Lisa Walker Interview in New Book About Coen Brothers
We are pleased to announce that an interview with Wussy’s Lisa Walker is featured in Adam Nayman’s gorgeous new hardcover book The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together. Other interviewees include frequent Coen collaborators such as Carter Burwell and Roger Deakins! 🎳
“.. film critic Adam Nayman carefully sifts through [the Coens’] complex cinematic universe in an effort to plot, as he puts it, ‘some Grand Unified Theory of Coen-ness’. The book combines critical text—biography, close film analysis, and enlightening interviews with key Coen collaborators—with a visual aesthetic that honors the Coens’ singular mix of darkness and levity. Featuring film stills, beautiful and evocative illustrations, punchy infographics, and hard insight, this book will be the definitive exploration of the Coen brothers’ oeuvre.”
In the interview, Walker discusses how The Big Lebowski, and Donny’s character in particular, inspired her to write Forever Sounds’ soaring anthem “Donny’s Death Scene”.
WUSSY - New American Standard (Official Video)
From the July 13 split single from Wussy and The Paranoid Style on Bar/None Records!
Assembled/directed by Lisa Walker, made with US and UK tour footage shot by both Walker and John Erhardt.
The Ringer: "Wussy’s American Gothic"
Pop culture mag The Ringer just published an in-depth feature on Wussy and their newest release. Written by Adam Nayman (author of The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together), the article delves into some of the stories behind the songs on What Heaven Is Like, declaring: “This is the best band you’ve never heard of.”
SPIN Top 50: WUSSY - Forever Sounds
SPIN listed Wussy’s newest, Forever Sounds, among its “50 Best Albums of 2016 So Far“… calling the band “one of American indie’s premier songwriting projects”.
As one of American indie’s premier songwriting projects, Cincinnati-based five-piece Wussy have set high standards of consistency over their decade-and-change career, patiently amassing a hefty songbook courtesy of head writers/guitar wranglers Lisa Walker and Chuck Cleaver, even while slowly widening their national profile through extensive road shows. The distinct pleasures of Forever Sounds remain those of all five preceding Wussy albums — a crack songwriting duo detailing adult life’s ambiguities with vivid language amid a terrific rhythm section’s unapologetic alt-slop. They’ve retained their love of six-string grandeur even while continuing to plumb the depths of victories that aren’t so much hollow as qualified. Like throwing your own parade and hoping someone just might roll with you. Or quietly insisting against all available evidence that “these are the better days,” then immediately allowing, “…or not.” — JASON GUBBELS
See the rest of the top 50 here.
Read SPIN’s full review of Forever Sounds here.
Wussy Add US Dates to Forever Sounds Tour
Having returned from a successful UK tour leg (including a BBC6 radio session), Wussy resume their 2016 Forever Sounds tour with a string of US dates, including KEXP and Daytrotter sessions.
Wussy’s 2016 LP Forever Sounds (Shake It / Damnably) has been featured in SPIN, Noisey, Stereogum, NPR, AV Club, Paste and more. Most recently, the band’s UK Record Store Day single “Ceremony” (Damnably) has been getting extensive BBC airplay since its April 22 release. Their tour season wraps up in September with two back-to-back hometown shows at Cincinnati’s historic Woodward Theater with special guests that will be announced in July.
Forever Sounds 2016 Tour
June 8 / ST. LOUIS / Twangfest / Off Broadway w/James McMurtry
June 9 / TULSA / Soundpony w/American Werewolf Academy
June 10 / DALLAS / Three Links Deep Ellum w/American Werewolf Academy
June 11 / AUSTIN / Spiderhouse Ballroom w/American Werewolf Academy, Residual Kid
June 14 / LOS ANGELES / Silverlake Lounge w/Chris Brokaw
June 15 / SAN FRANCISCO / Elbo Room w/Chris Brokaw, Night School
June 17 / PORTLAND / Star Theater w/Chris Brokaw, Rubella Graves
June 18 / SEATTLE / El Corazon w/Chris Brokaw, The Purrs, QAZI
June 19 / WENATCHEE / Two Bar w/Chris Brokaw
June 20 / BOISE / Neurolux Lounge w/Chris Brokaw, Outer Spaces
June 22 / DENVER / Moon Room w/Too Many Humans
June 23 / KANSAS CITY / Davey’s Uptown w/Schwervon, Cave Girls
