Throwing Muses

Clearly a very influential album in gothic and post-punk. It's been really interesting listening to the kind of band who would have inspired Sonic Youth, Pixies, or Nirvana. The music is dark and creeping, with often quite strange changes in key. Kristin Hersh's vocals vary between shrieks and whispers, and her lyrics are these striking tangled poems. I liked it a lot. Best Track: Rabbits Dying Worst Track: Soul Soldier

This album was an absolute treat to listen to to. I’ll have to check out their career highlights 3.7

Pleasantly surprised nice listening!

Super good

послушал около дебютный (там запутанная история с изданиями) альбом группы фруинг музес. до этого я вообще не знал про них, да и если бы узнал, что есть такая то женская инди панк рок группа 80х, я бы вряд ли сразу пошёл слушать. а тут почитал пару статеек, узнал лор группы, и вот ознакомился с их стильком. что это собсна такое. это такой индюшный диковинный рок с очень необычной структурой. по версии Кристин Хирш живая музыка должна быть грязной, здесь она и пыталась этому соответствовать. и базару нет, звучит реально очень живо, хотя иногда вот эта грань между живостью и грязью заносится влево. мне очень понравились Green и Stand Up, как раз таки где их не сильно заносит, и они при всей живости сохраняют хорошее качество. музыкально мне альбом понравился полностью, всё таки чтобы сделать такое профессиональное дурачество в инструментале, нужно очень хорошо владеть музыкой. местами они прям заходят на территорию ещё на зародившихся радиохед с этими сменами ритма и в целом очень сложными ритмическими рисунками. а вот насчёт вокала спорно. мне нравится харизма вокалисток, конкретно Кристин очень вайбует меня на Хлою Прайс, что несомненно круто, но вот то, как она голосом управляет как будто бы оставляет желать лучшего. причём мне кажется это тоже задумка, потому что у неё есть конкретный тембр и регистр, в котором она чувствует себя очень хорошо (два полюбившихся мне трека как раз в нём преимущественно и исполнялись), но ей постоянно хочется выдать какую то странную игру голосом, которая аудиально ну очень странно воспринимается. где то мисс вайб с музыкой, где то не в тональность, где то просто ушкам больно. задумка или нет, но реализация мне кажется не особо удачной конкретно на этом альбоме. но в целом это очень даже хорошо, думаю это действительно достаточно значимый альбом для панк и инди сцены, ну и просто как творческий вызов это слушать интересно. хотя желания ознакомиться со всей дискографией у меня не возникло, это реально интересный такой альбом на подумать над музыкой оценка - 8/10

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Call me, Green, Fear

Admittedly pre-judged this one by the album art and band name, but a pleasant surprise. Very '90s for an '80s album

I can’t properly listen to this entire album because I can only find it on last.fm and not all the songs are available. That being said, I loved The Real Ramona back in the day and I love Tanya Donnelly. I liked the early songs I heard here too! Call me, Hate my Way, are great. Wish I could listen to it regularly.

This sounded way more modern than it's age, only the singing really ties it to the 80s. The indie punk sound would fit in decades later. Generally thought it was great, probably missing any obvious stand out tracks but most of the album was well above average. I would listen again but I'm not sure if ever be a really big fan, so it's probably somewhere between 3.5 and 4.

Never heard of throwing muses before but I enjoyed this. Do like a female lead in punky type music. Think I preferred disk 2 better with the alternate versions. Think my favourites were Vicky's box and America 3.5

⚠️⚠️ THE TOP REVIEW IS WRONG!! THAT'S NOT THE CORRECT ALBUM!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO THE FIRST 10 SONGS OF "IN A DOGHOUSE"!! https://open.spotify.com/album/6NDHvXHJTWPMhUqiuwosH9?si=vC3nRiM5Ra-lCJ_TQF7dlA ⚠️⚠️ Yeah, cool artistic choice to make your debut album (which is also your most famous, highest-rated one) be only accessible by listening to some random compilation, then releasing another album with the same name as your debut album. Shit sucks, because this is actually a really solid post-punk record, and I'm sure more people would have given it a fair shot if they knew what the hell they were even supposed to be listening to. Very reminiscent of Sleater-Kinney, but darker and messier. Almost Sonic Youth-y at times. Your mileage may vary on the singer's goat impression. Also apparently an influence on the Pixies. This really feels like reading some lost chapter in the history of music. I really enjoyed it.

"Throwing Muses" by Throwing Muses is a raw and compelling debut album that showcases the band's unique blend of alternative rock and post-punk. Released in 1986, the album is characterized by its jagged guitar riffs, intricate song structures, and Kristin Hersh's haunting vocals. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Fish," a brooding and atmospheric song that highlights Hersh's evocative lyricism. Other highlights include the frenetic "Green" and the dreamy "Hate My Way," both of which demonstrate the band's ability to seamlessly blend melody and dissonance. While some tracks can be challenging upon first listen, "Throwing Muses" rewards repeated listens with its depth and complexity. Overall, it's a strong debut that laid the foundation for Throwing Muses' influential career in alternative music.

My first time hearing of this band or hearing any of this music. Pretty solid. I know it's from 1986 but I can imagine Sleater-Kinney were into Throwing Muses for a while. An interesting sonic departure at the end of the album, but I don't dislike it.

4/5. Female-driven punk is sweet. There actually feels like something she has to be angry about and although I didn't super pay attention the lyrics, I didn't really need to. The instrumentation was actually enjoyable which is rare to find in punk. Sure, just a simple drum and 4 chord structure usually but even still, was nice to listen to and fronted by a woman. It still went hard and would probably replay again in the future.

Nice hidden gem for me to discover through this list. Great opener, great performance. Every song kept me on my toes and had some kind of surprise. Be it the silly horns in fear or the parody of country in America. Great collection of songs but could've been more focused

Caught me by surprise it was a great listen

Ok this was great. Embarrassed to say I had never previously listened to Throwing Muses but they are right in my wheelhouse and I was into this from start to finish. Kristin Hersh is such an engaging lead, the band is great but Hersh is the game changer on this album. The influence of Siouxsie and the Banshees is apparent but there’s a snarky playfulness that is worked in here and it’s infectious. What a fun album. 4 stars

I really enjoyed this, actually. Definitely worth another listen.

Thoughts before listening: One of those 80s/90s college rock bands that I've heard of and read about for years but never actually listened to them. In general I do like this style of music so I'm excited to try this out...if I can find it. It's not on Spotify and the YouTube links appear to be dead as well. Review: This is okay. It has a cool punk vibe that I'm enjoying, but it's also a compilation of the band's early demos so it has an unproduced quality to it. Not uncommon in 80s indie rock so it sounds very much of the time. The songs are all pretty good with Kristin Hersh's yelp standing out as the star of the show. From reading music magazines in the 90s, she was a huge deal in certain music circles, but I don't really know much about her. I'd give this 3-stars, but I did listen to their later output that's actually on Spotify....and it's really good so I'll bump them up to 4-stars.

Punky varied and pretty fun

Another wonderful 'bridge' gem. Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly seem like children of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. Then seeing they're involved in the Breeders, the Pixies, 50 Foot Wave, etc, it's obvious they're an epicenter of 90s rock. Like there is no Sleater-Kinney without Throwing Muses. Once again, grateful to this project for discoveries like this 🙂🙏

One of those names I've heard a million times that I couldn't have named one of their songs. I really enjoyed this album. It really feels fresh and ahead of it's time for 1986.

It was an absolutely great discovery! I think it was the first time I thought an album was not long enough. I wanted more.

It’s pretty cool but just not my thing. Deffo would have been all over this as a teenager.

These ladies know how to rock! I enjoyed the album we accidentally listened to a bit more than the one we were supposed to, but overall a pleasant surprise for our first female artist(s) of this musical journey

I really enjoyed this, it has a sort of new wave/punk vibe to it but with dynamic songs. Favorites- Green, Stand up. 4*

first listen i didn't think the music was very strong but the vocalist is so interesting it carried it for me

Difficult album to find streaming. I hope I picked the right one on YouTube. That said, feels appropriate to hear this album after the year boygenius had. Post-punk energy, howling passionate vocals. Tidy song writing. The original album I listened to was a later TM album and it suffered from what this had in abundance: energy and tight songwriting. Wish it was easier to hear this album

The fact that I had to hunt on YouTube for Throwing Muses’ debut is fitting, considering it comes from a gap in my music knowledge. I just barely missed out on the alternative and indie rock of the late 80s, only catching up on bits of it much later. I didn’t discover Violent Femmes until the mid 90s, or the Pixies until the early 00s. But despite vaguely recognizing the band name and the name Kristin Hersch, I had never (knowingly) heard Throwing Muses. I’m glad now to have rectified that, and I can now appreciate both their sound and their influence. Their emergence into the indie rock scene out of Boston in the mid 80s also brought us the Pixies, when the Pixies joined them on their European tour and followed them onto British label 4AD. And Throwing Muses’ influence can be heard on many female-led rock acts of the 90s and beyond. Hersch’s voice made an immediate impact, though I can’t quite say whether I like it or not. Sometimes it works really well with the band’s constantly shifting gritty DIY soundscape. Sometimes it stands out negatively for being a bit too warbly or yodely. Not quite on the Alanis Morissette level, but Alanis must have heard Hersch and been influenced by her. I was also reminded of Sleater Kinney in the erupting screams and guitars that ebb and then burst forth. I previously opined on the way the Pixies cleaned their sound up after their debut to positive effect, but I think with Throwing Muses it was the opposite. I listened to later Throwing Muses songs, and found I enjoyed the rawness of this debut more. Either way, they are a band that deserves more recognition for their impact, and better distribution for this influential work.

