Heartbeats and Brainwaves

Last updated

Heartbeats and Brainwaves
Electric Six - Heartbeats and Brainwaves.png
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 11, 2011 (2011-10-11)
Length53:08
Label Metropolis
Producer John Nash
Electric Six chronology
Zodiac
(2010)
Heartbeats and Brainwaves
(2011)
Mustang
(2013)
-
Absolute Pleasure

(2012)
Singles from Heartbeats and Brainwaves
  1. "Interchangeable Knife (Dubai Bros. Remix)" / "French Bacon (Phantasmagoria Remix)"
    Released: 2011
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Classic Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
PopMatters 5/10 [3]

Heartbeats and Brainwaves is the eighth album by Detroit rock band Electric Six. It was released on October 11, 2011. [4] It was released as a CD, digital download and a colored double vinyl set which is sold at the band's live shows.

Contents

A video for "Psychic Visions" starring Dick Valentine and directed by Justin J. Lowe was uploaded on April 30, 2012, marking the band's first video for three years. [5]

Production

The album was the first time that Johnny Na$hinal, the band's guitarist, produced one of their records. [6] He would go on to produce every subsequent Electric Six album except for 2018's Bride of the Devil .

It made heavy use of the band's home studios for recording sessions. [7] However, professional recording studios were still used, especially when recording the female backing vocals. [8]

Unusually for the band (whose songs are typically written by Valentine), he asked each member of the band to submit at least two songs to the album, with some submitting three. [9]

In an interview with St. Louis Magazine , Dick Valentine revealed that he wrote the album's opening track, "Psychic Visions", after seeing the words on a neon sign in Brooklyn. [10] Speaking to Michigan Live , he stated that they tried not to overthink the album and revealed that the band wrote the song "Eye Contact" "in the span of like one hour". [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tyler Spencer.

Heartbeats and Brainwaves track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Psychic Visions"3:39
2."French Bacon"3:38
3."Gridlock!"3:14
4."It Gets Hot"3:51
5."The Intergalactic Version"3:11
6."Interchangeable Knife"2:32
7."Food Dog"3:58
8."Hello! I See You!"3:56
9."Bleed for the Artist"3:35
10."We Use the Same Products"3:57
11."Eye Contact"4:13
12."Free Samples"4:20
13."I Go Through Phases"3:44
14."Heartbeats and Brainwaves"5:00

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Electric Prunes</span> American psychedelic rock band

The Electric Prunes are an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. Much of the band's music was, as music historian Richie Unterberger described it, possessed of "an eerie and sometimes anguished ambiance." Their most successful material was by songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz, though the group also penned their own songs. Incorporating psychedelia and elements of embryonic electronic rock, the band's sound was marked by innovative recording techniques with fuzz-toned guitars and oscillating sound effects. In addition, guitarist Ken Williams' and singer James Lowe's concept of "free-form garage music" provided the band with a richer sonic palette and exploratory lyrical structure than many of their contemporaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blondie (band)</span> American rock band

Blondie is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1974 by the singer Debbie Harry and the guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the American new wave genre and scene of the mid 70s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Six</span> American rock band

Electric Six is an American rock band formed in Detroit in 1996. They are known for combining elements of rock, disco, garage rock, metal, new wave, and punk rock. Since achieving widespread recognition in 2003 with the singles "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar", they have released 20 studio albums, two rarities albums, one live album and one live DVD. Each band member is given a unique stage name; the line-up has undergone changes over the years; co-founder, lead vocalist, and primary songwriter Dick Valentine has been the only constant member. The current line-up consists of Valentine, lead guitarist Johnny Na$hinal, keyboardist Tait Nucleus?, rhythm guitarist Herb S. Flavourings, drummer Dr. J and bassist Smorgasbord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Rivers</span> American rock musician

Johnny Rivers is an American retired musician. He achieved commercial success and popularity throughout the 1960s and 1970s as a singer and guitarist, characterized as a versatile and influential artist. Rivers is best known for his 1960s output, having popularized the mid-60s discotheque scene through his live rock and roll recordings at the Los Angeles nightclub Whisky a Go Go, and later shifting to a more orchestral, soul-oriented sound during the latter half of the decade. These developments were reflected by his most notable string of hit singles between 1964 and 1968, many of them covers. They include "Memphis", "Mountain of Love", "The Seventh Son", "Secret Agent Man", "Poor Side of Town", "Baby I Need Your Lovin'", and "Summer Rain". Ultimately, Rivers landed 9 top ten hits and 17 top forty hits on US charts from 1964 to 1977.

<i>Destroyer</i> (Kiss album) 1976 studio album by Kiss

Destroyer is the fourth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on March 15, 1976, by Casablanca Records in the US. It was the third successive Kiss album to reach the top 40 in the US, as well as the first to chart in Germany and New Zealand. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on April 22, 1976, and platinum on November 11 of the same year, the first Kiss album to achieve platinum. The album marked a departure from the raw sound of the band's first three albums.

