The Country of Blinds
Encyclopedia
The Country of Blinds is a studio album by United States
experimental rock
and jazz
band Skeleton Crew, recorded at Sunrise Studio, Kirchberg
, Switzerland
, December 1985 and January 1986. It was their second and final album and was released in 1986.
Skeleton Crew had become the trio of Fred Frith
, Tom Cora
and Zeena Parkins
when this album was made. The music here is richer, more rhythmical and the songs more developed than on their first album, and this ultimately led to the band's break-up. Frith explained that "we actually started to sound like a normal rock and roll band so it seemed kind of pointless to go on at that point."
Side B
re-issued The Country of Blinds together with Skeleton Crew's previous album Learn to Talk
on a single compilation CD, Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds
, omitting "Money Crack" from The Country of Blinds, and "Los Colitos" and "Life At The Top" from Learn to Talk.
In 2005 Fred Records
re-issued Learn to Talk and The Country of Blinds on a double compilation CD, Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds
, omitting "Money Crack" from The Country of Blinds, plus ten extra tracks.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
experimental rock
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band Skeleton Crew, recorded at Sunrise Studio, Kirchberg
Kirchberg, St. Gallen
Kirchberg is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Toggenburg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-Geography:Kirchberg has an area, , of . Of this area, 59.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 30.9% is forested...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, December 1985 and January 1986. It was their second and final album and was released in 1986.
Skeleton Crew had become the trio of Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
, Tom Cora
Tom Cora
Thomas Henry Corra , better known as Tom Cora, was a United States cellist and composer, best known for his improvisational performances in the field of experimental jazz and rock...
and Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. Parkins plays standard harps, as well as several custom-made one-of-a kind electric harps; she also plays piano and accordion...
when this album was made. The music here is richer, more rhythmical and the songs more developed than on their first album, and this ultimately led to the band's break-up. Frith explained that "we actually started to sound like a normal rock and roll band so it seemed kind of pointless to go on at that point."
Track listing
Side A- "The Country of Blinds" (Cora) – 4:10
- "Money Crack" (Skeleton Crew) – 0:58
- "The Border" (Hemenway) – 3:28
- "The Hand that Bites" (Frith) – 5:32
- "Dead Sheep" (Cora/Frith) – 3:22
- "Bingo" (Frith) – 3:34
Side B
- "Man or Monkey" (CutlerChris CutlerChris Cutler is an English percussionist, composer, lyricist and music theorist. Best known for his work with English avant-rock group Henry Cow, Cutler was also a member and drummer of a number of other bands, including Art Bears, News from Babel, Pere Ubu and Gong/Mothergong...
) – 2:27 - "Foot in Hole" (Skeleton Crew) – 3:08
- "Hot Field" (Skeleton Crew) – 2:36
- "The Birds of Japan" (Frith) – 4:00
- "You May Find a Bed" (Frith/Sharp) – 6:10
Track notes
- "Money Crack", "Hot Field" and the last section of "You May Find a Bed" were recorded live in ReykjavíkReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, 4 November 1985.
Personnel
- Tom CoraTom CoraThomas Henry Corra , better known as Tom Cora, was a United States cellist and composer, best known for his improvisational performances in the field of experimental jazz and rock...
– Cello, bass, accordion, drums, contraptions, singing - Fred FrithFred FrithFred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
– Guitar, 6-string bass, violin, home-mades, drums, singing - Zeena ParkinsZeena ParkinsZeena Parkins is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. Parkins plays standard harps, as well as several custom-made one-of-a kind electric harps; she also plays piano and accordion...
– Organ, electric harp, accordion, drums, singing
Sound and art work
- Tim HodgkinsonTim HodgkinsonTim Hodgkinson is an English experimental music composer and performer, principally on reeds and keyboards. He is best known as one of the core members of the British avant-rock group Henry Cow, which he formed with Fred Frith in 1968...
– Engineer, Producer - Katrina Brändli – Assistant Engineer
- Fred FrithFred FrithFred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
– Cover art work
CD reissues
In 1990 RecRec MusicRecRec Music
RecRec Music was a Swiss independent record label created in 1983 by Daniel Waldner. The label was modeled on, and affiliated to, the British independent record label Recommended Records, but remained financially independent...
re-issued The Country of Blinds together with Skeleton Crew's previous album Learn to Talk
Learn to Talk
Learn to Talk is a studio album by United States experimental rock band Skeleton Crew, recorded at Sunrise Studio, Kirchberg, Switzerland, between Christmas and New Year 1983/1984. It was their debut album and was released in 1984....
on a single compilation CD, Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds
Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds
Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds is a double CD compilation album by United States experimental rock and jazz band Skeleton Crew. It was released by Fred Records in 2005 and comprises the band's two studio albums, Learn to Talk and The Country of Blinds, with one track omitted, plus ten live...
, omitting "Money Crack" from The Country of Blinds, and "Los Colitos" and "Life At The Top" from Learn to Talk.
In 2005 Fred Records
Fred Records
Fred Records is a British independent record label created in 2002 by English guitarist, composer and improvisor Fred Frith to re-release his own back catalogue of recordings and previously unreleased material...
re-issued Learn to Talk and The Country of Blinds on a double compilation CD, Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds
Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds
Learn to Talk / The Country of Blinds is a double CD compilation album by United States experimental rock and jazz band Skeleton Crew. It was released by Fred Records in 2005 and comprises the band's two studio albums, Learn to Talk and The Country of Blinds, with one track omitted, plus ten live...
, omitting "Money Crack" from The Country of Blinds, plus ten extra tracks.