Black Snakes

Black Snakes
Black Snakes
Studio album by The Red Krayola with Art & Language
Released	1983
Recorded	Sunrise Studio, Switzerland
Genre	Experimental rock
Length	47:22
Label	RecRec (original release); Drag City (reissue)
The Red Krayola with Art & Language chronology
The Red Krayola chronology

Black Snakes is a collaboration between the experimental rock band Red Krayola and the conceptual art group Art & Language.^[5]^[6] It was released in 1983 by RecRec Music.^[7] The album was adopted by Drag City and re-issued on CD in 1997.^[8]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Robert Christgau	B^[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10^[4]

Critical reception

Dave Thompson, in Alternative Rock, referred to the album as an "avant-garde theater [soundtrack] without the theater to explain what was happening."^[9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael Baldwin, Mel Ramsden, and Mayo Thompson

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Black Snakes"	4:41
2.	"Ratman, The Weightwatcher"	2:52
3.	"The Sloths"	6:42
4.	"The Jam"	4:29
5.	"Hedges"	3:48

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Portrait of V. I. Lenin in the Style of Jackson Pollock, Part I"	3:05
2.	"Future Pilots"	4:17
3.	"A Portrait of You"	4:49
4.	"Words of Love"	4:49
5.	"Café Twenty-One"	3:53
6.	"Gynaecology in Ancient Greece"	3:55

Personnel

Musicians

Ben Annesley – bass guitar
Chris Taylor – drums
Allen Ravenstine – synthesizer, saxophone
Mayo Thompson – guitar, vocals

Production

Etienne Conod – recording
Eric Radcliffe – mixing
Robert Vogel – recording

References

^ "The Red Crayola with Art & Language – Black Snakes | Drag City". www.dragcity.com.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Red Crayola with Art & Language: Black Snakes". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 806.
^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 322.
^ "Thompson's twins". Dallas Observer. June 17, 1999.
^ Miller, Eric T. (June 2, 2006). "The Red Krayola: Outside The Lines".
^ Kenny, Glenn; Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira (2007). "Red Crayola". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
^ "The Red Krayola: Black Snakes". Drag City. 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
^ Thompson, Dave (August 9, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.

External links

Black Snakes at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] "The Red Crayola with Art & Language – Black Snakes | Drag City". www.dragcity.com.

[Christgau_Review-2] Christgau, Robert. "Red Crayola with Art & Language: Black Snakes". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved July 28, 2017.

[CL-3] Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 806.

[SP-4] Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 322.

[5] "Thompson's twins". Dallas Observer. June 17, 1999.

[6] Miller, Eric T. (June 2, 2006). "The Red Krayola: Outside The Lines".

[trouserpress-7] Kenny, Glenn; Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira (2007). "Red Crayola". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.

[8] "The Red Krayola: Black Snakes". Drag City. 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.

[9] Thompson, Dave (August 9, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.

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