tricycle (remastered / expanded edition), by WILD CARNATION

tricycle (remastered / expanded edition)

by WILD CARNATION

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Scott Jacobson I revisited this album today after a couple months away and was blown away all over again by it. Warm, inviting songwriting -- I could listen on repeat all day. And super catchy. Baffling an album this solid could slip through the cracks.

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Super Deluxe limited to 500 copies release of the sold out RSD edition.
Pressed at Clampdown on Forest Green Vinyl. DL code includes full LP, pre-LP home demos, and a blistering live set from Hamburg Germany 1/27/97 (includes unreleased songs and covers of Patti Smith, Ian Tyson, and The Grass Roots!)

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1.	The Rising Tide 04:20	lyrics	buy track
The waves rolled up to the other side Children danced in the shining tide Lose yourself in the aqua blue Sand and foam and turtles, too. We all live on the western side, and we’re glad we’re alive. It brings you up and it turns you ‘round To the air, dive back down Float on top like the bubbles do Clutch the sand, the muddy hue.
2.	Acid Rain and "The Big One" 03:30	lyrics	buy track
The sun will no longer shine if you walk now I’m surprised that I’ve survived but don’t ask me how. What will you do, what can you do,when the sky falls down? Where can you go, what will you stick your head in the ground? Oh don’t say, not that way, that this is the end Come back up, stand back up and start again. Looking out the window pondering where I’ve been Sitting in this house when the walls caved in. You think that someone will take care of you Crawl under your chair I know that’s what you’ll do I saw you turn your head to hide from wrong Did you awake today to find your childhood’s gone? You expect answers, but what can I say? You didn’t prepare for that rainy day. Persuasion pulls me through the cellar door How can I live on when they keep taking more? What will you do, what can you say? What will you do on this rainy day? Things aren’t the same since the walls caved in You didn’t prepare for this rainy day.
3.	Susquehanna 142 03:44	lyrics	buy track
Laughing, shouting from down the road Children running towards the tracks I thought I heard the whistle call invitations out to all Climb the stairs, slide shut the doors Walk along from end to end Lifting burdens, heavy loads Linking town to town to town. Pull back your shades, let fly those doors Run towards the sound, down to the yard. The line that young ones used to ride slumbering years, aging signs Stirring now along the tracks oldsters climb aboard once more Sound the whistle, close the doors The weary wheels will turn once more Railings wear and engines age You ride, you ride, you ride, you ride. Steam was of a passing time Victorian men and fine decor Mother, daughter, father, son rest their souls, their work is done Voices echo down the line call me to forgotten times Let me leave this life behind We’ll ride, we’ll ride, we’ll ride, we’ll ride. Laughing comes from down my road Bring your burdens, heavy loads I thought I heard the whistle call We’ll ride from town to town to town.
4.	Wings 05:15	lyrics	buy track
He woke that morning to find his lucky charm had broken Gliding like that, he must have known he was taking a chance Bless my soul, it was the last time that I saw him Cross my heart, it was the last time I saw him. High in the sky, they were alive The air felt so thin, started to spin Then the smoke rose above right to the clouds I left the crowd to see beyond I’ve thought a lifetime about him/her. She didn’t get the chance she deserved She could have done much better than them She’d never live to see the day when she’d get her wings Her spirit soared, but she was left on the ground. The hazy blue turns to red during wartime Flying so high, why fight about clouds? We all saw him go down near the horizon A cloud of smoke, and he didn’t return.
5.	The Music Box 04:00	lyrics	buy track
Bedroom talks, childhood walks follow familiar roads Travel time, thoughts unwind Mysteries slip through my hands. Running and reeling and reveling. Rhapsody, a melody chiming from within Turned the key, it played for me the music box in my hand. Reeling, unraveling melody. Sunny day, sinking low, tells me to go inside Sitting there, rocking chair quiet time turns into dreams. I don’t recall the lonely day when it ceased to play Darker times they came my way No more holidays. Wondering, waiting and worrying Running and reeling and reveling Reeling, unraveling melody. Bedroom talks, childhood walks follow familiar roads Turned the key, it played for me the music box in my hand.
6.	Trailer Song 03:52	lyrics	buy track
Running from a broken time I can’t find my hand although I know it’s before my eyes Then kindness reaches out one more time It reaches out to me I have tried for so long. I have looked towards a brighter day I’ve held my breath while life passed my way It’s not so easy to find new paths but someday I know I’ll catch my breath Try till there’s nothing left I’ll be falling so long. The clouds never ceased to roll Days standing at my door The urge to step outside to touch the air then strong winds blew me back inside My sheltered place to hide I have tried for so long. I’ll be falling so long All that was mine is gone I have tried for too long Now it won’t be very long I have waited too long Some have tried for so long Some have fallen so hard.
