Foreign Legion is the third studio album by the American power pop band Fluid Ounces,[3] released on October 24, 2001, by Avex Records exclusively in Japan, with its eventual American release selling extremely poorly.
Foreign Legion received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with "Poet Tree" becoming a fan favorite. Fluid Ounces additionally collaborated with Japanese musician Fantastic Plastic Machine on the song "CITY LIGHTS", which was used in a Japanese television show, and received multiple releases. Fluid Ounces broke up shortly after Foreign Legion's release.
Background
In 1999, Fluid Ounces left Spongebath Records, which had published the band's entire discography up to that point.[4] Lead member and pianist Seth Timbs recorded a song entitled "Destined To Be Forgotten" with Matt Mahaffey in 2000, with plans to include it on the then upcoming Foreign Legion.[5] It was later released on Fluid Ounces' fourth studio album The Whole Shebang (2004).[6]
Fluid Ounces also recorded two songs with Japanese shibuya-kei musician Fantastic Plastic Machine, "Thinking Cap" and "CITY LIGHTS",[7] with the latter also being released on Fantastic Plastic Machine's sixth compilation albumContact (2001).[8] Timbs additionally wrote the songs "Show On The Road" and "Encyclopedia Brown" for guitars, but later converted them for piano use.[6] Fluid Ounces broke up shortly after Foreign Legion released, with Timbs moving to Los Angeles in 2002.[9]
Release
Foreign Legion was released exclusively in Japan on October 24, 2001, by Avex Records,[10] who had previously released their second studio album In the New Old-Fashioned Way (1999) in Japan earlier that year.[11] After Foreign Legion's release, Fluid Ounces made several appearances in Japan.[12]
Foreign Legion did not receive an American release until February 26, 2002,[a] released by Raygun Records.[14][15] The American release of Foreign Legion was extremely hard to find, leading fans to believe its existence was an urban legend, with copies of the Japanese edition being sold online for more than $30 dollars ($48.30in 2024).[6]Foreign Legion was eventually released for free online via digital download by Timbs on April 19, 2005.[16]
"Thinking Cap" was featured in volume 9 of the Japanese pop fanzineKheer in April 2001, with past label-mate Self.[17] "CITY LIGHTS" received a music video in 2001, distributed by Avex,[18] and was also used as the theme song for the Japanese television show "トップランナー" by NHK in April 2001.[19] It was additionally featured as a mashup in a iTunes exclusive extended play by Fantastic Plastic Machine in May 2007.[20][21]
Reception
David Mesker of the Chicago Tribune noted that Foreign Legion had spent a "lengthy” amount of time as a Japanese import, whilst praising "Poet Tree" as a “bitingly funny rocker”, comparing it to the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, and suggesting fans of Ben Folds should listen to the album.[22] Jack Silverman of Nashville Scene noted "Poet Tree" as a favorite, appearing in a live set for Fluid Ounces' in 2006.[23]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Seth Timbs, except where noted.
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