The Minus 5 shares "Blow in My Bag" new track features Vocals from Debbi Peterson of The Bangles and Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers
Oar On, Penelope! Out May 30 on Yep Roc Records
More Tour Dates Announced
“Directed” by McCaughey, the instant video includes sneaky appearances of the featured album players Kurt Bloch, Peter Buck, Patterson Hood, Debbi Peterson, Linda Pitmon and Spencer Tweedy, as well as cameos from the Yep Roc Records artist roster past and present: Alejandro Escovedo, John Wesley Harding, Chuck Prophet and Steve Wynn.
Of the song, Scott McCaughey says: "I had an idea to do a Nancy Sinatra / Lee Hazlewood duet between me and Debbi, but of course, I only mention that because I typically don’t manage to get close enough to elicit comparisons. That being said, I’m not sure what the song is about, but Patterson’s vocals at the end convince me that he knows!"
The album's first single, "Words & Birds," “a power-pop gem” (American Songwriter), is a raucous ode to life, punctuated by cranky guitars and McCaughey’s unmistakable vocal delivery.
Throughout the 12-song collection, McCaughey’s breadth of musical knowledge and appreciation is on full display from the addictive power pop of “Words & Birds” to the gnarly garage rock of “The Garden of Arden,” the Neil Young-influenced Americana of “Bison Queen,” and the bite-sized psychedelia of “Sharktooth.” “The songs feel immediate, relatively unadorned, and somewhat more positive in an indescribable way,” says McCaughey. “The words could be termed stream-of-consciousness, which is nothing new from this sector, but there seems to be a ray of light fighting its way through the usual twisted tales.”
Produced by Scott McCaughey and mixed by legendary engineer Ed Stasium (The Replacements, Ramones, Talking Heads), Oar On, Penelope! is The Minus 5’s first album of all-original material in five years and features help from some of his most trusted allies: Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), Debbi Peterson (The Bangles), Kurt Bloch (The Fastbacks), Linda Pitmon (Baseball Project, Filthy Friends), and Spencer Tweedy.
Over a four-decade career, indie rock cult hero Scott McCaughey has been a member of many bands, including R.E.M., Young Fresh Fellows, Baseball Project, Filthy Friends, and Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3, to name a few. Still, The Minus 5 has remained one of the most enduring projects of his storied résumé. Suffering a near-fatal stroke in 2017, it was under the The Minus 5 name that McCaughey put out the recordings of Stroke Manor, featuring the original songs that detail his recovery through music therapy.
Formed in 1993 by Scott McCaughey, The Minus 5 is known for its collaborative ethos and ever-changing lineup, which has included some of the most celebrated names in music, from Jeff Tweedy and Wilco to The Decemberists, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie, Kelly Hogan, M. Ward, Chuck Prophet, Michael McCready of Pearl Jam, Alejandro Escovedo, and many more. The band embodies the communal spirit that has been a hallmark of the band since its inception.
The Minus 5 Tour Dates
May 9 -13 – Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise – Miami, FL
June 1 – Pappy & Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA+
June 2 – Casbah – San Diego, CA+
June 3 – Zebulon – Los Angeles, CA+
June 4 – The Chapel – San Francisco, CA
June 6 – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR
June 7 – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
June 8 – Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver, BC
July 18 & 19 – Woodtick Fest – Darby, MT
September 10 – Intuition Ale Works – Jacksonville, FL*
September 11 – Saturn – Birmingham, AL*
September 12 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA*
September 13 – 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA*
September 16 – Codfish Hollow – Maquoketa, IA*
September 17 – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN*
September 18 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL*
September 19 – Bell’s Beer Garden – Kalamazoo, MI*
September 20 – Mr. Smalls Theatre – Millvale, PA*
September 21 – White Eagle Hall – Jersey City, NJ*
September 23 – Crystal Ballroom – Somerville, MA*
September 24 – World Cafe Live – Philadelphia, PA*
September 25 – The Hamilton – Washington, DC*
September 26 – The Broadberry – Richmond, VA*
September 27 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC*
+w/ Vicki Peterson & John Cowsill
*w/ The Baseball Project
From left: Peter Buck, Kurt Bloch, Linda Pitmon, Scott McCaughey, Debbi Peterson / photo credit: Mary Winzig
Oar On, Penelope! Tracklisting
1. Words & Birds
2. Death the Bludgeoner
3. Let the Rope Hold, Cassie Lee
4. I Don’t Want to Hate Anyone
5. The Garden of Arden
6. Last Hotel
7. Bison Queen
8. Falling Like Jets
9. Burgundy Suit
10. Blow in My Bag
11. Sharktooth
12. What Shall Not Be Released
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