I liked this a lot. The simplicity, the noisy essence, the vocals. All very good. Too bad I’ll never listen to it again being that YouTube was the only place I could find it.

Оказывается, у группы Throwing Muses есть несколько селф-тайтлд альбомов, один из которых вышел аж в 2003-ем году и звучит скорее как сборник классики рока второй половины 90-ых. Этот же альбом звучит в хорошем смысле сыро; миллиард идей вперемешку, шизофренические тексты, эксперимент прежде цельности концепта. Лучшая песня - Vicky's Box.

Better than I expected, though I am not confident I listened to the correct album.

another record I missed. I probably wouldnt have appreciated it at 11 and I never really got into the band when they were more popular in the 90s. But I would have loved this record if i found it in the 90s. Great sound scapes. Love the jangly guitars and the vocals.

should be on streaming

Weirdly had just been recommended Kristin Hersh by Gleek right before listening to this!

Pixies meets The Canberries. very enjoyale

Hole es nach!

Listened to a different album by them b/c this one wasn't on spotify. good band though

Hard to find but wourth it

Female post punk and indie rock. Great.

Really solid female-led post punk. Gotta check out some more from these folks!

I'm not sure I'm rating the correct album, when I searched Throwing Muses (The Album) on Spotify it says it was released in 2003. Oh well... So, I had to listen to this twice. First time it was just a bunch of noise, but after hearing it a second time it's actually really good! Alt-Rock with a strong note of Grunge if you ask me. Pretty good stuff!

A great weird voice. A little bit of everything on this album that's really held together by the unique singer.

Lovely stuff

"We quit making out to attend this meeting/with old ladies on tremendous amounts of coke." My ears perked up hearing this lyric, so precise and funny and telling. A whole story in a line. This is a great slice of early 2000s rock, served with the scent of the 90s on it. I'll likely revisit this album and explore more of Throwing Muses discography. My highlights were "Pretty or Not", "Speed and Sleep", and "Half Blast".

Throwing a Muse of fire

I really enjoyed this album. A bit Pretenders, a bit Hole, a bit Garbage, a bit PJ Harvey. I might even recommend toy husband…

This has absolultely blown me away to be honest. It's probably the best discovery of The Project so far. I'd heard of Throwing Muses, but didn't know loads about them other than that they were a female-fronted rock band. I guess I'd expected something a bit like The Pretenders, and there are elements of that (Finished for instance), but actually the power of some songs and the delicacy of others provides an amazing emotional range. At times, there's a vocal effect that is a bit off putting, but when that's stripped away, like on Delicate Cutters, you're left with a fantastic song. Great stuff!

Love the raw sound and Kirstin Hersch's angry and strained vocals.

I love how much they sound like punk B-52s!

Finally tracked this down on YouTube. I’ve enjoyed Throwing Muses since I was in high school but hadn’t heard this. Wow. Such a great record. Possibly their best.

Solid

1 cup post-punk poetics 1 tb each b52s, au pairs, and gang of four season liberally with arpeggiated major chords and unusual rhythms serve slightly undercooked pairs well with the unmistakable Kristin Hersch/Tanya Donnely harmony {chef's kiss}

Really really cool! Reminds me a little bit of Cocteau Twins vocally but that may just be the style of the time. Definitely cool witchy vibes and I kinda wish this album was on Spotify. I'll for sure listen again

Sat in that sweet spot between excellent support band and disappointing headliner.

This was an interesting album to get right after Porcupine by Echo and the Bunnymen. In some ways, more of the same, but also a much different approach to the post-punk genre (not that there is all that much that unites that genre together). Like Porcupine, I would not have pegged this album for being as early as it is. You could tell me that this was mid-90s, and I would have easily believed it. Throwing Muses were well ahead of their times with this album. Like a lot of female-led albums, it didn't get the recognition it deserved in its time (and continues not to). Clearly a very influential album, given how many artists would later incorporate its sound 4/5

The Spotify link is wrong but the actual album this is is quite good

Long but enjoyed this album. Not sure if original 86 version.

Force of nature, acoustic 4AD folk punk, Seriously. Kristin Hersh has such an overpowering. sonic weapon, vulnerable delivery, Is anyone thinking of the suffering of the beleaguered guitar strings here? And please listen to Belly.

Oh I really liked this. Feels like a bedfellow to some of REM’s early stuff and the link between punk and indie Terrific energy and some great tunes

Hi octane, edgy indie/rock, featuring some jagged guitar sounds and riffs, a dark foreboding atmosphere plus a decent singer. Nothing really sticks out as a classic song but there's nothing bad on here either. On the whole, very enjoyable.

Echoes of pixes enjoyed the energy and the noise.

Surprisingly good. The songs were musically interesting, experimental. Stand-out: Rabbits Dying

In de eerste oogopslag zag ik 'Muse' staan en ik schrok me dood, denkend dat de dag was gekomen waarop Matt Bellamy m'n batterij volledig zou gaan leegtrekken met z'n bombastische gruwelmuziek. Wat kan die man, naast slopende muziek maken, ook ontzettend goed en hard ademhalen zeg. Maargoed, dat moment blijft voorlopig nog even als een donkere wolk boven me hangen, dit is een andere band. De Spotify link hierbij klopte niet. Het album waar het naar verwees was iets teveel huismerk Blondie. Gelukkig kwam ik er na 3 nummers achter. Wat een reis heb ik achter de rug, nu al. Het album waar het echt om draait is een stuk lekkerder. Doet me qua zowel qua zang als muziek flink denken aan Be Your Own Pet. Lekker rauw gitaargeluid, alsof het in iemands kelder is opgenomen maar dan wel door een professioneel team. Ik kende dit totaal niet maar ik kan er wel van genieten. Niet elk nummer zit in het midden van m'n genotszone maar overall een voor mij prima album.

Favourite tracks: green

The cool thing about the 80's is that post-punk bands would start to develop a unique sound with more pop-informed songwriting. The result is effectively indie rock where the production was way more captivating than a lot of the more mainstream stuff from the 80's. Throwing Muses, while lesser known, was one of those bands. They would pave the way for the Pixies to be signed by 4AD, as they would share similarities in their sound that proved to be popular with an alternative audience. Throwing Muses is notably raw and restless. There's a lot of well-executed ideas throughout the album that I happen to appreciate more as the runtime goes on. Every song ends and I think "wow, that was great! I wonder what the next one has in store?" and it's just as good or interesting. A true underground underrated gem. Dig this up and give it a listen.

Melodic and edgy: I like this kind of stuff.

This is much closer to the angular British post-punk of circa 1980 than the New England college rock of circa 1990. Surprisingly good.

Very much enjoyed the female vocals and raw music rather than heavily computerized.

Fun, enjoyable. Will revisit.

I loved what I thought was the first Throwing Muses album - I just didn't know about this one at all. I was a big fan of House Tornado/Real Ramona/Hunkpappa and I thought Fat Skier was their first so now I'm totally confused! I saw them live back in 89 and forced my university friends to be fans too. This is great, full of the slightly discordant tempos and melodies over interesting chord structures. I get it won't be to everyone's tastes but it was great to discover this.

I almost passed on this one because I couldn't find it. I did find it here though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Xd2jY3zWQ. I'm very happy I did finally find it. It is an amazing album. Every part of this album (drums, vocals, lyrics, feel, etc, etc) is amazing. So good!

Gott stöff.

Interesting album. Some weird lyrics but I enjoyed it.

This was new to me, gave it a couple listens. They have their own unique thing going on, especially in the vocals and lyrics. I like how they stay in high energy serious mode the whole time. I could see myself coming back to this.

A very solid punky album, never heard of the artist before. It reminds me of meat puppets a little bit

4.2 - Dark, angsty. Reminds me of Siouxsie Sioux. Hope this comes to steaming services soon. Standout: “Rabbits Dying”

I loved it! How did i not know about them?

Punk and Shoegaze? Hellyeahbrother.

Loved

Yoko Ono meets the Pixies meets something entirely unique.

