About this record

 

Howard W. Hamilton III has played rock music on the independent circuit most of his life. He currently lives in Minneapolis where he has been a force in such outfits as Brainsaw, Saucer, and the Busy Signals. He’s also an accomplished artist who has designed album covers, books, and genius paintings.

 

Right now he leads the super-hot Red Pens, one of last year’s best new bands. To date, they have released a CD called Reasons, and a brand new EP called “Limitations”, on Grain Belt Records.

 

“I can remember the day I got this on cassette and I can also remember how I don’t think I was ready for it. This was the third record Will Oldham had released and looking back it was so far ahead of it’s time it has taken me years to take in the whole thing and understand its true greatness.

 

I recently purchased a ‘95 Chevy Astro Van for our band in lipstick red with worn out graphics on the side making it look like a space ship that has done some battle. I was pretty freaked out that the van only came with an AM/FM cassette deck and quickly started digging out the tapes I had somehow kept over the years in a big light blue metal suitcase. I found my original copy of Viva on a black cassette and popped it in after abandoning the album for ten plus years. It instantly brought back the feelings I had on the first listen to “work hard play hard,” and how I thought that song was such a joke. Now I hear the genius and I understand it, I just wasn’t ready before. I was always the one who thought they wouldn’t be a sucker for “new partner”. I have cried ten times in the last two weeks listening to this song on repeat. It kind of says it all. I used to listen to this same song when I was much more cynical and young and think ‘this is a rip off of Willie Nelson’s always on my mind’. God what an idiot.

 

The players were a rag tag crew of 1995’s finest with Liam from Plush adding unique and almost funk keys at times, Jason from Sebadoh on stiff but lovable drums, Bryan Rich on lead guitar and Will’s brother Ned filling in the blanks on bass and everything else under the sun.

 

The whole record jumps back and forth flawlessly flawed from bouncy full band to the folkiest of folk and you don’t even notice it unless you are trying to write about it. I remember thinking how nuts and sexual the lyrics were, now it all just comes across as a brilliant documentation of a time period where Will Oldham wasn’t sure what to do next so he just gathered some friends and made a sleeper masterpiece. I have been listening to this tape on auto reverse for a week straight and the whole thing is truly full of daring lyrics and so much effortless feeling it’s an old wooden rollercoaster in the kiddieland side of the park. ~ Howard W. Hamilton III

Will Oldham (born January 15, 1970),[1] better known by the stage name Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music. After releasing material under his own name, he adopted the “Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy” moniker for the majority of his output since 1998.

 

Viva Last Blues is an album by Palace Music, featuring Will Oldham on vocals and guitar. The album was recorded by Steve Albini and was released in 1995 on DragCity. The artwork is by Dianne Bellino (cover drawing) and Cynthia Kirkwood (painting).

 

The album was listed as #60 on Pitchfork Media’s “Top 100 Albums of the 1990s”.

 

Track List:

1.     More Brother Rides   [3:18]

2.     Viva Ultra   [3:18]

3.     The Brute Choir   [2:43]

4.     The Mountain Low   [2:44]

5.     Tonight’s Decision (And Hereafter)   [4:10]

6.     Work Hard / Play Hard   [2:50]

7.     New Partner   [3:54]

8.     Cat’s Blues   [3:18]

9.     We All, Us Three, Will Ride   [2:56]

10. Old Jerusalem   [2:16]

 

The Viva Last Blues LP by Palace Music is factory-sealed new. It has never been played and has always been kept in its original packaging. The LP is not a promo or cutout. There are no marks or punches of any kind. All our CDs and vinyl are new! If you have any questions or want to see additional photos, just email us.

 

Same day shipping for payments received by 4:00 PM EST.

 

Payment must be received within 7 days. We accept and prefer PayPal.

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