I was driving in the
convertible tonight, listening to a mix CD (ca. 2002) I keep in the car that I hadn't played in quite a while. Of course, it is entirely sing-along, road-trip music:
Juliana Hatfield,
Weezer,
The Smithereens,
Beck,
Frank Black, etc. On came a song that I had entirely forgotten about: "Hum", a single from the 1999 LP "
New Parade" by
The Sheila Divine. Clearly it's a great song or it would not have made the road trip CD.
TSD were a 90s alternative band based in Boston that generated a buzz on college radio, but never quite turned the corner to mainstream success (or even sustained alternative success, for that matter). After 2 more LPs, they eventually broke up in 2003, but reformed in 2010.
I learned of them from "Hum", which received a bit of radio airplay in 1999. I bought "New Parade", but as I recall the rest of the LP did not measure up to the strong hooks of "Hum". I suppose I should give it a listen again (it has been a long time), but in the mean time see if you recall this excellent song. Sure, it sounds like most other 90s alternative bands (expertly working the soft-loud-soft formula in a way that would make the
Pixies proud), but that's alright by me.
Hum:
studio version,
2001 live version
