when i'm hairy

I'm happy to announce that the new album by my band Plus is finally finished and ready to drop into your hands, well, there are one hundred copies of it. We ended up taking seven of the eight songs that made up what we then called the "Hairy" album, and seven new ones recorded recently. "Hairy" had a somewhat hairy concept for the cover art, which would have been the hairy chest and back of some beary or similar type guy. Somehow it never got off the ground and was just circulated as a CDR. We never found a willing or convincing specimen to pose for us, surprise, surprise :-). Since they hold together well we decided to keep them in the original order and added three songs at the beginning und four at the end. You might not even notice it though, I don't know.

So here they are:

1 Flower: one of our more adventurous tracks, it features sprawling guitar/noise work courtesy of the maestro Chris B, sofa drumming (!) (it sounds nice'n'heavy!) and lyrics about flowers blooming out of control. While that could be seen as somewhat bucolic it seems instead to emphasize nature's endless greed to multiply. It's very driven...

2 Antique Doll: A more straightforward rocker, and one of my favourites. it's quite short but packs in some great moments. I don't really know what the lyrics mean but they work in the context of the song. Something about masks and perceptions...and golden voices. Hmmmm...

3 Antlers: this has been around the block a bit and came out quite stripped down and washed up sounding in this version. Almost country-ish. Lyrics about antlers, stone circles and other mossy nature mood images...

4 Shades of Green: the original opener for "Hairy", original working title "Yo La Tengo" because it's textured laid back vibe reminded us of them, and still does. It's a very warped and wierd drinking song, but also about alcoholism. Shades of Green is the Irish bar next to Irving Plaza where we spent time every night before and after GBVs last few shows in NYC in Dec 2004, drinking with lots of other fans. Somehow I felt it should be a song, and a song about drinking. altogether now... Dis Arm the Settlers!

5 Pink City: Old school - meaning very ferocious and punky sounding, with violent images galore. Frantic guitars...

6 Winter Commute: Part one of two songs, well, there is a song called Summer Commute that we didn't record, a poppy upbeat one. This one is moody, foggy, recalls wintery highways at night, going nowhere, snow storms. Great little hook courtesy of Mr Bryan

7 Seeing Time: An old song that I rescued that appears very naked and bruised here.

8 Ephedrine Daddy: a warped kinda hit. Lyrics are from a secret source and mine mixed together. one two three four "Parking tickets... eight miles high". Love it!

9 Tired Eyes: a live favourite. a classic old school autumnal goth song if you ask me...dark side up., etc...

10 Teenager: The Monster... Sometimes it works, sometimes it falls apart. This version is very lucid and articulate. Plays like a transcript of a nightmare. Recorded soon after Katrina happened and some of the angsty images came from there, if I remember correctly. It's very special to me!

11 Purple Love Train: um, the title came about like this: each one of us contributed one word. I've meant to change it but didn't get around to it. anyway, after the heavy stuff we felt it should calm down now. I didn't write lyrics for this but i'm whispering something about summer parties in the 70s. I have some hazy memories that I can now associate with this track.

12 A cut: More whispery, stripped down, morose stuff

13 Scabland: ditto, the lyrics invoke some sort of depleted environment, a wasteland full of scabs... I took the title from ...Pynchon's Vineland and then found out that it actually means something specific, there is a scabland in Washington Country, and it looks great too. it's a very downbeat version, but worked for me with repeated listens

14 when i'm pretty: the song that became the title track, and it was Chris' idea to take it as the title for the whole disc! it's another rocker, about someone with maybe multiple personalities or different aspects to themselves. pretty could be something weird in this context. i don't *really* know, it doesn't have a specific meaning. i guess it could be about going out or entering some forbidden zone. maybe it should have been earlier on the album...but it ends it on a more upbeat note after the three low key tracks before it.

So dear friends and random readers, thanks for your usual patience, pls check out our myspace while I still have your interest, be our friend, and watch this space for one or two or so live shows coming up. Anyone who wants a copy of this (for free!) pls get in touch or leave a comment. cheers!

p.s. great cover art by Avis Underwood, as usual...