The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse is an album by the Anglo-Dutch band the Legendary Pink Dots, released in 1990.[1][2][3] The album is a cult fan favorite.[4] Niels van Hoorn contributed on flute, saxophones, and clarinet.[5]
| The Crushed Velvet Apocalypse | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 68:06 (CD) 46:41 (LP and cassette) | |||
| Label | Play It Again Sam/Wax Trax!, Caroline (Belgium, US) Cacciocavallo/Soleilmoon (US) SPV (Poland) | |||
| Producer | The Legendary Pink Dots | |||
| The Legendary Pink Dots chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [7] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Using instrumentation that includes electronics, guitar, sitar, flute and oboe, the longtime-cult-favorite Pink Dots craft a sometimes-stark, sometimes-elegant, sometimes-dreamy outing of neo-psychedelia and alternative pop that's imbued with a pronounced eccentricity of vision and a captivating originality of execution."[7] Trouser Press noted that "Green Gang" "runs sitar/tabla meanderings into twittering flutes and winds up building a quietly disturbing skein of motorway noise."[8]
In 2016, LA Weekly included Crushed Velvet Apocalypse on its list of classic goth albums.[9] Salt Lake City Weekly called the music "lush, luxurious and sensual, yet also dark and sinister, with a sense of mysticism that is foreboding more than comforting."[10]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Love You In Your Tragic Beauty" | 4:40 |
| 2. | "Green Gang" | 7:38 |
| 3. | "Hellsville" | 5:42 |
| 4. | "Hellowe'en" | 1:17 |
| 5. | "The Safe Way" | 4:31 |
| 6. | "Just a Lifetime" | 7:40 |
| 7. | "The Death of Jack the Ripper" | 5:20 |
| 8. | "New Tomorrow" | 9:53 |
| 9. | "Princess Coldheart" (*) | 6:40 |
| 10. | "The Pleasure Palace" (*) | 8:10 |
| 11. | "The Collector" (*) | 5:20 |
| 12. | "C.V.A." (+) | 1:15 |
| Total length: | 1:08:06 | |
(*) Not included on LP and cassette editions – taken from the Princess Coldheart 12".
(+) Unreleased CD bonus track.
Personnel
edit- Qa'Sepel (Edward Ka-Spel) – voices, keyboards
- The Silver Man (Phil Knight) – keyboards, samples, devices, percussion
- Bob Pistoor – guitars, sitar, bass
- Niels van Hoorn – flute, saxophones, bass clarinet
- Hanz Myer – electronics, oboe, tymphanis
Additional personnel
edit- Hanz Myre – engineer
Notes
edit- The SPV edition contains different artwork than that of the other editions.
- The album title references the Velvet Revolution of Czechoslovakia in 1989.
- The Safe Way references a grocery store on the west coast of the United States.
References
edit- ^ Stubbs, David (27 January 1990). "The Legendary Pink Dots". Melody Maker. 66 (4): 27.
- ^ DeWalt, Rob (12 November 2010). "Dots the Way I Like It". The Santa Fe New Mexican. p. PA63.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. Miller Freeman Books. p. 458.
- ^ "Pink Dots at Hard Rock Cafe". The Warsaw Voice. 17 October 2007.
- ^ The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides Ltd. 2003. p. 589.
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ a b Popson, Tom (27 July 1990). "An intriguing dash of Dots eccentricity". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. R.
- ^ "Legendary Pink Dots". Trouser Press. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ Ohanesian, Liz (15 February 2016). "10 Classic Goth Albums for People Who Don't Know Shit About Goth Music". Music. LA Weekly.
- ^ Staker, Brian (14 September 2016). "Dots Come Full Circle". Salt Lake City Weekly.