Tribal Opera is an album by Mark Heard (using the pseudonym iDEoLA), released in 1987 on What? Records. It is a full-on solo project, put together by Heard in his home studio using samples and acoustic, electric and electronic instruments. The band name iDEoLA has no particular meaning; of it Heard said, "It's not supposed to be mysterious or anything; I just put a band together and right now I happen to be the only one in it." The album was a big departure step away from the country/folk-rock atmosphere of much of Heard's prior and subsequent music.[2]
| Tribal Opera | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Studio | Fingerprint Recorders, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Label | What?/A&M | |||
| Producer | Mark Heard | |||
| IDEoLA chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Both Rich Mullins and Olivia Newton-John later covered "How to Grow Up Big and Strong" on their own albums. Americana artist John Austin covered "Go Ask the Dead Man".
Track listing
editAll songs written by Mark Heard.
Side one
- "I Am An Emotional Man" – 4:30
- "Is It Any Wonder" – 3:49
- "Watching the Ship Go Down" – 3:53
- "Talk To Me" – 3:49
- "Go Ask the Dead Man" – 3:52
Side two
- "Love Is Bigger Than Life" – 3:37
- "How to Grow Up Big and Strong" – 5:07
- "Everybody Dances" – 4:07
- "Why Can't We Just Say No" – 4:24
- "Hold Back Your Tears" – 3:47
Personnel
editThe band[3]
- iDEoLA – all instruments and vocals
Additional musicians People who hit things for digital samples at Fingerprint Recorders: Doug Mathews, David McSparran, Steve Hindalong, David Baker (who also played the Wengi Drum introduction for "Talk To Me") and Dan Michaels
Production notes
- Produced and recorded by Mark Heard at Fingerprint Recorders, Los Angeles, California
- Mixed digitally by Mark Heard at Can Am Recorders, Tarzana, California
- Assistants: Stan Katayama, Dan Reed and, Jim Dineen
- PCM 1630 editing at Digital Magnetics by Ted Hall
- Digital mastering at Futuredisc by Steve Hall
- Slaves prepared at Hollywood Sound
- Cover design and graphic arts: Tim Alderson
- Back cover photo-art by Stewart lvester
- Front cover optical textures by Andrew Doucene
References
edit- ^ "Tribal Opera - iDEoLA - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 408. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
- ^ "Tribal Opera - Christian Music Archive". christianmusicarchive.com. Retrieved 29 October 2018.