Games of the XXI Olympiad (album)

Last updated
Games of the XXI Olympiad
Black Cab Olympiad album.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 2014
Genre Indie rock
Length67:23
Label Interstate 40 Music
Producer Woody Annison, Black Cab
Black Cab chronology
Call Signs
(2009)
Games of the XXI Olympiad
(2014)
明 (Akira)
(2017)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Age Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Australian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]
Courier Mail Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Games of the XXI Olympiad is the fourth album by Melbourne electronica band Black Cab. It was released in 2014.

Contents

The album continues the theme of their 2009 Call Signs album, which was inspired by Cold War-era East Germany, with the new album themed on the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where a state-sanctioned regimen of performance-enhancing drugs produced a generation of chemically superhuman East German athletes. A version of the album was prepared for release in 2012 but was abandoned when the band decided it was neither complete nor very good. Songs were stripped down and extended, in the process transforming "Supermädchen" from four minutes to almost 10. [5]

The album, far more electronica-based than its predecessors, was produced in multiple sessions with different producers and mixers, including Woody Annison, Simon Polinski and former Death in Vegas member Tim Holmes. Two earlier singles, "Combat Boots" (2011) and "Sexy Polizei" (2010) were also included. [6]

Track listing

(all songs by Black Cab)

  1. "Opening Ceremony" — 2:32
  2. "Supermädchen" — 9:49
  3. "Victorious" — 6:34
  4. "Performance Center Obertauern" — 3:19
  5. "Kornelia Ender" — 4:48
  6. "Go Slow" — 6:07
  7. "Problem Child" — 4:13
  8. "Combat Boots" — 4:41
  9. "Little Blue Ones" — 5:56
  10. "My War" — 5:42
  11. "Sexy Polizei" — 4:07
  12. "State Plan 14.25" — 5:07
  13. "Closing Ceremony" — 4:27

Personnel

Additional musicians

Related Research Articles

Men at Work Australian rock band

Men at Work are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1978 and best known for breakthrough hits such as "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Down Under". Its founding member and frontman is Colin Hay, who performs on lead vocals and guitar. After playing as an acoustic duo with Ron Strykert during 1978–79, Hay formed the group with Strykert playing bass guitar and Jerry Speiser on drums. They were soon joined by Greg Ham on flute, saxophone, and keyboards and John Rees on bass guitar, with Strykert switching back to lead guitar. The group was managed by Russell Depeller, a friend of Hay, whom he met at La Trobe University. This line-up achieved national and international success during the early to mid 1980s. In January 1983, they were the first Australian artists to have a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the United States Billboard charts: Business as Usual and "Down Under" (1981), respectively. With the same works, they achieved the distinction of a simultaneous No. 1 album and No. 1 single on the Australian, New Zealand, and United Kingdom charts. Their second album Cargo was also No. 1 in Australia, No. 2 in New Zealand, No. 3 in the US, and No. 8 in the UK. Their third album Two Hearts reached the top 20 in Australia and top 50 in the US.

Models (band)

Models are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in August 1978. They went into hiatus in 1988. They are often referred to as "The Models". They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts, and began regularly performing again from 2010 onwards. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit, appeared on the Australian singles charts in July 1985. The related album, Out of Mind, Out of Sight, peaked at No. 3 on the Australian albums charts after its release in August. Out of Mind, Out of Sight appeared on the Billboard 200 albums chart, with the single, "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. An earlier song from the same album, "Barbados", had peaked at No. 2 on the Australian singles chart.

Dr. Dog is an American rock band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its lineup consists of Toby Leaman, Scott McMicken, Frank McElroy, Zach Miller (keyboard), and Eric Slick (drums). Lead vocal duties are shared between Leaman and McMicken, with all members contributing harmonies. In addition, each band member has a nickname beginning with the letter T, and they have explained that friends of the band also receive nicknames, which are drawn from aspects of their lives and personalities.

<i>Playing Possum</i> 1975 studio album by Carly Simon

Playing Possum is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released in 1975.

<i>Spoiled Girl</i> 1985 studio album by Carly Simon

Spoiled Girl is the 12th studio album by the American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released in 1985.

<i>Chipmunks in Low Places</i> 1992 studio album by Alvin and the Chipmunks

Chipmunks in Low Places is a country album written by John Boylan and Andrew Gold and performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks. It features cover songs as well as original material. Released on September 29, 1992, the album was certified Platinum by the RIAA, becoming the group's first platinum record and making it the Chipmunks' best-selling album. The album reached number 21 on the Billboard 200, becoming their first album to chart in ten years. The album also managed to peak at No. 6 on Billboard's Top Country Albums, making it the highest peaking album for the group on the chart. In Canada, the album peaked at number 9, and was number 49 in the Top 50 Country albums of 1993.

<i>Puss n Boots</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Crash Test Dummies

Puss 'N' Boots is the seventh studio album by Crash Test Dummies, released in 2003. The album began life as a Brad Roberts solo project. While the lyrics were written by Brad Roberts, most of the music was written by Stuart Cameron. Ellen Reid sang backing vocals and Dan Roberts played bass, though much of the music was performed by other musicians.

