The Cucumbers - Old Shoes (2023)

"Old Shoes” is a collection of seven new songs by The Cucumbers.

Deena Shoshkes (guitar, vocals) and Jon Fried (banjo and vocals) are joined by their son, drummer Jamie Fried (re/Ly, Cait and the Marrow, The Jamie Fried Sextet) and bassist Rick Wagner (Luther Black and the Cold Hard Facts, The Poor Man’s Opera.)

The Cucumbers were mainstays of the Hoboken jangle pop scene of the 80s, whose catchy, quirky, danceable songs brought them a burst of national attention and remain a vital part of their local music scene. “Old Shoes” is their first collection of new material in almost two decades, although Jon and Deena have released several albums and singles of new music in the interim - Deena as a solo artist, Jon and Deena together with The Campfire Flies.

The acoustic "mini" album is a departure from the band’s electric guitar-driven sound. Throughout the pandemic Jon and Deena performed these songs as an acoustic duo live-streaming on the internet and in-person in outdoor settings.

“I knew I wanted to make a recording to document the sound and arrangements Jon and I had developed over this unusual time,” says Deena. “I also wanted to make sure these songs, some of my favorites, were produced and released into the world, but how?”

At one point, Jamie came home for several days to get some concentrated studying in for medical school exams. “He heard us practicing for a performance and sat in with us as we rehearsed, as a study break,” explains Deena. “It was magic. Jamie grew up playing music with us and he knew exactly what to play. “

The solution to how to record was obvious - have Jamie play drums! Rick Wagner, who had played on some of Deena’s solo recordings (Deena and The Poor Man’s Opera), joined on bass.

The quirky guitar-banjo-bass-drums combo rocks in it’s own unadorned, live way. “It’s hand-made and homey,” says Jon “a blend of garage rock and back porch strumming.”

The title song “Old Shoes” is a bookend to The Cucumbers first song “My Boyfriend,” about a young couple starting to live together. From the opening track “Gotta Start Somewhere” to the closer “I’m Over That” the songs reflect on love, longing, creativity, mysticism and time.