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is the anti-band collaboration between ld
beghtol (flare,
three
terrors, guest vocalist on the magnetic
fields’ 69 love songs) and chris
xefos (drop
quarters, ex-king missile). Their
mission: to collect and present ideas that break everything and
everyone (including the creators) down to their component parts
— for no reason other than it must be done.
since 1998, technology has allowed beghtol (nyc) and xefos (sf)
to work together closely (from opposing coasts) to create music
that focuses on the pair as a team — not just ring leaders
of their musical circus. using their physical distance as a tool,
they are allowed to grow musically in completely different ways
— whatever common ground remains is expressed in their collective
work.
mw’s latest release, never better (december 2004)
reveals the partners’ modus operandi: hi-jack best-of-breed
performers from various groups and other less organized situations
in order to fulfill their musical vision. yet, while never better
features an eclectic array of instruments and genres, the songs
flow seamlesly into one another, creating not merely a collection
of songs, but rather a total aural experience. among this 7 song,
33 minute and 6 second “mini album” you’ll find
pretty pop songs (“never said i’m sorry”),
epic piano ballads (“course”) and general musical
mayhem (“better off alone”), as well as a 7½-minute
cover of the pixies’ “no. 13 baby” —
appropriately dubbed the “all night long mix.” Those
who have succumbed to bribery, blackmail and debauchery in trade
for their performance contributions are christopher
ewen (future
bible heroes), doug hilsinger
(waycross),
dudley klute (three
terrors), and jeff potts
(dirty
power).
never mind the context (released october 2001) was the first
full-length cd from the mw collective. this cd contains a baker’s
dozen songs in as many genres, as one might expect from mw. ranging
from psychotic hoedowns and bright ’n’ bouncy sing-alongs
to psychedelic rockers, gospel-tinged laments, all armed with a
skewed pop sensibility and a slew of weird instruments and toys.
mw on nmtc make a noise one critic calls, “a disconcerting,
beautiful dichotomy of sound, dark humor and light-hearted horror.”
guest stars included members of camper
van beethoven, the
magnetic fields, the
klezmatics, the
posies and thousands more.
moth wranglers’ debut single (released november
1999) stars a skewed country-swing tune, “turnabout (for
dennis),” as its a-side. this piece pits beghtol’s
best baroque hoe-down yodel against xefos’ jangly acoustic
guitar and last-gasp accordion, and is rounded out by extraterrestrial
jordanaires-styled backing vocals and handclaps. guests wranglers
on this track include victor krummenacher
and jonathan segel (camper
van beethoven) on upright bass and fiddle, respectively.
for the b-side, “new mission terrace #47,”
xefos intones a text collaged to a wayward friend over an ambient
bed of pulsing, oceanic keyboards (courtesy of alison
faith levy (the
loud family)), backwards strings and throbbing blues
harp.
 over
the interim years and with no discernable frequency, moth wranglers
(as a duo) has performed live — with the aid of backing tracks,
single-malt scotch, floral tributes, a vintage mac powerbook 150,
silent prayers and a small pink leather pig named eleanor
— to slightly bewildered and mildly enthusiastic audiences,
all proving that yes, you can’t take it with
you.
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