Watusi (album)
| Watusi | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 12 September 1994 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, indie rock | |||
| Length | 41:40 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | Steve Fisk | |||
| The Wedding Present chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [2] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [3] |
Watusi is a studio album by The Wedding Present.[4][5] It was released in 1994 on Island Records.[1] It peaked at No. 47 on the UK Albums chart.[6]
Watusi was re-issued by Edsel Records in 2014; the band played the album in its entirety during their autumn 2014 UK tour.[7]
Watusi was re-issued once again in 2024 by Island / Universal Music in a deluxe edition which featured the b-sides from the two singles plus the Versions 10" outtakes EP. The band played the album in its entirety during several of their 2024 concerts.
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Steve Fisk.[8] Beat Happening's Heather Lewis guested on two tracks.[9]
Critical reception
[edit]Trouser Press wrote: "Frequently slow and spare, letting small-scale instrumental restraint release Gedge’s most luminous melodies and performances, the album is a surprising charmer — except in the lyrics of songs that shrug off guilt while acknowledging its validity."[9] Clash deemed it "a curiously 1960s-flecked, garage-pop album."[10] Spin called Watusi "a dream-pop album that obsesses instead of dreams."[11]
Track listing
[edit]- "So Long, Baby" – 2:28
- "Click Click" – 4:28
- "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" – 3:15
- "Let Him Have It" – 3:01
- "Gazebo" – 3:08
- "Shake It" – 3:03
- "Spangle" – 3:15
- "It's a Gas" – 3:31
- "Swimming Pools, Movie Stars" – 3:09
- "Big Rat" – 3:39
- "Catwoman" - 7:09
- "Hot Pants" - 2:03
- “Old English Spangles” – 19:84 (hidden track)
All songs written by Belk/Dorrington/Gedge/Smith, except tracks 1 and 11 written by Belk/Dorrington/Gedge/Gregory/Smith and track 4 written by Dorrington/Gedge/Gregory/Smith.
Personnel
[edit]- The Wedding Present
- David Gedge - vocals, guitar
- Paul Dorrington - guitar
- Darren Belk - bass, "Shake It" vocals
- Simon Smith - drums
- Additional musicians
- Carrie Akre - extra vocals [tracks 5 & 8]
- Heather Lewis - extra vocals [tracks 2 & 9]
- Greg Powers - trombone
- Steve Fisk - piano, organ, guitar
References
[edit]- ^ a b John Bush. "The Wedding Present: Watusi". AllMusic. Rovi. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 566.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1219.
- ^ "The Wedding Present | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Buckley, Peter (14 February 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843531050 – via Google Books.
- ^ "WEDDING PRESENT | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- ^ "The Wedding Present - Deluxe Reissues 2014". The Line of Best Fit.
- ^ "The Wedding Present: A Career Overview". 20 March 2005.
- ^ a b "Wedding Present". Trouser Press. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "The Wedding Present - Deluxe Reissues". Clash Magazine. December 2014.
- ^ "Spins". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. 14 November 1994 – via Google Books.
- Watusi compact disc sleeves notes.
