Jellyfish |
Spilt Milk (2CD Deluxe) |
Jellyfish — Spilt Milk (2CD Deluxe, January 2015)
•♦• Pure Pop Pleasure. Paisley–dappled San Francisco troupe of the 1990s whose spangly indie rock bore echoes of '60s psychedelia and '70s power pop.
Formed: 1988 in San Francisco, CA
Origin: San Francisco, California, United States
Album release: February 9, 1993
Recorded: Various Los Angeles, CA. Studios
Record Label: Charisma Records / Omnivore/Universal
Duration: 75:40 + 54:31 => 130:11
Tracks:
Disc One
The album
01 Hush 2:11
02 Joining a Fan Club 4:03
03 Sebrina, Paste, and Plato 2:23
04 New Mistake 4:03
05 Glutton of Sympathy 3:50
06 The Ghost at Number One 3:37
07 Bye Bye Bye 4:03
08 All Is Forgiven 4:10
09 Russian Hill 4:46
10 He’s My Best Friend 3:44
11 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late 3:15
12 Brighter Day 6:14
Demos
13 Family Tree 4:01
14 Ignorance Is Bliss 3:57
15 Worthless Heart 3:08
16 Watchin’ The Rain 4:13
17 I Need Love 3:12
18 I Don’t Believe You 3:23
19 Long Time Ago 3:48
20 Runnin’ For Our Lives 3:39
Disc Two
Demos, Live and Otherwise
01 Spilt Milk Intro (demo) 0:46
02 Hush (demo) 1:21
03 Joining A Fan Club (demo) 3:48
04 Sebrina, Paste and Plato (demo) 2:14
05 New Mistake (demo) 4:06
06 Glutton of Sympathy (demo) 4:04
07 The Ghost At Number One (demo) 3:26
08 All Is Forgiven (demo) 4:10
09 Russian Hill (demo) 4:45
10 He’s My Best Friend (demo) 3:45
11 Spilt Milk Outtro (demo) 1:17
12 Think About Your Troubles (demo) 2:36
13 That Is Why (live) 3:31
14 The Ghost At Number One (live) 3:33
15 Joining A Fan Club (live) 2:55
16 S.O.S. (live) 2:11
17 Fan Club Message 6:03
CREDITS:
•♦• Ken Allardyce Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
•♦• Jon Brion Guitar
•♦• (Ex) Cat Heads Guitar
•♦• Albhy Galuten Producer
•♦• Mick Haggerty Art Direction, Design
•♦• Jellyfish Art Direction, Composer
•♦• Roger Manning Composer, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
•♦• Peter Darley Miller Photography
•♦• Cary Okazaki Photography
•♦• Jack Joseph Puig Engineer, Mixing, Producer
•♦• Chris Rich Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
•♦• Doug Sax Mastering
•♦• Tim Smith Bass, Vocals
•♦• Andy Sturmer Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
•♦• Lyle Workman Guitar
Personnel:
•♦• Andy Sturmer: Vocals, Drums, Some Guitar, Keyboards & Producer.
•♦• Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.: Keyboards, Piano, Vocals & Producer.
•♦• Tim Smith: Bass, Vocals.
Additional personnel:
•♦• Lyle Workman — Guitars.
•♦• Jon Brion — Guitars.
•♦• Tom "T–Bone" Wolk — Bass.