7.	No Doors In Kansas 03:19	info	buy track
8.	The State You're In 03:38	lyrics	buy track
I knew your look of dismay This was my day, that’s what you said then turned away No one knows the state you’re in You’re here and then you’re gone again I don’t know when. If I cried, and if I tried and if I died, and if I lied. How can I know what to say? I’ve gone astray, can’t find my way What do I say? Go, it’s time to travel on Near or far, won’t matter much when I am gone. We reached into souls so deep The time flew by, we didn’t try I don’t know why Life will change, the wind will blow Are you okay and on your way? How will I know?
9.	Dodger Blue 04:03	lyrics	buy track
How was I, how was I to know when all the words got in the way Would we still be here next year? No guarantee. How could I, how could I refuse and would we ever really shed our blues Those people forced their views on me, but did they really see? We were taken from our town the crowds went home, the walls came down We were sent far from our home with no guarantee. How could I, how could I refuse and would we ever really shed our blues Those people forced their views on me, but did they really see? How the sun got in my eyes when I went chasing after flies How many gloves lay in the grass, it was hard to see. This isn’t the way I had it planned, somebody took it from my hands Cleanse the stains, wipe my eyes, tell me please that the good survive. Would someone tell me so I’ll understand why you have to take it like a man? The velvety green was just a dream with no guarantee. What makes words cry out loud? Yet there’s nothing really more to say The media told the story, but did they really see? Fragments of pictures tell the tale, a stumbling team put up for sale We would pass from history, how could it be? I had hoped to never see the day when all the fans would turn away but we were sold for a fee with no guarantee. Too many losses and so few wins, all the jeers and all the din The terrible shouting in my ears, we wouldn’t last the year. People will lie and act out schemes, nothing is actually as it seems I will remember that field of green and all its dreams.
10.	The Lights Are On (But No One's Home) 04:21	lyrics	buy track
There’s no one here They’ve all disappeared Who’s left alive? No one’s satisfied. No one ‘round here knows so the story goes I can’t see your light. Isabella. Are your lights not on? Should I go back home? Try to reach in but you’re shut in tight. I can’t see the light when my eyes are closed I can’t see your light. Look inside, try to hide No one’s home, here we go.
11.	Scarf Dance 04:15	lyrics	buy track
Shoes off, clear the floor step light, sing soft Play a new chord, tell a new word play us a tune, and play it soon. There is rapture in her dance the movements in a trance. Then she goes round in circles always in many circles Anne dances ‘round and the piano chimes and sounds its whirling song. I’d like to carry on, but I can’t hear the song I lost them upstream, and I don’t know where to go. And she goes round in circles always in many circles Anne dances ‘round and the piano chimes and sounds its whirling song. Their rapture, it falls on me changes time, changes key Play a new chord, tell us a word play a new tune, and play it soon. And she goes round in circles always in many circles Anne dances ‘round and the piano chimes and sounds its whirling song.
12.	Shaker Tune 03:01	lyrics	buy track
No more dark skies Heaven above in the clouds Lay down, fall down Tumble like stones down the hill. Slumbering in the whispering grass Mornings so deep that I just want to lay down and cry Fall into a pile of leaves Block out the sun from my eyes. Whirling, turning spinning like leaves on the breeze Friends come follow never know fear while you’re free Trees bend near us We gather their sticks on the way Lost tomorrows, childhood is gone in a day. Slip into your favorite shoes running reckless, stirring up the fields Through the woods, branches yield Flying so high, like a dream.
13.	Dodger Blue (demo) 03:54		buy track
14.	Wings (demo) 05:21		buy track
15.	Trailer Song (demo) 03:59		buy track
16.	Susquehanna 142 (demo) 03:42		buy track
17.	Acid Rain and "The Big One" (demo) 03:30		buy track
18.	The Rising Tide (demo) 04:31		buy track
19.	The State You're In (demo) 03:50		buy track
20.	Susquehanna 142 (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 03:46		buy track
21.	Cricket (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:36		buy track
22.	Follow Your Visions (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 05:05		buy track
23.	I'd Rather Drive A Truck (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:53		buy track
24.	Dancing Barefoot (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:31		buy track
25.	Blue Skies (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:03		buy track
26.	The Lights Are On (But No One's Home) (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:42		buy track
27.	The Rising Tide / Wipeout (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 06:50		buy track
28.	Scarf Dance (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:03		buy track
29.	Wait A Million Years (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 04:11		buy track
30.	The Eventide (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 05:32		buy track
31.	Four Strong Winds (live in Hamburg, Germany, January 27, 1997) 03:39		buy track

