was a positive wager to banish the blues—or one thing like that. I agreed. Ed mentioned, ‘I had a burgundy go well with on the peak of vogue after I was 16. I’ve been ready a long time to combine this track.’”
10) “Blow In My Bag”
“I had an concept to do a Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazlewood duet. After all, I solely point out that as a result of I usually don’t handle to get shut sufficient to elicit comparisons. That being mentioned, I’m undecided what the track is about, however Patterson’s vocals on the finish persuade me that he is aware of.”
11) “Sharktooth”
“Ed says this has a Procol Harum-meets-Eno vibe. I’ll take that. I wasn’t positive how this might match on the document, but it surely does by some means. It looks as if a tour nightmare—however a enjoyable one? This tune had Kurt Bloch written throughout it.”
12) We Shall Not Be Launched”
“It sounds detrimental, but it surely’s by no means—extra a name to arms of types. Who must be launched, and by whom? I requested Debbi to sing the entire thing with me, and Peter added the patented people/rock sheen. Appeared like a becoming near this newest chapter in thee olde Minus 5.”
