Franklin Bruno
Encyclopedia
Franklin Bruno is an American
singer-songwriter
, academic, writer, and blogger originally from Upland, California
. He has been a member of Nothing Painted Blue
since its inception in 1986.
Bruno writes music criticism for The Village Voice
, Time Out New York, Thought Catalog and Salon.com
. He received a doctorate
in philosophy
from UCLA and has been a visiting professor of philosophy at Bard College
.
In addition to his own recordings, Bruno worked on The Mountain Goats
albums Tallahassee
and The Sunset Tree
. He also records with The Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle
as The Extra Glenns
.Conklin, Mike,The Best Mountain Goats Record since 2005 October 27th 2010, The L Magazine Jenny Toomey
and Calexico released Tempting, a collection of Bruno's songs, on Misra Records
in December 2002.
Civics, the first album by Bruno's new band, The Human Hearts, was released by Tight Ship Records in 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, academic, writer, and blogger originally from Upland, California
Upland, California
Upland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, located at an elevation of 1,242 feet . As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 73,732, up from 68,393 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on May 15, 1906, after previously being named North Ontario.-History and culture:Upland...
. He has been a member of Nothing Painted Blue
Nothing Painted Blue
Nothing Painted Blue is an American indie rock band, sporadically active since the 1990s, led by songwriter Franklin Bruno. Bruno and drummer Kyle Brodie have been the only constant members, as the remainder of the line-up has undergone a number of changes throughout the band's existence...
since its inception in 1986.
Bruno writes music criticism for The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, Time Out New York, Thought Catalog and Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
. He received a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from UCLA and has been a visiting professor of philosophy at Bard College
Bard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
.
In addition to his own recordings, Bruno worked on The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
albums Tallahassee
Tallahassee (album)
Tallahassee is an album by the Mountain Goats. It was the band's second new album to be released in 2002, and it marked quite a few changes...
and The Sunset Tree
The Sunset Tree
The Sunset Tree is the ninth studio album by the Mountain Goats, released on April 26, 2005 by 4AD.-Notes:While We Shall All Be Healed focused on Darnielle's years as a teenager involved with other methamphetamine users, The Sunset Tree focuses on his childhood, and a recurring theme is domestic...
. He also records with The Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle
John Darnielle
John Darnielle is an American musician, best known as the primary member of the American band The Mountain Goats, for which he is the writer, composer, guitarist, and vocalist.-Places Darnielle has lived:...
as The Extra Glenns
The Extra Glenns
The Extra Lens, formerly known as The Extra Glenns, are a band made up of Franklin Bruno of Nothing Painted Blue and John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats. They were something of an underground legend in the '90s, recording tracks for singles and some compilations...
.Conklin, Mike,The Best Mountain Goats Record since 2005 October 27th 2010, The L Magazine Jenny Toomey
Jenny Toomey
Jenny Toomey is an American indie rock musician and arts activist from Chevy Chase, Maryland, and later, Washington, D.C. She was a member of the bands Geek, Tsunami, Liquorice, Grenadine, So Low and Choke, among others, and has also recorded under her own name...
and Calexico released Tempting, a collection of Bruno's songs, on Misra Records
Misra Records
Misra Records is an independent record label run out of Durham, North Carolina with branch offices in Washington D.C., Seattle, Washington, and Los Angeles, California....
in December 2002.
Civics, the first album by Bruno's new band, The Human Hearts, was released by Tight Ship Records in 2007.
Albums
- Suggestion Box (ShrimperShrimper RecordsShrimper Records is an independent record label based in Upland, California. It was founded in 1990 by Dennis Callaci.-Bands:* Ah Bus* Amps for Christ* The Aum Rifle* The Babies* Bingo Trappers* Bugskull* Joey Burns * The Bux...
, 1991) [cassette-only] - Etudes for Voice and Snackmaster (ShrimperShrimper RecordsShrimper Records is an independent record label based in Upland, California. It was founded in 1990 by Dennis Callaci.-Bands:* Ah Bus* Amps for Christ* The Aum Rifle* The Babies* Bingo Trappers* Bugskull* Joey Burns * The Bux...
, 1993) [cassette-only] - A Bedroom Community (Simple MachinesSimple MachinesSimple Machines was a record label that operated out of Arlington, Virginia. The label was masterminded by Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson and, at its peak, had four paid workers- Toomey, Thomson, Pat Graham and Mickey Menard...
, 1995) - Kiss Without Makeup (Absolutely Kosher, 2000)
- A Cat May Look at a QueenA Cat May Look at a Queen- References :...
(Absolutely Kosher, 2002) - Martial Arts WeekendMartial Arts WeekendMartial Arts Weekend is an album by indie-rock band The Extra Glenns, which features members of The Mountain Goats and Nothing Painted Blue...
