The Breeders: Pod ---Ink Blot Magazine

The Breeders : Pod

at a glance...

Hometown: Dayton, OH
Year Formed: circa 1989

Members:
Kim Deal -vocals, guitar
Tanya Donelly -vocals, guitar
Josephine Wiggs -vocals, bass
Britt Walford (aka Shannon Doughton) -vocals, drums
Carrie Bradley -violin

Bands In The Family:
The Pixies, Belly, The Kelley Deal 6000, The Josephine Wiggs Experience, Throwing Muses, The Amps, Slint

Notes:
Pixies' bassist Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses formed the Breeders as a creative outlet, and soon their hobby band became an influence on indie rockers everywhere. After two years, they recorded their debut album, Pod, on Britain's 4 AD label. In the years following, the Breeders-always headed by Deal-shifted through assorted line-ups. The EPs they released served up a lo-fi sound blended with melodic pop vocals that ignited critical acclaim. Their 1993 LP, The Last Splash, included the hit single "Cannonball", which propelled the band to stardom. In 1994, the band had to cope with the arrest, drug rehabilitation and subsequent departure of Deal's twin sister, Kelley. After playing a few gigs in '96 and '97, the Breeders headed to New York to work on their next album...

The Breeders
Pod
4AD/Elektra, Released 1990

On Pod, the Breeders generate songs with dynamic guitar strokes, cool, heavy bass lines, and playfully seductive vocals. The delivery is so graceful that their performance seems effortless, giving you the feeling that if you and four of your friends got guitars for Christmas, you could head out to practice in the garage and be on MTV in no time.

Luckily for us though, by the time the Breeders recorded Pod, the band were basically old hands at this rock and roll thing. Kim Deal & Co. know exactly what you want out of a rock record, and they're not afraid to give it to you.

The album kicks off with the alluring and moody "Glorious", and it only gets better from there. The songs range from subtle to ferocious, as Deal sings sweetly or wails at the top of her lungs. The band show their pop prowess on the irresistible "Fortunately Gone", and "Hellbound" is one bad-ass little rocker. They even go so far as to strip down The Beatles' "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and the end result is luxuriously raw, much like the Breeders themselves.

The Breeders are able to give everything all at once, probably because they came together to have fun and make great music, and they've never lost sight of that vision. And if that's not inspiring, I don't know what is.

If you like The Breeders, check out:
The Amps Pacer
Elastica Elastica
Nirvana Nevermind
The Pixies
Liz Phair Exile In Guyville

psst...you might wanna check out our indie rock abode for more features on (guess what) indie rock bands.

-- Lori Latimer

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