MHQ
An old friend of mine put me onto this album when we were both sitting in the back of a Physics class together wanting to kill ourselves because neither of us knew anything about Physics and we both were anxious about the future. That was six years ago almost. He does children's television now and I work for social services. Thanks for letting me drift in the sea with you for a bit.
Favorite track: Sea of Nothing.
The End of Comedy is the debut album by Drugdealer, a new project conceived and conducted by Los Angeles artist Michael Collins (formerly of Run DMT, Salvia Plath) who guides a group of Angelenos through a whimsical world informed by Jean Baudrillard, social media perception, Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western vistas and Collins’ endless travels.
The End of Comedy is a collection of vignettes - lucid, lysergic and organic - featuring homespun explorations of Carol King-esque piano ballads, Bacharach-ian orchestration, the psych-folk of Ultimate Spinach and Hendrickson Road House and even New York City subway jazz, all pulled together by Collins’s deft AOR auteurship and keen sense of humour.
Throughout the record, Collins eschews the spotlight in favour of letting the ensemble shine. There are guest vocals from Ariel Pink (”Easy to Forget”), Danny James (“My Life)” and Natalie Mering of Weyes Blood, who brings Laurel Canyon balladry to the table on “Fictional Pictures.” Not to mention a bona de who’s who of Collins’ mates, including members of Regal Degal, Holy Shit!, Mild High Club, Mr. Twin Sister and pals from Mac DeMarco’s band.
All of these collaborators contribute essential bits and pieces that create the foundations of a beautiful, absurdist collection of songs that plays like a short lm in which Collins journeys far and wide, popping in to various abodes, embracing friends old and new and casting a spell on them and us in turn.
credits
released September 9, 2016
All songs written by Michael Collins except "Easy To Forget" (co-written with Ariel Pink and Alexander Brettin), "Suddenly" (co-written with Natalie Mering), "The End of Comedy" (co-written with Charles Free) and "Theme For Alessandro" (co-written with Benjamin Brown.)
Natalie Mering: vocals on tracks 3, 8
Benjamin Brown: guitar on tracks 3,6, 7, 9
Joseph Mcmurrary: drums on tracks 3, 4, 7
Ariel Pink: vocals on track 4, bass on tracks 3, 4
Jackson Mcintosh: vocals, guitar and bass on track 2
Danny James: vocals on track 10
Izak Arida: bass on tracks 5, 8, 9
Alexander Brettin: guitar on tracks 2, 4
Brooks Kossover: flute on track 5
Eric Cardona: saxophone on track 3
Josh Da Costa: drums on track 9
Baasil Bluntstone: vocals on track 5, whistling on track 2
Mixed, edited and approved by Shags Chamberlain in Highland Park, Los Angeles.
Mastered by David Ives.
Artwork and design by Robert Beatty.
Recorded in many places: Leaving Records HQ in LA, the telegraph house in Oakland, Drones Club in Montreal, Ariel's house in LA, the Brown residence in Berkeley, Mac Demarco's house by the water in NY, the Glen cabin of Vancouver, the Copycat in Baltimore, Danny James's place in Oakland, Natalie's house in NY and more.
supported by 48 fans who also own “The End of Comedy”
Heard WB on a late BC night. Wow.
Sometimes feels familiar, then "Can't Go Home" pops up as the jewel that says there is more here than you thought! Anthony B Cook
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supported by 46 fans who also own “The End of Comedy”
words can’t describe how beautiful this album is. it’s one of those few albums where the pure emotions that are impossible to put into words fully transcend the music and put you in a trance for 40-50 minutes. lush, ornate, immaculately preformed and produced marsplutomusic