Hissing Prigs in Static Couture

Last updated

Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
Hissing Prigs in Static Couture.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 26, 1996
StudioWater Music, Hoboken, New Jersey
Genre
Length34:35
Label Touch & Go
Producer
Brainiac chronology
Internationale
(1995)
Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
(1996)
Electro-Shock for President
(1997)

Hissing Prigs in Static Couture (stylised as H1551NG PR195 1N 5TAT1C COUTUR3) is the third and final studio album by American indie rock band Brainiac, released on March 26, 1996. [1] It is the band's second release through Touch & Go Records, following the Internationale extended play released the year prior. The album incorporates more electronics than previous Brainiac releases, and hints towards the more synth-based electropunk style that the band would later focus on for their next extended play, and final release before Tim Taylor's death in 1997, Electro-Shock for President .

Contents

Background and recording

In an interview with Seconds magazine, Brainiac frontman Tim Taylor stated that the band was very interested in writing a "futuristic pop" album of sorts: "the idea was to make pop music that sounded futuristic so it wouldn’t sound dated." [2] The band also incorporated a "70's fashion band" aesthetic around the time the album was in production, wearing gaudy outfits for their live performances. [3]

The album was predominately recorded at Water Music in Hoboken, New Jersey, with production and engineering duties done by Eli Janney, who had also helped the band with their previous album Bonsai Superstar . "Nothing Ever Changes" was produced and recorded by Steve Albini in his basement. The entire album was mixed at Oz Recording in Baltimore, Maryland. A music video for the track "Vincent Come on Down" was produced to promote the album.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
MusicHound Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [7]
NME 7/10 [8]
Pitchfork 8.0/10 [9]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Select Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Tiny Mix Tapes TMT full.svgTMT full.svgTMT full.svgTMT full.svgTMT empty.svg [12]

Hissing Prigs in Static Couture received much acclaim from critics and fans and is considered one of the band's best recordings, alongside Bonsai Superstar . In a contemporary review of the album for CMJ New Music Monthly , Jenny Eliscu described Brainiac as " Saturday Night Fever gone punk". [13] Retrospectively, Magnet described the album as a "lost classic", [14] while Wondering Sound 's Yancey Strickler referred to it as "the band's undisputed masterpiece". [15]

Pitchfork ranked Hissing Prigs in Static Couture at number 73 on its list of the top 100 albums of the 1990s. [16] It was also included in the site's list of the 25 best albums released through Touch & Go Records. [17] NME included the album in its list of five albums with production by Steve Albini that they considered to be "essential", referring to Brainiac as "one of the most brain-bustingly unique [bands] the rock underground has ever seen". [18]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Indian Poker (Part 3)"0:51
2."Pussyfootin'"2:36
3."Vincent Come on Down"2:34
4."This Little Piggy"3:51
5."Strung"2:10
6."Hot Seat Can't Sit Down"3:10
7."The Vulgar Trade"1:44
8."Beekeeper's Maxim"2:53
9."Kiss Me, U Jacked Up Jerk"3:13
10."70 Kg Man"3:32
11."Indian Poker (Part 2)"0:45
12."Nothing Ever Changes"2:42
13."I Am a Cracked Machine"4:34
Total length:34:35

Notes

Personnel

Brainiac

Production

Related Research Articles

<i>Surfer Rosa</i> 1988 studio album by Pixies

Surfer Rosa is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British label 4AD. It was produced by Steve Albini. Surfer Rosa contains many of the elements of Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. It includes references to mutilation and voyeurism alongside experimental recording techniques and a distinctive drum sound.

<i>De Stijl</i> (album) 2000 studio album by The White Stripes

De Stijl is the second studio album by the American rock duo the White Stripes, released on June 20, 2000, by the Sympathy for the Record Industry. Produced by the band's guitarist and lead vocalist Jack White, the album was recorded on an 8-track analog tape in his living room following the covert divorce of members Jack and Meg White, who nevertheless continued working together. The album takes its name from the art movement of the same name, and features their early blues-inspired sound.

Brainiac, is an American indie rock band from Dayton, Ohio. It was formed in January 1992 by Tim Taylor, Juan Monasterio (Monostereo), Michelle Bodine and Tyler Trent. They disbanded after the sudden death of lead singer Tim Taylor in a car accident on May 23, 1997.

<i>Pod</i> (The Breeders album) 1990 studio album by the Breeders

Pod is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released by 4AD records on May 29, 1990. Engineered by Steve Albini, the album features band leader Kim Deal on vocals and guitar, Josephine Wiggs on bass, Britt Walford on drums, and Tanya Donelly on guitar. Albini's production prioritized sound over technical accomplishment; the final takes favor the band's spontaneous live "in studio" performances.

<i>Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb</i> 1998 studio album by Tripping Daisy

Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb is the third studio album by American rock band Tripping Daisy, released on July 7, 1998, through Island Records. It was the band's first album to be recorded with guitarist Phil Karnats and drummer Benjamin Curtis, and was the band's last album to be released during guitarist Wes Berggren's lifetime. Produced by Eric Drew Feldman, the album is a stylistic departure from the band's previous work, showcasing a more artistic sound that is underpinned by pop sensibilities. The album also features a significant amount of experimentation with its guitars, vocals and instrumentation.

<i>Songs About Fucking</i> 1987 album by Big Black

Songs About Fucking is the second and final full-length studio album by the punk rock band Big Black, released in 1987 by Touch and Go Records, and reissued in 2018. The album includes a rendition of Kraftwerk's "The Model" in a remixed version from that which appeared on Big Black's then-recent single. The compact disc of Songs About Fucking added the other side of that single, a cover of Cheap Trick's "He's a Whore".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girls Against Boys</span> American post-hardcore band

Girls Against Boys is a post-hardcore band which formed in Washington, D.C., and subsequently relocated to New York City shortly after their formation in 1989. The band released albums on the labels Adult Swim, Touch and Go Records, Geffen Records, and Jade Tree from 1990 to 2002. The band then sporadically played shows from 2003 until 2009 when they became inactive as a whole. In 2013, Girls Against Boys briefly toured and self-released their first new material in 11 years. After another hiatus in 2017, they reunited for a longer term in 2021.