7/10. I quite liked this, I wish it was on Spotify

Surprisingly solid. 7/10

Always surprised to find music like this from the 80s. Feels ahead of its time.

Throwing Muses is always a good time

Superchulo. Es de una de Belly y The Breeders

Great sound, really shaking up the eighties and part of a whole new emerging alt rock sound. No doubt enjoyment will increase with further listens - the sound grabs you first and the production is such that the vocals are one more layer of sound, an instrument - so I have no idea what Hersh is saying and there’s further exploration to come - but I’m willing to find out.

Cool girls gone bad

Love female-fronted alt rock with some bite. It's not nearly common enough for my tastes. This is a super solid example of it. She has a great voice.

Such a cool sound! Definitely more punk-y than what I'm used to, but still slays. Also, love the juxtaposition of a female voice with punk/rock. Her (their? at one point it sounded like multiple women, maybe it was just vocal layering) voice(s) gave me slight Dolores O'Riordan vibes. I definitely need to listen again, it's frustrating that it's not on Spotify though.

I really liked this album

Started out strong and interesting...was a tired by the end. Overall a pretty cool band I had never had exposure to in the past. 4/5

Old school punkyness. Dig the female vocals.

In the 90's I liked Tanya Donnelly's band the Belly, found out she was in this band and checked them out. I was blown away but who good how good Kristin Hersh on this album. Great album.

Sounded like something I should have already listened to. Quality listen.

Throwing Muses prefigures much, but it also occupies a rather unique sonic place I can't quite place yet. The sound sources are clear enough, emotions more so, and the album has an arc. The connection to Pixies is obvious, this debut more fully-realized than the other band's if a touch less distinctive.

very different lyric style than i’m used too but definitely would listen to more stuff by tjem

I really liked this one. It's always nice to see a female-led band on here. Hersh's voice here is great, and the riffs are pretty creative. Fave track(s): Call Me, Green, Rabbits Dying

beautiful voice from the female singer, suprisingly energetic algum

Really liked the first 3/4th or so, then it got a little out there

It’s annoying to have to find the songs one by one. I would be willing to buy it while I still have a car that can play CDs, but timing wise that won’t work out for the challenge. Very interesting overall. Nothing about this bores me. I do wonder about whether certain songs in particular relate to being hit by a car while riding her bike. I can’t help but wonder about the role of dissociation on this album in general, since Kristin has since spoken about being dissociated during songwriting prior to EMDR treatment. Lots of the lyrics speak to trauma and various aspects of mental illness. I didn’t expect the country influences that came up in a couple places. It gets a 4 rather than a 5 for because of the annoyance of trying to piece it together myself for this (I could buy directly from Kristin that might shift things) and because it is sort of emotionally intense with few breaks outside of songs that are on other albums anyway. Those albums can be 5s. If you’re new to the band this is certainly a good primer.

I like this a lot. Very original and interesting. 4 stars.

I like this! Exactly the kind of niche badass alt rock I enjoy. And the band is fronted by a unique and bewitching woman? Amazing! I am loving the vocals, the lyrical content and style, and the production that creates the right mix of raw yet popish musicality. It honestly feels like it paved the way or in some part even inspired Hole's Live Through This. Sucks that I can't listen to it on Spotify, because that's where I do all of my listening, but at least there's a lot more Throwing Muses music there that I can explore. And I will be exploring this band more, no doubt about it. Hidden gem, good find!

Ah really liked this, strong (post?)punk album. Glad I discovered it Saved tracks: Green, Vicky’s Box, America (She Can’t Say No), Cry Baby Cry

Always down to listen to Throwing Muses. I've never listened to this particular album before. Definitely will give it some more love down the road.

BUENARDÓPOLIS y mira que entré con una pajaaa pq duraba una banda pero me encantó. 9/10

This was a lush well orchestrated album that reminded me of The Beach Boys with English folk revival and experimental folk like the Kink’s ‘Village Green Preservation Society.’ The biggest issue for me was the length and the fact that the album sounded a bit dated. In its greatest moments, it was absolutely gorgeous.

This one I like, raw, emotional, artistic.

No esta en Spotify

This is one of those hidden gems that this project is all about. Throwing Muses debut album is clearly one of the first albums to experiment with a post-punk sound. Bands like the Pixies were clearly influenced by this sound. Maybe it's their label's fault, but I'm shocked Throwing Muses are not bigger in popular culture. Best Songs: Call Me, Rabbits Dying, America, Worst Songs: Soul Soldier

Better than Muse

Reminds me a bit of the Runaways. Especially Vicky's Box. Very Cherry Bomb-esq. Also a bit of Grace Slick thrown in there. Not quite four stars but I don't think 3 does it justice. Closer to 4 tho.

Uma ótima descoberta, o tipo de banda que eu amaria se já conhecesse. Vou ouvir mais com certeza. Melhores músicas: Green e Cry baby cry

Not too bad - hadn't heard of thsi group before

MUSE? Jk I FELL BEHIND AGAIN 😭 OHH???OH????? IT HAD ME THE MOMENT I REALIZED IT WAS A GIRLIE SINGING VERY 2000s SOLID 3

Seems more modern than its 1986 making. Good energy, great voice. Accidentally listened to some of their other work before finding the right album to listen to and wasn't upset about it.

great energy, however, the musicianship is lacking.

decent post punk

I found this a difficult one as I feel like it just blended into the category of “quite good but not particularly memorable rock music” of which there is lots on 1001. I had to give it 2 attempts just to see if I wasn’t giving it a fair go but that didn’t yield much more. It was fine, surprised to see it’s from 2003 as it feels a bit older than that. A benefit of the doubt 3 as I thought it was decent but don’t think I’d give it a third go.

Not sure what to make of this.  At times it's like a weird country folk album infused with a soft punk edge.  That's just the sound then you add in the vocals, and it gets even more bizarre as things go on. At times the screech down the mic is strained and sounds a bit witchy but not necessarily always a bad thing.  I'm just saying it's unique that's all and no direct easy comparison exists!   In the end enjoyed the wicked witch of the west!  The main caveat is the length of the album and the varied quality of the songs. It's an interesting package, just a shame it couldn't be consolidated but can see why it might have taken a lead in inspiring, better things to come.

Singer needs to take a chill pill

Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly are royalty, and much of what makes them great is here from the start. To say I prefer the first post-Donelly album (University) and the first Belly album (Star) isn't a knock on their self-titled debut. In fact, The Real Ramona might be the best of their whole catalog, so they clearly had something special together. I just came to them separately and didn't go backward until I was an adult.

The music was decent, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the vocals. She has a unique voice, but I don’t think it’s for me. 3/5

Meh

a tad boring, but i appreciate it

Not my thing but was good for it's genre.

This album is probably better than I think. For 1986, it seems slightly ahead of its time - even with its post punk vibe. It is refreshing to have the strong female vocalists and her tortured lyrics, but I struggled to really get into the groove with the music. I will have to return to this one. It just feels like it should resonate more.

This was good but for some reason they fell back to honky tonk sounds every now and then? Really jarring. I would say the "Call Me" is the best track but I think it's just that individually picked guitar sound that I liked more than the song itself. Thankfully it comes through in a lot of their songs. The instrumentation in general and it's ahead of the time I think. Like 80's punk meets 90's indie. I liked it; I'd listen to more of them if it came on.

3.5

un 3

This album is cool. It’s got cool rock and a good vocalist. Doesn’t overstay its welcome too

Started off and I was like ehhhhh but really found the groove by the middle of the album.

Foreshadows better things to come.

I do not have strong feelings about this. While I appreciate a woman-fronted rock group, this album itself was not a stand out one for me

I enjoyed this - even if I had to use YouTube to listen to it. Not sure I love it though but I liked it.

Very angsty energetc punk/post-punk/alt-rock. Love the guitar work early in Call Me. Vocal delivery is reminding me of later alt rock (SOAD). Interesting rythyms. Ooh Fear has a crazy moody 80s feel, like from a Terminator film. I really like Call Me, and I love the style, but the rest of the album does sound a bit samey Best track - Call Me, Fear 3 stars

Syncopated

I enjoyed it, 3.5 rounded down due to YouTube adverts

Gonna rate this based on the incorrectly linked Spotify album and hopefully come back cone day and piece together the real thing

very strange & unusual. pretty good? probably very fun live, or when paying attention to the lyrics. wouldn't listen to it casually though

Her voice is hard for me. Some songs I like her sound, others it was nails on a chalkboard. A 3 star since I couldn’t find consistency

Why would you have 2 albums with the same name? Here’s the link to their debut: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcsIlynY0iwtbZfnfnXYr536aYAzEXn_8&si=xNl25KPyiHz8_Pgp Likes: Green; Stand Up

I like some of the guitar work and the vocalist is very good.

6/10

This is fine. Appropriately decent new wave rock music and I can hear how it influenced a bunch of bands in the 90s and 00s. Also quite generic, a bit like an 80s version of landfill indie.

