Craft Recordings and Violent Femmes are commemorating 40 years of the band’s sophomore title, Hallowed Ground, with a wide vinyl reissue. Once an overlooked gem, the album has become a cornerstone of Violent Femmes’ catalog and live performances, and a pioneering work in the post-punk and alt-country genres. Set for release on November 8 and available for pre-order now, the LP has been mastered from the original stereo tapes (AAA) and features standout tracks such as the live staple “Country Death Song,” fan favorite “Never Tell,” the hauntingly atmospheric “I Hear the Rain,” the Lou Reed–inspired “Sweet Misery Blues” and the infectious “Jesus Walking on the Water.” In addition to the standard vinyl, widely available for the first time in over a decade, Hallowed Ground can also be found in four limited color pressings, including a Green Smoke variant (available at vfemmes.com and craftrecordings.com), Orange Smoke (independent record stores), Azure Blue (Barnes & Noble) and Onyx (Spotify Fans First, available exclusively to followers).
To mark this milestone, Violent Femmes are currently on a North America tour, resuming tonight with two performances in Northampton, MA. The tour will conclude on October 9 with a special show at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. For a full list of dates, visit the band’s official website.
***
First released in May of 1984, Violent Femmes’ sophomore title, Hallowed Ground, is celebrated for its innovative exploration of American roots music, blending traditional folk influences with the band’s distinctive style. The set also includes contributions from banjo virtuoso Tony Trischka on “Country Death Song” and “It’s Gonna Rain,” and avant-garde saxophonist John Zorn on “Black Girls,” both of whom added distinctive layers to the record's experimental soundscape.
The album’s lyrics delve into themes of faith, redemption and existential contemplation. This marked a bold departure from the more straightforward pop sound of the band’s debut, which featured beloved teen angst anthems like “Blister in the Sun,” “Add It Up” and “Kiss Off.” The record’s unique lyrical approach and haunting melodies created a deeply introspective and immersive listening experience that intrigued—and initially divided—listeners, including the band members themselves.
On Hallowed Ground, Gano embraced his faith, something previously restrained in his songwriting at the request of atheist-leaning members Brian Ritchie (Femmes’ bassist) and Victor Delorenzo (Femmes’ original drummer). Gano explained the group’s hesitation in a 1989 interview with Phoenix New Times, saying, “At the time, Brian was very aggressively anti-anything Christian. He said he didn’t want to be playing in a band that was expressing something that he felt so vehemently against. I figured they’d find their expression sometime later.” What made Ritchie relent, however, was the quality of Gano’s songwriting. It was unimpeachable. “It’s funny,” Gano added in that interview, “Brian now says that my Christian songs are some of my best numbers.”
In a 2012 interview with the Houston Chronicle, Brian Ritchie offered insight into the album’s creation and its initial reception, reflecting, “To me, it’s more punk to defy your audience than to play what they want to hear. But we lost our audience that way.” Speaking to the fact that both the debut and Hallowed Ground were written while Gano was still in high school, he added, “Ironically, we had the material for both albums. We could’ve put out a double or released Hallowed Ground first and then the debut. We chose to make the first one a pop album and Hallowed Ground a sprawling exploration of American roots music. We’re not considered in the Americana category . . .”
The album’s adventurous spirit and artistic risk-taking have been both lauded and criticized over the years. AllMusic praised Hallowed Ground as “breathtaking and terrifying,” adding that “the Femmes are nothing if not true to themselves, and Hallowed Ground is a testament to their tenacity, courage, and sheer obliviousness to industry ogling. Each track is as naked as it is bursting with ideas, and as the landscape changes, the band changes with it.” Vinyl District concurs that Hallowed Ground “is one of rock music’s core texts in how to successfully flout expectations. It still succeeds greatly as a document of nervy conceptual growth and as a major breakthrough in terms of individual musicianship.” Meanwhile, some critics were initially conflicted, with music scholar and New York Times writer Robert Palmer declaring it “a subterranean mother lode of apocalyptic religion, murder, and madness that has lurked just under the surface of hillbilly music and blues since the 19th century.”
But to fans today, Hallowed Ground stands as a testament to Violent Femmes’ innovative spirit and their enduring influence on independent music. The album highlights the band’s ability to evolve while preserving their unique voice, a quality they’ve maintained throughout their now four-decade career. As Violent Femmes embark on a nationwide tour to commemorate this milestone, fans can experience the band’s dynamic evolution firsthand.
Track Listing:
Side A
- Country Death Song
- I Hear The Rain
- Never Tell
- Jesus Walking On The Water
- I Know It’s True But I’m Sorry To Say
Side B
- Hallowed Ground
- Sweet Misery Blues
- Black Girls
- It’s Gonna Rain
