today’s vegetable

I suppose the title of this post should read ‘Spotlight: Headphones’ to match the fundraiser contribution, but it was TW Walsh who sent the test pressing to us. He played drums in Headphones behind his Pedro The Lion bandmate David Bazan and Frank Lenz.

My introduction to TW Walsh came earlier this year, thanks to Brad Searles and his fantastic music blog ‘Bradley’s Almanac.’ Brad was talking about TW Walsh and one of his projects called The Soft Drugs. Minutes later I found a page on TW’s website modestly titled ‘songs‘ and I was listening to The Soft Drugs’ In Moderation EP and loving it. It quickly became one of my favorites of 2009, regardless of its 2006 release date. It’s frank, well written, and TW sings so matter-of-factly that it’s hard to avoid his charms.

There are 3 other albums (2 full-length, 1 EP) and a collection of MP3s available on his site, all worth checking out.

This morning I had no idea who I should write about for my daily post. If anything I had too many ideas, and I couldn’t find a place to start. Around midday I saw a tweet from TW Walsh talking about a benefit album he was part of called Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy.

I don’t know Mark, and I won’t claim to be overly familiar with his work. But his music made an impact on the lives of a lot of musicians. When he suffered personal tragedy many of them came together to help him in a beautiful gesture elegantly executed. 41 tracks from an array of artists featuring Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, Mercury Rev, Dinosaur Jr, Buffalo Tom, and TW Walsh. I still haven’t given all the tracks the time they deserve, but as an album it’s wide, rich, and wonderfully diverse — a great look at Mark Mulcahy’s body of work from the perspective of an amazing group of people touched by his music.

You can hear TW Walsh’s version of ‘I Hate To Need You’ here. But Ciao My Shining Star has one major standout: it’s letting a man continue to make music while raising his daughters as a single father.

TW Walsh/Headphones CASH fundraiser contribution
twwalsh.com
davidbazan.com

Talking about DM Stith is easy. His story is one that you want to tell.

Before this CASH fundraiser craziness started I had never met him or even heard his music. My friend Marisa Handren introduced me to Michael Kaufman at Asthmatic Kitty, suggesting I ask them for help. It was at a point where the effort was taking a toll, and organizing a fundraiser on top of a full plate of development and artist support was just feeling like too much. Michael changed all that. It was an incredibly positive conversation, a lot of it focussed on how great he felt this artist named DM Stith was. Michael said he’d talk to DM for me.

So before I could even listen to all the tracks on DM Stith’s site, he had written to say that he’d love to help out with the fundraiser. (In fairness, he posts a lot of music.) He led with kindness and generosity, winning a fan for life in the process.

It was his paintings that first struck me. Beautiful compositions that blend colors and techniques, perfectly framing his music. Somber fields of black, broken up by ink blown textures mask subtle vibrancy and an underlying grace.

That last sentence works for his music too. It’s haunting, elegant, and rich — but in a hidden way like the subtleties of his painting. There are layers of small sounds, strings, and echoey choruses floating from a distance. He sings, really sings, often over piano and acoustic guitar. The result is a song that brings its own space, and environment where it lives as you listen.

As if it’s not obvious, I really like it. There’s a depth to it that’s worth a few listens, each time bringing something different.

As for the fundraiser, well in truth it’s all an elaborate ruse for me to get a print of his art. He’s donated a limited run of up to 100 signed/numbered giclée prints of the painting featured on the cover of Pity Dance.

DM Stith on Twitter
DM Stith Daytrotter Session
dmstith.com

Kristin Hersh is the heart of CASH Music. It started with an idea of hers, she helps guide the organization on our board, and her music serves as a pulse for our efforts. It is impossible for me to overstate how much she means to CASH and also to me personally. So I think it’s fitting that she be the first artist I talk about in my month-long series of daily posts.

CASH began with the first of Kristin’s Speedbath tracks, and at the time I barely knew her. We’re from the same part of the world so we had some friends in common, but that was about it. I knew a few Throwing Muses songs, but not more than three. Listening to ‘Slippershell’ for the first time it clicked. Here was this big sound full of guitar nuances against primal explosions. Right away I got it.

And that’s Kristin, to me. I get it, and I like to think that we understand each other. The way she thinks makes some kind of sense to me and I can hear it in her songs, just like she always understood what we’re building together with CASH — well before we had words on paper to explain it. What’s so great about Kristin Hersh — as an artist and as a person — is her perspective. She can see the world from another angle and manage to show that to you. It’s a rare quality in people, but she manages to do it with her songs, her words, and her guitar.

She and Billy have changed my life, changed my direction, and brought real meaning to my world. Simply put: CASH Music wouldn’t exist without them. And in an amazing act of support, Kristin has once again donated her time to support CASH. She’s given 5 pairs of tickets to a private studio concert for 10 as an entry in our raffle. (Location will be worked out between all the winners, and if anyone can’t make it they can grab a private feed/chat online.)

One last note. There are two things Kristin can do better than everyone on the planet: make spring rolls and play guitar. I’ll allow arguments about the former, but anyone arguing that there’s a better guitarist might have to fight me.

Kristin’s CASH fundraiser contribution
Kristin at CASH
50FOOTWAVE at CASH
kristinhersh.com

I’ve had a terrible time writing this post. The problem is that I’m so excited and we’ve been working so hard to organize a fundraiser for CASH that when it came time to put it into my own words…well…for the first time in my life I’ve been rendered essentially speechless. Or typeless I guess.

We’ve just launched a new CASH Music website featuring a month-long fundraiser and more information about the organization. The feeling is one of accomplishment, though this is really only the beginning.

The site describes the fundraiser better than I could, introduces the new “different currencies, different values” copy, and announces our board. So I’ll leave the ‘official’ communication there for now. Instead, I’m going to post here every day for the rest of this month, talking about specific artists and their contributions to our fundraiser, what we’re trying to accomplish, and how things are going.

(Be warned there may be an interruption at some point. For those that don’t know me personally, our second daughter is expected right in the middle of all this…so if I don’t write, well, it’s probably for very happy reasons.)

That’s the bulk of what I’d like to say for now, save one last sentiment:

Thank you.

Thanks to the CASH board who have been so supportive and helpful as we’ve been building this organization through sheer determination. Thank you to all the artists who have so generously contributed items, music, and art to this effort. It’s been unbelievably gratifying to gain the support of people who’s work and creativity I admire so much. And to everyone that has supported CASH Music, told your friends, or sent kind words — I can’t express just the difference that it makes. Thank you.

Much more coming soon.