El Rey (The Wedding Present album)

El Rey is the seventh studio album by The Wedding Present. It was released in the US on May 20, 2008, by Manifesto Records, and on May 26, 2008, in the UK by Vibrant Records/Pinnacle Records. The album was the band's first album since 2005's Take Fountain. El Rey was preceded by the first single "The Thing I Like Best About Him Is His Girlfriend" as a digital download only.

El Rey
Studio album by The Wedding Present
Released	May 20, 2008 (US), May 26, 2008 (UK)
Recorded	January 2008
Studio	Electrical Audio, The Laundry Room
Genre	Indie rock
Length	45:32
Label	Manifesto (US), Vibrant (UK)
Producer	Steve Albini, The Wedding Present, Pete Magdaleno
The Wedding Present chronology
Search for Paradise: Singles 2004-5 (2006) El Rey (2008) Valentina (2012)
Singles from El Rey
"The Thing I Like Best About Him Is His Girlfriend" Released: May 5, 2008

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
NME	(8/10) (05/24/2008, p.39)
Cosmos Gaming

Production

The Wedding Present arranged new material at Swing House and Cole Studios, both in Hollywood, California, and at Q10 in Glenrothes, Scotland. El Rey was produced by Steve Albini, the band, and Pete Magdaleno. Sessions were held in January 2008 at Electrical Audio in Chicago, Illinois, with Albini handling recording. Additional overdubs were done at The Laundry Room in Los Angeles, California, with Magdaleno handling recording, assisted by Ulysses Noriega. Albini mixed the album at Electrical Audio; Castro sequenced the album, before it was mastered by John Golden at Golden Sounds in Ventura, California, with assistance from JJ Golden.

Track listing

Track listing per booklet.

1. "Santa Ana Winds" (Gedge, Castro) - 3:56
2. "Spider-Man on Hollywood" (Gedge, McConville) - 3:30
3. "I Lost the Monkey" (Gedge, Cleave) - 3:50
4. "Soup" (Gedge, Ramsay) - 3:49
5. "Palisades" (Gedge, Castro) - 3:51
6. "The Trouble with Men" (Gedge, Ramsay) - 5:22
7. "Model, Actress, Whatever..." (Gedge, Castro) - 3:58
8. "Don't Take Me Home Until I'm Drunk" (Gedge, McConville) - 3:07
9. "The Thing I Like Best About Him Is His Girlfriend" (Santa Monica and La Brea Version) (Gedge, Castro) - 4:34
10. "Boo Boo" (Gedge, Castro) - 6:23
11. "Swingers" (Gedge, Cleave) - 3:05
12. "Back for Good" (Exclusive Bonus Track) - 4:41 - iTunes Store only, cover of a Take That track

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.

The Wedding Present

• David Gedge – lead vocals, guitars, mellotron
• Christopher McConville – guitars, Hammond organ, mellotron
• Terry de Castro – bass guitar, backing vocals, Hammond organ, lead vocals (track 11)
• Graeme Ramsay – drums, percussion, mellotron

Production and design

• Steve Albini – recording, mixing, producer
• The Wedding Present – producer
• Pete Magdaleno – producer, additional overdub recording
• Ulysses Noriega – additional overdub assistant
• Terry de Castro – sequenced
• John Golden – mastering
• JJ Golden – mastering assistant
• Egelnick and Webb – sleeve design
• J. Antoinette McMillan – photography