Weeping In Fits And Starts - This Wreck Is Goin' Down

I recently read about Weeping in Fits and Starts for the first time at Tiny Idols, a very well written and interesting blog about obscure and out of print material from roughly the past fifteen years. This has really been growing on me after a few listens. I wasn't able to find an image of the cover of this album, so this fuzzy band photo to the left will have to do. The band is a little difficult to pigeon hole in regards to their sound. Certainly within the broad label of indie rock, but to their credit it gets more difficult beyond that. Built on rich vocals, acoustic guitar, clean electric guitar and bass, varied percussion, banjo, and more. The band leader was Greg Jacobs, who wrote all of the music expect for "Riding Green Riding Bike". The songs were written in the early 90s and the recorded around '93-'94 in Boston, MA. The songs on this album, the band's first (they released a second before calling it quits), benefit from good writing, an inherent skill at harmonizing voice and guitar, and a good use of backing/layering of vocals. There's an "Irish folk" element that can be found here and there, as well as general swaying and warm fullness felt, particularly towards the end of the album.


Weeping In Fits And Starts - "How Can I Get Half"

Following the title track instrumental "This Wreck Is Goin' Down", "How Can I Get Half" starts out with two sets of vocals, one up front in the mix, the other set in the back. The songs demonstrates some of the better use of layering the vocals to emphasize the chorus at times, and separating them to provide background and foreground. The drumming also plays strongly in this song, changing up the beat and tempo often. Added guitar about half-way through helps to build and accent the acoustic guitar. The tempo is slowed at times, led by the vocals, which really drive the song.


Weeping In Starts And Fits - "Greater Sorrows Will Prevail"

The recording on this song is mixed a little more evenly, the guitar stands more prominently here than in "How Can I Get Half", a fuller warmer sound. A mid-paced beginning turns it up a tick briefly before layers of guitar and other instruments fill the middle portion of the song thickly and almost evoking sadness. The real winning part of the song is the final chorus "I got my feet wet and it's something I can't control..." sung over up-tempo drumming and great feeling and emotion created by the open play on guitar and later the vocals as it trails off.

I found a few copies of this album (and where I purchased it) at Amazon, reasonably priced (~$3.00). As I mentioned above, at first listen, I wasn't really caught all that much by the songs. It took a couple listens and now I'm listening it consistently, and am going to look to pick up their other album Blue Funnel World (1998). The music can be sad, introspective, upbeat, and especially warm.