Biography
The four members of Birthing Hips operate like a finely tuned machine: each part operating independently, but when functioning together as a whole, it yields tremendously effective results. Although their rock and roll roots are undeniable, the genre’s cliches are consciously avoided - intros can be more like preludes, the verse/chorus format is only loosely followed, and endings are creatively fragmented and self-destructive. The traditional format of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals are simultaneously tied to inventive song structures, but also free to improvise individually, creating a looseness and tension that draws as much from jazz as it does from punk. Wendy Eisenberg’s guitar takes on many forms, proving that she is in in full control of her instrument - at times Sun City Girls, sometimes Slayer, other times Sonny Sharrock. Her complex 32nd note passages weave seamlessly with Andres Abenante’s mammoth basslines, burning holes through his impeccably placed and deeply deliberate riff structures. Owen Liza Winter’s drumming sprays forth in a frantic shuffle, darting in and out of rhythm with plenty of individual character. Their range on the kit is displayed by switching from blastbeats, to jazz shuffles, to locked-in grooves at the drop of a dime. Carrie Furniss’ vocals tie everything together with her highly dynamic voice, using whispers, howling, and classic dramatic embellishments as her weapons of communication. In the profound moments when all of these roles align and lock together, it is a truly powerful musical moment that can be devastatingly satisfying to the listener. These recordings were all performed live in real time, a quality which not only adds a tangible rawness to the sound, but also demonstrates the improvisatory tightness of its players.
Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Feel free to contribute!
All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
