more from
Ernest Jenning Record Co.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Suns Out Guns Out

by The Martha's Vineyard Ferries

/
  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    2nd pressing! back in stock!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Suns Out Guns Out via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      $18 USD

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD  or more

     

1.
MC Modern 04:50
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Laos 04:07
9.
Ida Sez 03:25
10.
11.

about

The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries - ‘Suns Out Guns Out’

Over the course of two prior releases — 2010’s ‘In The Pond’ (Sickroom) and 2013’s ‘Mass Grave’ (Kiam) — The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries quietly carved out a high-IQ corner of the U.S. rock underground reserved for taut, deathly catchy songs that showcased deft (if get-to-the-point) instrumentation. That the band have been kinda/sorta under the collective radar has more to do with their being otherwise occupied (more on that in a minute) than a lack of artistic ambition; they’ve slayed before and after a long break, they’re back to slay again.

So you’re wondering, what could possibly take precedence in real life terms over playing in a band this awesome? Much as I hate to compare and contrast, part of the dilemma is that the principals of The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries — commonly referred to by their fans as “the Fuckin’ Ferries”, “The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries” by everyone else --- are in too many awesome bands already. Guitarist/vocalist Elisha Wiesner has previously set the world on fire with the Massachusetts sextet Kahoots and earlier this year released a 63 song (!) digital masterclass in songwriting under the John Pancake nom de plume. Drummer/vocalist Chris Brokaw has previously pounded on things for heavyweights including but not limited to Codeine, The New Year and Obnox, though there’s a fair chance you’ve also heard his guitar/vocal performances, both solo and with Come (as well as an impossibly long list of contributions to the likes of The Lemonheads, Dirtmusic, Thurston Moore, Consonant and more). Bassist/vocalist Bob Weston is internationally renowned for his sternum-crushing work on behalf of Shellac, Volcano Suns and sound manipulation tactics for Mission Of Burma (I’ve not heard any of the above, but I’m told they’re all “ok, if you’re into that sort of thing”)

Add to this workload the tiny matter of the 3 players having spent most of the last 7 years living in 3 different time zones, it’s nothing short of a miracle the 3rd and finest Martha’s Vineyard Ferries album could pass for the sustained effort of 3 men who’ve been locked up together all this time, writing and recording a powerful statement to rival anything in their collective catalogs (I’m thinking of a scenario kind of like “The Lighthouse”, except there’s 3 men instead of two and there’s more guitars than birds, but maybe the occasional bird, as you tend to get a few of them near the water).

‘Suns Out Guns Out’ was recorded in fits and starts (mostly fits) between 2015 and the end of 2019, the bulk of between Wiesner’s home studio on Martha’s Vineyard and Weston’s Chicago basement. Some portions were composed in record time, others, agonized over for years. The best moments sound instantly familiar, like the favorite band you-never-knew-you-had was waiting for the exact right moment to emerge. And of course, this is the exact right moment in history, what with absolutely everything going swimmingly.

Since I’m the optimistic type, I’ll hazard a guess we’ll not have to wait another 7 years for the next Martha’s Vineyard Ferries album, but however long it takes, I’m willing to hang around if they fashion anything nearly as stirring as ’Suns Out Guns Out’.

Gerard Cosloy

credits

released February 26, 2021

Chris Brokaw - Singing Drummer
Elisha Wiesner - Singing Guitarist
Bob Weston - Singing Bassist

Recorded by the MVF in Chilmark on Thanksgiving
Mixed in Chicago & Chilmark
Album layout by Sara Brownell
Vinyl manufactured in Athens at Kindercore Vinyl

Cover image: c.1964 poster to promote The Red Detachment of Women, ballet, one of the Eight Chinese Model Operas. Artist unknown.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

The Martha's Vineyard Ferries Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

contact / help

Contact The Martha's Vineyard Ferries

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like The Martha's Vineyard Ferries, you may also like: