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From MySpace, in San Francisco
It is with great regret that I report the breakup of a band I hardly knew: The Manhattan Love Suicides. I regret it because, well, I only ever heard of the Leeds quartet earlier this year through a friend and loved what I heard on their MySpace page. A track like “Johnny Boy” had a Ramones/Jesus and Mary Chain feel to it injected with the sweet girl vocals of Caroline. (The band only used first names.) It was an exciting fusion of noise, and I wanted to know more. But I guess it just wasn’t meant to be anything longterm.
Here’s (briefly) how it all went down. In 2006, the band released its debut. Already, there were claims that the band was working on a second record. Then, in 2008, MLS released Burnt Out Landscapes, a 27-song collection of rare tracks. In June of this year, they rereleased their debut, complete with 11 extra tracks and a DVD. Again, it was said that the group would release its second album later this year. Fastforward to today, July 25. It doesn’t look like that new album is happening. The reason? In the band’s own words, “We’ve made our point.” Via MySpace bulletin, here’s the rest of what the band had to say:
After 3 years, 1 album, 6 singles, a 27 track compilation CD and a DVD, plus more hit and run, feedback and noise drenched 20 minute gigs than we can remember… The Manhattan Love Suicides have decided to split.
The reason? Quite simple really: We’d made our point.
Some bands form, and they keep going for many years. The Manhattan Love Suicides were never about that. We were never career driven; we just wanted to make an impact, like 4 sticks of dynamite thrown into a stale music scene. And in our own way, we did what we set out to do.
The music remains, and that is the most important thing. We’re all very proud of how much we did in the short time we existed. The last thing we ever wanted was to become stale. End it while it’s still fresh, while it’s still vital. While it still counts.
So, thanks to everyone who came to see us , to everyone who appreciated the music and to everyone who supported us. This is not the end: it’s just a new beginning. Adam and Rachel have formed The Medusa Snare and the debut album will be released by Squirrel Records soon, Caroline and Darren are contributing vocals and guitar respectively to Ailsa Craig, as well as working on new material together which will be released later in the year.
There’s not a whole lot of information on the band, but here’s a short, informative bio from All Music, which strangely enough cannot be found on allmusic.com.
The Prissteens - Scandal, Controversy & Romance
Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine getting scooped, if you will, on this.
Tuesday evening, I went to Criminal Records in Atlanta and went on a mini-buying spree, picking up a handful of bands I hadn’t heard of. Isn’t it the best feeling when you pick up a $1 CD on a whim and end up loving it? That’s what happened to me. I snatched a 1998 album called Scandal, Controversy & Romance by a (mostly) all-girl band called the Prissteens. The album art had a slightly retro feel to it, and it was produced by famed songwriter Richard Gottehrer (“I Want Candy, “My Boyfriend’s Back). How could I go wrong?
Now, let me say, I’m a HUGE first-track person. If the first song doesn’t grab me, then it doesn’t look good for the rest of the album. When I put this record in my car CD player on the way back to Marietta, I thought I had a dud on my hands while listening to the album-opener, “The Hound.” It’s a tough-sounding girly rock ‘n’ roll punch in the face that reminded me of the Detroit Cobras or the Love Me Nots. (Not that either of those bands are bad; but at this point in my life, they just don’t do it for me.) Then, came the next song, “I Don’t Cry.” Wow. It was like the Angels meet the Ramones. It was longing, it was fast and it was loud — like the drums were booming. And thankfully, the rest of the record is comprised of songs more in that style. “Run Back to You,” “I’m Devastated” and the title track all represent a brand of pop-punk that died with the Mr. T Experience, yet at the same time, those types of tracks signaled the coming retro revolution beginning in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, the Prissteens weren’t there to see it. This is regrettably their only album. They had the misfortune of arriving either a few years too early or a few years too late, but at least we have this 13-track gem. It’s out-of-print, but there are used copies for as cheap as a penny on Amazon.
Now, back to my first line of this entry about being scooped. I didn’t want to take anything away from the album or the band, so I saved this until the end. I just Googled “the prissteens” and found another “retro” music blogger had posted an item about this very same group only yesterday! Who would’ve thought an 11-year-old rarity would get so much attention?
