Mary's Danish: These Are All The Shapes Nevada Could Have Been (1991)
In 1985 two college friends went to see X play a show in Los Angeles. It was a night that would dramatically alter the course of their lives. Inspired by X's off-kilter harmonies, Gretchen Seager and Julie Ritter decided to form a band that would ultimately become Mary's Danish. Ten years later, the band would break up after signing to a hopelessly mismanaged indie label that burned through loads of money before burning out themselves. But in 1989, everything looked rosy for Mary's Danish. The band's first album, There Goes the Wondertruck introduced Mary's Danish's formula -- countrified vocal harmonies atop strides of funk and headlong rock. It was a quite successful sound at the time, and it yielded a huge college radio hit, Don't Crash the Car Tonight.
In 1985 two college friends went to see X play a show in Los Angeles. It was a night that would dramatically alter the course of their lives. Inspired by X's off-kilter harmonies, Gretchen Seager and Julie Ritter decided to form a band that would ultimately become Mary's Danish. Ten years later, the band would break up after signing to a hopelessly mismanaged indie label that burned through loads of money before burning out themselves. But in 1989, everything looked rosy for Mary's Danish. The band's first album, There Goes the Wondertruck introduced Mary's Danish's formula -- countrified vocal harmonies atop strides of funk and headlong rock. It was a quite successful sound at the time, and it yielded a huge college radio hit, Don't Crash the Car Tonight.
Circa, Mary's Danish' follow-up, casts an even wider net than the debut, tacking on instrumental mood pieces, a Jimi Hendrix cover, heavy metal guitar moves, social protest songs, and a horn section. Although there are some questionable moments, the album remains a highly enjoyable, if admittedly patchwork affair. "These Are All the Shapes Nevada Could Have Been" finds the band adding disco to their to-do list, and it comes up sounding great, to these ears anyway. Another standout track, "Hoof," displays Seager and Ritter's sensitive side with a ballad that fits their twangy vocals perfectly. Unfortunately for Morgan Creek, the label that put a great deal of money into releasing the album, Circa's sales did not measure up to the debut despite solid critical support.
After a hastily recorded follow-up, Mary's Danish, and their label, called it quits.
6 comments:
Great post! "American Standard" which ended up being their last album actually was pretty fucking stellar. Check it out sometime.
I remember loving Mary's Danish about 13 years ago. Haven't thought much about them in so long. Thanks for jogging my memory.
I absolutely adored Mary's Danish, I was lucky enough to see them play an outdoor even called the "100th Monkey Festival" way back when...if you want to read the whole story of what became of the band, try this: http://arielpublicity.com/ariel_publicity_site/resources/article_marys_danish.html
...it's rather soulcrushingly sad tho'
oops, last half of that address didn't make it: article_marys_danish.html
The reason American Standard didn't sell is 'cause stupid Morgan Creek didn't spend any money promoting us in the end. If they don't put you out on tour, don't pay for advertising, videos, etc, then it's hard for a band to sell records. Thanks for those of you with kind words, though.
I was completely into Mary's Danish "back then".. Saw them twice.. inc. once in the rain at an Earth Day concert in S.F.. A good band caught in time.
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