June 24 / CHICAGO / Empty Bottle w/Calliope
June 25 / LOUISVILLE / Headliner’s w/The Fervor, Frederick the Younger
July 7 / COLUMBUS / Double Happiness w/Kyle Sowashes, Drift Mouth
July 8 / CLEVELAND / Beachland Tavern w/Lawton Bros, Fever Child
July 9 / ALBANY / The Low Beat w/Paranoid Style, Sky Furrows
July 10 / NYC / Bowery Ballroom w/Paranoid Style
July 12 / PROVIDENCE / Columbus Theater w/ Tall Teenagers
July 13 / BOSTON / Middle East Upstairs w/A Band Called E
July 14 / DC / Black Cat w/Dot Dash
July 15 / BALTIMORE / Club 603 / SOLD OUT
July 16 / RICHMOND / Strange Matter
Sept 23 / CINCINNATI / Woodward Theater
Sept 24 / CINCINNATI / Woodward Theater
Wussy - Forever Sounds
“Swirling psych rock riffs that expand outward, seemingly without end” – AV Club
“Maximum singability and staying power” – Pitchfork
“Criminally underrated” – Paste
“Their most complete work yet” – Noisey
“A swaggering, bleary, distorted churn topped off by another virtuoso vocal duet” – Stereogum
“America’s best songwriting band might now be among its best soundscaping ones” – SPIN
SPIN Songs of the Week: WUSSY - Ceremony
SPIN included Wussy’s cover of “Ceremony” among their “7 Favorite Songs of the Week”, saying:
There are plenty of ways for a cover song to be successful, but it can be especially meaningful when artists weave in their perspective without compromising the magic of the original — which Cincinnati’s Wussy do with aplomb with this take on New Order’s 1981 classic. Staying faithful to the new-wave pioneers’ looping guitar line, Wussy throw in layers of hazy, frayed distortion while singing Ian Curtis’ last lyrics together in unruly unison. — R.B.
Read the rest here: SPIN’s 7 Favorite Songs of the Week: DeJ Loaf, Julianna Barwick, and More
Stereogum: WUSSY - Ceremony (Premiere)
Stereogum premiered Wussy’s Record Store Day cover of “Ceremony” (Joy Division / New Order) on April 6, with a streaming link, as well as a list of 2016 tour dates. Stream it here: Wussy – “Ceremony” (New Order Cover) (Stereogum Premiere).
“They’ve covered New Order’s seminal new wave track ‘Ceremony’, making it their own without betraying the essence of the original.” - Chris DeVille, Stereogum
AV Club: WUSSY - She's Killed Hundreds (Video Premiere)
AV Club Premiere of “She’s Killed Hundreds”
Wussy’s video for their single “She’s Killed Hundreds” (directed by Rich Tarbell) was premiered today via the AV Club, who had this to say about the track:
Cincinnati’s Wussy has always blurred the line between alt-country and straight-ahead rock, but on its sixth album, Forever Sounds, the band has found a new way to make the amalgam pop. The A.V. Club is premiering the video for “She’s Killed Hundreds,” a song that sees Wussy embrace swirling, psych-rock riffs that expand outward seemingly without end. The video plays off the song’s themes, as an unnamed spy leaves leaves nothing but destruction in her wake.
Speaking of the song’s themes , Lisa Walker said:
“Lyrics on this one are courtesy of Chuck. We never entirely know what he’s writing about, and half the time, he doesn’t either! He played this song for the band – plus “Hello, I’m a Ghost” – after we’d essentially finished the record and packed up. Needless to say, we were blown away, so it was worth setting up in the studio all over again to capture these two amazing tracks. John Erhardt and I also get to play dueling lead guitars, which is supremely fun. For me, this one has always had a bit of a Pixies meets Guided by Voices vibe. In other words, Ohio to its core.”
Paste’s Coverage of “She’s Killed Hundreds”:
Wussy’s audience seems to be made up entirely of rock critics. You rarely meet mainstream fans of the Cincinnati band, but if Robert Christgau wants to get coffee we wouldn’t be opposed.
Despite their relative obscurity, Wussy is a criminally underrated alt-country outfit whose sixth studio album, Forever Sounds, came out today on Shake It Records along with a music video for single “She’s Killed Hundreds.” The video features two secret agents playing a game of cat-and-mouse ala Mad magazine’s “Spy vs. Spy” comics.
About the Video
Directed by Rich Tarbell and Brian Wimer.
Edited by Rich Tarbell with color correction by David Ariew.
Produced with Scott Vieth, Club 603, Baltimore MD.
From the album Forever Sounds.
