Search - Eric Gaffney :: Uncharted Waters

Following the Old Gold 1999 release Brilliant Concert Numbers, Uncharted Waters spans 10 years of recording in New York, Northampton and San Francisco, and features both interstellar songwriting ("Cold Weather," "Leave Me Alone," "Too Bad Luck," "Puzzle Piece", "Shark Attack," and "Life Isn't Fun Anymore") and bold instrumentals (he plays nearly every instrument). Coming on the heels of Domino's reissue of Sebadoh III, Uncharted Waters is a powerful affirmation of the former release's free-wheeling, DIY attitude. ("We can do whatever we want - we're the Beatles," Gaffney reportedly said during recording of III.) Gaffney founded Sebadoh after self-releasing The Freed Man tape with Dinosaur Jr.'s Lou Barlow in September 1988 and signing with Homestead. In 1989, Jason Loewenstein joined Sebadoh and the trio released Sebadoh III. Gaffney's angular guitar style, jazzy drumming, bizarre lyrics, collage artwork, and album titles (Bubble & Scrape, Sebadoh Vs. Helmet, Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock, and Rockin' The Forest) were integral to the group myth, as well as the irreverent, unpredictable switch-off nature of their live performances.