Yesterday on the way home I was listening to music on shuffle, and Kristin Hersh’s cover of Nirvana’s “Pennyroyal Tea” came on.
I love Kristin Hersh and LOVE her work with Throwing Muses! But, whenever I hear her name, my mind drifts to songs like “Your Ghost” a duet with Michael Stipe from her amazing 1994 debut solo album, Hips and Makers:
And almost under the clunk-whomp-thwack of the train via my headphones came this almost guttural primal scream making me want to recheck the track listing to see if this really was Kristin Hersh. Not angry necessarily, just deep and true and honest and freeing. A sound full of creative power holding back zero reservations. Now if you weren’t familiar with her work with Throwing Muses and just knew of her solo work, this cover may just take you as a surprise. It seems a complete 180 turn in the vocals.
And it got me thinking, about how empowering it is to just shake it up, do something different, make people check that track listing/schedule/blog feed/show listing and just go for it. Learn a new skill, try a new route home, test a new recipe, whatever. Just need to step out of what you think you are, or what other people think you are and just say fuck* it.
Because you know what? You may just fucking** nail it like Kirstin Hersh does on this covers album. And when that happens? It feels pretty freakin’ good.
Where can you hear this amazing Nirvana covers album? Over here at the brilliant music blog that is Music is Art.
*Sorry, Mom.
**Even sorrier.