Members:
1989 – 92:
•♦• Andy Sturmer — vocals, drums, keyboards, guitar
•♦• Roger Manning — keyboards, vocals
•♦• Jason Falkner — guitars, bass, vocals
•♦• Chris Manning — bass, vocals (live only)
•♦• Niko Wenner — guitars, vocals, keyboard (live only)
Additional:
Spilt Milk:
•♦• Lyle Workman — guitars
•♦• Tom "T–Bone" Wolk — additional bass
•♦• Jon Brion — guitars
Website: http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/
AWARDS:
•♦• Billboard Albums
•♦• 1993 Spilt Milk Heatseekers #8
•♦• 1993 Spilt Milk The Billboard 200 #164
•♦• Billboard Singles
•♦• 1993 The Ghost At Number One Modern Rock Tracks #9
REVIEW
JANUARY 20, 2015 BY JOE MARCHESE
•♦• The 25 bonus tracks here (all culled from previous releases) encompass more elaborate demos, live cuts and one–offs such as a cover of Nilsson’s “Think About Your Troubles” for all–star tribute album For the Love of Harry or the kooky Super Mario Bros. tribute “Ignorance is Bliss” from the 1991 Nintendo White Knuckle Scorin’ compilation. Of the material otherwise unrecorded by Jellyfish, highlights include “Family Tree” with its Raspberries riff, the attractive, McCartney–esque “Watchin’ the Rain” (with a synth line just crying to be played on a trumpet or flugelhorn), and the straightforward pop of “I Need Love,” “I Don’t Believe You” and “Long Time Ago.” The latter track could practically pass as the work of the famed Wrecking Crew. Ironically, some of these tracks might have fared well as singles, as they’re a bit more lyrically direct and immediately accessible than some of the final tracks on Spilt Milk.
•♦• Though another studio album never materialized, the Jellyfish legend grew over the years. The comprehensive rarities box set Fan Club was released independently in 2002, and a “best–of” compilation was released in 2006. The next year, the U.K. band McFly revived “Baby’s Coming Back” and it soared up the charts in England. Omnivore has long championed the band through releases like Live at Bogart’s, Stack–a–Tracks, Radio Jellyfish, and a reissue of subsequent Falkner/Manning project TV Eyes, all of which have set the stage for these deluxe reissues.
•♦• Produced by Omnivore’s Cheryl Pawelski and Lee Lodyga, these editions are undoubtedly the definitive statements on these two beloved cult albums. Attractive digipaks and beautifully designed booklets compliments of Greg Allen make these essential, as does the remastering by Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen. In short, these albums have never sounded better. Ken Sharp’s essays and the track–by–track annotations from the band members are also indispensable. (Those track–by–track notes for the original album sequences are so entertaining that one wishes Manning, Sturmer and Falkner had done the same for the bonus tracks!)
•♦• One famous Jellyfish song goes, “All I want is everything!” If everything is impossible, these two editions come damn near close. In a perfect world, these reissues would finally take Jellyfish to No. 1, just like that ghost… :: http://theseconddisc.com/2015/01/20/review-jellyfish-bellybutton-and-spilt-milk-deluxe-editions/
Review
By Chris D.; Score: *****
•♦• Having enjoyed "Bellybutton" so much, this release was eagerly anticipated, and did not disappoint in the least. Sort of a 90's update of "Sergeant Pepper," the band covers a lot of musical ground in a dream concept. Beginning with the gentle, Queen–like a–capella "Hush" to the overblown, hallucinogenic carnival sounds of "Brighter Day," from the feedback roar of "All Is Forgiven" flowing into the peaceful acoustic "Russian Hill," I never fail to be impressed by the craft of the whole effort. The instrumentation runs a bizarre gamut of guitars, harpsichord, organs, banjo, brass...the vocal harmonies echoing Queen (of course), the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the Association. Hard songs, mellow songs, even a polka thrown in for good measure. This is one of those disks that I can listen to for days on end without tiring. •♦• Irresistably cheerful and upbeat and always amazing. Perhaps best of all, the disc ends where it begins, so I can go right back to track 1 for another listen. All of the songs are standouts. The music world should be mourning the breakup of Jellyfish, one of the truly great bands to emerge from the decade. I was lucky enough to see them twice on the "Spilt Milk" tour, and I was shocked at how much they were able to duplicate the incredible production on the album in a live setting. With brilliant songwriting, production and musicianship, "Spilt Milk" most definitely gets my 5 stars. •♦• It is truly a pop classic.
