1997 was the creative zenith for Northampton, MA band Humbert. They spent a spring and summer crafting this 20 track tour-de-force of eclectic pop bliss. Local radio stations and press 'zines in Western Mass and Boston immediately embraced the record with its seemingly endless radio singles, its brevity and smarts (average song length- the two minutes a pop song oughta be) and its sense of humor.
Featuring strong outings by three of Northampton's best songwriters, the album evokes Husker Du on Anthony Westcott's rager "Sycophant," vaudeville on Henning Ohlenbusch's lovely "Player Piano" and solo Lennon romanticism on the Ari Vais song "I'm Fallin' 4 U." Told ya it was eclectic.
Just dipping your toe into RubWrongways Records? By all means, begin here and let this pop explosion send its shockwaves across the soundscape of any tepid musical horizon. 'Kay?
Track Listing
Strangel
Something Meandering (At Large)
Greyhound
The Screen Door
Alone In Your Victorian
Mouth To Mouth
Packy Run
1992
Insulation
Player Piano
I'm Falling 4 U
Let You Go
I Wouldn't Know
Crabcakes
The Freezer
Mysterina
Motion Sickness
Northampton
Feverish & Friendly
Sycophant
Credits
Ari Vais: vocals, guitars
Anthony Westcott: vocals, guitars
Henning Ohlenbusch: vocals, bass, keyboards, guitars
Paul Pelis: drums, percussion
Featuring: Abby Barlow, Elizabeth Simpson & Dave Trenholm
Recorded April- July 1997 at Zing Studios, Westfield, MA
Produced by Humbert and Jim Fogarty
Engineered by Jim Fogarty
Mastered at Mworks, Cambridge, MA
All songs composed by Ari Vais, Anthony Westcott and Henning Ohlenbusch
Featuring strong outings by three of Northampton's best songwriters, the album evokes Husker Du on Anthony Westcott's rager "Sycophant," vaudeville on Henning Ohlenbusch's lovely "Player Piano" and solo Lennon romanticism on the Ari Vais song "I'm Fallin' 4 U." Told ya it was eclectic.
Just dipping your toe into RubWrongways Records? By all means, begin here and let this pop explosion send its shockwaves across the soundscape of any tepid musical horizon. 'Kay?
Track Listing
Strangel
Something Meandering (At Large)
Greyhound
The Screen Door
Alone In Your Victorian
Mouth To Mouth
Packy Run
1992
Insulation
Player Piano
I'm Falling 4 U
Let You Go
I Wouldn't Know
Crabcakes
The Freezer
Mysterina
Motion Sickness
Northampton
Feverish & Friendly
Sycophant
Credits
Ari Vais: vocals, guitars
Anthony Westcott: vocals, guitars
Henning Ohlenbusch: vocals, bass, keyboards, guitars
Paul Pelis: drums, percussion
Featuring: Abby Barlow, Elizabeth Simpson & Dave Trenholm
Recorded April- July 1997 at Zing Studios, Westfield, MA
Produced by Humbert and Jim Fogarty
Engineered by Jim Fogarty
Mastered at Mworks, Cambridge, MA
All songs composed by Ari Vais, Anthony Westcott and Henning Ohlenbusch