Hey. Go easy on my beloved Muse. Although it looks like this predates Muse by a decade or so. Unfortunately, the music is extremely obscure (judging by streaming numbers): a surefire element for a trajectory towards an easy 1-star rating. The 1000 most important albums of all time can never justifiably include a record whose most popular track sits at a cool 87k streams. Let me guess: the "professional" critics love this record while continuing to slander better artists like Steely Dan and Queen. These ratings reach the likes of Graceland, Master of Puppets, The Queen Is Dead, and Slippery When Wet – which are all fantastic (or at least iconic) albums also released in 1986. But Throwing Muses? Perfect ratings by AllMusic, Sounds, and Spin Alternative Record Guide? I'm stumped. The opener, Mercury, is (to be frank) almost unlistenably bad. Luckily, though, it's completely unrepresentative of what follows. Pretty or Not is significantly better – those two interacting guitars, distorted to different levels but constantly harmonised, add a controlled chaos to the sound that I can't help but enjoy. Civil Disobedience follows. It's solid. Fairly typical punk, although the musicianship is better than most of what the punk genre has to offer. The song peaks at the end with the harmonised vocals. And then Pandora's Box comes in: the third surprisingly enjoyable track in a row. Did Mercury start us off on completely the wrong foot? For sure. Rough for the first track of a debut album. Compare that to something like the flawless band-introductory track Good Times Bad Times, the song that launched Led Zeppelin into the stratosphere. I love Speed and Sleep's quasi-psychedelic guitar sound, particularly its main riff in the intro. Great interaction between guitar and bass here. The singing isn't great, but I can ignore it. The grunge and shoegaze genres definitely took inspiration from this ultra-distorted noise. Portia continues the album with a surprisingly radio-friendly sound. Again the vocals are bad – I suspect they're mixed blurrily because Hersh is a poor singer and knows it. But for the majority of the album, everything else is surprisingly strong. Post-punk is a shaky genre, but Throwing Muses navigates it decently. 3/5 Key tracks: Pretty or Not, Speed and Sleep, Portia

Seems ahead of its time but as I'm new to this I can't appreciate it as much as I would have back when it was released. But I was too small in 1986 to appreciate this anyway.

It was fine.

멀느끼지

I like Kristin Hersh’s solo work better than this band’s output but this was still pretty decent.

Ok

Seems like a good band, nothing to exciting for me

Bastante bien, algunas canciones me gustaron mucho pero un lse ni me gustaron. 6/10

I have no idea if I'm listening to it at the proper quality or not - all I could find was an incomplete YouTube playlist. It's fine. Nothing particularly grips me, nothing particularly bothers me.

Okayy

Nothing much to write about, this was a cool project but nothing special.

bueno, pero tampoco muy bueno

alright

This was a hard album to track down since it's out of print, but I managed to cobble together a playlist thanks to YouTube. Basically collected early material then late 90s versions of the same songs. I personally think Throwing Muses has far better work in their discography, but this does show a young band helping to kick start the alt-rock movement that would overtake the 90s.

this is pretty cool, actually! the opening track is nice and powerful. the rest of the album flows pretty well together. unfortunately i think if all i can say is that i enjoyed my time with this album, the highest i can reasonably give it is a 3.

I can see the appeal but definitely need to be in the mood

Like almost everyone else I listened to the 2003 album first. It was fine but a bit bland. Then I went back and listened to the 1980s one on the list. I preferred it. Vocals were punchier. Songs better. Vickys Box and America stood out. But can't quite bring myself to give it a 4. Future 4. High 3.

Did I love the whole album no...but I loved the difference of the music, I loved the harder rock voice from a woman and the emotions in the music.

Nervy, angular post-punk that reminded me at times of Kate Bush and B-52’s. The lead vocals get pretty wild. She’s got a playful spirit. I bet she’s awesome live. This was a nice introduction to a band I’ve heard of but never got into before. I’d be curious to hear more.

Cool edgy alternative rock album. The singer is pretty forward in the mix on this album, which I like. She has a cool quavery vocal timbre and it should be front and center. Sometimes the band drones on a bit too much for my liking, but I think the overall sound definitely aims for that. Probably a good live band as well! Note for other reviewers: apparently there are two different self-titled albums for this band? Make sure you check out the right one!

I had a hard time finding this album, but once I did, I liked it.

Ik klik op de link en voor een plaat uit de '80s klinkt het wel heel erg '90s. Echt blij word ik er niet van. Dus maar eens naar wiki om te lezen waarom dit zo goed is. Maar goed ook, dat ik even surf. Want ik stuit gelijk op de waarschuwing. Verwar dit album niet met het album Throwing Muses van Throwing Muses. Huh? Jeetje, hebben ze gewoon twee verschillende albums met dezelfde naam uitgebracht. Wat irritant. Dat is vissen naar minpunten. Doe je alleen als je heel erg punk of heel erg artsy fartsy wilt zijn. Ahoewel? 'Of'? Dit album heeft toch wel een flinke tegenstelling in zich. Het lijkt én punk én artsy fartsy uit te stralen. Luister voor de punk bijvoorbeeld delen van het eerste nummer en luister daarna het tweede nummer, een soort Kate Bush track. Het is toch wel toch wel knap en uniek dat het zo samengaat op één schijf. Echt blij word ik er zelf niet van, helemaal niet door het veelvuldig gebruik van die trillende stem. Het lijkt soms wel Jim Carrey's versie van Somebody to Love... Maar toch wel een toevoeging aan de lijst. 2,5 ster

De snobs zouden de snobs niet zijn als ze weer eens een debuut willen pluggen. Tien jaar laten scoorde Throwing Muses een zeer bescheiden hitje met Bright Yellow Gun, maar de snobs willen even laten weten dat ze het debuut ook al op de kop hadden getikt, als een van de weinigen. Als ik zeg punk uit de 80s, gezongen door een vrouw, dan weet je eigenlijk al genoeg. Want zo klinkt het. Het had ook uit Engeland kunnen komen. Ik vind het niet megavervelend verder, maar het is zeker niet iets dat ik uit mezelf op zou zetten. En bovendien ben ik het dus niet eens met de keuze. Want Bright Yellow Gun is veel meer gepolijst, zonder de eigen sound te verliezen. Misschien dat ik een ander album een 3 zou kunnen geven, of misschien zelfs hoger, maar dit iets te rauwe jaren 80 album is voor mij maximaal 2 sterren waard. Voor de proef op de som zet ik University op, het album van Bright Yellow Gun. De rest van dat album laat ook wel een rauwe sound horen, maar dan meer op de 90s gestoeld. Rauwe grunge. Ik vind dat gelijk een stuk gaver, maar dat is ook omdat ik met die 90s muziek op ben gegroeid natuurlijk. Het schurkt gelijk tegen 4 sterren aan. Laat ik het eindcijfer dan middelen en toch op de licht vergeetbare 3 drukken.

It's just okay. Pretty grungy rock sound that doesn't change much track to track

Post-punk discombobulation that may well have had an influence on the rior-grrrls that came a bit later. My musical knowledge has been suitably expanded whilst unlikely to be one I'll be making a bee-line for again.

3.5 or something

I don’t mind this. The only other song I know by then was A FEEEEEEEELING…it was on a sire record compilation cd back in the day.

Some good melodies in here, and nice harmonies with the voices.

Above average

This band and album cover are vaguely familiar, though I'm not sure why. This looks like your archetypal 90s alt rock album, which is especially strange considering that it released in '86. In any case, I'm locking in alt rock for my prediction. Here goes. On the money with my prediction, though I wasn't expecting a female vocalist. This was solid. Like many 80s alt rock albums, the identity and artistry of the genre isn't all there yet, but this is way, way more competent than that of its contemporaries. I view this music as comparable to that of grunge, which is a surprise considering that I've always had a hard time getting into that genre. The guitars have that same apathetic ring to them, yet there's more nuance here. For one, the guitars are more distinguished from the backing instruments, and there's a good level of emotion and energy behind them. Decent vocals, too. The falsetto can be a mixed bag on occasion, but it generally complements the way that these songs build and intensify. Book time. "...the missing link between Siouxsie and the Banshees and P.J. Harvey." Throwing Muses is commonly associated with Pixies due to them being signed to the same label and having toured extensively with the band. "The spiky sound and psychotic lyrics were far from user-friendly, but they conjured beauty from chaos." "Not an easy listen, but a compelling one. Think of it as a key to a magical kingdom". Wikipedia says this album released before the debut of Pixies, which is a surprise. It was also well-received by a handful of critics, but that's about it. This band certainly got in on the ground floor of 90s rock, and for that reason I think the album has earned its spot on the list. I cosign this inclusion.

Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Good - *** I initially listened to the wrong album. Who has two self -titled records!? *** Well this is definitely more energetic and immediate than the later eponymous album that I listened to by mistake. I like the sudden shifts in tempo. Vicky's Box is good, as is Rabbits Dying. Overall this is a good album, but it's nothing too crazy.