_____________________________________________________________
Jellyfish |
Spilt Milk (2CD Deluxe) |
Jellyfish — Spilt Milk (2CD Deluxe, January 2015)
•♦• Pure Pop Pleasure. Paisley–dappled San Francisco troupe of the 1990s whose spangly indie rock bore echoes of '60s psychedelia and '70s power pop.
Formed: 1988 in San Francisco, CA
Origin: San Francisco, California, United States
Album release: February 9, 1993
Recorded: Various Los Angeles, CA. Studios
Record Label: Charisma Records / Omnivore/Universal
Duration: 75:40 + 54:31 => 130:11
Tracks:
Disc One
The album
01 Hush 2:11
02 Joining a Fan Club 4:03
03 Sebrina, Paste, and Plato 2:23
04 New Mistake 4:03
05 Glutton of Sympathy 3:50
06 The Ghost at Number One 3:37
07 Bye Bye Bye 4:03
08 All Is Forgiven 4:10
09 Russian Hill 4:46
10 He’s My Best Friend 3:44
11 Too Much, Too Little, Too Late 3:15
12 Brighter Day 6:14
Demos
13 Family Tree 4:01
14 Ignorance Is Bliss 3:57
15 Worthless Heart 3:08
16 Watchin’ The Rain 4:13
17 I Need Love 3:12
18 I Don’t Believe You 3:23
19 Long Time Ago 3:48
20 Runnin’ For Our Lives 3:39
Disc Two
Demos, Live and Otherwise
01 Spilt Milk Intro (demo) 0:46
02 Hush (demo) 1:21
03 Joining A Fan Club (demo) 3:48
04 Sebrina, Paste and Plato (demo) 2:14
05 New Mistake (demo) 4:06
06 Glutton of Sympathy (demo) 4:04
07 The Ghost At Number One (demo) 3:26
08 All Is Forgiven (demo) 4:10
09 Russian Hill (demo) 4:45
10 He’s My Best Friend (demo) 3:45
11 Spilt Milk Outtro (demo) 1:17
12 Think About Your Troubles (demo) 2:36
13 That Is Why (live) 3:31
14 The Ghost At Number One (live) 3:33
15 Joining A Fan Club (live) 2:55
16 S.O.S. (live) 2:11
17 Fan Club Message 6:03
CREDITS:
•♦• Ken Allardyce Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
•♦• Jon Brion Guitar
•♦• (Ex) Cat Heads Guitar
•♦• Albhy Galuten Producer
•♦• Mick Haggerty Art Direction, Design
•♦• Jellyfish Art Direction, Composer
•♦• Roger Manning Composer, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
•♦• Peter Darley Miller Photography
•♦• Cary Okazaki Photography
•♦• Jack Joseph Puig Engineer, Mixing, Producer
•♦• Chris Rich Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
•♦• Doug Sax Mastering
•♦• Tim Smith Bass, Vocals
•♦• Andy Sturmer Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
•♦• Lyle Workman Guitar
Personnel:
•♦• Andy Sturmer: Vocals, Drums, Some Guitar, Keyboards & Producer.
•♦• Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.: Keyboards, Piano, Vocals & Producer.
•♦• Tim Smith: Bass, Vocals.
Additional personnel:
•♦• Lyle Workman — Guitars.
•♦• Jon Brion — Guitars.
•♦• Tom "T–Bone" Wolk — Bass.