<i>Señor Smoke</i> 2005 studio album by Electric Six

Señor Smoke (2005) is the second album from Electric Six, following Fire in 2003. It was released in the UK February 14, 2005 by Warner Music imprint Rushmore Records. Due to complications with Electric Six's former record label, Rushmore did not release the album in North America. In December 2005, the band announced a new partnership with Metropolis Records that resulted in Señor Smoke's North American release on February 7, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Wagner</span> American guitarist (1942–2014)

Richard Allen Wagner was an American rock guitarist, songwriter and author best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Kiss. He also fronted his own Michigan-based bands, the Frost and the Bossmen.

<i>Switzerland</i> (album) 2006 studio album by Electric Six

Switzerland is the title of the third album by Detroit rock band Electric Six.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danger! High Voltage</span> 2002 single by Electric Six

"Danger! High Voltage" is a song by American rock band Electric Six. It was released as the band's debut single and the lead single from their debut studio album, Fire (2003), in December 2002 by XL Recordings. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 20 in Ireland and the Netherlands. It received positive reviews from critics and was named Single of the Week by the NME.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Spencer</span> American singer

Tyler Spencer, also known as Dick Valentine, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author. He is best known as the lead vocalist, main lyricist, and co-founder of the rock band Electric Six.

<i>I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me from Being the Master</i> 2007 studio album by Electric Six

I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me from Being the Master is the fourth album by the Detroit rock band Electric Six.

<i>Kill</i> (Electric Six album) 2009 studio album by Electric Six

Kill is the sixth album by Detroit rock band Electric Six, which was released in October 2009.

<i>Flashy</i> 2008 studio album by Electric Six

Flashy is the fifth album by Detroit rock band Electric Six, released on October 21, 2008, through Metropolis Records.

<i>Zodiac</i> (Electric Six album) 2010 studio album by Electric Six

Zodiac is the seventh studio album by electronic rock band Electric Six. It was released in 2010 on Metropolis Records.

<i>Absolute Pleasure</i> 2014 American film

Absolute Pleasure is a live album by Detroit rock band Electric Six. It is composed of recordings from shows at both First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the Double Door in Chicago, Illinois.

<i>Bitch, Dont Let Me Die!</i> 2015 studio album by Electric Six

Bitch, Don't Let Me Die! is the twelfth album by Detroit rock band Electric Six and the eleventh in their official canon. It was released on Metropolis Records on October 2, 2015. It is the last album to feature longtime drummer Percussion World before his departure later in the year to join Flogging Molly.

<i>Mimicry and Memories</i> 2015 studio album by Electric Six

Mimicry and Memories is a compilation album by Electric Six. Disc one, Mimicry, is composed of cover songs. Disc two, Memories, consists of demos, B-sides and rarities. It was funded through a Kickstarter campaign and self-released directly to the campaign's backers.

<i>Roulette Stars of Metro Detroit</i> 2016 American film

Roulette Stars of Metro Detroit is an American mockumentary film starring members of the rock band Electric Six as fictional versions of themselves. The film was written by lead singer Dick Valentine and was crowd-sourced through a Kickstarter campaign.

<i>How Dare You?</i> (Electric Six album) 2017 studio album by Electric Six

How Dare You? is the sixteenth album by Detroit rock band Electric Six and the thirteenth in their official canon. It was released on October 13, 2017. It is their longest studio album to date. Although this is not technically true as their 2007 album, I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me from Being the Master, is longer at 50 minutes. A single of the song "Arrive Alive" was released ahead of the album as an incentive to pre-order it.

Christopher Tait, also known as Tait Nucleus?, is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the synthesizer player of the rock band Electric Six and the founder of Passenger Recovery. Although he was credited as an associate on Fire, it wasn't until the band's lineup change in 2002 when he officially joined. His inclusion took the group from a five-piece to a six-piece band, rendering the joke of their name redundant.

References

  1. Heaney, Gregory. "Heartbeats and Brainwaves – Electric Six | Album". AllMusic . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  2. Stubbs, David (December 18, 2011). "Electric Six: Heartbeats and Brainwaves". Classic Rock . Retrieved April 16, 2024 via Loudersound.
  3. Schiller, Mike (November 7, 2011). "Electric Six: Heartbeats and Brainwaves". PopMatters . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  4. "Innovative Pop, Rock and Electronic Music – Metropolis Records". Metropolis-mailorder.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  5. "Electric Six". Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  6. "Charged Up: Detroit's Electric Six". Hour Detroit . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  7. "Interview: Electric Six". GoldenPlec . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  8. "Dick Valentine of Electric 6 on Their New Record, Sasha Baron Cohen as Freddie Mercury and the Stock Market". OC Weekly . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  9. "Electric Six attempts to extricate old sound" . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  10. "Danger! High Voltage!: Interview with Dick Valentine of Electric Six". St. Louis Magazine . Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  11. "Electric Six thrives on originality". Michigan Live . Retrieved April 16, 2024.