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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
The compact disc version of Kaspar Hauser's 2007 breakthrough LP, Quixotic Taxidermy. Hand-printed gatefold sleeve features drawings by comics artist Becca Taylor. Silkscreen image on disc by artist Emily Woodworth. Handprinted sheet with lyrics/credits included. (Both sides of gatefold pictured.)
Includes unlimited streaming of Quixotic/Taxidermy
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
"Comerford ... sings in a nasal tenor that reminds me of Bill Callahan (the artist formerly known as Smog), ripping through shambling, melodic rock tunes with a bored swagger. There’s a definite shot of the Rolling Stones here ... but Kaspar Hauser doesn’t seem particularly concerned with using classic rock ‘n’ roll riffery; the guitars sputter and clamber more than they groove ... ultimately Comerford’s writing and the way he comfortably wears the skin of these warmly familiar songs is what puts the band over. Even when the songs seem like they’re about to fall apart, his singing threads them back together." -Peter Margasak, Post No Bills/Chicago Reader
"Their latest, the self-issued Quixotic/Taxidermy, is quite nice -- a loose homage to the Stones grafted to workaday Midwestern indie rock ... Fans of Jeff Tweedy's pre-Wilco works would do well to check them out." -Jessica Hopper, This Week in Live Music/Chicago Tribune
" ... Quixotic/Taxidermy is a strong elemental journey through basic but effective pop songs. Comerford's voice is at the forefront pretty much the whole way through--his slacker-rock spew matched with pieces of Southern twang make a nice vocal concoction. When he includes electronic parts, such as the strange back-up keyboard effects in 'King Pop,' it never distracts, only adds to the live instruments. Everything is very, very loose--so much so that it seems the songs will devolve into nothing at any moment--but that's what makes the album exciting, full of worry, and though everything works out OK, unpredictable. 'Glass Case Full of Dead Stuffed Birds' features a chorus that could easily be found in a Califone song--but with Comerford's voice, it's more of a celebration." -Tom Lynch, New City
credits
released February 20, 2007
Quixotic/Taxidermy by Kaspar Hauser
1. FOSSIL 2. King Pop 3. Glass Case Full of Dead, Stuffed Birds 4. Mercenary 5. Holocaust 6. Mercury 7. Without a Word 8. Roar or R.I.P. 9. Crackdown 10. Pilgrim
All arrangements by Kaspar Hauser, except 2, 3 by KH and Kent Lambert; 8 by KH and Kris Poulin.
Produced by Jonathan Durlam and Thomas Comerford. Made in Chicago, IL, USA.
For this record, KH was Thomas Comerford - electric/acoustic/baritone/slide/ebow guitars, voices, keyboards, harmonica, ebow banjo, tambourine, hand claps; Johnathan Crawford - keyboards, drums, bells, gong, cymbal, tambourines, melodica; Jonathan Durlam - bass, keyboards, electric guitars, piano, shaker, tambourine, voices; Steve Kiraly - drum kit (except 2, 3). With the addition of Michael Annus - drum kit (2, 3); Stephen “The Kid” Howard - bass (2, 3); Simon Hunt - farfisa (1); Theo Katsaiounis - hand claps (2); Kent Lambert - voices (2, 5), keyboards, electronics (3, 4), gameboy (2); KJ Mohr - voices (3); Kris Poulin - electric/baritone guitars (8), voice of the Captain (10); Paul Sargent - voices (5); Laura Watra - piano (8); Mark Wright - voices (5), Brownie (7).
Engineers/Studios: Kris Poulin/The L@b East (Old and New) - 1-4, 6-8,10; Scott Adamson/Semaphore - 4, 6, 8; Jonathan Durlam with Tim Konn/Swell/S2 (R.I.P.) - 2, 3, 5; Jonathan Durlam with Thomas Comerford/2R, home, practice space and Room 1421 (R.I.P.) - 1-10; Tim Iseler/Soma - 4, 6, 8; Kent Lambert/Roommate HQ - 3-5; Simon Hunt - 1.
Mixed by Kris Poulin at Semaphore, August-November 2006. Except 9 mixed by TC at home. Mastered by Carl Saff.
Cover panel drawings by Becca Taylor. CD drawing by Emily Woodworth.
Printed by Steve W. at Screwball Press. Package design by Crosshair Press. Layout by Simon Hunt/TC.
KH would like to thank all above engineers, studios and players, Kimberly Faux Comerford, Carol Bales, Giselle Magat, Jeremy Lemos, Eric Block, Dennis Stacer, Justin Mayer, Andrea Bauer, Chris Sullivan, Sarah Dodson, Ed Gray, Stanley Ross, Love Story in Blood Red, The Clerics, Soft Targets, Devin Davis, Deb Stratman, Sara Cough, Colin Palombi, Seth Vanek/Ice Factory, Bill Brown, Melinda Fries, Becca Taylor, Emily Woodworth, Rhonda Turnbough, Jodie Mack, Matt Seifert, Simon Hunt, David Lewis/Riot Act Media, Steve Walters/Screwball Press, Alana Bailey, Sean Doyle/Backwardmasking, Chris Auman/Roostercow Records, Chris Gray and everyone who’s come to the shows.
KH would like to give special thanks to Kent Lambert and Kris Poulin, without whose support this record would not have been possible.
Kaspar Hauser is a band led by Chicago singer-songwriter Thomas Comerford. Founded as a 4-track recording project in 1999,
KH has seen many incarnations both live and in the studio, but a lo-fi, scrappy approach to rootsy guitar pop predominates. Comerford also records and performs under his own name....more
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