Bizarro (album) explained

Bizarro
Type:	Studio
Artist:	The Wedding Present
Cover:	TWPBizarro.jpg
Released:	23 October 1989
Recorded:	1989, England
Genre:	Alternative rock, indie pop
Length:	46:58
Label:	RCA
Producer:	Chris Allison
Prev Title:	Українські Виступи в Івана Піла
Prev Year:	1989
Next Title:	Seamonsters
Next Year:	1991

Bizarro is the second studio album by The Wedding Present. It was released in October 1989 by their record label, RCA.

About the album

The Wedding Present's second studio album—and first "proper" album for RCA—came soon after the Ukrainian John Peel Sessions / Українські Виступи в Івана Піла folk music side project.^[1]

Technically speaking, only one single was taken from the album, "Kennedy", which provided the band with their first Top 40 hit, reaching #33. In early 1990, The Wedding Present re-recorded "Brassneck" with Steve Albini,^{[2] [3]} which reached #24 in the UK charts. The single and its B-sides were later included on U.S. release of the album, and are also included on the Singles 1989-1991 compilation. The US CD version contains the Wedding Present's cover of "Box Elder", an early song by then unknown American band Pavement.^[4] A remastered CD version, released by BMG Camden in 2001, also features the B-sides of the "Kennedy" single, including a cover version of the Tom Jones hit "It's Not Unusual".^[5]

Track listing

All tracks written by David Gedge (unless otherwise noted).

Side A

1. "Brassneck" – 4:51
2. "Crushed" – 2:32
3. "No" – 4:11
4. "Thanks" – 2:22
5. "Kennedy" – 4:20
6. "What Have I Said Now?" – 5:18

Side B

1. "Granadaland" – 4:50
2. "Bewitched" – 6:42
3. "Take Me!" – 9:15
4. "Be Honest" – 2:37

US CD release

1. "Brassneck" [original version] – 4:52
2. "Crushed" – 2:32
3. "No" – 4:11
4. "Thanks" – 2:22
5. "Kennedy" – 4:20
6. "What Have I Said Now?" – 5:18
7. "Granadaland" – 4:50
8. "Bewitched" – 6:42
9. "Take Me!" – 9:15
10. "Brassneck" [Steve Albini version] – 4:22
11. "Box Elder" (written by Pavement) – 2:14
12. "Don't Talk Just Kiss" – 3:20
13. "Gone" – 2:42
14. "Be Honest" – 2:37

UK remastered CD

1. "Brassneck" [original version] – 4:52
2. "Crushed" – 2:32
3. "No" – 4:11
4. "Thanks" – 2:22
5. "Kennedy" – 4:20
6. "What Have I Said Now?" – 5:18
7. "Granadaland" – 4:50
8. "Bewitched" – 6:42
9. "Take Me!" – 9:15
10. "Be Honest" – 2:37
11. "Unfaithful" – 3:21
12. "One Day This Will All Be Yours" – 2:02
13. "It's Not Unusual" (Les Reed and Gordon Mills) – 2:09
14. "Brassneck" (Steve Albini version) – 4:22
15. "Don't Talk Just Kiss" – 3:20
16. "Gone" – 2:42
17. "Box Elder" (written by Stephen Malkmus of Pavement)^[6] – 2:14

Personnel

The Wedding Present

• David Gedge – vocals, guitar
• Peter Solowka – guitar
• Keith Gregory – bass guitar
• Simon Smith – drums

Additional musicians

• Amelia Fletcher – backing vocals

Technical staff

• Chris Allison – producer
• Steve Lyon – engineer

Artwork

• The Designers Republic

External links

• Scopitones, home of The Wedding Present

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Wedding Present = Весільний Подарунок* - Ukrainski Vistupi V Johna Peela = Українські Виступи В Івана Піла. Discogs. 6 October 1988 . 16 April 2019.
2. Web site: Wright . Darryl G. . 2015-03-16 . Rediscover: The Wedding Present: Bizarro . 2022-11-09 . Spectrum Culture.
3. Web site: Foster . John . 2010-04-09 . Judging A Cover By Its Cover: The Wedding Present "Bizarro" . 2022-11-09 . Brightest Young Things. https://web.archive.org/web/20221109212236/https://brightestyoungthings.com/articles/judging-a-cover-by-its-cover-the-wedding-present-bizarro. 9 November 2022. dead.
4. Web site: Modell . Josh . 2014-01-14 . The Wedding Present covered Pavement before anybody knew who that was . 2022-11-09 . The A.V. Club.
5. Web site: The Wedding Present - Bizarro. Discogs. 16 April 2019.
6. Web site: Pavement - Slay Tracks: 1933 - 1969. Discogs. 6 October 1989 . 16 April 2019.