Very clearly, I remember the first time I saw Erase Errata, when they came through Arizona around the release of "Other Animals", their debut full length. They were quirky and genius, a perfect blend of deadpan and sass, seemingly sort of fragmented, but intentionally so, and actually much more compelling and driving than anything I had seen in awhile of that vein, and that LP, as well as it's follow-up "At Crystal Palace", have probably been played 200+ times each here, over the years.
Also very clearly, I remember the second time I saw them. Not at all as an enjoyable of a night, it was Election Day 2004, and I found myself in San Diego seeing them play with Q and Not U and Ted Leo. Aside from George W. Bush being re-elected amidst what should have been a really special night, things were just strange and tense: the show took place on campus, and there was some conflict between the employees at the venue and the people doing sound from the Casbah, ultimately resulting in a horrible sounding Q and Not U set, and nearly a physical altercation when they approached staff about it after making due the best they could throughout their set. It was really upsetting, honestly.
Perhaps equally as distressing, was Erase Errata's set, which felt jumbled and disjointed, and not in the way that typically makes them so wonderful. They had been trying out a new line-up, actually with a guy taking over on vocals. If memory serves me correctly, he quit the week before the string of shows they were playing down the coast, and so they went on without him and did as best they could, which was admirable, but difficult to see, constantly making you want something to feel right, and feeling frustrated in the end, much like they themselves seemed. I could be wrong about this, it's just what others were explaining at the time. Maybe he had quit earlier, and this was just a bit of a rough night, independent of any recent events. The play by play re-election of George W. Bush, peering over the crowd from television sets out of the bar area to the left of the main room, wasn't really much motivation for anyone there to feel good in general. Perhaps that was partially to blame, I don't know.
Several months later, they came through Phoenix again, and it was just as magical as the previous time they were here. They had figured out how to make things work as a three piece, were on deck to release their 3rd LP the following year or so, "Night Life", and: they intersected with The Get Hustle, who I felt like I was seeing for the 40th glorious time, and The Hospitals, who's 10 minute set of completely wrecked garage was outstanding. Such words might seem like sarcasm, but when I think back, "magical" and "outstanding" seem to be just perfect, even if a bit silly.
That was a long time ago already, four or five years.
What I think is most interesting about, and what might make me so fond of this new 7", is that is sounds like what would have been the result of four more years of progression, a process of maturity which, in a way, would have mostly started with "Night Life". It seems like there would be countless missing links between that and this, and it leaves room for the imagination to wonder what those would have sounded like.
On "Damaged", gone is the bulk of the atonal abrasiveness, replaced with more of a flowing and lush sort of sound to the guitar, leaving the bass, historically my favorite aspect of Erase Errata, a bit more washed over than I would prefer. That's not to say you can't hear it, I think I am always just expecting it to be more prominent than not, and am surprised when it's anything but. Jenny's vocals are smooth and sedate, but not bored and lacking passion. Using more terminology that I hear to, "cool" seems to be accurate. It's not until 2/3s through that things become even remotely angular, with precise and inarguable dance-friendly rhythm and gently smashed, (though smashed nonetheless) keyboard.
On the flipside, "Ouija Boarding" thrusts Ellie's bass back as the obvious driving force to things (punchy but melodic and with purpose) and parts the seas for Jenny to navigate via voice in her uniquely genuine way that the casual EE fan already appreciates, the guitar and keys lining the walls until things sort of culminate in a scattered and childlike 80's prog sort of way. That may sound like a bit of a turn-off, so maybe it's best to focus on "scattered" over "80's prog", but regardless, I am just saying what I hear. It's a grown up and more controlled take on a sound that is still inherently Erase Errata, perhaps one that is a bit jaunting for someone that hasn't stayed with them since the first few records, and arguably, even to those were trying to up until the untraceable four year long black hole that these two new tracks have been the salvation from. At the same time, they also sound strangely classic, like something from 30 years ago and forgotten, the way a later UT record might be, but that's just me flaunting what I like, and not providing much to digest. And that's fairly selfish to do, I think.
While not where I would even begin to consider to point someone who's eager to consume the genius of EE, this single might be the perfect place for someone that finds the more left-field material hard to swallow. To be fair, unless they are to be vacuumed back into the abyss, perhaps a new LP is on the way, and this single will be the appetizer that prepares the listener, new or old, for something that will be pleasantly consumed regardless, at least by me. I don't suspect 100% of their fan base to join them on the next leg, but I will.
I must state also, that I was happy to see this was cut and pressed in the states. It seems like lately, all of the larger / mid-sized indie labels have switched over to the GZ / Pirates Press route, which I personally don't go down. This was actually cut by Lucky, who did several 7"s for my own label last year, and is more or less a local to where KRS operates from.
