Solution oriented muzik in a parallel universe

Artist: HUMANWINE
CD: Mass Exodus ep

Label: Nervouse Relatives Records / Self Released

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With a previous EP ("Rivolta Silenziosa") the US wandering HUMANWINE introduced us full-on to their narrative world of Vinland. They matched the metaphor-as-politics (and vice versa) stories with a gutter-circus-folk sound style that was a stunning marriage of simplicity and subtlety. It's sepiachord required listening.

On their full-length follow up, "Fighting Naked", the band continued to explore their Vinlandish themes but the music had more of a "rock" feel. The end result was good, but the band seemed a little uncomfortable in their new skin.

The new EP ("Mass Exodus") finds the band returning to a three song format and returning to more pared down arrangements. The results are arresting.

Of the three pieces found on this CD the last, "Our Devolution is Televised", best continues the work that Vinland fans love. It's political (of course) and features an infectious circus bounce. It could easily have been slipped in as the fourth track on "Rivolta Silenziosa" and held its own against the great songs found there.

The opening piece on this new EP is also overtly political: "1st Amendment". Its "be the media" messsage might come across as a nuts-and-bolts politcal screed... were it not so spare and, well, pretty. It builds and flows nicely showing off the performers individual strengths especially Holly Brewer's remarkable voice. Its a perfect appetizer for the middle piece: "Megan Rose".

"Megan Rose" seems to pre-date the existence of HUMANWINE as a band and features Holly alone, just her voice and a piano. When the song starts you'd be forgiven for thinking that this is merely a ballad of friendship to the title character. It *IS* that, but takes stomach-wrenching turns that are all the more powerful because you don't see them coming. This is the key to tragedy: you don't see it coming. "Megan Rose" is a beautiful, seductive PUNCH IN THE GUT that will make you cough up a bit of blood and still make you want to play it over and over... even if, like me, you found yourself on the verge of tears the first time you heard it. This really is one of those songs that descriptions fail for, you have to sit down and listen to it. And you should.

HUMWINE's DIY aesthetic has never been more clear in their sound ~and~ in the EP's visual presentation. Not only does the look and feel of the packaging clearly place the band in the line of descent from seminal grass-roots political rollickers Crass but HUMANWINE does something other bands never seem to do: give credit where it's due!

Lots of politically charged punk bands have aped the art of Crass, but this is the first time I can think of where credit for inspiration is given to the artist responsible for this distinctive look: Gee Vaucher. Kudos.

Recommended.

HUMANWINE:
http://www.humanwine.org/

Labels: Ashley vandiver, Courtenay vandiver, holly brewer, HUMANWINE, live music, mass exodus, mat mcniss, nathan greenslit, Paul Dilley, recorded, sepiachord

So HUMANWINE played a 2 and a half hour set on Saturday May 3rd. For all of you who came thank you for helping us fill Great Scott, thank you for being you, Emily, congrats on finding the World's Wisest TinyTV, Thank you for your concern over my well being (holly here) and thank you Courtenay, Ashley, Adam, Nathan & N8 for being so insane and wonderful...

pictures by Dave Green are here
http://www.adoorable.org/temp/HUMANWINE/index.html

We loaded in around 6pm.
I walked through the door and noticed a huge altar to RCN (cable company), which I though ironic considering we rented the room for the night and we did not invite RCN to be a part of the event. We did however have 2 other organizations tabling the event, one is TEN The Emancipation Network which works to abolish modern slavery and RAW! RAW! RAW!, Boston's first radical cheerleading squad (of which I am a proud member, I am also the treasurer). Back to the RCN altar. I dropped off a bunch of my equipment and approached the guy working the table and asked him what 'they' were doing there and he said it was a promotional thing but didn't say much else. I told him we needed the space for our 2 organizations and that he could moved to another section. He started to pack up the key chains, flyers and the blue tarps saying "RCN Cable Network". I left to tell everyone else the scoop. When I started to set up the tables for our guest bands, We Will Eat Rats To Survive and Drake, I noticed that the fellow was now joined by another person, she said that they were from the Phoenix (a local magazine) and that they were sent to the show as part of a promotional thing. All this seemed very strange to me since, it was after all, a Celebration of "TV Turn off week". I mean. did they know, did RCN just see "TV" on our flyers and think, that's the show we want to be at. I don't know but I found it all amusing. The girl and the guy asked me if they should pack up completely. I said,"I'm not a censor, Cable companies DO exist, we just don't have any room for them, so do whatever you want as long as you don't eat into the merch table space. They seemed satisfied and a little surprised once I told them it was a celebration for TV Turn off week.

