Saturn Strip
| Saturn Strip | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 9, 1983 | |||
| Recorded | November–December 1982 | |||
| Studio | Syncro Sound, Boston | |||
| Genre | Synth-pop | |||
| Length | 38:07 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Ric Ocasek | |||
| Alan Vega chronology | ||||
| ||||
Saturn Strip is an album by Alan Vega, released in 1983 on Elektra Records.[1][2] The album was produced by Ric Ocasek and features musical contributions from Al Jourgensen.[3]
Background and production
Before the recording began, Vega signed to his first major label Elektra Records that would release Saturn Strip.[4]
"Kid Congo" is a homage to Kid Congo Powers, evolving from a soundcheck abstraction called "Bongo Bongo". "Every 1's a Winner" is a cover of the Hot Chocolate song.[4]
It was produced by Ric Ocasek, known for his work with Suicide and The Cars. The song "Saturn Drive" features a then-unknown synth-pop musician Alain Jourgensen who provided synthesizer sounds.[4]
Composition
Saturn Strip is characterized as a synth-pop album.[4]
The songs' composition have been described by Victor W. Valdivia (AllMusic) as concise, around four-minutes long, structually straightforward, and polished production-wise. Comparing Saturn Strip to Alan Vega's previous work, Valdivia called it less self-indulgent and musically robust, which allows "Vega's talent for evocative lyrics and clever melodies comes across clearly".[4]
Billboard highlighted the differences in mood between Saturn Strip and Vega's earlier work. He "largely dropped the morbidity [....] letting cheerful, Cars-style synth burbles lead the way".[5]
Release
The album wasn't commercially upon its release.[4]
The album was reissued on CD in 2004 by Wounded Bird, which also included the Just a Million Dreams album.[6]
Critical reception and legacy
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [4] |
Victor W. Valdivia, in his review for AllMusic, empathized the albums style, which significantly differ from art punk of his previous records, leaning closer than ever to the mainstream sound. Valdivia deemed it the best album of his career, "one that even occasionally tops his Suicide oeuvre".[4]
MGMT made a cover of “Goodbye Darling”, as a tribute to Alan Vega.[7]
Track listing
All tracks composed by Alan Vega; except where indicated
- "Saturn Drive" (Al Jourgensen, Alan Vega) - 5:36
- "Video Babe" - 3:17
- "American Dreamer" (Ric Ocasek, Vega) - 5:04
- "Kid Congo" - 2:37
- "Goodbye Darling" (Mark Kuch, Vega) - 2:38
- "Wipeout Beat" - 5:59
- "Je T'Adore" - 3:40
- "Angel" - 5:06
- "Every 1's a Winner"[8] (Errol Brown) - 4:10
Personnel
- Alan Vega - vocals
- Mark Kuch - guitar
- Larry Chaplin - bass
- Sesu Coleman - drums
- Stephen George - drums on "Saturn Drive", "American Dreamer" and "Wipeout Beat"
- Ric Ocasek - guitar, keyboards
- Al Jourgensen - keyboards on "Saturn Drive"
- Greg Hawkes - synthesizer, saxophone on "Wipeout Beat"
- Technical
- Michael Zilkha - executive producer
References
- ^ Pareles, Jon (July 17, 2016). "Alan Vega, Punk Music Pioneer and Artist, Dies at 78". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "TrouserPress.com :: Suicide". trouserpress.com.
- ^ Valdivia, Victor W. "Saturn Strip". Allmusic. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Allmusic review
- ^ Morgan Enos (September 16, 2019). "R.I.P. Ric Ocasek: 10 Essential Albums He Produced for Other Artists". Billboard.
- ^ Kellman, Andy. "Saturn Strip/ Just A Million Dreams". Allmusic. Retrieved April 30, 2009.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 18, 2016). "MGMT, Blondie, Arcade Fire's Win Butler & Others Pay Tribute to Suicide's Alan Vega".
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (July 18, 2016). "Suicide's Alan Vega: a punk pioneer who shoved the streets back in people's faces". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.