Smudge - Manilow

 

Smudge – Manilow

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

Musical partnerships are hard to come by. You meet another artist you really connect with and you make records together until falling out, drifting apart, or one of you dies. But what happens when the partnership is forged over thousands of miles?

So was the problem Tom Morgan was dealing with in 1993. He’d connected with Evan Dando of The Lemonheads in 1991 and co-written their It’s A Shame About Ray album. He was also in a supergroup with Dando called Godstar. But there was one particular problem with the relationship. Dando was in Boston. Morgan was in Sydney, Australia.

There was no way to sustain a functioning band with the two. So, they did the only logical thing they could. They split apart. Not entirely, mind you. Morgan’s songs appeared on the next Lemonheads album Come On Feel. Dando’s cowrites appear on Morgan’s next project’s debut album.

And just what was that project? Morgan formed the power trio Smudge in late 1991. They were modeled after the American indie rock sounds of Dinosaur Jr., Husker Du, and – yes – The Lemonheads. In retrospect, they were the perfect time capsule for their era.

Morgan had a warm speak-sing quality to his voice which resembled a more melodic Lou Reed. Drummer Alison Galloway had a snappy method of playing which resembled Grant Hart. And permeant bassist Adam Yee had a melodic method of playing, acting as the non-existent rhythm guitar.

But while their early singles were excellent, fans had to be wondering – what would their album sound like? And could Morgan match his previous work with Dando? Both of these questions would be answered when Smudge released Manilow in 1994.

“Superhero” is evocative of Dinosaur Jr, with J. Mascis-styled leads all over the track. It starts out in aggressive start-stop territory with pounding drums and guitars, but then moves into punk-pop territory in the verse. But the chorus is especially catchy.

The lyrics pay tribute to basement punk shows and low ceilings. Morgan is in full free-form mode here. Not spelling everything out explicitly, but still giving the audience enough to work with.

“Pulp” and “Ingrown” both display the sweetness of Dando’s influence. Jangling three-chord ditties with staccato monosyllabic verses, Morgan has written a pair of pop-punk tunes for the ages. Relationship issues seem to be the subject du jour this time around. On “Pulp” he blames himself for the failings, whereas on “Ingrown” he is being emotionally manipulated.

Morgan has the rare ability to make these tunes catchy rather than depressing. The tightness of the band is also something to be praised. The way the trio lock into the songs and create a perfect din speaks volumes to their musical talents. And what would a Smudge album be without a couple of Dando collaborations?

The song “Down About It” would prove to be one of the catchiest pop-punk tunes The Lemonheads would ever record, with double tracked Dando vocals and quick chord changes. But the Smudge version here is a bit different. A slow drumbeat and slightly twangy version of the opening chords introduce the track.

The drumbeat steadies at mid-tempo, and Morgan sings the words with a slight country drawl. This blends nicely with his usual way of singing and gives the track an unpolished charm which The Lemonheads version lacked. However, it is not as immediately catchy. For this reason, I give The Lemonheads version a slight edge. But both are great.

Dando’s other collaboration was actually fully written by Morgan, but also appeared on a contemporary Lemonheads release. The track – “Divan” – is jangly country rock at its best. While he didn’t write it, Dando’s presence is felt in the delivery. The lyrics describe lazy days on a sofa, but the music evokes the wistful feelings of the summer sun.

“Desmond” is an interesting excursion for the album. Sung by drummer Alison Galloway, it has a dreamy quality not heard elsewhere. Her voice also has a more pronounced Australian accent than Morgan’s which gives it a different feel. Lyrically, Galloway is lamenting the type of men she attracts, and humorously considers giving up relationships – as if they were a vice like smoking or drinking.

On “Scary Cassettes,” Morgan pays tribute to one of his contemporary heroes. Lou Barlow of Sebadoh had a big impact on the American indie rock which Smudge took inspiration from. Musically it’s another fast catchy pop song. The guitars fill in the gaps in Morgan’s minimal lyrics. Barlow would later return the favor, covering “Down About It” on a Smudge tribute album.

But perhaps “Impractical Joke” is the best of the bunch. A steady drumbeat and ominous three-chord progression introduce the track. Morgan’s voice enters and he uses the Dando trick of substituting words for similar phrasing. He describes a breakdown in relations between lovers, and the man’s attempt to regain the attention of his girlfriend.

But the track is not just clever wordplay. The trio lock into a tight groove with strong drumming by Galloway, and melodic, almost majestic guitar by Morgan. It’s the kind of track that bands build an entire career on and a song that should’ve taken Smudge into international stardom.

Sadly, they remained cult heroes in Australia until their eventual disbandment in 1999. But not all was lost for Smudge. They eventually reunited in 2002 and have continued to tour sporadically since then. However, they have not released a new album since 1998.

While some musical partnerships spark great success, this is not always the case. Sometimes great bands are left by the wayside, while whatever trend of the time dominates the charts. Such was the case with Smudge. While they may only be known to a small audience, they released an absolute classic in Manilow.

Half a Cow/1994