Unreleased 1995 recordings of Paula Frazer’s original “alt.country”, what the press at the time dubbed “gothic western”. Twangy dark songsmithing along the lines of Nick Cave, Tindersticks, Mazzy Star, with soaring mournful vocals channeling the ghost of Patsy Cline. This caught the ear of Ivo, the guy behind 4AD records, along with the likes of Mark Kozelik/Red House Painters and Mohave 3 at the time. Ivo’s appreciation of female singer/songwriters is well demonstrated (see Pixies, Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Kendra Smith…) and Paula definitely was worthy. These are recordings of when the band, under the wing of 4AD/Warner Bros, appeared on KCRW’s live show “Morning Becomes Eclectic” and tracks recorded at Oakland’s Guerrilla Euphonics intended for release as limited edition 10 inch vinyl only (lush with vocal overdubs). Tarnation went through many forms over the years; this cd captures a unique version that resulted when Paula broke from her original lineup and found bandmates in the form of a trio from Arizona that had been playing together for almost 10 years under the moniker Broken Horse. Broken Horse shared Paula’s love of old dark western, Lee Hazelwood, Cash, Morricone, Hank Sr. but brought with them a dissonant Birthday Party/Joy Division edge and the guitar twang of a Rowland S. Howard. Tarnation’s later incarnations were more reigned in, both live and in subsequent major label releases. This is a rare treat.

KCRW “morning becomes eclectic” September 1995
1) intro by Cris Doritas
2) dark beautiful waltz
3) interview
4) deep bending sad mournful suicide on tape
5) interview
6) ¾ sad waltzy, epic yodel a la patsy
7) interview
8) rockin
9) interview
10) full band version of song that was originally acoustic, very singer songwriter pop
11) interview
12) slow Arizona-blues cry out guitar, passionate

Guerilla Euphonics recordings, October 1995 (13-15 intended for 4AD, 16-19 looser, rawer mixes)

13) studio version of track 4, lush and georgeous, version for 4AD (see track 17)
14) sick spiraling slow looping creepy with lap steel, discordant bass, crazy mournful vocs
15) full band version of song that heretofore was only recorded solo, beautiful pop
16) louder murkier mix of previous
17) play this one, quintessential Tarnation circa Sept 1995, bending bassline, screaming fender guitars, hypnotic hollow body gretsch arpeggio, death march drums, suicidal lyrics, beautiful vocal melodies with male and paula overdubs
18) crazier version of crazy track 14
19) studio funky spy “jam”, testing out a silly melody and new little fuzzbox Paula bought that week, named after the amount of tape left on the reel