Hadn't heard before. Very nice.

There are hundreds of bands that sound like this. Why is this special?

Punk-Rock aus den 80ern. Wild, aber noch melodisch. Kann man sich anhören. 3/5

How are there two albums of Throwing Muses, Throwing Muses in completely different decades?

This feels like stepping into someone’s restless, brilliant subconscious. Kristin Hersh’s voice is the real hook here – tense, elastic, and emotionally jagged in a way that keeps you leaning in even when the songs themselves don’t fully lodge in your memory. The songwriting is quirky and off‑kilter enough to stay interesting, but nothing truly leaps out as a standout moment. It’s one of those albums where the vibe and the vocal delivery hit harder than any individual track. A solid, intriguing listen, even if it doesn’t quite leave a lasting mark.

Energetic female indierock? Post punk? Middle of the road. Don't remember anything from it after the weekend

I listened without the benefit of lyrics and, from what I subsequently read, that’ll have meant I missed the emotional heft of these songs. As piece of music, it’s intense, quite punky in places, and with its guitar driven tempo shifts either formed part of the early development of grunge or anticipated it (not sure of the timelines). For me, in fact, the most satisfying bit of this musically is the guitar sound when it’s providing the pre-explosion texture in the songs: it has a kind of unfiltered, unpolished quality that makes it sound really cool.

Wasn't super into this at first. Some tracks are more spirited than others, and I will admit that Kristin Hersh is a pretty unique vocalist. This isn't as abrasive as some would expect with an early post-punk record, in fact it's pretty melodic. Grew on me a little bit as things went along.

Kinda grew on me, but given the era. I’m surprised I didn’t enjoy it more.

This was pretty good, I knew of the band before now but had never really listened to them. I probably won't throw this into rotation on my own but wouldn't mind if it came on the "radio".

Liked it. Strong vocal performance. Band was good enough. 3/5 Might listen again

I kinda want to drone on about how great the Rhode Island scene was back in the day, but I don't want to be that boring old guy.

This was okay, I have to give it another listen. I feel kike there was another album of theirs that I liked marginally better but even then it was a couple standout tracks. I might just not be a super fan but I like the overall sound

