From The Closet: Hum
“She thinks she missed the train to Mars, she’s out back counting stars.” Before the Cadillac commercial, I was a 13-year old kid when I first discovered Hum. Best known for their 1995 hit “Stars,” the Champaign, Illinois quartet combined heavy-distorted guitars, melodic-monotone vocals, and songs about plants, dreams and suicide machines that proved a breath of fresh air from Pearl Jam-clones in the mid-nineties. 1995’s LP You’d Prefer an Astronaut is a solid effort, but 1998’s Downward is Heavenward is a ten-song epic adventure through space. For every tender moment sung by lead-singer Matt Talbot, there’s a sonic blast of splintering guitars that erupt like a goddamn Android Volcano! I’m not quite sure what that means but you can judge for yourself by listening to my favorite Hum song, “I Hate it Too.”
YES. Good call, Ram.
I remember seeing a live performance of “Stars” on mother fucking 120 minutes as a kid and being hooked for life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPtDuXNQfgc
They brought the noise.
Well done sir.
Somebody should add the drummer to the supergroup list
Wow! I almost cried a little bit after watching that youtube clip raygun. Whatever happened to the good ol’ days where dudes dressed like beach bums wearing “jorts” rocked the f**k out on live T.V.? Long gone…
~Ramalama
like reagan, i saw the “Stars” video on 120 minutes as I was falling asleep one night. It was mind blowing. And then I never saw it again. I thought it was a phantom of my imagination… or like Brigadoon or something. thanks Ram for this trip down memory lane.
One of the best albums of the 90s! Thanks for sharing Ram. bRETT, good call on the supergroup for the drummer. We are considering covering this tune our band…but we may do Ms. Lazarus instead.
People have likened us to Hum before. Check it out: http://monumenttonoone.bandcamp.com/
If you’d like a download link send us an email and we will hook you up.
Have a great weekend.
Dan – MTNO