Hiss Golden Messenger
Hiss Golden Messenger | |
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![]() Hiss Golden Messenger live in 2011 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
Genres | Indie folk, blues, alternative country, country rock |
Years active | 2007 | –present
Labels | Paradise of Bachelors, Heaven & Earth Magic, Blackmaps, Merge, Three Lobed Recordings |
Members | MC Taylor Chris Boerner Alex Bingham Sam Fribush Nick Falk |
Past members | Scott Hirsch |
Hiss Golden Messenger is an American folk band originating from Durham, North Carolina, formed in 2007 and led by singer and songwriter MC Taylor.[1][2]
History
The band was formed by Michael Carrington "M.C." Taylor and Scott Hirsch, following the dissolution of their previous band, the alternative country group The Court and Spark.[3] Hiss Golden Messenger's early recordings were released through Taylor's own label, "Heaven & Earth Magic Recording Company."[4]
The band's debut album, Country Hai East Cotton, was released in 2009 via Taylor's label in a limited edition of 500.[5] This was followed by their international debut album, Bad Debt, in 2010, released via Black Maps.[6][7] The band's third album, Poor Moon, was released in 2012 via North Carolina-based "Paradise of Bachelors", and received positive reviews.[8][9][10] The band's fourth album, Haw, was released on April 2, 2013.[11][12][13]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Hiss_Golden_Messenger_2018.jpg/220px-Hiss_Golden_Messenger_2018.jpg)
Hiss Golden Messenger was signed to Merge in April 2014 and released their fifth album and Merge label debut, Lateness of Dancers on September 9, 2014.[14][15] They have gone on to release four additional full-length records via Merge, as well as remastered versions of Bad Debt, Poor Moon, and Haw.
Their 2019 album Terms of Surrender received a nomination for Best Americana Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[16]
In 2021 the band was inter alia part of the Newport Folk Festival in July.[17]
Musical style
The band's music contains elements from various musical genres, such as folk, country, dub, country soul, rhythm and blues, bluegrass, jazz, funk, swamp pop, gospel, blues, and rock.[8][5][12][13] The band's style was also described as "alternative country" and "country rock."[5][13][18] The band's main influences include the Beatles, The Byrds, and Buffalo Springfield.[6] The band has been compared to Will Oldham and Bill Callahan.[19]
Discography
Studio albums
- Country Hai East Cotton (2008, Heaven & Earth Magic Recording Company)
- Bad Debt (2010, Blackmaps)
- Poor Moon (2011, Paradise of Bachelors)
- Lord I Love the Rain (2012, Heaven and Earth Magic Recording Company)
- Haw (2013, Paradise of Bachelors)
- Lateness of Dancers (2014, Merge)
- Heart Like a Levee (2016, Merge)
- Vestapol (2016, Merge)
- Hallelujah Anyhow (2017, Merge)
- Virgo Fool (2018, Merge)
- Terms of Surrender (2019, Merge)
- Quietly Blowing It (2021, Merge)
- O Come All Ye Faithful (2021, Merge)
- The Sounding Joy: Hiss Golden Messenger Meets Revelators on South Robinson Street (2021, self-released)
- Jump for Joy (2023, Merge)
EPs
- Glad (2013, self-released)
- Southern Grammar (2015, Merge)
- Lagniappe Sessions - Hiss Golden Messenger (2017, Aquarium Drunkard)
Live albums
- 042207 - Live in Big Sur (2008, Heaven & Earth Recording Company)
- Root Work - Live WFMU 2009 (2010, Heaven & Earth Recording Company)
- Plowed: Live in Bovina (2011, Heaven & Earth Magic Recording Company)
- London Exodus (2013, self-released)
- Parker's Picks Vol. 1: Live at Parish, Austin, TX 10/18/2016 (2017, self-released)
- Forward, Children: A Fundraiser for Durham Public Schools Students (2020, self-released)
- School Daze: A Fundraiser for Durham Public Schools Students (2020, self-released)
- Live in Leeds at the Brudenell Social Club 12/12/19 (2021, Merge Records)
- Wise Eyes: Live at The Neptune, Seattle, WA, 2/25/22 (2022, self-released)
- Greetings From Charleston! (2022, self-released)
- Mystic What: Live in Kansas City and St. Louis (2022, self-released)
- Troupe of Very Remarkable Trained Pigs: Live in Walla Walla, WA, February 26, 2022 (2022, self-released)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream: Live at EartH Hackney, June 15, 2022 (2023, self-released)