3.5 (37:36, 10 tracks, debut, 1986) Post-punk, alternative rock (American on British label) Not to be confused with Throwing Muses (2003 album). I like this album, listened to it many times. I like both Belly and The Breeders. I ended up giving it a 3 as I don't see me revisiting much but in retrospect in 1986 this was a hell of an album. Sort of an early Hole album. Singles from Throwing Muses "Soul Soldier" Throwing Muses is the 1986 debut album of the band Throwing Muses, released on British independent label 4AD. This was the first album by an American band to be released on 4AD, which had concentrated primarily on British-based acts up to this point. The release marked a shift in the label's direction; a year later 4AD would sign Pixies based in part on the band's connection to Throwing Muses, and by the mid-1990s much of the label's roster was made up of American bands. Rhode Island band relocated to Boston. All the songs on the album were written by Kristin Hersh, with the exception of "Green", written by Tanya Donelly. Tanya and Kristin are step sisters, Kristin’s parents divorced and her mom ended up marring her best friend Tanya’s dad. They formed “The Muses” when they were 14. Tanya went on to form The Breeders (w/ Kim Deal of The Pixies) and went on to form her own band Belly. Kristin formed 50FootWave. The album was produced by Gil Norton, who went on to produce albums for Pixies. The band considers the album to be untitled, with Throwing Muses the name they give to another album released in 2003. Around the early 1990s, the album went out of print, as plans were made by the band's American label, Sire Records to issue the album for the first time in the US, along with 1987's Chains Changed EP, which had also never seen American release. After Throwing Muses were dropped by Sire following the disappointing sales for 1995's critical favorite University, plans for the re-issue were dropped. The band later resurrected the re-issue project, issuing the 2-CD compilation In a Doghouse in 1998 on 4AD (DAD607CD) in the UK, and on Rykodisc in the USA. This compilation not only contained the debut LP and EP as originally planned, but also (on the second CD) the demo tape that convinced 4AD president Ivo Watts-Russell to sign the band; newly recorded versions of songs originally written in the band's early years; and the band's award-winning 1987 video for the song "Fish". AllMusic a "powerful debut" whose "startling collision of punk energy, folky melodicism, and Kristin Hersh's mercurial voice and lyrics...puts the work of most self-consciously 'tortured' artists to shame." "fluid, effortless emotional shifts"—also described as "violent, vibrant mood swings". Spin called it, "a record of dense textures, guitar splatter and belljar lyrics. The fragmented sound of Throwing Muses, a college girl's dining hall conversation set to antagonistic electric screeching, was painful, self-loathing, man-love-hating, ". 1) "Call Me" The band's primary songwriter, Kristin Hersh, often writes surreal and fragmented lyrics, the song is generally interpreted as a reflection of her experience with mental health struggles—specifically the dissociative disorder she was navigating at the time. The central demand of "Call me" is often seen as a desperate plea for attention or a tether to reality. In the context of Hersh’s memoir Rat Girl, it can represent the internal dialogue between her conscious self and the musical persona (which she called "Rat Girl") that seemed to take over during periods of intense creativity and dissociation. One of the most specific lyrical moments describes a character named Peter calling the narrator "Moonshine." The narrator responds with, "I just said, 'You let him call you that? This is your name!'"—suggesting a conflict over identity and how others perceive or label her versus who she actually is. The lyrics explore themes of being "dug five feet deep" and feeling as though others are looking in a mirror but seeing the narrator instead of themselves, highlighting a sense of isolation and misperception. The song’s meaning is also conveyed through its erratic structure. It begins with a tense, abrasive post-punk throb and "yelpy" vocals, but unexpectedly shifts into a "pretty waltz-time" section with sleigh bells. Critics and Hersh herself have described her early performances as sounding "psychotic" or like an "exorcism," reflecting the chaos of her mental state as she used music to process internal trauma and noise. In essence, "Call Me" serves as an introduction to the "exquisitely human struggle" of Kristin Hersh—a raw, visceral attempt to communicate through the "circus" in her head. 2) “Green" written and sung by Tanya Donelly, the song is often interpreted as a haunting exploration of childhood innocence, loss, and the surreal nature of memory. The recurring line, "There's one boy / In one house / In one place / At all times / And green eyes," anchors the song in a specific, fixed memory. The "green eyes" serve as a striking visual focal point, representing a person or a moment that remains unchanging and "haunting" in the narrator's mind. Unlike the more aggressive and abrasive tracks on the album written by Kristin Hersh, Donelly's "Green" is described as ethereal and haunting. It deals with themes of displacement and vulnerability, using imagery like a "phoenix burning my bed" and "kneeling in my ashes". The lyrics ask repeated, fragmented questions—"Who are you for? What is this?"—suggesting a search for identity or a struggle to understand a relationship that has become unrecognizable or "burned inside out". Because only about 2% of the global population has green eyes, they are frequently associated with creativity, intelligence, and an enigmatic personality in popular psychology. 3) "Hate My Way" is one of the most prominent tracks, while it is often felt as a raw anthem of teenage angst and frustration, Kristin Hersh has explained that the lyrics are a "conglomeration of ideas" rather than a singular personal confession. The opening lines—"I could be a smack freak / And hate society / I could hate God / And blame Dad"—are not autobiographical. Hersh revealed in her memoir, Rat Girl, that they paraphrase a conversation she had with a student on campus who was handing out pamphlets about "killing God" and rising above the church. The song was also influenced by a 1984 shooting at a McDonald's in San Diego. This adds to the song's darker themes of "encroaching awareness of evil" and societal violence. Like much of the band's early work, the song was written during a period when Hersh was experiencing undiagnosed dissociative disorder. She has described these early songs as "screaming themselves" at her, often feeling like they were written by another personality she called "Rat Girl". The title phrase, "I hate my way," suggests a rejection of one's own current state or path. Critics interpret it as a struggle with the "horror" and trauma of youth, expressed through erratic shifts in tempo and Hersh's "sugar-and-vinegar" vocal delivery. The song is filled with surreal and unsettling imagery that reinforces a sense of being trapped. References to a "screaming" kitchen, pillow, and shoes suggest that the narrator's distress is pervasive and inescapable. Phrases like "a gun in my head" and "I'm invisible" highlight the psychological weight and isolation Hersh felt while navigating mental health challenges. Mr. Huberty (James Huberty) was the 41-year-old perpetrator who entered a McDonald's in San Diego and killed 21 people before being stopped by a police sniper. The lyric "Mr. Huberty had a gun in his head" refers to his mental state and his eventual death by a single shot to the head or chest from a SWAT marksman. Gerry Ann (Gerry Ann Gallegos) was one of the victims of the massacre. In the song, the line "Gerry Ann was confused" likely reflects the sudden, senseless chaos of the attack where patrons were ordered to the floor before being indiscriminately shot. The "boy tangled in his bike forever" (referring to 11-year-old Joshua Coleman or his friends who were shot while riding their bikes in the parking lot). 4) "Vicky's Box" is a powerful, dissonant track from their 1986 self-titled debut album. Like many of Kristin Hersh’s early songs, its meaning is layered between literal objects and intense emotional states. Despite various fan theories, Kristin Hersh has stated that the title refers to an actual physical box she received as a gift. The "Vicky" in the title is Victoria Cessna, an artist and friend of Hersh's (and wife of musician Slim Cessna). When the band's A&R representative at the time tried to probe for "spicy confessionals" or specific meanings regarding the song's "homosexuality references," Hersh famously told him, "Please stop listening to the lyrics". Critics often describe the song as a "tale of domestic hell" or a "cage". It explores themes of entrapment and imprisonment, using the "box" as a metaphor for a home or a body that feels like a confined space. The lyrics contain oblique imagery—such as "carnival wigs" and "two shiners"—that alludes to identity questioning and a sense of "soul-freezing" power. The repeated cry of "welcome home" in the song is described by The Guardian as being as "appetizing as a cockroach infestation," subverting the idea of home as a place of comfort and instead presenting it as a source of rage and horror. The song’s structure reflects this internal turmoil, beginning with a "hard groove" and "shimmering riffs" before descending into a "one-chord noise fest" and "demented psychobilly". Overall, the song is viewed as an experiential piece rather than a traditional narrative, designed to make the listener feel the raw "aggression and mental chaos" Hersh was navigating at the time. 5) "Rabbits Dying" Like much of the album, the song’s meaning is elusive, but Kristin Hersh and fans have offered several layers of interpretation: In an interview on Eyesore.no, Hersh described the song as being about "not being too safe... not living in danger". She has also characterized the song as exploring how "danger and rain keep you safe and dry," using the imagery of a lean-to (a simple shelter) to represent a fragile sense of protection. The lyrics describe a character who is "crawling on the trail" with legs "giving out" while running in the rain. This suggests a state of exhaustion, collapse, or a desperate attempt to reach "home." Some listeners interpret the title as a reference to the historical "rabbit test" for pregnancy, where a positive result was colloquially called "the rabbit died". One prominent interpretation suggests the song is about a homeless runaway facing an unplanned pregnancy; when presented with this theory, Hersh confirmed. Written during Hersh's period of undiagnosed dissociative disorder, the song's fragmented structure and "glassy-eyed" vocal delivery reflect the mental chaos and "shifting personalities" she experienced at the time. "Stay in, stay in / It rains" reinforces a theme of seeking refuge from an overwhelming or "evil" external world, a sentiment echoed in other songs on the album like "Hate My Way" 6) "America (She Can't Say No)" the song is a visceral, fragmented expression of internal trauma, fear, and dissociation rather than a traditional political or social commentary. The lyrics—"America can't say no / Stand up / She can't stand up"—depict a state of total vulnerability and inability to resist or move. This reflects the "barking fear" and psychosexual dread that characterizes the album's atmosphere. Written when Hersh was 18 and experiencing undiagnosed dissociative disorder, the "She" in the song often represents a fractured part of her own identity. Hersh has described her lyrics from this era as a "puking over the music," where her subconscious spoke through "bones and muscles" rather than planned self-expression. The song includes haunting lines like "It was a funeral / Mine," suggesting a loss of self or a symbolic death occurring within the narrator's mind. Similar to "Hate My Way," this track is part of Hersh's exploration of an "encroaching awareness of evil". The lyrics use disjointed commands ("Follow the road / Swallow a snake") to convey a sense of being controlled or manipulated by internal "demons". The song is noted for its unorthodox structure and "mercurial" vocal delivery, shifting between a "carnal cry" and a terrified whisper. Critics highlight it as one of the tracks that established Hersh's reputation for writing "belljar lyrics"—intensely private and claustrophobic observations that feel like a "dining hall conversation set to antagonistic electric screeching". Bell jar I guess just means lyrics that are covered by glass. A bell jar is a glass jar, shaped like a bell, used in laboratories to create a vacuumThe Metaphor: In literature (most famously Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar), it symbolizes entrapment and isolation. A person under a bell jar can see the world but is cut off from it, breathing their own "stale air." In Music: Labeling Hersh's lyrics as "belljar" suggests they are intensely private, claustrophobic, and reflect a mind trapped within its own trauma or distorted perception. 7) “Fear" refers to both a specific early song and a recurring atmospheric theme in their work. "Fear" is an early track that appeared on the band's 1985 Doghouse demo tape (also known as The Doghouse Cassette). The song is noted for its high level of experimentalism, featuring sampled vocals and noise to create a disorienting, claustrophobic effect. It is often cited as a prime example of the band's ability to sing about panic and despair as if they were everyday occurrences, making the listener feel the "bloody realism" of mental distress. Broadly, fear is the "keynote" of the band's 1986 self-titled debut album. Kristin Hersh’s early lyrics are frequently described as fighting off "night fears" and a general sense of "unidentified psychosexual dread". The "Encouraching Awareness of Evil": Many critics point to "Hate My Way" as the centerpiece of this theme—a song that induces fear by exploring the encroaching awareness of societal and internal evil. 8 “Stand Up" is less a song of empowerment and more a frantic, rhythmic exploration of paralysis and identity. Following the track "America (She Can't Say No)," where the narrator repeatedly laments "She can't stand up," this song acts as the urgent, almost violent response. It represents a desperate attempt to regain control over a body and mind that feel frozen or "stuck" in a dissociative state. The lyric "I'm your mirror / You're my mirror" suggests a terrifying lack of boundaries. For Kristin Hersh, who was experiencing undiagnosed bipolar disorder and hallucinations at the time, this reflected the feeling that she didn't exist as a solid person, but only as a reflection of the "noise" or personalities (like the "Rat Girl") inside her. The song includes the line "I'm a mother / You're a mother / She's a mother / She's evil," which twists the traditional concept of maternal safety into something dark and threatening. This mirrors the album's broader theme of domestic horror and the subversion of "home" and "family" as safe spaces. The song is built on a nervous, jittery guitar riff and a driving beat that feels like a racing heartbeat. It’s meant to sound uncomfortable—capturing the physical anxiety of trying to "stand up" when your brain is telling you that you are falling apart. In her memoir Rat Girl, Hersh describes these songs as "liquid," flowing out of her as a way to survive the "hallucinatory weather" in her head. "Stand Up" is the sound of that survival instinct in real-time. 9) "Soul Soldier" characterized by its shifting tempos and vivid, battlefield-inspired imagery. Like many songs on the album, it was born during a turbulent period in Kristin Hersh's life, which she describes as the "Doghouse" era—a time of intense creative "possession" and undiagnosed mental health challenges. The song uses war metaphors to describe a fractured or intense relationship. Lyrics like "He crawls along the battlefield / The sky spitting shells" and "Fate spits in his face" suggest a character struggling through a hostile environment, possibly representing the narrator's partner or an internal facet of herself. The refrain "She needs her soul, soul soldier" implies a search for a protector or a grounding force amidst chaos. It reflects the album's recurring theme of needing a "tether" to reality or emotional safety. The line "That cut / That kills the knife" is a classic Hersh paradox, suggesting an action or emotion so intense it destroys the very thing causing the pain, reflecting the theme of "forces a heartbreak". In the song, Hersh repeatedly calls out "Danu, Danu". Danu is a complex figure, appearing as an Irish mother goddess (associated with fertility and the earth) and a Hindu water goddess. Her presence adds a mythic, timeless layer to the song’s exploration of suffering and need. In later live performances, Hersh altered the lyrics to include the line "An apple run to heaven, damn you, damn you, goddamn you," heightening the song's sense of spiritual frustration and raw intensity. The song is famous for its two-part structure: It begins with a "grumbly, growling Afrobeat riff" that creates a tense, driving energy. It then pivots into a "stretch of backwoods raga," showcasing the band’s signature "mercurial" mood swings and unconventional song shapes. In Hersh's memoir, Rat Girl, she describes these early songs as "ugly tattoos" that wrote themselves onto her skin—inescapable and permanent documents of her struggle with trauma and identity. 10) "Delicate Cutters" is the haunting final track, widely considered one of Kristin Hersh’s most "chilling" accounts of a mind losing its balance, often compared to the literature of Sylvia Plath (The Bell Jar) or Charlotte Perkins Gilman (The Yellow Wallpaper). The term "delicate cutters" was a label used at the time to describe mentally ill young people who engaged in self-harm by giving themselves shallow cuts. The lyrics describe a room full of these individuals—"All sitting down, the room has many doors / All but one of them are closed"—symbolizing a state of shared but isolated suffering. The central imagery of throwing one's hands or head through a window ("I throw my hands through the window, crash / Like poetry") represents a violent, desperate attempt to break through the "glass wall" of dissociation or mental illness. The "Last Step" for Kristin Hersh, this song serves as a deliberate conclusion to the "most obscure chapter" of her life. It was written during the period she calls the "Doghouse" era, when she was 18–19 years old, pregnant, and experiencing undiagnosed dissociative disorder and hallucinations. Closing the Door: Hersh has described the song as a "purgatory" that she needed to get through before giving birth to her son, Dylan. It marks the end of her "psychotic" debut album, clearing the way for her to enter the "physical plane" of motherhood. Musical Structure The song is famous for its extreme tension. The Vocal "Tightrope": Hersh moves from a "telluric" accuracy in describing her hallucinations to a vocal performance that critics describe as "doing a tightrope on her vocal chords"—shifting from terrifying whispers to erratic intensity. By the end of the track, the "room full of delicate cutters" is transformed as a figure goes around "opening the doors," suggesting a potential for escape or a different ending Her 2010 memoir Rat Girl (published in the UK as Paradoxical Undressing) is based on a diary she wrote when she was 18, touring with Throwing Muses, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and pregnant with her first child. Rob Sheffield in The New York Times called it an "uncommonly touching punk memoir," and named it No. 8 in Rolling Stone's "25 Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time." Her 2015 book Don't Suck, Don't Die: Giving Up Vic Chesnutt, is a rumination on her friendship with the singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt. She cites him as being one of her songwriting influences with his "fluid timing and the grace of a melody that breaks the rules of meter." Hersh was married to her former manager Billy O'Connell for 25 years and they divorced in 2013. They have four sons. As of 2020, she is engaged to former Throwing Muses bassist Fred Abong. Hersh has talked openly about her bouts with mental illness and its role in her musical process. When she was 16, she was struck by a car while riding her bicycle, suffering a double concussion that affected the way she hears sounds. She described it as hearing ambient sounds continuously and "the sounds would alter their sonic vocabulary until I was hearing syllables, and drums... then all these words would come". She has said that hearing "pieces of songs" in her mind compelled her to take the pieces apart and craft songs from them. She claims that she doesn't remember writing her early songs—that "they wrote her". Hersh has synesthesia; she sees musical chords in colors. She has had more than one diagnosis (and misdiagnoses) for her condition including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and most recently post-traumatic and dissociative disorders, which she says have been successfully treated with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. All songs written by Kristin Hersh except "Green", written by Tanya Donelly. Favorite Tracks: Green and Vicky’s Box, Soul Soldier is good. 1. "Call Me" 3:59 2. "Green" 3:04 3. "Hate My Way" 4:06 4. "Vicky's Box" 5:09 5. "Rabbits Dying" 3:49 6. "America (She Can't Say No)" – 2:47 7. "Fear" 2:45 8. "Stand Up" 2:56 9. "Soul Soldier" 5:10 10. "Delicate Cutters" 3:53 Throwing Muses is Kristin Hersh – guitars, vocals, synthesizer Tanya Donelly – guitars, vocals, percussion Leslie Langston – bass David Narcizo – drums, percussion Dave Knowles – keyboards Ronald Stone – additional guitar Gil Norton – production

