In 2008 they busted out of the box and easily reached first with their Frozen Ropes
and Dying Quails. The Baseball Project was on base and immediately posed a
threat to go further.
In 2011, they moved on to second with some wildness aptly called High and
Inside. They were halfway home.
Three years later in 2014, the quintet of Big Stars moved on down the line to the
aptly titled 3 rd , an epic double dip delight of craftsmanship and savvy.
And there they stayed. For 9 long years at the hot corner, but we’re happy to say
that The Baseball Project is finally coming home, scoring big and touching ‘em all
with their fourth album Grand Salami Time. The scoreboard is lighting up and the
fireworks are illuminating the sky
Speaking of reaching home, this album is a homecoming of sorts, as the band
recorded and produced the album with none other than the legendary Mitch
Easter. BBP members Peter Buck and Mike Mills’ made their first albums with
Mitch back in the early 80s with a swingin' little combo called R.E.M.
Scott McCaughey and Steve Wynn kept busy themselves, busting out new tunes
with the Minus 5/Young Fresh Fellows (Scott) and The Dream Syndicate (Steve),
while stockpiling a passel of penned poetics about the national pastime, many co-
written with Peter. Mike adds a new classic of his own about doctored baseballs
called “Stuff.”
Linda Pitmon, who along with Peter and Scott has been part of a steady rhythmic
nucleus, bashing out epic rock platters with Filthy Friends, Alejandro Escovedo,
Luke Haines & Peter Buck, is back driving the ship from behind her mighty drum
machine.
All in all, a fancy pedigree but, as Wynn points out, “this is our only band that plays
stadiums” -- true story as The Baseball Project has performed full sets along with
the National Anthem and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at major league parks in
Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and more minor
league and spring training fields, as well as having thrown out some exceptional
first pitches (nothing but strikes!) as well.
It's all part of an unusual arc and fun story of a band whose first gig was an
appearance on Late Night with David Letterman followed by a festival in a
medieval Spanish city. For a quintet that has seemingly done everything over the
years with their other bands, The Baseball Project always offers new and
uncharted experiences.
The album was recorded at Mitch Easter’s fabled Fidelitorium Studios in
Kernersville, North Carolina, with the entire band performing live together in the
same room, a joyous experience that seemed impossible to imagine only one year
before. Mitch adds guitar on a few tracks and the record also features
appearances by Stephen McCarthy (Long Ryders) and Steve Berlin (Los Lobos).
Internationally unsigned recording artists Rookie Card have been
called alt-country, indiepop and "some of the best songwriters in San
Diego". Their debut demo EP was nominated for a 2003 San Diego Music
Award, a feat unheard of for a mostly self-produced first recording.
The very next year, they took home the trophy for Best Pop Act and
were whisked onto the covers of the San Diego Union-Tribune's Night &
Day section and San Diego Music Matters Magazine. Besides sharing
stages with Violent Femmes, ABC, Calexico, Bow Wow Wow and Soul
Asylum, their live shows produced countless infamous moments from
dragging an audience outside to play a perfectly timed "Back In The
USSR" with an airplane fly-over to becoming the first band to ever
play with the world's largest outdoor instrument (the 90 year old
Spreckles Organ in Balboa Park). The Rookies went on indefinite hiatus
in 2006 but reunite regularly for leap years and BIg Bear house
concerts. They still rank high amongst the most memorable of
performers, living, dead or unborn.
