Horseshoes and Hand Grenades (Chris Mars album)

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is the 1992 debut solo album by Chris Mars.[5][6]

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Studio album by
Released1992
StudioPaisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota, US
Genre
Length47:37
LabelSmash
ProducerChris Mars & Tom Herbers
Chris Mars chronology
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
(1992)
75% Less Fat
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]
MusicHound Rock[4]

The album contains the hit song "Popular Creeps," which denounces snooty high school cliques. Most songs seem to cover break-ups; mental illness; homelessness as a trend; alienation; and apparently the rest of his former band, The Replacements.

The track, "Better Days," is about being sick from school and experiencing hallucinations from tainted cold medicine.

Though Mars performs primarily as a one-man band, J.D. Foster plays the bass guitar.[7] Dan Murphy and David Pirner from Soul Asylum guest on "Monkey Sees," "Before It Began," and "City Lights on Mars."

Track listing

edit

All songs written and arranged by Chris Mars.

  1. "Reverse Status" (3:12)
  2. "Popular Creeps" (3:04)
  3. "Outer Limits" (3:17)
  4. "Before it Began" (3:51)
  5. "Get Out of My Life" (3:17)
  6. "Monkey Sees" (3:55)
  7. "Ego Maniac" (2:34)
  8. "Midnight Carnival" (4:17)
  9. "I, Me, We, Us, Them" (3:43)
  10. "Don't You See It" (3:51)
  11. "Happy Disconnections" (3:11)
  12. "Better Days" (3:03)
  13. "City Lights on Mars" (2:49)
  14. "Last Drop" (3:33)

Personnel

edit
  • Chris Mars - vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, drums, percussion
  • Dan Murphy - lead guitar on track 13, backing vocals
  • J.D. Foster - bass
  • David Pirner - trumpet on track 6, backing vocals

References

edit
  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Chris Mars - 75% Less Fat Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". allmusic. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Horseshoes & Hand Grenades - Chris Mars | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  3. ^ critic, Greg Kot, Rock music. "DRUMMING UP A HIT". chicagotribune.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Saniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. New York: Schirmer Trade Books. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
  5. ^ "TrouserPress.com :: Chris Mars". www.trouserpress.com.
  6. ^ "Mars Proves to Be the Fastest Replacement". Los Angeles Times. June 27, 1992.
  7. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (May 17, 1992). "TEAM PLAYERS BREAKING OUT IN SOLO DEBUTS" – via www.washingtonpost.com.