5/10

I like this, but, do you know what else I like? Albums that I can actually check out without the need of a Frankenstein playlist!

It was ok. Sounds a bit more early 90s than 80s, I think.

Groupe connu par le morceau 'Fish', présent dans la compilation 'Lonely is an Eyesore' de 4AD. C'est la première fois que j'écoute un album entier. Les premiers morceaux sont vraiment originaux (structure non standard, changements de rythme, harmonies), mais il s’essouffle un peu vers la fin. Je l'écouterais de nouveau avec plaisir, mais il ne rejoindra donc pas ma collection. Par contre il m'a vraiment donné envie de découvrir d'autres albums du groupe. =>3/5

Theres an energy and a tempo to this which is fun but the songs ultimately run together for me and I barely realised it had started again. Very 3pm at a music festival or 9pm at the pub. RYM: N Saved a song: N

L’ho ascoltato troppo poco per valutarlo, ciò nonostante gli do un 3

It was ok, fell a little bit into the background but when I remembered what I was listening to, I quite liked the sound.

The gothic tangle of spikes, Siouxie-esque lament, diatribe and gargoyle is boldly unpretty, but its turbulence doesn’t exhilarate me. I admire it, and hear its kinship to subsequent records by I love - Fugazi, Come and Shannon Wright pick up some of the same threads - but it hasn’t taken off today.

Écoute très hachée entre le fait que ça durait 1h40, puis que ça n'était pas le bon album Mais les propositions sont sympa, la voix est bonne et donne une identité à l'album Par contre je n'aime pas du tout la guitare qui est stridente sur certains morceaux et qui entache l'album

Good solid rock. Above average even, but it's still not above 3 stars. This came out in the 2000s and the average stream count on Spotify for a song is about 50k. Not exactly in high demand. Good, but not great.

Intresting

They buried their best songs at the end of the album! Half blast is my favourite on the album, and it’s second last! Overall a fun album, I enjoyed it. Incredibly 90s.

There it is and there it goes.

Some nice guitar work and quite like her voice too, but nothing is particularly memorable.

Never heard of this group before, but their overall sound wasn't unpleasant, can't pick out any particular favourite tracks.

A name I know but not music that I'm familiar with. This wasn't on Spotify but I found it on YouTube. I'm glad I did, I enjoyed this. I liked the first half of this album is a bit strong than the second half. Still enjoyed it throughout, though

It was alright. Struggled to finis.

Did I know anything about Throwing Muses when i saw this album come up? No. Did I listen to the wrong album on spotify until I finally dug up a working link on YouTube (https://youtu.be/E1Xd2jY3zWQ?si=qRGWAvb1b2HpUJ6r)? Yes. Did I like this? It was good. Maybe a bit repetitive but you can hear why they meshed so well with The Pixies on 4AD.

It had potential, but for whatever reason, didn’t fully land with me. It’s punk-ish (or post-punk?) with a female vocalist, which I should love; there was just never quite anything gripping about it. Maybe worth revisiting. 3.5

Pretty good? I won't come back but was a pretty smooth listen.

PJ Harvey esc

I didn't know a lot about Throwing Muses and I'd kind of lumped them in with the 90s Riot Grrrl movement. Listening to their 80s debut, I realised they were a bit more interesting than that, but the album still didn't really do it for me. A high three.

The name is throwing muses but the name on the cover is in a doghouse, since idk which is the right one, the mark is given to in a doghouse.

This is the first time I come across this band and I was pleasantly surprised. The songs flow nicely into one another. The raw female vocals alongside the frequent tempo changes and the playful guitar riffs build up a particular atmosphere that develops with each song. The album is not afraid to try out some interesting stuff such as the folky segment in "Rabbits Dying". Not all songs work for me but I was amused by the bold mood swings that sometimes happen even in the same song. My favorite song is "Green".

Note: One of the top reviews here says that the Spotify album link is correct. As of February 2026, that is not the case. Spotify links to a completely different album that’s also titled “Throwing Muses.” The correct album is on YouTube. The bleating in the singing was a little grating. I really loved “Hate My Way.” Most of this sounds somehow generic to me (although it probably sounded fresher at the time). It is impressive that Kristin Hersh started the band at just 14 and released this album at 20.

2.8

Pretty good, sounded a little bit like No Doubt with less Reggae.

Not the 2003 album but the 1986 album which is now only available as the first part of "In a Doghouse"... It took me some research to figure all that out. Anyway, I quite liked it! Sort of like the precursor to The Pixies. Quirky Indie Rock.

Pretty decent…

Very eccentric and it charmed me for the most part. Don't know if I'll revisit it.

Not sure I listened to the right album, but it was by the same band and had the same name soooo... Close enough?

Can definitely hear how influential this was on a lot of later stuff that I really like but I don't really like this all that much. Heard worse.

Vaihteeksi vähän mielenkiintoisempaa musaa. Tämän voisi joskus kuunnella uusiksi.

Throwing Muses mashes ’70s punk energy with proto-’90s grunge in a female-led post-punk package, where the vocals sometimes veer into bleating-goat territory, though the cowbell helps.

Hey pretty cool (sorry i don't have the energy to develop...) 3.5

No. 98 Weird fondness for this album, very gritty.

"Pretty or Not", "Status Quo", "Speed and Sleep" really held my attention. The rest wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. Still, a good effort.

Very Kate Bush warbling.

Very good album. I imagine it was ground breaking when it came out. Influenced a lot of groups and opened the way for the grung era a few years later. Didnt love it but it is a good album that all should listen to

Without a doubt, this definitely sounds like an album from this list

3.5/5

I feel like liking this more would make me feel cooler than I am, but I guess I'm just kinda cool...because I just kinda liked it.