Meanwhile...
Since April 2nd I have been feeling a very strong pinching feeling in my pelvis (left ovary region), being a veteran of ovarian cysts I figured it was another one.
Having no health Care Insurance I decided to wait it out but it never ever went away.
It only got worse.
So on the say of the show 1 month and 1 day after the pain had started it all came to a climax.
I spent most of the day crying in intense pain.
I decided that I had to play the show but that afterwards I would just check into the ER for council.

When I got to Great Scott I was met by Courtenay (cello ninja) who promptly gave me a whole bouquet of flowers!
I decided that if I should spent time in the hospital that I would already have room decorations.

The Cellist from Drake told me she was a Reiki worker and offered to spend a little time one me.
Once I could rest for a moment during the dead time when the merch tables are set, the place is decorated, the TV had been stashed for the scavenger hunt, we had sound checked and Jill was on food details, I walked over to Monica (Drake's Cellist) and said I was ready. I got up on an unused merch table near the back of the room and laid my ass out. We Will Eat Rats To Survive was sound checking, I closed my eyes with little tears streaming down my face and just zoned out. It felt like she was pressing on me but there was no contact, I could feel "static" coming from my spine into my pelvis. We had a good 25 minute session before we realized the doors had been called and people were coming in. She wrapped up and told me to lay there for a bit, asking me how I felt. I noticed that the pain had moved for the first time, from my pelvis to my lower spine and that I was relieved to feel at least a different pain for once.
She is so wonderful. I really think that gave me the strength to do the night.

We powered through every bit, I felt like fainting about 3 songs from the end but we did it. I was happy.

So we finish the set and I go over to talk with the manager about loot and he hands me loot laughing and talking about the RCN guy.
I told him my story and he laughed even harder. He said, "When you had the Scavenger Hunt for the TV and the girl (Emily) found it, HAHHA The kids with the RCN table looked so..hahaha...everyone at the bar broke into hysterics when you announced the little factoids about spending 7 years of your life watching commercials...hahaha..oh my god so check this out okay...RCN picked HUMANWINE's show to promote apparently they were shooting off Ads on FNX (Phoenix) Radio for 2 weeks saying "RCN sponsors HUMANWINE @ Great Scott" or something like that..hahaha! I guess they dug your band, THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T DIG DEEP ENOUGH!! HAHAHAH!

It was so ironic that I am truly touched. It may have well been Revlon, Nike or Buick but who ended up taking it upon themselves to use a band's local show for more airtime...a cable corporation...during TV Turn Off Week.
Now I know why he was laughing so hard, why they all were. I am too. I think I always will. That's one for the books I said, and here it is, on the books.


We've got some shows coming up, on of which is a Benefit show to pay for upcoming lawyer fees to get folks out of jail who are planning to attend the Republican National Convention (RNC) <---oddly enough. So in preparation for the Nazi tyrants at the Convention, we are playing a Benefit to raise loot to get the good guys out of jail. That's on May 23rd.
Go to HUMANWINE.org for show details.

P.S.
I went to the ER right after we broke down and packed up.
Jill took me.
We stayed there until 8am.
The docs were great.
They took ultrasounds of my insides from the outside AND the inside. yikes!
pain, pain,pain.
No lumps or cysts detected, I was left with the possibility that I was walking around with a pinched nerve that had "A typical radiant pain" coming through my pelvis.
Jill set up an acupuncture appointment for me that following Friday.
I went, it was awesome.
I have magnets taped to me still.
It was sooooooo expensive. $250 for the first visit.
I told her that if there would be a future visit it would have to be a barter.
So I'm making her a website in trade for more care.

Ever since they stick the inside ultrasound wand up me I have felt a tiny bit better.
It's like we scared the thing into submission for a bit.
Doing okay.
Thank you for your care.

LONG LIVE ART! RAH! RAH!
-HUMANWINE

Labels: Adam Simon, Ashley vandiver, Courtenay vandiver, holly brewer, HUMANWINE, Live Concert, m mcniss, music, Nate greenslit, nathan chohen, pain