New Times by Violent Femmes
New Times is the album released by Violent Femmes in 1994. It was the Femmes' sixth studio album, and the first one not to feature original drummer Victor DeLorenzo on drums, who had been replaced by Guy Hoffman. "Breakin' Up," a song lead singer Gordon Gano had written years before, was the lead single. Its video received minor airplay on MTV and appears on the band's DVD, Permanent Record - Live & Otherwise. The album did not sell well, but featured many of the Femmes' most musically complex and lyrically inventive songs, including "4 Seasons," and concert staple "I'm Nothing." "I'm Nothing" appeared in the movie Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas.
The Violent Femmes emerged in the ‘80s as the ultimate alternative band. They played acoustic instruments and featured a singer who made Lou Reed and Jonathan Richman sound like accomplished singers. By the time of <i>New Times</i>, they were an entrenched institution and full-fledged adults to boot. But singer Gordon Gano never lost his emotional edge and no matter how evolved some of the arrangements are on <i>New Times</i>, Gano leads with his achy-breaky voice. “Breakin’ Up” keeps things in a muted phase, where Gano wanders the halls trying to make sense of his anxieties. “I’m Nothing” is even more naked. Just acoustic guitar and Gano on what sounds like a demo recording. “4 Seasons” brings out the full band for greater impact. “Don’t Start Me On the Liquor” ramps up to a volatile level. “This Island Life” suppresses the rage with harmonies and a bass guitar that snakes down the back alley. “Machine,” one of the album’s singles (!), is the Femmes at their most exploratory, with Gano ranting to vocoder voices, synthesizer rumblings, and other sound effects.
