Crazy Backwards Alphabet
Crazy Backwards Alphabet | ||||
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Studio album by Henry Kaiser and Crazy Backwards Alphabet | ||||
Released | January 1987 | |||
Recorded | December 1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 46:23 (LP version), 1:12:46 (CD version) | |||
Label | SST (110) | |||
Producer | Henry Kaiser | |||
Henry Kaiser chronology | ||||
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Matt Groening chronology | ||||
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SST Records chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Crazy Backwards Alphabet is an album conceived by cartoonist
American rock critic Robert Christgau said of the album: "Concept is Beefheart as Dixie Dregs, kind of, with intermittent lyrics, not always in English."[2] It was released in 1987 (see 1987 in music).
Further recordings were made for a follow-up album, however it was not released until 2007 as Crazy Backwards Alphabet II.[3]
Track listing
LP version
Side one
- "The Blood and the Ink" (Bob Adams & John French) – 5:02
- "Det Enda Raka?" (Michael Maksymenko) – 1:58
- "Get To You" (John French) – 4:30
- "The Welfare Elite" (John French & Henry Kaiser) – 3:52
- "Ghosts" (Albert Ayler) – 4:18
- "Lobster on the Rocks #2" (John French, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko, Andy West & Stuart Wold) – 3:15
Side two
- "Sarayushka (La Grange)" (Original Composition: Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill & Frank Beard•Russian Translation: Michael Maksymenko) – 2:26
- "Dropped D" (Bob Adams, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko & Andy West) – 7:53
- "The Book of Joel" (Bob Adams, Everett Shock) – 2:04
- "Bottoms Up!" (Michael Maksymenko) – 3:40
- "We Are In Control?" (John French) – 5:25
- "Maran II" (Michael Maksymenko) – 0:24
CD version
- "The Blood and the Ink" (Bob Adams & John French) – 5:02
- "Det Enda Raka?" (Michael Maksymenko) – 1:58
- "Get To You" (John French) – 4:30
- "The Welfare Elite" (John French & Henry Kaiser) – 3:52
- "Ghosts" (Albert Ayler) – 4:18
- "Lobster on the Rocks" (John French, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko, Andy West & Stuart Wold) – 3:15
- "Sarayushka (La Grange)" (Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill & Frank Beard•Russian Translation: Michael Maksymenko) – 2:26
- "Dropped D" (Bob Adams, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko & Andy West) – 7:53
- "The Book of Joel" (Bob Adams, Everett Shock) – 2:04
- "Bottoms Up!" (Michael Maksymenko) – 3:40
- "We Are In Control?" (John French) – 5:25
- "Maran II" (Michael Maksymenko) – 0:24
- "No Doubt About It, I Gotta Get a New Hat" (Henry Kaiser) – 4:32*
- "Secret of the Telegian" (Greg Goodman, Henry Kaiser & Michael Maksymenko) – 6:17*
- ""Lite" Blue Mousse" (Bob Adams, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko & Ralf Nygard) – 7:11*
- "The Same Thing" (Willie Dixon) – 5:59*
- "Herr Magazine" (Bob Adams, Everett Shock, Henry Kaiser & Michael Maksymenko) – 3:04*
- bonus tracks on CD only
Personnel
Crazy Backwards Alphabet are
- Henry Kaiser – guitar (tracks 1-10, 12), slide guitar (tracks 1, 5, 10, 11), banjo (tracks 4, 12), backing vocals (tracks 6, 9)
- John French – drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 12), lead vocals (tracks 1, 3), guitar (track 3), harmonica (track 3), keyboards (track 11)
- Michael Maksymenko – drums (tracks 2, 5, 6, 8-10), lead vocals (tracks 2, 6, 7, 10), backing vocals (track 9)
- Andy West – bass (tracks 2-12)
Special guests
Bob Adams – guitar (track 1), bass (track 1)
Scott Colby – slide guitar (track 3), lead vocals (track 9)
Darol Anger – violin (track 4)
Harry Duncan – harp (track 10)
Bill Frisell – guitar
Ralph Nygard – midi wind controller bass
Production crew
Henry Kaiser - producer/engineer
Phil Brown - engineer
Oliver DiCiccco - engineer
Mark Bryan Johnson - engineer
Matt Groening - artwork and album concept
Hugh Brown - photography
Recorded in 1986. Except 13 & 14 in 1987 and 15 in 1991.