Headfirst into the Flames: Live in Europe is the fifth live album by the free jazz group Last Exit, released in 1993 by MuWorks Records.[1]
| Headfirst into the Flames: Live in Europe | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Recorded | 1989 in Stockholm, Sweden and Munich, Germany | |||
| Genre | Free jazz | |||
| Length | 63:03 | |||
| Label | MuWorks | |||
| Producer | Robert Musso | |||
| Last Exit chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
In a review for AllMusic, John Dougan wrote: "Headfirst kicks off with the brain fry of 'Lizard Eyes' only to launch into a Sharrock improv called 'Don't Be a Cry Baby, Whatever You Do.' Brotzmann blows wild and free here, and his squeal and blurt provides a great counterpoint to the rumble of the rhythms and the pummeling sonic overload of Sharrock's guitar. Another piece of blurt that will make you head spin."
Writing for Trouser Press, Greg Kot stated: "While cutthroat power is still very much part of the group's repertoire, the emphasis is more on give-and-take... 'Jesus! What Gorgeous Monkeys We Are' simmers rather than boils for all of its eleven minutes, a four-way conversation of the type rarely heard on the earlier albums."[3]
Track listing
editAll music is composed by Peter Brötzmann, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Bill Laswell, Sonny Sharrock
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lizard Eyes" | 5:43 |
| 2. | "Don't Be a Cry Baby, Whatever You Do" | 6:37 |
| 3. | "So Small, So Weak, This Body Sweat of Loving" | 4:37 |
| 4. | "Headfirst into the Flames" | 3:11 |
| 5. | "A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows" | 6:18 |
| 6. | "Jesus! What Gorgeous Monkeys We Are" | 10:52 |
| 7. | "Hanged Men Are Always Naked" | 10:05 |
| 8. | "No One Knows Anything" | 5:22 |
| 9. | "I Must Confess I'm a Cannibal" | 10:18 |
Accolades
edit| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Wire | United Kingdom | Albums of the Year[4] | 1993 | 17 |
Personnel
edit- Last Exit
- Peter Brötzmann – bass saxophone, cover art
- Ronald Shannon Jackson – drums
- Bill Laswell – Fender 6-string bass
- Sonny Sharrock – guitar
- Technical personnel
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1993 | MuWorks | CD | MUW 1013 |
| United States | 2008 | DMG/ARC | CD | 0701 |
References
edit- ^ Kot, Greg (2007). "Last Exit". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ Dougan, John. "Headfirst into the Flames: Live in Europe". Allmusic. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ Kot, Greg (2007). "Last Exit". Trouser Press. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ "The Wire End of Year Lists 1993: Albums". The Wire. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
External links
edit- Headfirst into the Flames: Live in Europe at Bandcamp
- Headfirst into the Flames - Live in Europe at Discogs (list of releases)