Singles
- "Hiss Golden Messenger Plays Elephant Micah Plays Hiss Golden Messenger", split with Elephant Micah (2012, Paradise of Bachelors)
- "Yankee Road"/"Shiloh Town", split with Moviola (2012, Pale Rider)
- "Jesus Shot Me In The Head" (2012, Tompkins Square)
- "Every Knee Shall Bow" (2013 on We Are Not For Sale: Songs of Protest by the NC Music Love Army via Redeye Distribution)
- "Brother, Do You Know The Road?" (2014, Merge)
- "Rock Holy" (2014, Merge from Or Thousands of Prizes, October)
- "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" (2014, Merge cover of Spoon song from Or Thousands of Prizes Cover EP, Google Play exclusive digital single)
- "Bad Debt" Live At Luna Records (2017, Luna Records)
- "Standing In The Doorway" (2017, self released)
- "Passing Clouds from Hiss Golden Messenger Meets Spacebomb" (2018, Spacebomb Records)
- "Domino (Time Will Tell)" (2019, Merge) #40 US AAA[20]
- "Everybody Needs Somebody" b/w "Watching The Wires" (2019, Merge)
- "I Need A Teacher" (2019, Merge) #29 US AAA[20]
- "Let The Light Of The World Open Your Eyes (Alive at Spacebomb Studios)" (2020, Spacebomb Records)
- "Sanctuary" (2020, Merge) #12 US AAA[20]
- "Hardlytown" (2021, Merge)
- "Glory Strums (Loneliness Of The Long-Distance Runner)" (2021, Merge)
Miscellaneous
- Jesus Christ (2011, Heaven & Earth Magic Recording Company)
- Golden Gunn (2013, Three Lobed Recordings - Hiss Golden Messenger & Steve Gunn)
- Parallelogram (2015, Three Lobed Recordings - Hiss Golden Messenger / Michael Chapman split)
- "Brown-Eyed Women" written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, for the 2016 Grateful Dead compilation album Day of the Dead
References
- ^ "Complicated faith: Searching for God in the songs of Hiss Golden Messenger - the Washington Post". www.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Richards, Chris (2014-09-08). "Complicated faith: Searching for God in the songs of Hiss Golden Messenger". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
- ^ Petrusich, Amanda (15 November 2016). "Lost in America With Hiss Golden Messenger". The New Yorker. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ^ Inman, Davis (March 20, 2013). "Dead Reckoning: A Q&A with Hiss Golden Messenger". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c Poet, J. "Hiss Golden Messenger - Country Hai East Cotton". Allmusic. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b O'Brien, Jon. "Hiss Golden Messenger". Allmusic. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ Monroe, Jazz (December 7, 2010). "Hiss Golden Messenger - Bad Debt". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b Currin, Grayson (April 26, 2012). "Hiss Golden Messenger - Poor Moon". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ Litowitz (May 18, 2012). "Album Review: Hiss Golden Messenger – Poor Moon". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ Moses, Bob (April 19, 2012). "A Revelation: Hiss Golden Messenger's Poor Moon -- Interview and Tracks". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ Orr, Dacey (January 18, 2013). "Song Premiere: Hiss Golden Messenger - Sufferer (Love My Conqueror)". Paste. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b Deusner, Stephen M. (April 1, 2013). "Hiss Golden Messenger - Haw". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "Hiss Golden Messenger - Haw". Allmusic. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ "Merge welcomes Hiss Golden Messenger". Mergerecords.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Hiss Golden Messenger announces Lateness of Dancers LP, out September 9". Mergerecords.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Grammy Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Americana Album". grammy.com. Recording Academy. 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Newport Folk Festival stage schedule 2021". newportfolk.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- ^ Kelly, Jennifer (March 26, 2013). "Hiss Golden Messenger - Haw". Dusted. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ Lester, Paul (January 13, 2011). "Hiss Golden Messenger (No 945)". The Guardian. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Hiss Golden Messenger – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2021.