Members:
1989 – 92:
•♦• Andy Sturmer — vocals, drums, keyboards, guitar
•♦• Roger Manning — keyboards, vocals
•♦• Jason Falkner — guitars, bass, vocals
•♦• Chris Manning — bass, vocals (live only)
•♦• Niko Wenner — guitars, vocals, keyboard (live only)
Additional:
Spilt Milk:
•♦• Lyle Workman — guitars
•♦• Tom "T–Bone" Wolk — additional bass
•♦• Jon Brion — guitars
Website: http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/
AWARDS:
•♦• Billboard Albums
•♦• 1993 Spilt Milk Heatseekers #8
•♦• 1993 Spilt Milk The Billboard 200 #164
•♦• Billboard Singles
•♦• 1993 The Ghost At Number One Modern Rock Tracks #9
REVIEW
JANUARY 20, 2015 BY JOE MARCHESE
•♦• The 25 bonus tracks here (all culled from previous releases) encompass more elaborate demos, live cuts and one–offs such as a cover of Nilsson’s “Think About Your Troubles” for all–star tribute album For the Love of Harry or the kooky Super Mario Bros. tribute “Ignorance is Bliss” from the 1991 Nintendo White Knuckle Scorin’ compilation. Of the material otherwise unrecorded by Jellyfish, highlights include “Family Tree” with its Raspberries riff, the attractive, McCartney–esque “Watchin’ the Rain” (with a synth line just crying to be played on a trumpet or flugelhorn), and the straightforward pop of “I Need Love,” “I Don’t Believe You” and “Long Time Ago.” The latter track could practically pass as the work of the famed Wrecking Crew. Ironically, some of these tracks might have fared well as singles, as they’re a bit more lyrically direct and immediately accessible than some of the final tracks on Spilt Milk.
•♦• Though another studio album never materialized, the Jellyfish legend grew over the years. The comprehensive rarities box set Fan Club was released independently in 2002, and a “best–of” compilation was released in 2006. The next year, the U.K. band McFly revived “Baby’s Coming Back” and it soared up the charts in England. Omnivore has long championed the band through releases like Live at Bogart’s, Stack–a–Tracks, Radio Jellyfish, and a reissue of subsequent Falkner/Manning project TV Eyes, all of which have set the stage for these deluxe reissues.
•♦• Produced by Omnivore’s Cheryl Pawelski and Lee Lodyga, these editions are undoubtedly the definitive statements on these two beloved cult albums. Attractive digipaks and beautifully designed booklets compliments of Greg Allen make these essential, as does the remastering by Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen. In short, these albums have never sounded better. Ken Sharp’s essays and the track–by–track annotations from the band members are also indispensable. (Those track–by–track notes for the original album sequences are so entertaining that one wishes Manning, Sturmer and Falkner had done the same for the bonus tracks!)
•♦• One famous Jellyfish song goes, “All I want is everything!” If everything is impossible, these two editions come damn near close. In a perfect world, these reissues would finally take Jellyfish to No. 1, just like that ghost… :: http://theseconddisc.com/2015/01/20/review-jellyfish-bellybutton-and-spilt-milk-deluxe-editions/
Review
By Chris D.; Score: *****
•♦• Having enjoyed "Bellybutton" so much, this release was eagerly anticipated, and did not disappoint in the least. Sort of a 90's update of "Sergeant Pepper," the band covers a lot of musical ground in a dream concept. Beginning with the gentle, Queen–like a–capella "Hush" to the overblown, hallucinogenic carnival sounds of "Brighter Day," from the feedback roar of "All Is Forgiven" flowing into the peaceful acoustic "Russian Hill," I never fail to be impressed by the craft of the whole effort. The instrumentation runs a bizarre gamut of guitars, harpsichord, organs, banjo, brass...the vocal harmonies echoing Queen (of course), the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the Association. Hard songs, mellow songs, even a polka thrown in for good measure. This is one of those disks that I can listen to for days on end without tiring. •♦• Irresistably cheerful and upbeat and always amazing. Perhaps best of all, the disc ends where it begins, so I can go right back to track 1 for another listen. All of the songs are standouts. The music world should be mourning the breakup of Jellyfish, one of the truly great bands to emerge from the decade. I was lucky enough to see them twice on the "Spilt Milk" tour, and I was shocked at how much they were able to duplicate the incredible production on the album in a live setting. With brilliant songwriting, production and musicianship, "Spilt Milk" most definitely gets my 5 stars. •♦• It is truly a pop classic.
_____________________________________________________________