Dump was the four-track solo project of James McNew, better known as the bassist of Yo La Tengo. Raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, McNew made his first home recordings at the age of 13; after attending college, he came to prominence as the bass player for Christmas, joining the group in late 1989. When they disbanded two years later, members Michael Cudahy and Liz Cox went on to form Combustible Edison, leaving McNew to join Yo La Tengo to record the 1992 effort May I Sing with Me. Although Dump came into being in January 1991, McNew did not issue any material under the name for over two years, debuting with Superpowerless, a charmingly lo-fi collection spotlighting his gentle vocals and proficiency on guitar, bass, drums, and organ. An EP of covers followed in 1995, prior to the release of the excellent 10" International Airport; the full-length I Can Hear Music rounded out the year's flurry of releases. After returning his focus to Yo La Tengo, McNew resurrected Dump in 1998 with the full-length A Plea for Tenderness; both the Women in Rock EP as well as the cassette-only Prince tribute That Skinny Motherfucker with the High Voice? followed a year later. After a five-year break, McNew returned with his most accomplished-sounding record yet, 2003's Grown-Ass Man on Shrimper. Apart from a split single with Jennifer O'Connor in 2008, McNew bided his time in Yo La Tengo, forsaking his solo project entirely. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi