Uncle Anesthesia

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Uncle Anesthesia
Screaming Trees Uncle Anesthesia.jpg
Original album artwork by Mark Ryden
Studio album by
Released1991
RecordedJune 1990
Studio London Bridge Studio, Seattle, Washington
Genre Psychedelic rock
Length47:05
Label Epic
Producer Terry Date, Chris Cornell
Screaming Trees chronology
Something About Today
(1990)
Uncle Anesthesia
(1991)
Anthology: SST Years 1985-1989
(1991)

Uncle Anesthesia is the fifth studio album by the American band Screaming Trees. [1] [2] It was released in 1991 via Epic Records. [3] It includes three of the four tracks from the band's previous Epic release, Something About Today . [4]

Contents

"Bed of Roses" was released as a single and peaked at No. 23 on the Modern Rock charts. [5] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Nirvana and Das Damen; Dan Peters played drums on much of the tour. [6] [7] [8]

Production

Recorded at London Bridge Studio, Uncle Anesthesia was produced primarily by Terry Date and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. [9] [10] Unlike in the past, the band rehearsed for a couple of weeks before recording. [11] The album took six and a half weeks to record. [12]

Uncle Anesthesia was the last to feature drumming by original member Mark Pickerel, who left on amicable terms in 1991. [10] He was replaced by Barrett Martin. [13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Calgary Herald B− [15]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 7/10 [17]

The Calgary Herald noted the "strong rockin' guitars with psychedelic undercurrents and the occasional pause for the pensive cause." [15] The St. Petersburg Times wrote that "vocalist Mark Lanegan croons fairy tale lyrics that melt through a sonic wall of guitars and percussion." [18] The Dayton Daily News concluded that "if Jim Morrison had joined a garage band instead of the jazz-trained Doors, it might have sounding something like Screaming Trees." [19]

The Province opined that "Gary Lee Conner resurrects the guitar sound of Syd Barrett and takes the band toward Interstellar Overdrive." [20] The Washington Post determined that "Gary Lee Conner can tear off a screeching lead or stomp a wah-wah pedal like any halfway-initiated Black Sabbath disciple, but he's not merely a piledriver; his atmospheric playing on tracks like 'Bed of Roses' give them unexpected delicacy." [21] The San Diego Union-Tribune stated that "Lanegan's spooky, back-from-the-crypt vocals and Gary Lee Conner's luminous guitars give this album an otherworldly glow." [22]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mark Lanegan and Gary Lee Conner, except where noted

Uncle Anesthesia track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Beyond This Horizon" 4:13
2."Bed of Roses"Lanegan, G. Conner, Van Conner 3:02
3."Uncle Anesthesia"Lanegan, G. Conner, V. Conner3:52
4."Story of Her Fate" 1:41
5."Caught Between"Lanegan, G. Conner, V. Conner5:03
6."Lay Your Head Down" 3:32
7."Before We Arise" 2:26
8."Something About Today" 3:02
9."Alice Said" 4:11
10."Time for Light" 3:50
11."Disappearing" 3:12
12."Ocean of Confusion" 3:05
13."Closer" 5:48
Total length:47:05

Personnel

Screaming Trees
Additional musicians
Additional personnel

Charts

Singles - Billboard (North America)

YearSingleChartPosition
1991"Bed of Roses"Modern Rock Tracks23

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References

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