Pitchfork

[Posted Tuesday, October 14th, 2003 04:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Estimable D.C. punk outfit the Hurricane Lamps have put together a benefit compilation in aid of Washington D.C. collective Bread for the City, "a private, non-profit organization that provides vulnerable residents of Washington, D.C. with comprehensive services including food, clothing, medical care, legal and social services in an atmosphere of dignity, respect and peace." The album, Wellspring, comes out on November 25th on the Hurricane Lamps' very own Sonic Boomerang label with all proceeds going toward the charity.

Eric Tischler of the Hurricane Lamps was able to bring some pretty big names to the table, including friends Cinerama, Barbara Manning and the Go-Luckys!, The Mendoza Line, the Saturday People, and Metropolitan, along with "kind-hearted strangers" like Bettie Serveert, Lenola and Purple Ivy Shadows. The Lamps' own contribution, "A Matter of Tense," was, says Tischler, "written 10 years ago, recorded three years ago, and [never] released." In fact, most everything on the album is previously unreleased (Cinerama were due to contribute a brand new track, and even got as far as recording it, but ran out of time in the studio so their contribution is a pretty sweet b-side). Tracklist:

01 Metropolitan: "Home Room"
02 Bettie Serveert: "Have a Heart"
03 Barbara Manning and the Go-Luckys!: "I Mean Nothing"
04 Cinerama: "Swim"
05 Saturnine: "The Wind is Blowing Like an Outlaw"
06 The Mendoza Line: "Dear, We're in Trouble"
07 The 'Mericans: "So Easy"
08 Riverside: "Only Because"
09 Lenola: "Get Well"
10 The Saturday People: "Find Out" [remix]
11 The Hurricane Lamps: "A Matter of Tense"
12 Purple Ivy Shadows: "In South of Here"

The Hurricane Lamps will be playing an album release show at D.C.'s Black Cat on November 28th, with album contributors Metropolitan and members of the Mendoza Line opening up. The Lamps will also be playing New York City's Knitting Factory on Friday, November 21st, along with a smattering of other dates in the Northeast which have yet to be confirmed. Look out for those. The band has just released its fourth album, Sing Me a Song, and has been touring diligently in support of that.