the Martha Dumptruck Massacre "____________"

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the Martha Dumptruck Massacre
the Burning Bridge
CD
(Sleepglue Records, 2003)

Man, I wish I had a copy of the review I wrote of the first time I saw The Martha Dumptruck Massacre. I remember writing something like, Remember that quiet, cute boy at the back of your math class? The one you always wanted to talk to but were too shy? Well, The Martha Dumptruck Massacre is his band.

The first time I saw The Martha Dumptruck Massacre, it was not intentional. I'd gone to a now defunct local dive called Lenny's to see one of my favorite, also now defunct, local bands, Made in China. They were set to open, so I was going to watch them then head across town to another club to see another band who were doing a headlining set. As it turned out, the schedule got flipped (I think one of the MiC guys was late arriving or something, perhaps that was the night bassist/vocalist Rob Solomon auditioned for American Idol).

As a result, I ended up watching The Martha Dumptruck Massacre and being blown away. Many of their songs were low key indie rock, and some were more aggressiver (like today's song), but the one they played last, the nine minute epic Somewhere in the movie, had usually shyly reserved and slightly awkward leader/vocalist/guitar Joel Alter on his knees, banging the crap outta his guitar by the end. It was cathartic as a deleted expletive. I have my reasons for not posting it; they shall be revealed at a future date!

I bought the CD pictured above, the one containing today's song, that night plus a 7" EP.

Yes, the title of this song really is ____________, though I must admit I have estimated at the correct number of underscores (that estimate being 12, if you're keeping score).

They came back to town the next year, under very different circumstances.

To be continued . . .

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Rob's big moment! Apparently, the song shown here is the one he used at the pre-audition. He sang something else for Simon and the gang; reality TV, my ass! His singing in Made in China was pretty cool; it reminded me a bit of the vocalist for '70s UK art punkers The Homosexuals.