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Normal History Vol. 547: The Art Of David Lester

Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 35-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.

“The activity of not attempting to get somewhere in terms of what already exists presents an opportunity to make things up as we go along.”

—Jean Smith in an NPR article Surviving The Underground: On Making Art And Getting By

“Not With You” from Mecca Normal (Smarten UP!, 1986) (download):

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Normal History Vol. 546: The Art Of David Lester

Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 35-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.

Video: “Are You Hungry Joe?” live at the Middle East, Cambridge, Mass., in 1988, introduced by Billy Ruane.

“Are You Hungry Joe?” from Mecca Normal (Smarten UP!, 1986) (download):

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MP3 At 3PM: The Outside Chancers

Exciting new band the Outside Chancers bring us an exciting new single titled “The Cloud Bursts.” The track is a refreshing take on indie alternative/country and the perfect way to soundtrack the end of your summer. Jen Armstrong has a twangy voice that instantly grabs and keeps your attention as the song progresses. The London outfit may be new to us, but these gals and guys definitely aren’t inexperienced, having played with the likes of the Vaccines, the Wandering Hearts, Goldie, Logan Brill and a host of others. The Outside Chancers have some U.K. dates lined up for this month, so check them out if you can, but in the meantime, download or stream “The Cloud Bursts.“

“The Cloud Bursts” (download):

Posted on

Normal History Vol. 545: The Art Of David Lester

Every Saturday, we’ll be posting a new illustration by David Lester. The Mecca Normal guitarist is visually documenting people, places and events from his band’s 35-year run, with text by vocalist Jean Smith.

David sent me a handful of old photos on Mecca Normal’s 35th anniversary last month. I added one of me stealing even more limelight in Hamburg, Germany, 1994, during our 10th year performing together! I’m pretty sure we felt like we’d been around a really long time at this point!

“Who Told You So?” from Mecca Normal (Smarten UP!, 1986) (download):

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MAGNET Exclusive: Premiere Of My Little Hum’s “One Of A Kind”

We introduced you to the pop stylings of My Little Hum exactly two years ago. Now, the husband/wife duo of Dan and Yuri Jewett is getting ready to release sophomore album Pioneer on October 18 via Mystery Lawn Music. Like debut Remembering Houses, MLH’s latest was produced and engineered by longtime MAGNET fave Allen Clapp (Orange Peels). Today, the Jewetts are releasing “One Of A Kind,” the first single from Pioneer. But according to Dan, it’s a happy accident that the song will be people’s initial exposure to the new album.

“We had already recorded what we thought was going to be the single, but the studio version of ‘One Of A Kind’ came out impossibly upbeat and bouncy,” he says. “It was the last thing we expected from a song about my dad. We had a new single!”

And now you have it, too, dear MAGNET reader. We’re proud to premiere “One Of A Kind” today on magnetmagazine.com. Check it out now.