Chain is the third studio album by the American rock band Pylon, released in 1990.[3][4] It was released after a seven-year hiatus.[5] R.E.M. had lobbied the band to record again, suggesting that Pylon could use R.E.M.'s practice space.[6]
| Chain | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Recorded | Tracks 1–3 and 5–13 recorded July 1990; "Sugarpop" recorded February 1990 | |||
| Studio | Reflection Sound Studios, John Keane Studios | |||
| Genre | Dance-punk,[1] jangle rock[1] | |||
| Label | Sky Records[2] 7-2020-1 | |||
| Producer | Gary Smith, Scott Litt | |||
| Pylon chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[8] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [9] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [10] |
Robert Christgau thought that Pylon's "low registers, deliberate silences, and inexorably unmechanical beat all feed a muscular musical solidity with no real parallels—10 years after, the only band that sounds remotely similar is the Gang of Four."[8] Trouser Press wrote: "While retaining the band's traditional bite, Chain gets more melody and texture from [Vanessa] Briscoe-Hay's singing and Randy Bewley's sharp guitar jabs."[3] Newsday noted the "monomaniacal infatuation with thick bass notes and a steady, pneumatic beat."[11] The Washington Post determined that "there's still plenty of bounce in the band's sleek, steel-springed sound."[1]
Track listing
edit- All songs written and arranged by Pylon.
- "Look Alive" – 4:19
- "Catch" – 3:37
- "B-Complex" – 2:25
- "Sugarpop" – 3:25
- "There It Is" – 3:32
- "Springtime" – 3:38
- "This / That" – 3:02
- "Go" – 3:57
- "Crunch" – 3:39
- "Very Right" – 3:49
- "Metal" – 2:50
- "Outside" – 2:47
- "Sloganistic" – 2:36
Personnel
edit- Vanessa Ellison – vocals
- Randy Bewley – guitars
- Michael Lachowski – bass
- Curtis Crowe – drums
References
edit- ^ a b c Jenkins, Mark (28 Sep 1990). "'Chain' Links Pylon to Jangle of Athens". The Washington Post. p. N14.
- ^ Gettelman, Parry. "Pylon". OrlandoSentinel.com.
- ^ a b "Pylon". Trouser Press. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ Kot, Greg. "DANCING OVATION FOR PYLON". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Pop Reviews : Pylon: Purity but With Too Little Purpose". Los Angeles Times. October 27, 1990.
- ^ Dafoe, Chris (5 Oct 1990). "Pylon rises from Athens' ashes". Toronto Star. p. D16.
- ^ "Chain - Pylon | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ a b "Robert Christgau: Album: Pylon: Chain". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 700.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 568–569.
- ^ Robins, Wayne (5 Oct 1990). "A Comeback". Part II. Newsday. p. 22.