Here’s a song from the debut album of The Negro Problem, a four-piece band that was the brainchild of singer-songwriter Marc Stewart (who goes by the stage name Stew).
Stew released two albums with The Negro Problem before recording under his own name, in a very different (less overtly pop) sound. His last solo album was 2003’s Something Deeper Than These Changes, a record I have featured on the blog a few times.
The award for most awkwardly long title this week goes to track two of The Negro Problem’s debut album, 1997’s Post Minstrel Syndrome.
This is a little throwaway poem/song offering up a snapshot of “93 North” and Main Street, which my Googling suggests might be in Concord, New Hampshire, though that doesn’t make much sense. It might also refer to US 93, which runs from Arizona to Canada, through Nevada, Idaho and Montana. That’s a lot closer to singer-songwriter Stew’s hometown of Los Angeles.
It’s been nearly two months since I’ve done an artist-based theme week. The first of 2011 belongs to Stew, a little-known singer-songwriter whose chops put him up there with just about anybody.
Stew (the stage name of Mark Stewart) has released six full-length CDs, sometimes under the name Stew and sometimes with his band, The Negro Problem. However, the members of The Negro Problem also play on his solo records, so the distinction is really more about the kind of music he’s releasing than the performers in the lineup.
Meet Me In Montauk 