1927 (band) Australian pop-rock band

1927 are an Australian pop rock band formed in 1987 with James Barton on drums, Bill Frost on bass guitar, his brother Garry Frost on guitar and keyboards, and Eric Weideman on vocals, guitar and keyboards. They were popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s with their major hit songs "That's When I Think of You", "If I Could", "Compulsory Hero" and "Tell Me a Story". Their multi-platinum number-one album, ...ish (1988) was followed by The Other Side (1990). At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 they won two categories: Breakthrough Artist – Album for ...ish and Breakthrough Artist – Single for "That's When I Think of You". At the 1990 ceremony they won Best Video for "Compulsory Hero", which was directed by Geoff Barter. In 1992 the group released a third studio album, 1927, which reached the top 40; but they disbanded the following year. Weideman reformed 1927 in 2009 with a new line-up.

<i>Demon Flower</i> 1994 studio album by Hunters & Collectors

Demon Flower is the eighth studio album by Australian rock band, Hunters & Collectors and was released on 16 May 1994. It was co-produced by the band with Nick Mainsbridge, reaching No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. It also peaked at No. 9 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.

Black Cab (band) Australian musical group

Black Cab is a Melbourne based drone and electronica group. The band has released five studio albums.

<i>Song of America</i> (album) 2007 compilation album by Various artists

Song of America is a 3-disc, compilation album comprising 50 songs related to the history of America. Released on September 18, 2007 under Split Rock Records/Thirty One Tigers, the music collection was conceived by former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and musician Ed Pettersen.

The Badloves Australian band

The Badloves is an Australian band that formed in 1990 best known for their debut studio album, Get on Board. The band has won three ARIA Awards.

Bands and accompanying musicians of Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly is an Australian rock musician. He started his career in 1974 in Hobart, Tasmania and has performed as a solo artist, in bands as a member or has led bands named after himself. Some backing bands recorded their own material under alternate names, Professor Ratbaggy and Stardust Five, with Kelly as an individual member. As of September 2017, Paul Kelly's current band members are Cameron Bruce on keyboards and piano, Vika and Linda Bull on backing vocals and lead vocals, his nephew Dan Kelly on lead guitar and backing vocals, Peter Luscombe on drums and Bill McDonald on bass guitar.

The Rabid Whole

The Rabid Whole is a Canadian music group from Regina, Saskatchewan, that plays a mixture of rock, industrial, electronica, and alternative music.

<i>Change Is Now: Renewing Americas Promise</i> 2009 compilation album by Various artists

Change is Now: Renewing America's Promise is a compilation album released on April 28, 2009 through Hidden Beach Recordings in conjunction with the Presidential Inaugural Committee. The album includes previously released tracks from Wilco, Stevie Wonder, Death Cab for Cutie, and Common. An accompanying DVD features eight speeches by Barack Obama, starting with the campaign announcement in Springfield, Illinois and ending with the election night victory speech in Chicago. The album sold retail online and at inaugural events in Washington.

<i>Call Signs</i> 2009 studio album by Black Cab

Call Signs is the third studio album by Melbourne electronica band Black Cab, released in 2009.

Honkey Kong is a 2011 solo album by Eagles of Death Metal front man Jesse Hughes, under the pseudonym Boots Electric on Dangerbird Records. The album was released in September 2011, with the band playing their first live show one month prior. "Oh Girl", "Complexity" and "I Love You All the Thyme" were later reworked and released on Eagles of Death Metal's 2015 album Zipper Down.

<i>Altamont Diary</i> 2004 studio album by Black Cab

Altamont Diary is the debut album by Melbourne electronica band Black Cab. Released in 2004, it is a concept album based on the ill-fated 1969 free concert at Altamont Speedway in California headlined by the Rolling Stones.

<i>Jesus East</i> 2006 studio album by Black Cab

Jesus East is the second album by Melbourne electronica band Black Cab, released in 2006. The album was described as "sitar-drenched, blending Indian instruments with driving rock’n’roll and country guitar stylings".

<i>Good Times!</i> 2016 studio album by the Monkees

Good Times! is the twelfth studio album by American pop rock band the Monkees. Produced mainly by Adam Schlesinger, the album was recorded to commemorate the band's 50th anniversary. It is the first Monkees studio album since Justus (1996), marking the longest gap between Monkees albums to date, and the first since the death of founding member Davy Jones. The album features surviving Monkees Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, as well as a posthumous contribution from Jones. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics and reached number 14 on the Billboard 200, becoming the band's highest-charting album in 48 years.

References

  1. Patrick Emery, The Age, 7 November 2014
  2. Andrew McMillen, The Australian, 29 November 2014
  3. Michael Dwyer, Rolling Stone Australia, 10 November 2014
  4. Noel Mengel, Courier Mail, 29 November 2014
  5. Mathieson, Craig (21 November 2014). "Hail the Black Cab". The Age. Melbourne. p. 12. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  6. Street, Andrew P. (20 November 2014). "Games of the XXI Olympiad review". Mess+Noise. Retrieved 21 November 2014.