Mr. Superlove is the debut studio album by Cincinnati, Ohio-based indie rock band Ass Ponys. It was originally released in 1990 on OKra Records, and was subsequently reissued by Anyway Records with several bonus tracks. It was produced by the Afghan Whigs' bassist John Curley, and was recorded in his house.[1] Upon its initial release, the album became a commercial flop due to distribution problems.[2] In 2006, select remastered songs from the album and its follow-up, Grim, along with various new outtakes, covers, and live versions, were released by Shake It Records on the album The Okra Years.[3]
| Mr. Superlove | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Genre | Country rock, indie rock | |||
| Length | 55:37 | |||
| Label | OKra, Anyway | |||
| Producer | John Curley | |||
| Ass Ponys chronology | ||||
| ||||
Covers of title track
editA cover of the album's title track appears on What Jail is Like EP, a 1993 EP by the Afghan Whigs.[4] The Whigs' cover of the track also appears on a 7" single released soon after Mr. Superlove, which also featured a cover of the Whigs' song "You, My Flower" by the Ass Ponys, and on the 2014 reissue of the Whigs's 1993 album Gentlemen.[5][6]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide |  [8] |
Mr. Superlove was reviewed by Jason Cohen in the indie music magazine Option.[9] Vickie Gilmer of Trouser Press wrote of the album: "The frontman's slightly nasal, oddly high-pitched vocal tricks most definitely aren't for everyone, but his hell-bent strains give the Ass Ponys an instantly likable quality."[2] In 2001, the Dayton Daily News described the album as a "regional classic".[10]
Track listing
editSide A
edit- Hey Swifty – 5:34
- Ford Madox Ford – 4:03
- Eleven: Eleven – 4:55
- (We All Love) Peanut Butter – 3:45
- Laughing at the Ghosts – 5:33
Side B
edit- Mr. Superlove – 4:56
- Thank You for the Roses – 3:44
- Ride Ramona – 3:58
- Fingers Fall – 5:04
- Bible House – 3:50
Personnel
editAss Ponys
edit- Randy Cheek – bass, vocals
- Chuck Cleaver – vocals, guitar
- John Erhardt – guitar
- Dan Kleinger – drums
Other personnel
edit- John Curley – production, mixing, engineering
References
edit- ^ Alden, Grant (1996-06-30). "Ass Ponys - Would the Ass Ponys, by any other name, smell as sweet?". No Depression. Archived from the original on 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
- ^ a b Gilmer, Vickie. "Ass Ponys". Trouser Press.
- ^ Varias, Chris (2006-02-19). "Asinine name didn't stop Ponys from hitting stride". Cincinnati Enquirer – via ProQuest.
- ^ LLC, SPIN Media (January 1995). "Spins". Spin. SPIN Media LLC. p. 74.
- ^ Grow, Kory (2014-09-08). "Afghan Whigs Plan 21st Birthday Reissue for 'Gentlemen'". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Cincinnati Band Returns Swinging". Dayton Daily News. 2001-09-07.
- ^ Raggett, Ned. "Mr. Superlove - Ass Ponys". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (2000-10-15). "Ass Ponys". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan. p. 10. ISBN 9780312245603.
- ^ Cohen, Jason (2016-01-20). "Ass Ponys Ride Again - Cincinnati Magazine". Cincinnati Magazine. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
- ^ "Cincinnati Band Returns Swinging". Dayton Daily News. 2001-09-07 – via ProQuest.