One of the most famous bands to ever come out of Cleveland, Pere Ubu issues its first studio album in three years today. Arriving 35 years after the group issued its debut, Lady From Shanghai is a dissonant listen, punctuated by trippy electronics and singer David Thomas’s acerbic vocals. In rare form, Thomas writes about his nightmares in vivid detail in “414 Seconds” and evokes rasp master Tom Waits in the equally creepy “The Carpenter Sun.” Thomas, who hasn’t lived in Northeast Ohio in years, maintains close ties to the area, and the band recorded a portion of the disc at Painesville’s Suma Recording, where owner Paul Hamann handled engineering duties. Ubu also includes Clevelander Steve Mehlman, who’s credited with drums, organ and vocals.
This article appears in Jan 2-8, 2013.
Don’t care if they live here or not….THAT my friends is a jewel in the crown of what is Cleveland….