Noisey: WUSSY - Forever Sounds (Premiere)
Check out Noisey’s coverage and full album stream of Wussy’s Forever Sounds here:
“If you’re not familiar with the fuzzy dream pop psych of Cincinnati’s Wussy, you’re in for a treat. The band’s been around for a bit—getting its start way back in 2001—and has established itself as a staple of Midwestern rock over the last decade. Below, Noisey is happy to premiere the latest record from Wussy called Forever Sounds, which might just be their most complete work yet.” – Noisey
PREMIERE: Stream Wussy's 'Forever Sounds' and Get Joyfully Midwestern Miserable
2016 Wussy Tour Update
Hi guys! Here’s all our Forever Sounds tour dates from March 29 – June 25. Can’t wait to play for y’all! I realize we can’t get to every city we’d like to – and we’re truly sorry about that. It’s a matter of routing and scheduling. But we’re awfully proud of this upcoming effort, and we truly hope to see some of you out on the road!! Bless your hearts all of you. You make this sort of thing possible!
//// US SPRING TOUR ////
MAR 29 / DC – Tree House Lounge with Paranoid Style + Jackie & The Treehorns
MAR 30 / BROOKLYN – Trans Pecos (Pres. by NYC Taper) with Courtesy Tier
MAR 31 / PHILADELPHIA – Milkboy with Josh Olmstead’s Union of Mad Scientists
APR 2 / BOSTON, MA – **SOLD OUT** Midway Cafe with Thalia Zedek Band
//// THREE SPECIAL CINCINNATI DUO APPEARANCES ////
APR 9 / Northside Tavern / To Jilly with Love
APR 10 / Shake It Records w/Daniel Martin Moore
APR 23 / Northern Kentucky University City Fusion Songwriting Workshop Series: This Will Not End Well (The Art of Writing What You Know)
//// UK SPRING TOUR ////
APR 27 / NEWCASTLE – The Sage Gateshead with Shonen Knife
APR 28 / MANCHESTER – The Castle with the False Nines
APR 29 / YORK – The Crescent
APR 30 / CARDIFF – The Moon Club with Personal Best
MAY 1 / LONDON – Walpurgis Nacht Fest @ The Windmill, Brixton
with Kath Bloom, Otoboke Beaver, Lazarus Clamp, BRUJA, Former Utopia, Splintered Man, Capt.Lovelace, More Bad Times, MJ Hibbett, Russell and the Wolf Choir, serac (SOLD OUT)
May 2 / LONDON - The Windmill, Brixton
MAY 3 / LEICESTER – The Musician with Echolocation
MAY 4 / DERBY – The Hairy Dog with Jo Lewis and Liam Walker
MAY 5 / BRIGHTON – The Hope and Ruin with Garden Centre
MAY 7 / EDINBURGH – Electric Circus
MAY 8 / BRISTOL- The Fleece with Shonen Knife & Leggy
//// US SUMMER DATES ////
JUNE 7 / Daytrotter Session
JUNE 8 / ST LOUIS - Twangfest
JUNE 9 / TULSA – The Soundpony with American Werewolf Academy
JUNE 10 / DALLAS – Three Links with American Werewolf Academy
JUNE 11 / AUSTIN – Spider House Ballroom with American Werewolf Academy and Residual Kid
JUNE 14 / LOS ANGELES – Silverlake Lounge with Chris Brokaw
JUNE 15 / SAN FRANCISCO – Elbo Room with Chris Brokaw
JUNE 17 / PORTLAND – Star Theater with Chris Brokaw
JUNE 18 / SEATTLE – El Corazon with Chris Brokaw & QAZI
JUNE 19 / WENATCHEE – Two Bar with Chris Brokaw
JUNE 20 / BOISE, – Neurolux with Chris Brokaw
JUNE 22 / DENVER – Moon Room
JUNE 23 / KANSAS CITY – Davey’s Uptown with Schwervon
JUNE 24 / CHICAGO – The Empty Bottle
JUNE 25 / LOUISVILLE – Headliners with The Fervor
Stereogum: WUSSY - Dropping Houses (Video Premiere)
Wussy’s official video for single “Dropping Houses” launched today via Stereogum, who had this to say about the track:
On “Dropping Houses,” Ohio rockers Wussy applied their unique blend of Midwest roots-rock and gauzy melodic swirl to a story about being inside a house carried away by a tornado. I loved how singer-guitarist Lisa Walker explained the aesthetic: “Our dorky dual fandom of ’90s shoegaze + tom petty has fully surfaced and become a really singable wall of noise.” And I furthermore enjoy what director Scott Fredette has done with the visuals, turning a simple performance video into something ominous and flashy via a black background and colorful bursts of light. Watch below. – Chris DeVille / Stereogum
About the Video
From the album Forever Sounds, out 3/4/16 on Shake It/Damnably.
Director: Scott Fredette
Director of Photography: John Erhardt
Design/Animation: Dan Olszewski
Editor: Brad Grawe
Camera Assistant: Roger Holliday
Grip: Jake Kneuven
Grip: Charlie Glassman
Grip: Geoff Halpin
Camera Car Driver: David Hug
Grip/Lighting equipment: Midwest Grip and Lighting
Camera equipment: The Camera Dept.