about

Way back in the 1990s, a young Delmore stumbled into now defunct NYC nightclub Wetlands (during the sadly also now defunct, NYU Independent Music Festival), just as WILD CARNATION were about to begin their set. Having lived in NYC / Brooklyn / Hoboken the previous decade, where countless mesmerizing gigs by THE FEELIES, YUNG WU, TRYPES, and SPEED THE PLOUGH, all with Brenda Sauter on bass, had been experienced, it was the chance to see her fronting her new group that drew Delmore in.

A few songs into their set, it was apparent, however, that this trio was more than a Feelies offshoot project, despite melodic similarities, and Brenda's cool vocals / presence. WILD CARNATION played raw, loud and fast (and occasionally out of control), with Richard Barnes distorted, jangly guitar lines perfectly colliding with Brenda's propelling bass notes, while Chris O'Donovan kept it together, while pounding the living hell out of his drums. It was a garagey, indie rock mess, more reminiscent of Hib-Tone / Chronic Town era REM, and emergent New Zealand bands like The Bats and The Clean, than The Feelies. Delmore was smitten, and determined to sign them, despite the fact that the Delmore label did not yet exist. In 1993, Wild Carnation's debut 7", "Dodger Blue" b/w "The Lights Are On (But No One's Home)", taken from raw home demos recorded the previous year, became the second Delmore release. A full length album was then commissioned, and an evolving Wild Carnation holed up at Mix-O-Lydian recording studios with engineer Don Sternecker (The Feelies, Speed The Plough, Wake Ooloo) to record their debut full length, Tricycle, released in 1994. On Tricycle, the pastoral quality of their most beautiful ballads was captured perfectly, while retaining enough of the rawness of the live experience. Waves of critical acclaim followed, from now defunct publications (CMJ Jackpot! Raygun, Trouser Press) followed, including this one by Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover (Still going strong!), written for All Music Guide:

"While the hook line for this new local trio would have to be that bassist/leader Brenda Sauter used to be a member of the later-'80s incarnation of the famous Feelies (and it's notable offshoot, The Trypes), even if you didn't worship at the altar of that group (and especially if you did!), Wild Carnation is a revelation. While the persistent, pumping beat and hard-played jangle guitars of most of the tracks here emanate from her previous band and from their forerunners, the Velvets (especially), Television,and the Byrds - Sauter's beguiling voice is perfect for the ultra-appealing pop hooks the group writes as well as the thoughtful lyrics she composes. Trading the occasional Feelies drone for sugar-sweet melodies (yes!) and utilizing the pretty ring of the guitars to maximum effect, songs such as Wings are the perfect pop confectionery, too honeyed and delightful to miss capturing your bending heart and too consistently insistent and edgy to be wimpy, kind of like Reckoning-era R.E.M. It's all so well captured with pristine production, with balls to match the heart, too! And though the 12 tracks are largely cut from a similar mode, all seem special just the same on their own. A truly shining, first-rate effort, along with Lotion's and Nyack's early EPs and the last Flower LP, the best release to come out of a New York group this decade, and exceptionally crafted at that! Do not miss."

Remastered in 2022 by Scott Anthony at Storybook Sound (The Feelies, Speed The Plough, Glenn Mercer)

credits

released April 28, 2023

Brenda Sauter - bass, vocals, occasional acoustic guitar, bells
Richard Barnes - electric and acoustic guitars, organ, bells
Christopher O'Donovan - drums, percussion, backing vocals

license

about

Delmore Recording Society Nashville, Tennessee

Delmore Recording Society exists to expose singular artists that don’t quite fit in to the world. The pursuit and discovery of lost tapes is another side of that mission.

We strive to bring something of value into the world…music that might enhance our appreciation of an artist that was under recorded, or whose recordings were never released due to some vagary of the business. ... more