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Continuing the spooked-out and raging snarls of their Gravest Hits EP, the Cramps once again worked with Alex Chilton on the group's full-album debut, Songs the Lord Taught Us. The jacket reads "file under: sacred music," but only if one's definition includes the holy love of rockabilly sex-stomp, something which the Cramps fulfill in spades. Having spent Gravest Hits mostly doing revamps of older material, the foursome tackled a slew of originals like "The Mad Daddy" and "TV Set" this time around, creating one of the few neo-rockabilly records worthy of the name. Years later Songs still drips with threat and desire both, testament to both the band's worth and Chilton's just-right production. "Garbageman" surfaced as a single in some areas, a wise choice given the at-once catchy roll of the song and downright frightening guitar snarls, especially on the solo. The covers of the Sonics' "Strychnine" and Billy Burnette's "Tear It Up" -- not to mention the concluding riff on "Fever" -- all challenge the originals. Interior has the wailing, hiccuping, and more down pat, but transformed into his own breathless howl, while Ivy and Gregory keep up the electric fuzz through more layers of echo than legality should allow. Knox helms the drums relentlessly; instead of punching through arena rock style, Chilton keeps the rushed rhythm running along in the back, increasing the sheer psychosis of it all.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
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Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Burden, Composer - The Cramps, MainArtist
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
The Cramps, Producer, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1980 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer - F. L. Wray Sr., Composer - Rosalind Michelle Pullens, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1980 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Gerald W. Roslie, Composer - Alex Chilton, Producer - The Cramps, MainArtist
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1980 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, Composer, MainArtist
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Dorsey Burnette, Composer - Paul Burlison, Composer - Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Johnny Burnette, Composer - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Eddie J. Cooley, ComposerLyricist - Alex Chilton, Producer - John Davenport, ComposerLyricist - The Cramps, MainArtist
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1980 Capitol Records, LLC.
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Lux Interior, Composer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, Composer, MainArtist
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Alex Chilton, Producer - Mike Reese, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Hampton, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Deluna, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Cramps, MainArtist - Ivy Rorschach, Composer - Lux Interior, Composer
(C) 1998 Capitol Records IncThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1998 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1989 Capitol Records, LLC
Album review
Continuing the spooked-out and raging snarls of their Gravest Hits EP, the Cramps once again worked with Alex Chilton on the group's full-album debut, Songs the Lord Taught Us. The jacket reads "file under: sacred music," but only if one's definition includes the holy love of rockabilly sex-stomp, something which the Cramps fulfill in spades. Having spent Gravest Hits mostly doing revamps of older material, the foursome tackled a slew of originals like "The Mad Daddy" and "TV Set" this time around, creating one of the few neo-rockabilly records worthy of the name. Years later Songs still drips with threat and desire both, testament to both the band's worth and Chilton's just-right production. "Garbageman" surfaced as a single in some areas, a wise choice given the at-once catchy roll of the song and downright frightening guitar snarls, especially on the solo. The covers of the Sonics' "Strychnine" and Billy Burnette's "Tear It Up" -- not to mention the concluding riff on "Fever" -- all challenge the originals. Interior has the wailing, hiccuping, and more down pat, but transformed into his own breathless howl, while Ivy and Gregory keep up the electric fuzz through more layers of echo than legality should allow. Knox helms the drums relentlessly; instead of punching through arena rock style, Chilton keeps the rushed rhythm running along in the back, increasing the sheer psychosis of it all.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 18 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:44
- Main artists: The Cramps
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: EMI Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1998 Capitol Records Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1998 Capitol Records Inc.
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