Uncle Anesthesia is the fifth studio album by the American band Screaming Trees.[2][3] It was released in 1991 via Epic Records.[1] It includes three of the four tracks from the band's previous Epic release, Something About Today.[4]
| Uncle Anesthesia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Original album artwork by Mark Ryden | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 29, 1991[1] | |||
| Recorded | June 1990 | |||
| Studio | London Bridge, Seattle, Washington | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock | |||
| Length | 47:05 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Terry Date, Chris Cornell | |||
| Screaming Trees chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Bed of Roses" was released as a single and peaked at No. 23 on the Modern Rock charts.[5] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Nirvana and Das Damen; Dan Peters played drums on much of the tour.[6][7][8]
Production
editRecorded at London Bridge Studio, Uncle Anesthesia was produced primarily by Terry Date and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell.[9][10] Unlike in the past, the band rehearsed for a couple of weeks before recording.[11] The album took six and a half weeks to record.[12]
Uncle Anesthesia was the last to feature drumming by original member Mark Pickerel, who left on amicable terms in 1991.[10] He was replaced by Barrett Martin.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Calgary Herald | B−[15] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [16] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10[17] |
The Calgary Herald noted the "strong rockin' guitars with psychedelic undercurrents and the occasional pause for the pensive cause."[15] The St. Petersburg Times wrote that "vocalist Mark Lanegan croons fairy tale lyrics that melt through a sonic wall of guitars and percussion."[18] The Dayton Daily News concluded that "if Jim Morrison had joined a garage band instead of the jazz-trained Doors, it might have sounding something like Screaming Trees."[19]
The Province opined that "Gary Lee Conner resurrects the guitar sound of Syd Barrett and takes the band toward Interstellar Overdrive."[20] The Washington Post determined that "Gary Lee Conner can tear off a screeching lead or stomp a wah-wah pedal like any halfway-initiated Black Sabbath disciple, but he's not merely a piledriver; his atmospheric playing on tracks like 'Bed of Roses' give them unexpected delicacy."[21] The San Diego Union-Tribune stated that "Lanegan's spooky, back-from-the-crypt vocals and Gary Lee Conner's luminous guitars give this album an otherworldly glow."[22]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Mark Lanegan and Gary Lee Conner, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Beyond This Horizon" | 4:13 | |
| 2. | "Bed of Roses" | Lanegan, G. Conner, Van Conner | 3:02 |
| 3. | "Uncle Anesthesia" | Lanegan, G. Conner, V. Conner | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Story of Her Fate" | 1:41 | |
| 5. | "Caught Between" | Lanegan, G. Conner, V. Conner | 5:03 |
| 6. | "Lay Your Head Down" | 3:32 | |
| 7. | "Before We Arise" | 2:26 | |
| 8. | "Something About Today" | 3:02 | |
| 9. | "Alice Said" | 4:11 | |
| 10. | "Time for Light" | 3:50 | |
| 11. | "Disappearing" | 3:12 | |
| 12. | "Ocean of Confusion" | 3:05 | |
| 13. | "Closer" | 5:48 | |
| Total length: | 47:05 | ||
Personnel
edit- Screaming Trees
- Mark Lanegan – vocals
- Gary Lee Conner – guitar, backing vocals
- Van Conner – bass, backing vocals
- Mark Pickerel – percussion, drums
- Additional musicians
- Chris Cornell – producer, recorder ("Lay Your Head Down"), backing Vocals ("Alice Said," "Uncle Anesthesia," "Before We Arise")
- Terry Date – backing vocals, producer, engineer
- Scott Miller – backing vocals
- Terry Pickerel – percussion
- Jeff McGraph – trumpet
- Additional personnel
- David Coleman – art direction
- Karen Mason – photography
- Mark Ryden – artwork
- Screaming Trees – producer
Charts
editSingles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Bed of Roses" | Modern Rock Tracks | 23 |
References
edit- ^ a b Abbott, Jim (1 Feb 1991). "In the Bin". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 25.
- ^ Righi, Len (3 May 1991). "A Taste of Mudhoney for Screaming Trees". The Morning Call. p. D1.
- ^ Myers, Caren (Jun 20, 1992). "Forest and Last and Always -- Uncle Anesthesia by Screaming Trees". Melody Maker. 68 (25): 31.
- ^ MacDonald, Patrick (October 12, 1990). "Screaming Trees". Tempo. The Seattle Times. p. 8.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Record Research Inc. p. 222.
- ^ Mackie, John (7 Mar 1991). "Screaming Trees Growing Tall". Vancouver Sun. p. F21.
- ^ Eichenberger, Bill (April 25, 1991). "Psychedelia lives". Weekender. The Columbus Dispatch. p. 8.
- ^ Robins, Wayne (10 May 1991). "Spin on the '70s". Part II. Newsday. p. 103.
- ^ Phalen, Tom (January 25, 1991). "Seattle's Screaming Trees...". Tempo. The Seattle Times. p. 8.
- ^ a b Penner, John (13 Mar 1991). "Screaming Trees' Perennial Woes Settle to a Low Hum". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
- ^ Mitchell, Justin (April 12, 1991). "LP Propels Screaming Trees to New Heights". Weekend. Rocky Mountain News. p. 114.
- ^ Menconi, David (June 18, 1993). "A Seattle Alternative". The News & Observer. p. W8.
- ^ Azerrad, Michael (Feb 18, 1993). "The Lost Boys". Rolling Stone (650): 15, 25.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "allmusic ((( Uncle Anesthesia > Review )))". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
- ^ a b Muretich, James (17 Feb 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. F2.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan. "Screaming Trees". (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. November 2004. pg. 721, cited March 17, 2010
- ^ Azzerad, Michael (1995). "Screaming Trees". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 343–344. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ Hall, Dave (22 Feb 1991). "The Screaming Trees Uncle Anesthesia". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 18.
- ^ Larsen, Dave (April 19, 1991). "Screaming Trees Uncle Anesthesia". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 14.
- ^ Harrison, Tom (31 Mar 1991). "Screaming Trees: Uncle Anesthesia". The Province. Entertainment. p. 85.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (17 May 1991). "Trees' Metal Roots". The Washington Post. p. N21.
- ^ Peterson, Karla (April 23, 1992). "Seattle slew of sounds has sprung forth". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 8.