You have probably played Exquisite Corpse before -- where you either write or draw something on a piece of paper, fold it over so you can only see a tiny part of it, and then pass it on to another person who adds to it, folds it over and passes it along, ending up with a crazy Frankensteined picture or story. Polyvinyl has taken that and applied it to music, resulting in a unique album.
Exquisite Corpse features 47 musicians who have been part of Polyvinyl, past and present, including David Bazan (Pedro the Lion), American Football's Mike & Nate Kinsella, Matt Pond (Matt Pond PA), Bob Nanna (Braid), Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls), Mark Duplass (Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! and many movies and TV shows), Matt Pryor(The Get Up Kids), Jeff Rosenstock, Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart, Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good to Me), James Alex (Beach Slang), Will Knauer (Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin), members of Kero Kero Bonito, Anamanaguchi, Tancred, White Reaper, Yumi Zouma, Palehound, STRFKR, Pet Symmetry, Post Animal and more.
The project was the idea of Rainer Maria’s Kaia Fischer who came up with it during lockdown. “We know what the pandemic isn’t good for,” said Fischer, “but let’s find out what it is good for.” There are 11 tracks, each featuring 4-5 artists. Via the press release: "Remotely, each team worked from scratch to create an original song, a reworked sonic adaptation of the game where each player adds to a collaborative drawing." The album's artwork was created similarly.
Exquisite Corpse is out today digitally and will be out physically on December 18. $2 from every physical and digital sale will be donated to the MusiCares – a non-profit organization that has provided more than $60 million in health, financial, and rehabilitation resources to musicians in their time of need. Mark Duplass has also pledged a $5000 donation.
You can stream the album, and check out the tracklist with all the contributors, below.
EXQUISITE CORPSE TRACKLIST:
01. Yer Brothers Written by David Bazan (Pedro The Lion), Phil Dickey (Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin), Nate Kinsella (American Football/Birthmark), Nick Wilkerson (White Reaper)
02. Somebody Else Written by Erik Czaja (Pet Symmetry), Gus Lobban (Kero Kero Bonito), Christie Simpson (Yumi Zouma), Shugo Tokumaru (Shugo Tokumaru)
03. SLOW DRIVE Written by Shaun Fleming (Diane Coffee), Will Knauer (Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin), Cale Parks (Aloha/Cale Parks), Charlie Ryder (Yumi Zouma)
04. To The Beach Written by Mark Duplass (Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!), Kaia Fischer (Rainer Maria), Ellen Kempner (Palehound), Jeff Rosenstock (Jeff Rosenstock/Antarctigo Vespucci)
05. Whole Life Holy Death Written by Chris Broach (Braid), Vice Cooler (xbxrx), Rocky Tinder (Wampire), Ary Warnaar (Anamanaguchi)
06. Do U Remember Written by Robert Pope (The Get Up Kids), Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu), Fred Thomas (Fred Thomas/Saturday Looks Good To Me), Ella Williams (Squirrel Flower)
07. Perfect Vision Written by Keil Corcoran (STRFKR), Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls/La Sera), Chris Hansen (Matt Pond PA), Mike Kinsella (Owen/American Football), Matt Pond (Matt Pond PA)
08. So Much To See Written by Jess Abbott (Tancred), James Alex (Beach Slang/Quiet Slang), Bob Nanna (Braid), Luke Silas (Anamanaguchi)
09. Some Storms Written by Peter Berkman (Anamanaguchi), Erin Fein (Psychic Twin/Headlights), TJ Lipple (Aloha), Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids), Nick Thorburn (Mister Heavenly)
10. Lonely Written by Pip Brown (Ladyhawke), Josh Burgess (Yumi Zouma), Chris Farren (Chris Farren/Antarctigo Vespucci), Marcus Nuccio (Pet Symmetry), Cameron Spies (Radiation City)
11. Nude Looks Written by Brian Borcherdt (Dusted), Caithlin De Marrais (Rainer Maria), Ryan Pope (The Get Up Kids), Post Animal (Post Animal)
