More Fun in the New World
| More Fun in the New World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Studio | Cherokee (Hollywood) | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 41:11 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Ray Manzarek | |||
| X chronology | ||||
| ||||
More Fun in the New World is the fourth studio album by American rock band X, released in 1983 by Elektra Records.[1][2] It was reissued with four bonus tracks by Rhino Records in 2002 and was the final X album produced by Ray Manzarek. The band supported the album with a North American tour.[3]
The single "The New World" appeared on the soundtrack to the 1986 movie Something Wild. Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Supersuckers covered "Devil Doll" and "Poor Girl" for the Free the West Memphis 3 project in 2000; Pearl Jam also covered "The New World" and "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" with Tim Robbins live during the 2004 Vote for Change tour. In 2023, "Poor Girl" was featured on the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Production
[edit]X somewhat moved away from songs drawn from personal experience to lyrics that explored social themes and current events.[4] "Breathless" is a cover of the song made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis; it played during the end credits of Breathless.[5]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[7] |
| Rolling Stone |  [8] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 9/10[9] |
The Philadelphia Daily News noted that, "with help from a vocal coach, Exene is starting to sound like a genuine singer instead of a mere squawker, and the whole group seems to be benefitting musically from its association with producer Ray Manzarek."[10]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks written by John Doe and Exene Cervenka except as indicated.
Side A
[edit]- "The New World" – 3:25
- "We're Having Much More Fun" – 3:05
- "True Love" – 2:15
- "Poor Girl" – 2:50
- "Make the Music Go Bang" – 3:00
- "Breathless" (Otis Blackwell) – 2:15
- "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" – 4:10
Side B
[edit]- "Devil Doll" – 3:05
- "Painting the Town Blue" – 3:20
- "Hot House" – 2:55
- "Drunk in My Past" – 2:51
- "I See Red" – 3:00
- "True Love Pt. #2" – 5:00
Bonus tracks (2002 reissue)
[edit]- "Poor Girl" (Demo/Remix) – 2:58
- "True Love Pt. #2" (Demo/Remix) – 4:56
- "Devil Doll" (Demo/Remix) – 3:12
- "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" (Demo/Remix) – 5:45
Personnel
[edit]- X
- Billy Zoom – guitar
- D.J. Bonebrake – drums, percussion
- Exene Cervenka – vocals
- John X. Doe – vocals, bass
Charts
[edit]| Chart | Peak | Date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Billboard 200[11] | 86 | October 28, 1983 | 23 weeks |
References
[edit]- ^ Tucker, Ken (November 11, 1983). "X Rates More Than a Punk Label". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. G22.
- ^ Toombs, Mikel (February 13, 1984). "X leaves new, exciting mark on local rock fans". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. B8.
- ^ Lioce, Tony (November 11, 1983). "Acclaimed X brings brand of musical fury to Brown". The Providence Journal. p. W8.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (September 21, 1983). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C22.
- ^ Gillis, Justin (December 9, 1983). "X: That's the Name of a Band You Can Be Sure Will Mark a Spot in Rock-History". Miami Herald. p. 1E.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "More Fun in the New World – X". AllMusic. Retrieved September 11, 2005.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (November 29, 1983). "Christgau's Consumer Guide: X: More Fun in the New World". The Village Voice. Retrieved April 12, 2012. Also posted at "X: More Fun in the New World > Consumer Guide Album". Robert Christgau. Retrieved April 4, 2006.
- ^ Connelly, Christopher (October 27, 1983). "X More Fun in the New World > Album Review". Rolling Stone. No. 407. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007. Retrieved June 17, 2006.
- ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 438.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (November 11, 1983). "X Marks the Spot". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 51.
- ^ "X". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