<i>Title TK</i> 2002 alternative rock album by The Breeders

Title TK is the third studio album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released on May 20 and 21, 2002 by 4AD in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States, and on May 10 by P-Vine Records in Japan. The album—whose name means "title to come" in journalistic shorthand—generated three singles: "Off You", "Huffer", and "Son of Three". Title TK reached the top 100 in France, Germany, the UK, and Australia, and number 130 in the US.

Gaunt was a Punk band formed in Columbus, Ohio, in 1991. The band released five albums before splitting in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Albini</span> American musician and audio engineer (1962–2024)

Steven Frank Albini was an American musician and audio engineer. He founded and fronted the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (1992–2024), and engineered acclaimed albums like the Pixies' Surfer Rosa (1988), PJ Harvey's Rid of Me and Nirvana's In Utero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Things (band)</span>

Living Things is an American punk rock band from St. Louis, Missouri. The band consists of the brothers Lillian Berlin (vocals/guitar), Eve Berlin (bass), and Bosh Berlin (drums), and Cory Becker (guitar).

<i>Domestica</i> 2000 studio album by Cursive

Domestica is the third studio album by the American indie rock band Cursive, released on June 20, 2000. This album was the 31st release by Saddle Creek Records, released on CD as well as both red and black vinyl.

<i>Bakesale</i> 1994 studio album by Sebadoh

Bakesale is the fifth album by American indie rock band Sebadoh, released by Sub Pop in 1994. It was the first Sebadoh album released following the departure of founding member, Eric Gaffney, though he did drum on four of the album's tracks from a session engineered by Bob Weston. Tara Jane O'Neil contributed drums to three tracks. Bob Fay, who had previously filled in for Gaffney, officially joined the band for this record. The cover is a photograph of Lou Barlow, aged one-year-old, taken by his mother.

<i>Smack Bunny Baby</i> 1993 studio album by Brainiac

Smack Bunny Baby is the debut album from the band Brainiac, released in 1993 via Grass Records. It is the only album by the group to feature founding guitarist Michelle Bodine. The LP edition of the album includes the track "Velveteen" that was not found on the original CD edition. An unknown number of the LP copies were pressed on turquoise-marbled vinyl.

<i>Bonsai Superstar</i> 1994 studio album by Brainiac

Bonsai Superstar is the second album from the band Brainiac released on November 21, 1994. It is the first album on which guitarist John Schmersal appears, who remained as the band's lead guitarist until their break-up in 1997.

<i>Starters Alternators</i> 1998 studio album by The Ex

Starters Alternators is an album by Dutch post-punk band The Ex. It is the band's 10th studio album and was produced by Steve Albini for a 1998 CD released jointly by Touch and Go Records and the band’s own label, Ex Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloud Nothings</span> American indie rock band

Cloud Nothings is an American indie rock band from Cleveland, Ohio, United States, founded by singer-songwriter Dylan Baldi. It currently consists of lead singer and guitarist Dylan Baldi, drummer Jayson Gerycz, and bassist Chris Brown.

Capsize 7 was an indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina that was active during the 1990s. The band's members were Mike Jackson, Chris Toms, Joe Taylor, and Geoff Abell. Their sound has been compared to that of other, better-known indie rock bands from the same region and era, including Polvo, Superchunk, and the Archers of Loaf.

<i>Pantomime</i> (Polara EP) 1996 EP by Minneapolis alternative rock band Polara

Pantomime is a 1996 five-song EP by Minneapolis alternative rock band Polara, released shortly before their second full-length C'est la Vie, their major-label debut for Interscope Records.

The discography of the American indie rock band Brainiac consists of 3 studio albums, two compilation albums, three EP's, six singles and two music videos.

References

  1. Eliscu, Jenny (May 1996). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly (33). ISSN   1074-6978.
  2. Thrasher, Don. "Looking Back On Brainiac's Final LP". Dayton Daily News . Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  3. Aaron, Charles (June 1996). "Leaders of the New Cool". Spin . Vol. 12, no. 3. pp. 85–87. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  4. Egan, Brian. "Hissing Prigs in Static Couture – Brainiac". AllMusic . Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  5. "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Alternative Press . No. 95. June 1996. p. 72.
  6. Larkin, Colin, ed. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE Inc. p. 709. ISBN   0-333-74134-X.
  7. Handyside, Chris (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. pp. 154–155 via Internet Archive.
  8. "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". NME . March 16, 1996. p. 46.
  9. Josephes, Jason. "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on December 14, 2001. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  10. "Vanishing Acts". Q . November 2019. p. 119. ISSN   0955-4955 via WayBack Machine.
  11. Mitchell, Ben (April 1996). "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Select . p. 91.
  12. Mahoney, Bredan. "Brainiac – Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Tiny Mix Tapes . Archived from the original on September 6, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  13. Eliscu, Jenny (May 1996). "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". CMJ New Music Monthly . No. 33. p. 28. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  14. "Lost Classics: Brainiac's Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Magnet . March 7, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
  15. Strickler, Yancey (April 22, 2011). "Brainiac, Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Wondering Sound . Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  16. Pitchfork staff (November 17, 2003). "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork . p. 3. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  17. Crock, Jason (September 6, 2006). "Touch and Go 25". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  18. "From The Mixing Desk Of Steve Albini – 5 Essential Albums". NME . April 2, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2020.