Danielson Digs Into The Vaults

When Daniel Smith isn’t climbing into giant fabric trees and nurses outfits, he’s working away in his basement studio on music, either with or without his Famile. The last time this subterranean activity actually turned into an album was in 2006 with Danielson’s Ships. And while Smith has still to follow that one up with a proper full-length, he has leaked plans to dig into the archives.

On November 4, Secretly Canadian will release Trying Hartz, a double-disc anthology of some of Smith’s favourite pre-Ships-era material. Along with several old Danielson Famile classics, the collection gathers up various alternate takes, live cuts and previously unreleased material, as well as some pretty detailed liner notes. In the accompanying booklet, Smith shares his thoughts on each of compilation’s 28 tracks, and The Ice Storm novelist Rick Moody — who previously wrote about the Famile in The Believer’s 2005 music issue — adds some words as well.

Here is the track listing for Trying Hartz, which is being filed under the Danielson moniker:

Disc 1:
1. "Now Try”
2. "Body English”
3. "Flip Flop Flim Flam”
4. "Singers Go First”
5. "Jersey Loverboy”
6. "Animal in Every Corner”
7. "Rubbernecker”
8. "Sold! To the Nice Rich Man!” (live)
9. "Thanx to Noah”
10. "Rallying the Dominoes”
11. "The Lord's Rest” (live)
12. "A Meeting With Your Maker”
13. "Daughters Will Tune You”
14. "Runnin’ to Brother”

Disc 2:
1. "A No No”
2. "Good News for the Pus Pickers”
3. "Don't You Be the Judge” (live)
4. "The Wheel Made Man”
5. "Fetch the Compass Kids” (live)
6. "Idiot Boksen”
7. "Nice of Me” (live)
8. "Cutest Lil' Dragon” (live)
9. "Pottymouth”
10. "Southern Paws”
11. "I Am My Beloved's” (live)
12. "Hammers Sitting Still” (live)
13. "Smooth Death”
14. "Cheer Hart”

Danielson "Did I Step on Your Trumpet”