White Courtesy Phone
| White Courtesy Phone | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, new wave | |||
| Label | Almo Sounds/Geffen[1] | |||
| Producer | Craig Leon | |||
| Angel Corpus Christi chronology | ||||
| ||||
White Courtesy Phone is an album by the American musician Angel Corpus Christi, released in 1995.[2][3] Her major label debut, it was also the first release on Jerry Moss's and Herb Alpert's Almo Sounds label.[4]
The album's first single was "Candy".[5]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Craig Leon.[5] Alpert, Hal Blaine, and Dawn Richardson contributed to White Courtesy Phone.[2][6]
It was the last album to be recorded in Studio A at Sausalito's Record Plant before a technology rebuild.[7] "John Cassavetes" is about the filmmaker.[8] A song about gun violence in American schools, "Me and My Beretta", was included only on European editions of the album.[9]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Daily Breeze | [4] |
| Deseret News |  [11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [1] |
| Knoxville News Sentinel | [12] |
| The San Diego Union-Tribune | [13] |
Trouser Press wrote: "Surrounding her carbon-dated canned vocal presence with diverse synth-draped arrangements that manage to sound simultaneously complex and rinkydink, Angel croons the elementary melodies of supremely ingenious hook-filled songs that bounce and bop in an echo of early-’80s dance-club pogo fare by Toni Basil, Lene Lovich, Martha and the Muffins, Algebra Suicide, Hilary, etc."[14] The Guardian noted Angel Corpus Christi's use of the accordion and her "deadpan delivery," writing that "sometimes it just sounds like half-hearted 'alternative' malarkey, but not often enough to spoil things."[15]
The San Diego Union-Tribune opined: "Uncomfortably mating Laurie Anderson and, yes, the Angels ... White Courtesy Phone has a few nicely campy moments but precious little inspiration."[13] The Deseret News thought that "those who dance to the doldrums of life may cherish this campy but innovative album—even though it does get monotonous after the fourth track."[11] The Daily Breeze concluded that "Christi's accordion playing works because it fits seamlessly with the band's low-fi sound without dominating it ... Leon keeps a light touch throughout, allowing the band to walk the fine line between enjoyable campiness and tackiness merely for its own sake."[4] The Knoxville News Sentinel praised Angel Corpus Christi's "magnetic charm" and "gratifying accordion."[12]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Big Black Cloud" | |
| 2. | "Threw It Away" | |
| 3. | "Homeboy" | |
| 4. | "Candy" | |
| 5. | "Nature Girl" | |
| 6. | "Dim the Lights" | |
| 7. | "Down" | |
| 8. | "John Cassavetes" | |
| 9. | "Lazy" | |
| 10. | "Fall" | |
| 11. | "Been There Done That" | |
| 12. | "Way Out West" |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 193.
- ^ a b "Angel Corpus Christi Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
- ^ Marsh, Dave (Sep 1995). "Rock — White Courtesy Phone by Angel Corpus Christi". Playboy. Vol. 42, no. 9. p. 26.
- ^ a b c Gnerre, Sam (April 28, 1995). "Angel Corpus Christi". Daily Breeze. p. K28.
- ^ a b Shuster, Fred (21 Apr 1995). "Squeezing Originality from Modern Rock". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L27.
- ^ Snyder, Michael (April 9, 1995). "Voice of an Angel". Sunday Datebook. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 40.
- ^ Snyder, Michael (December 18, 1994). "Angel in Heaven". Sunday Datebook. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 45.
- ^ Harmon, Rick (May 18, 1995). "Alternative artist sounds wonderful on 'White Courtesy Phone'". Montgomery Advertiser. p. 5C.
- ^ "Angel Corpus Christi". Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser. Jan 31, 1996. p. 10.
- ^ "White Courtesy Phone". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Iwasaki, Scott (May 17, 1995). "Albums Mix Neo-Mainstream Rock, Blues, Pop". Deseret News. p. C7.
- ^ a b Campbell, Chuck (June 6, 1995). "New Releases: Celine Dion, Chris Isaak, Angel Corpus Christi". Knoxville News Sentinel. Scripps Howard News Service.
- ^ a b Toombs, Mikel (May 18, 1995). "Angel Corpus Christi, 'White Courtesy Phone'". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 20.
- ^ "Angel Corpus Christi". Trouser Press. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ Sullivan, Caroline (9 Feb 1996). "This week's pop cd releases". The Guardian. p. T10.
