Back Off Cupids is a solo album by the San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

 musician John Reis

John Reis

John Reis is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band Rocket from the Crypt, which he formed and fronted for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005...

, released in 2000 by Big Fish Records. "Back Off Cupids

Back Off Cupids

Back Off Cupids was the name of a solo musical project by the San Diego, California musician John Reis. The project took place in 1994, in between sessions with Reis' bands Drive Like Jehu and Rocket from the Crypt. Rocket from the Crypt horn players Jason Crane and Paul O'Beirne were also involved...

" was also the name given by Reis to the musical project. Recording of the album's material took place in 1994, in between sessions with Reis' bands Drive Like Jehu

Drive Like Jehu

Drive Like Jehu was an American post-hardcore and alternative rock band from San Diego active from 1990 to 1995. Formed by rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rick Froberg and lead guitarist John Reis following the breakup of their band Pitchfork, the band's lineup also included bassist Mike Kennedy and...

 and Rocket From the Crypt

Rocket from the Crypt

Rocket from the Crypt was an American rock band led by John Reis, formed in 1989 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 2005.The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record labels after the release of their 1992 album Circa: Now!, leading to a recording contract with Interscope...

, and involved Rocket From the Crypt horn

Horn (instrument)

The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....

 players Jason Crane

Jason Crane

Jason Crane is an American drummer and trumpeter notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt, The Black Heart Procession, and Beehive & the Barracudas.-Musical career:...

 and Paul O'Beirne

Paul O'Beirne

Paul O'Beirne is an American saxophonist notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt.-Musical career:...

. Compared to Reis' other musical projects the music was slower, mostly instrumental, and to a certain degree free-form. The material was shelved for several years until mixing was completed in 1999, and the album was finally released in 2000.

Reception

Ned Raggett of Allmusic gave Back Off Cupids four stars out of five, commenting that "At points the music is almost a complete turnaround from Reis' other work — consider the rumbling, structured speaker hum and sweet, sad aura of 'Can You Hear My Sleep Dog?,' a standout track. Perhaps the most telling thing about the Back Off Cupids is that while at points one can imagine either Reis or Drive Like Jehu

Drive Like Jehu

Drive Like Jehu was an American post-hardcore and alternative rock band from San Diego active from 1990 to 1995. Formed by rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rick Froberg and lead guitarist John Reis following the breakup of their band Pitchfork, the band's lineup also included bassist Mike Kennedy and...

's Rick Froberg

Rick Froberg

Eric "Rick" Froberg is an American musician and artist. He was born in Los Angeles, lived in Encinitas, California, and currently resides in Brooklyn...

 singing over all the songs instead of just Reis here and there, the tunes still easily stand on their own. There's no better testament to Reis' skill and abilities."

Track listing

1. "Meek Inherits Space"
2. "Rock and Roll"
3. "Now We're Asian"
4. "Can You Hear My Sleep Dog?"
5. "Trivial Pursuit"
6. "Painted Half a Picture"
7. "A Strong Maybe"
8. "I'm Stolen"
9. "The Camel Train"
10. "Plee"

Performers

• Jason Crane
  Jason Crane
  Jason Crane is an American drummer and trumpeter notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt, The Black Heart Procession, and Beehive & the Barracudas.-Musical career:...
  
   - drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
  
   on all tracks except "Trivial Pursuit," trumpet
  Trumpet
  The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
  
   on "Trivial Pursuit"
• Paul O'Beirne
  Paul O'Beirne
  Paul O'Beirne is an American saxophonist notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt.-Musical career:...
  
  - saxophone
  Saxophone
  The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
  
   on "Trivial Pursuit"
• John Reis
  John Reis
  John Reis is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band Rocket from the Crypt, which he formed and fronted for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005...
  
   - vocals
  Singing
  Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
  
  , guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  , bass guitar
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  , drums on "Trivial Pursuit," all other instrumentation

Album information

• Record label:Big Fish Records
• Recorded in 1994 by Gar Wood in his garage except "A Strong Maybe" recorded by Jeff Crouteau in his warehouse
• Mixed by John Reis at Drag Racist Recorders in 1999 except "Painted Half a Picture" and "A Strong Maybe"
• Mastered by Rafter
• Artwork by Rich Jacobs
• Layout by Margaret Murray