Biography
Kristin Hersh channels a torrent of powerful rock through 50 Foot Wave, an intensity only suggested in her Throwing Muses contributions and solo endeavors. During the late 1990s and initial 2000s, those other outlets produced largely reflective, acoustic-driven music, making the amplified approach and straightforward lyrics of 50 Foot Wave—first presented on their 2004 self-titled EP—a notable shift. Although their 2005 debut full-length Golden Ocean demonstrated the power trio's capacity for abundant material across an entire album, they favored concise releases; the 2006 Free Music EP, offered on a pay-what-you-want basis, extended their creativity outside conventional recording and performance. Despite lower output compared to Hersh's other groups, refreshing explosions such as 2016's Bath White remained essential to her output and shaped efforts like Throwing Muses' 2020 Sun Racket, while the trio maintained their formidable presence on the 2022 follow-up album Black Pearl.
After Throwing Muses issued their second self-titled album in 2003, the indefatigable singer/songwriter Hersh established 50 Foot Wave alongside Muses bassist Bernard Georges and drummer Rob Ahlers, who also performs with Chalk Farm. Designed as a power trio, the project's moniker derived from the sonic wave of the lowest F note perceptible to human hearing. The band launched with a series of performances encompassing a month-long stay at Los Angeles' Silverlake Lounge plus dates abroad, and the 50 Foot Wave EP emerged in March 2004 via the Muses' established imprint 4AD along with Hersh's Throwing Music. Throwing Music additionally put out Live in Burbank and Live in Seattle, releases that highlighted the band's considerably weightier sound relative to Hersh's other projects. Golden Ocean, the complete album, appeared in March 2005, prompting Hersh to juggle 50 Foot Wave's U.S. and European tours alongside her individual concerts. The group also put forth the single "Sally Is a Girl"—a track featured in their initial set lists—that same year. In December, 50 Foot Wave launched the Free Music EP as a pay-what-you-want download via their site, with physical copies following the next April.
Throughout the remainder of the 2000s, Hersh managed her solo work and commitments to 50 Foot Wave. In addition to her acclaimed solo release Learn to Sing Like a Star, the band supplied an intense rendition of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love" for the 2008 compilation Souvenirs: Modern Covers of the Classics. At the start of 2009, 50 Foot Wave made their full discography downloadable from their website, encompassing the forthcoming EP Power + Light. Released officially in April 2009, that EP's seven songs merged into one extended composition. After Hersh's 2010 album Crooked, the trio reemerged with the January 2012 self-released With Love from the Men's Room, an intense collection recorded in Highland Park, California. Consistent with prior outputs, the EP carried Creative Commons licensing to promote free sharing among listeners. Hersh then devoted time to additional endeavors, such as the Muses' October 2013 album Purgatory/Paradise, prior to reuniting with 50 Foot Wave for the May 2016 Bath White EP on Happy Happy Birthday to Me.
Entering the 2020s from the 2010s, Hersh stayed active with the October 2018 solo album Possible Dust Clouds, Throwing Muses' September 2020 Sun Racket—which incorporated elements from 50 Foot Wave's dense, layered melodies—and 50 Foot Wave's April 2022 full-length Black Pearl. Composed in New Orleans, the record's style incorporated shoegaze, psych-rock, motorik, and guitar sounds approaching grunge and metal. ~ Heather Phares & Andy Kellman
After Throwing Muses issued their second self-titled album in 2003, the indefatigable singer/songwriter Hersh established 50 Foot Wave alongside Muses bassist Bernard Georges and drummer Rob Ahlers, who also performs with Chalk Farm. Designed as a power trio, the project's moniker derived from the sonic wave of the lowest F note perceptible to human hearing. The band launched with a series of performances encompassing a month-long stay at Los Angeles' Silverlake Lounge plus dates abroad, and the 50 Foot Wave EP emerged in March 2004 via the Muses' established imprint 4AD along with Hersh's Throwing Music. Throwing Music additionally put out Live in Burbank and Live in Seattle, releases that highlighted the band's considerably weightier sound relative to Hersh's other projects. Golden Ocean, the complete album, appeared in March 2005, prompting Hersh to juggle 50 Foot Wave's U.S. and European tours alongside her individual concerts. The group also put forth the single "Sally Is a Girl"—a track featured in their initial set lists—that same year. In December, 50 Foot Wave launched the Free Music EP as a pay-what-you-want download via their site, with physical copies following the next April.
Throughout the remainder of the 2000s, Hersh managed her solo work and commitments to 50 Foot Wave. In addition to her acclaimed solo release Learn to Sing Like a Star, the band supplied an intense rendition of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love" for the 2008 compilation Souvenirs: Modern Covers of the Classics. At the start of 2009, 50 Foot Wave made their full discography downloadable from their website, encompassing the forthcoming EP Power + Light. Released officially in April 2009, that EP's seven songs merged into one extended composition. After Hersh's 2010 album Crooked, the trio reemerged with the January 2012 self-released With Love from the Men's Room, an intense collection recorded in Highland Park, California. Consistent with prior outputs, the EP carried Creative Commons licensing to promote free sharing among listeners. Hersh then devoted time to additional endeavors, such as the Muses' October 2013 album Purgatory/Paradise, prior to reuniting with 50 Foot Wave for the May 2016 Bath White EP on Happy Happy Birthday to Me.
Entering the 2020s from the 2010s, Hersh stayed active with the October 2018 solo album Possible Dust Clouds, Throwing Muses' September 2020 Sun Racket—which incorporated elements from 50 Foot Wave's dense, layered melodies—and 50 Foot Wave's April 2022 full-length Black Pearl. Composed in New Orleans, the record's style incorporated shoegaze, psych-rock, motorik, and guitar sounds approaching grunge and metal. ~ Heather Phares & Andy Kellman
Albums
Singles
