The Age of Backwards E.P.

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The Age of Backwards E.P.
The Age of Backwards E.P..jpeg
EP by The Spells
Released June 8, 1999 (1999-06-08)
Label K Records
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Pitchfork Media (4.4/10) [2]

The Age of Backwards E.P. was the first release by the short-lived band The Spells, a collaboration between Carrie Brownstein and Mary Timony.

Carrie Brownstein musician and actor from the United States

Carrie Rachel Brownstein is an American musician, actress, writer, director, and comedian. She first came to prominence as a member of the band Excuse 17 before forming the rock trio Sleater-Kinney. During a long hiatus from Sleater-Kinney, she formed the group Wild Flag. During this period, Brownstein wrote and appeared in a series of comedy sketches alongside Fred Armisen which were developed into the satirical comedy TV series Portlandia. The series went on to win Emmy and Peabody Awards. Sleater-Kinney eventually reunited; as of 2015 Brownstein was touring with the band as well as in support of her new memoir.

Mary Timony American musician and songwriter

Mary Bozana Timony is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She has been a member of the bands Helium, Autoclave and Wild Flag, and currently fronts Ex Hex.

The group also recorded a second E.P. entitled "Bat vs. Bird" in 2008, which also contained 4 songs and totaled about 9 minutes. "Bat vs. Bird," with its more prominent percussion (as opposed to the subdued backbeats of "The Age of Backwards") and overall "full band" sound, was more of a promise of what was to come from Wild Flag, which is composed of Mary Timony, Carrie Brownstein, Janet Weiss, and Rebecca Cole.

Wild Flag American band

Wild Flag was an American four-piece indie rock/post-punk supergroup based in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C.. The group consisted of Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole and Janet Weiss, who are ex-members of the groups Sleater-Kinney, Helium and The Minders.

Janet Weiss American drummer

Janet Lee Weiss is a rock drummer, best known as a member of Sleater-Kinney and currently also a member of Quasi. She was the drummer for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, leaving after the album Mirror Traffic, and contributed to The Shins' fourth studio album, Port of Morrow (2012). She was also the drummer for Wild Flag. Weiss is highly regarded as a drummer; Stylus Magazine listed her as one of rock's fifty greatest drummers, while LA Weekly places her in the top twenty.

Rebecca Cole American physician

Rebecca J. Cole was an American physician, organization founder and social reformer. In 1867, she became the second African-American woman to become a doctor in the United States after Rebecca Lee Crumpler's achievement three years earlier.

Track listing

  1. "The Age of Backwards"
  2. "Octaves Apart"
  3. "Number One Fan"
  4. "Can't Explain [The Who]"

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