SPIN: Wussy Announce 6th Album Forever Sounds (Premiere)
Wussy announced their sixth album Forever Sounds, premiering the lead single “Dropping Houses” via SPIN Magazine on Jan 21, 2016. SPIN had this to say:
“To certain fans of Lucinda Williams, Crazy Horse, Mekons and R.E.M., Wussy became the best band in America almost instantaneously with the launch of their cult classic debut, Funeral Dress, in 2005. Their flawless document of ragged songwriting and modestly adventurous arrangements has only grown in dynamism in the years and albums that followed… America’s best songwriting band might now be among its best soundscaping ones.”
“It’s a swaggering, bleary, distorted churn topped off by another virtuoso vocal duet from Walker and Cleaver.” – Stereogum
Wussy’s sixth LP is bleaker and more difficult than its predecessor, 2014’s tentatively anthemic Attica!. The album is full of darkly valiant shoegaze, music that is cozy enough to hibernate under. – Pitchfork
Forever Sounds Track List
Dropping Houses
She’s Killed Hundreds
Donny’s Death Scene
Gone
Hello, I’m a Ghost
Hand of God
Sidewalk Sale
Better Days
Majestic-12
My Parade
WUSSY - North Sea Girls (Official Video)
Wussy - "North Sea Girls" from Attica! (2014)
Video by Rich Tarbell, with thanks to Polly, Kristen, Catherine & Jessie.
Winner of 2015 Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Best Video
WUSSY - Beautiful (Live Session + Mashup Video)
Wussy performed live at Seattle’s KEXP studios on June 20, 2014. Here is their live version of “Beautiful” from the 2014 album Attica!.
“When I saw Wussy play ‘Beautiful’ at last year’s Nelsonville Music Festival, they stretched out the ending until the seams frayed; the mantra-like chorus, drone-fuzz guitars and strummed bass erupted like a lost Yo La Tengo outtake.” – Pitchfork
This is a very rough recording of Wussy initially arranging "Beautiful" in the practice space, captured on an iPad April 2013. Mashup video made with local WXIX commercials from the early 70's - which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmX_S...
Wussy on CBS This Morning
Wussy made their national US television debut on CBS This Morning, featured on the show’s November 29 Saturday Sessions. The band filmed an interview segment at the 60 Minutes Studio with CBS’s Anthony Mason, supplemented with additional footage shot on tour and in their hometown of Cincinnati. They performed the songs “Teenage Wasteland”, “Beatiful” and “Pizza King”. The performances are not currently available online; however the interview with Anthony Mason is featured here.
Cincinnati CityBeat reported on the coverage:
“Veteran Cincinnati band Wussy saw a huge boost of its national profile (and sales) over the weekend when the band was featured on CBS This Morning on Nov 29. The band’s network TV debut included an entertaining and funny interview segment, spliced with live footage (including shots filmed at this year’s MidPoint Music Festival, where the band opened for The Afghan Whigs in Washington Park). The featurette also showed band members Chuck Cleaver, Mark Messerly and Lisa Walker at their day jobs in Cincinnati and Shake It Records (the Northside record shop whose label branch releases Wussy’s albums) also makes an appearance.
The band’s appearance also included a performance of “Teenage Wasteland” from Wussy’s latest album, Attica! A bonus performance of another song from the album, “Beautiful,” was also filmed.
The appearance had an immediate impact on Wussy’s sales. CBS’s Anthony Mason (who conducted the interview) tweeted that Attica! entered the iTunes album chart at No. 89 after the airing. Amazon sold out of its stock of Attica! CDs.
WUSSY - Gene I Dream (Official Video)
Wussy is happy to announce the premiere of our video for “Gene, I Dream” from the album Attica!. John Erhardt compiled some tour footage for a segment on Wussy that aired on CBS This Morning. The network used a portion of it, but this is the original 4 minute reel created by John. On a whim, we played it against “Gene, I Dream” and found that it matched up perfectly!
WUSSY - Bug (Official Video)
Wussy released their video for “Bug” (from Attica!, 2014) on Nov 14. It was directed by John Erhardt, Chris Joecken and Red Echo Post, and shot at the Hoffner Masonic Lodge in the historic Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.
WUSSY - Bug (Live at KEXP)
Recorded June 20, 2014.
Host: Cheryl Waters
Audio Engineer: Kevin Suggs
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Shelly Corbett & Scott Holpainen
Editor: Jim Beckmann
WUSSY + COLTRANE MOTION - Maglite (Mashup Video)
Wussy's "Maglite" from their self-titled album - remixed by Coltrane Motion and set to the visuals of Armi & Danny.
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