(Absolutely Kosher, 2002) - Civics (Tight Ship Records, 2007) (as The Human Hearts)
- Local Currency (Fayettenam Records, May 2009)
- Undercard Recorded with John DarnielleJohn DarnielleJohn Darnielle is an American musician, best known as the primary member of the American band The Mountain Goats, for which he is the writer, composer, guitarist, and vocalist.-Places Darnielle has lived:...
as The Extra Lens (Merge Records, November 2010
EPs
- Hermetic Geometry (Baby Huey, 1992) [7-inch]
- The Irony Engine (Walt Records, 1993) [7-inch]
- A Sand Dollar Relief Map (Shrimper, 1995) [7-inch]
- La Radia (Little Teddy, 1997) [Germany] [7-inch]
- Participant (Dark Beloved Cloud, 1997) [lathe-pressed 7-inch]
- Set of Pipes (Dark Beloved Cloud, 2003) [3-inch CD]
Compilation appearances
- "Clean Needle", from Winky Dog cassette (Shrimper, 1990)
- [Also included on Shrimper's Abridged Perversion (A Shrimper Compilation of Shrimper Compilations). It was re-recorded for Kiss Without Makeup.]
- "Love Tap", from Capgun cassette (Shrimper, 1991)
- "Hey Jude", from Back To The Egg, Asshole cassette (Shrimper, 1991)
- [NOT a Beatles cover. Credited to 'Nubber' on cassette cover.]
- "Lifetime Seance", from the Ghost of A Rollercoaster 7" (Shrimper, 1991)
- [This song was later recorded with a different arrangement and released as "Masonic Eye" on the Nothing Painted BlueNothing Painted BlueNothing Painted Blue is an American indie rock band, sporadically active since the 1990s, led by songwriter Franklin Bruno. Bruno and drummer Kyle Brodie have been the only constant members, as the remainder of the line-up has undergone a number of changes throughout the band's existence...
album Placeholders.]- "Rhythm Buddy", from Pawnshop Reverb cassette (Shrimper, 1992)
- "The Irony Engine", from I Like Walt! 7" (Walt Records, 1994)
- "Sleeping Through The Jane Pratt Show" (live), from Working Holiday!Working Holiday!Working Holiday! is a CD album released on the Simple Machines label. It is a compilation of tracks by American indie bands which were originally released on a series of 12 7" singles by Simple Machines as part of the Working Holiday monthly record club starting from December 1992. Each song was...
bonus disc (Simple MachinesSimple MachinesSimple Machines was a record label that operated out of Arlington, Virginia. The label was masterminded by Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson and, at its peak, had four paid workers- Toomey, Thomson, Pat Graham and Mickey Menard...
, 1994)
- [The original version of this song appeared the year before on the "The Irony Engine" EP.]
- "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" (written by Frank LoesserFrank LoesserFrank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
), from The Wedding Record 7" (Walt Records, 1995) - "Cat Scratch Fever", from Our Salvation Is In Hand (Theme Park, 1995)
- "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" (written by Frank Loesser
- [NOT a Ted NugentTed NugentTheodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
cover.]- "Pony Song" (written by Salem 66Salem 66Salem 66 was an indie rock group formed in 1982 by Judy Grunwald, Elisabeth Kaplan and Susan Merriam. At the time a serious all-female rock band was somewhat unusual. Through the eighties, the band added and subtracted members, including Robert Wilson Rodriguez, Stephen Smith, Tim Condon, and Jim...
), from Chutes and Ladders cassette (Cactus Gum, 1996) - "Purity Test", from Green Light Go! (BottleCap, 1995)
- "Chiliagon", from Childhood Friends cassette (Brassland, circa 1995)
- "Winter's Just A Word", from the Songs From A Room 7" (Sing, Eunuchs!, 1996)
- "Missed The Point", (demo version) from Go cassette (Papsicle, 1996)
- "Pony Song" (written by Salem 66
- [Demo version of a Nothing Painted BlueNothing Painted BlueNothing Painted Blue is an American indie rock band, sporadically active since the 1990s, led by songwriter Franklin Bruno. Bruno and drummer Kyle Brodie have been the only constant members, as the remainder of the line-up has undergone a number of changes throughout the band's existence...
song, recorded solo in 1989.]- "The Rice King", from The Basement Tapes vol. 2 (KSPC, 1997)
- "MGM" (written by The TriffidsThe TriffidsThe Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K...
), from the Exhibit B cassette (Circumstantial Evidence, 1997) - "Linoleum" (written by Paste), from From The Bullpen (Hey Buddy, 1997)
- "Bronze Me", from We Can Still Be Friends (Magic Marker, 1998)
- "Your Inarticulate Boyfriend" (radio session), from IPS (WNYU, 1998)
- [Originally appeared on the album Etudes For Voice and Snackmaster. It was also recorded by Jenny Toomey on Tempted.]
- "Shooting Past Me", from I Stayed Up All Night Listening To Records (Anyway, 1998)
- "Nickname Stuck" (Absolutely Kosher, 2002)
- "A Cat May Look at a Queen" (Absolutely Kosher, 2002)
External links
- Franklin Bruno, official website
- nervous unto thirst, Bruno's blog
- konvolut m, Bruno's old blog
- A Cat May Look at a Queen - PopMatters review