This live document musically spans their career from 1992’s “Of Thick Tum” through their latest album “O Zeta Zunis” on Asmathic Kitty. Known to some in the 90s as Sebadoh and Pavement’s evil twin TRUMANS WATER have released some 13 studio albums and a myriad of singles over the years (see Homestead, Sub Pop, Strange Fruit, and Sympathy for the Record Industry ..) They’ve toured with Beck, Babes in Toyland and the lot.. Collaborated with Cat Power, Thurston Moore and were John Peels personal favs. Back in 2005 Spasibar was Oslo’s most prominent stage for experimental music and Trumans Water became frequent guests on their European tours. The album is out June 23rd and can be heard below.
Live in Oslo was recorded on November 13/14 005 at Spasibar in Oslo, Norway. The record was released on June 23rd on Handmade Records.
“The monstrous off-kilter noise-fest known as Trumans Water are back with an incredibly well recorded live album from an epic show in Oslo at Spasibar back in November 2005 that will be available on a double vinyl gatefold package on June 23rd via Handmade Records.”
– Crossfire Magazine (UK)
More about the band:
Trumans Water was formed in San Diego in 1991 by brothers Kirk and Kevin Branstetter, with then drummer, Jeff Jones. Advertising for a “lead singer, brain optional”, they recruited Glen Galloway and released their acclaimed debut “Of Thick Tum” the following year.
Dubbed squigglecore, spazzcore or even voodoo-billy-love-punk, their extensive career is known to be one devoted to experimentation and improvisation.A recorded phonecall from Mr.John Peel to Kevin Branstetter early 90-ies shows the british radio-legends vivid appreciation for the group. He would later invite them to play three separate Peel sessions at the BBC, arguably playing an instrumental role in bringing the bands music out to European listeners.
Beck was also an early fan of Trumans Water, and in 94 he brought them as support on his Mellow Gold era US and Europe Tour, often joining on stage for “Aroma of Gina Arnold”. A Trumans Water song about the writer and music critic off their album “Spasm Smash XXXOXOX Ox & Ass”.
One won’t need to scratch deep to recognize this band’s long list of credible merits.
-13 studio albums and a myriad of singles put out through Homestead, Drunken fish, Sympathy for the Record Industry, Sub Pop, and latest -Sufjan Stephens and Michael Kaufmann’s Asmathic Kitty.
-Their tours and shows with Beck, Babes in Toyland, Karp, Fugazi or Drive like Jehu.
-Their collaboration with Thurston Moore, Cat Power and Azalia Snail to name a few.Though Trumans Water has never been a group especially attentive of outside praise or corporate interest. Supposedly deliberately weirding out A&R reps from both Interscope and Geffen back when big whigs probed San Diego for the next cows. It’s obvious that Trumans Water were always in it for the fun.