Not bad. 3/5

Before: I think a like them a little but not that much as I'm pretty sure they don't have any tracks on my favorites by years lists. I think I saw them perform at Frijoleros in Atlanta in the late 80's. During: This was hard to listen to in a logistical sense so that my affect my rating a little. The album is not on Spotify or Amazon so I had to listen to individual songs on YouTube. I did find all of them except "And A She-wolf After The War". There were a few tracks I might add to my 1986 play list if they were on Spotify. After: Average track rating was 2.6 so I'm giving this a 3 overall.

Im surprised I’ve never heard of this band before. They should be so much bigger! Really interesting album.

A very listenable, if unremarkable, example of 80s post-punk. This is a record I imagine I'd love if I was getting into the genre for the first time, but as it is, it's only decent rather than special. Sometimes let down by the production

Some of the songs are a little on the harder side for me, but over all it’s very 90’s grunge alternative. And we love a woman fronted band!

Not my traditional go to genre, but this psychedelic punk has been creeping on me recently. The indie rock feel mixed with the punk/psychedelic feel really makes for a unique and entertaining album. I enjoyed listening to this album and would give this type of music more of a chance bc of throwing muses.

This was kind of ok - it's a bit erratic at times and weird but I'm not sure that ruins it, at least not completely. I would listen to it again, even if just out of curiosity, and that in my books it's about 3 stars.

Was only able to find this album on YouTube - it was a recording from a cassette. Throwing Muses is always fascinating, and this album lives up to that.

Album #32 Throwing Muses: Throwing Muses Really unique and interesting album that I hadn’t heard of before. As a fan of Pixies, I can sort of hear similarities in the eccentric vocal inflections and quick change in volumes and tempo, which seems like that was the late 80s alternative style. Also think the vocalist sounds like Geddy Lee at times, which is funny. The lyricism is pretty good, especially for how young they were when the album came out; though I would probably relate to this album’s themes a lot more if I were a teenage girl. The first half of the album is pretty damn good, but around the middle and towards the end, I find myself getting a little tired of the abrasive style. Even then, the album never strikes me as being bad, and at its best, it is certainly good. One of the more interesting bands that I have discovered from this list, and I would definitely listen to more from them. Best Songs: Green, Hate My Way, Delicate Cutters Worst Song: Soul Soldier Score Out of 10: 6.5

I've heard of Throwing Muses since my teenage years but they never seemed to come up on 120 Minutes or my local alternative station, although Tanya Donnelly certainly did with the Breeders and Belly. Of those three Donnelly-bands, this is my third favorite. I appreciate what they were doing but a little too jagged for me without enough pill.

Surprising sound on a good first release. Wish this band, when young, had achieved more traction across the country.

The original Throwing band before Cooper came along for a breakthrough in the alternative scene in a mid 80s scene.

Doesn’t feel too far removed from Siouxsie & The Banshees, from whom I’ve had 2 albums recently. Some of the vocals were at times a little warbling and annoying but on the whole, no real problem. It’s interesting and varied, some adjacency to bands like the Pixies. I’d never heard of them before but some post-punk with 90s indie and grunge vibes in 1986 certainly piqued my interest.

Not bad for a girl

3. It's ok.

It was okay, I'm sure it had a better impact when it came out, but it didn't do it for me, however, this seems like a cool record, sounds great and I didn't get bored. It's good

40/1089 3.4412* This is a somewhat surprising album for the mid 80s. It was original and think I heard some Siouxsie and Cindi lauper influence. Then some vocals that could have influenced Courtney love. Good album.

Veruca Salt and Hole sound like descendants of this band, and that’s okay.

Pretty good!

Enough to keep me interested without ever blowing me away

Pretty good!

Nope. Not for me.

Overwhelmingly mid

I’d never heard of the Throwing Muses before but I really dug this album and their new wave rock/punk vibe and sound! This sounded like an album that is right up my alley so I’m shocked I’d never heard of them before! Overall, I enjoyed listening to this album and I would definitely listen to it again and explore some of their other albums in the future! (Sad it wasn’t on Spotify but I was able to listen to it on YouTube!)

An album where my enjoyment depended on the song I was listening to. Sometimes it was great, sometimes it was like listening to depressed farm animals forming a band, and I'm not sure there was much difference between the songs. Nonetheless, I'm glad I listened to it, it's a unique one

Good debut album, good sound, good vibe. Hard to be more detailed but it's a good listen. I should say good a few more times. Strong three, weak four.

A strong debut album. Little surprised I had never heard of them. I like a lot of what the instrumentation is doing . The vocals are hit or miss, and on the later tracks I got a little burned out. Green is my favorite track.

really hard to find this one and I'm lazy.

My riot grrrl heart is fed. That back end is ROUGH but there are some gems in the first half worth returning to.

Definitely a band I've not heard of that clearly has their finger on the pulse of the impending garage rock revival. That being said, this does sound like the type of music you'd find on MTV in the early 90s in between instances "Black Hole Sun" and "Jeremy"

For an 80s album it sounded a bit like some alternative college rock. It was decent enough but I am sure they had better albums than this one

I liked this. Mid-oughts great female vibes. Well done.

Ok. Maybe it hit different when it first came out.

Female punk rock

Heard of them but never heard a song before. I personally found this quite boring. It was energetic and had some melodies but I felt it was quite meaningless.

pretty solid

Особого восторга не вызвало, но в целом норм, пойдет

Okay. Not bad.

It was fine

S’il y a throwing muses en titre même si l’album est incroyable ça sera 1 étoile Les menteurs le nom de l’album c’est in a doghouse Bref C’est bien sans plus

Nice NY pop punk

Like the raw passion, don't like her voice, quite annoying after a while. 2.8

très honnêtement je m'attendais à détester, mais au final je me suis un peu laissée emporter par l'album qui oscille entre sons violents/agressifs et moments plus calmes. surtout je suis allée lire rapidement l'histoire de la conception de l'album et c'est quelque chose il faut dire! j'écouterais clairement pas ça tous les jours, mais en crise existentielle ça me paraît être plutôt approprié. un solide 3

Pretty decent post-punk influenced album. Vocals and music at points reminded me of Sleater Kinney, so maybe Throwing Muses were an influence on them. Overall, an enjoyable listen that I’ll probably come back too.

Really cool and interesting album! Loved the vocal delivery. It’s a good one but none of the tracks particularly jumped out to me.

Musically interesting - alt rock sounds. Lyrically sometimes a little trite, but it’s not awful even at its worst - trite in the way that a lot of 80’s punk lyrics are intentionally crude. Kind of reminds of bands like Sonic Youth or the Pixies - a little harder on the scale of alt rock sounds. Notable tracks include Call Me, Green, Soul Soldier.

Good 3. Love this!

Gwen Stefani owes this gal some $

Call Me 3.6 Green 3.6 Hate My Way 3.3 Vicky's Box 3.4 Rabbits Dying 3.3 America (She Can't Say No) 3.5 Fear 3.4 Stand Up 3.6 Soul Soldier 3.3 Delicate Cutters 3 Score: 3.4

I feel like every post punk album on here ends up in this vague space of "I like their vibe a lot. I feel pretty neutral about actually listening to their music tho."

It was alright. Nothing to write home about. A well made album but I’m not gonna rush to put it on again.

Quite enjoyed a punky edgy sound

Transported me. Early 80's punk - not radically changing the world (they thought they were by hating on it), but they did leave a mark, allow others to spin out in different ways. This album's not my thing, but the rating is 50% for the nostalgia of the sound and 50% for not sucking.

The album was taken off of Spotify for some reason so I have to do RESEARCH to find this thing

It’s okay but they had better albums later on

More EA SPORTS core

Parece la banda de Lindsay Lohan en Freaky Friday pero haciendo musica mas seria Uhmmm 3.0

This was a relief after the last few albums. I liked Green a lot. Not too much else to say here, though. Just a good album.

Pretty solid raw emotion on the album, I could dig the vibe. I’d love to listen to more of their stuff. 3 stars

Surprised I haven’t heard of them before. Pretty cool, more my speed than some others I’ve heard. Though I felt like a lot of the songs sounded a little similar to each other.

"Why do I want to die?" Damn. That hits hard.

V/rv

yes to women-lead punk!

Another pretty decent addition

I'd heard some of the later Throwing Muses albums before, then the solo albums by Kristin and Tanya. Thought those were decent pop-rock songs. Didn't know they'd started out a bit punk-y and early grunge. I like much of the music, but some of the singing is too screechy for me. (Man, I hate punk!) "Green" is good. "Soul Soldier" is probably the best one here. Soft though. Overall, I'm giving it a three. Some of the later stuff had better production and both lady's stopped using their screechy voices.

At its best when it's grungy, otherwise it's pretty middle of the road

The top comment is the wrong album — here's the right one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_5G-bBTpX4 It's tense, jittery and pretty fun

Fun discovery.