SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MELISSA AUF DER MAUR – BASS WOMB ROOM: MY ’90S 4-TRACK DEMOS X FIELD RECORDINGS

MELISSA AUF DER MAUR
BASS WOMB ROOM: MY ’90S 4-TRACK DEMOS X FIELD RECORDINGS
ENVISION RECORDS

Melissa Auf der Maur has been quite busy of late. Six months ago, she released Even the Good Girls Will Cry, her self-written memoir of her early years and of her time spent as the bass player for both Hole and Smashing Pumpkins. Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s Rock Photographs opened on Sept 2 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, seven days ahead of the release of her photobook of the same name, containing the same photographs which document her life on the road from behind the rock ‘n’ roll curtain. Today she also releases her first album in 15 years, BASS WOMB ROOM: My ‘90s 4-Track Demos X Field Recordings. It is being released both digitally and on cassette via Envision Records.

The first half of the album begins with seven never-before-heard demos that Auf der Maur wrote and recorded in the ‘90s while on the road, and in her studio apartment using her pocket-sized Tascam 4-track recorder. In Even the Good Girls Will Cry, she writes of propping up her videocam on her bass amp during shows to film the audience; some of these clips have been incorporated here. In addition, songs consist of an eclectic mix of environmental sounds, stream of consciousness lyrics, or readings from her diary in which she wrote daily. At times they are woven together against an instrumental background of bass, a cheap keyboard, or a vintage Ross phaser guitar pedal, which give the tracks their eerie and environmental air. The mundane sounds magical in “Water Wars” and “Fresh Flush.” “Desire is Critical” is outright hypnotic, and the buildup of excitement in “Active Heart” certainly conjures up the energy before a live performance, behind the curtain, getting ready to step onto the stage.

EVEN THE GOOD GIRLS WILL CRY: A ’90S ROCK MEMOIR BOOK REVIEW

The second half of the album – the next eight tracks – are actual songs written by auf der Maur in the ‘90s and recorded on the Tascam in her apartment. These unreleased tracks are raw and pure, and include seven of her own tracks, as well as a trippy cover of Roxy Music’s “Love Is The Drug.” The track is hollow and haunting. “River’s Dream” will magically take you back to your childhood, curious to follow the little girl who is speaking here, much like Alice in Wonderland. Final track “Skip A Beat” is intense, and as a result quite aptly named. Not for the faint of heart, for sure.

Melissa Auf der Maur put together the tracks for BASS WOMB ROOM: My ‘90s 4-Track Demos X Field Recordings at her Los Angeles home back in the ‘90s while touring. “These songs are the sound of my internal experimentation and a way of keeping the Montreal art girl alive,” she shares. The collection has been designed to complement her art exhibit. Again, these tracks are raw and pure, originating from another space and time. They will most certainly add a depth to the photo exhibit. This fascinating collection is not for everyone, but with an open mind, they most certainly could be for you.

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