Freak Magnet Explained
| Freak Magnet |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Violent Femmes |
| Cover: | Freak Magnet.jpg |
| Studio: | Big House, Soundtrack, Odin, Son/Re, DV's Perversion Room, Milwaukee, WI, Nine Lives |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Length: | 44:49 |
| Label: | Beyond |
| Producer: | Warren Bruleigh, Violent Femmes, Pierre Henry, Tom Grimley |
| Prev Title: | Viva Wisconsin |
| Prev Year: | 1999 |
| Next Title: | Something's Wrong |
| Next Year: | 2001 |
Freak Magnet is a studio album by Violent Femmes, released in 2000.[1] [2] It contains the single "Sleepwalkin'".[3]
Originally scheduled for a 1998 release on Interscope Records, Freak Magnet was pulled when the band was dropped from the label.[4] A reissue with live bonus tracks were released via Shout! Factory in 2005.[5]
Critical reception
The Washington Post called the album "stuck in the Reagan decade," writing that "the Femmes still play punky hootenanny-rock with occasional potty-mouthed lyrics to assure frat-boy appeal."[6] Exclaim! wrote that the Violent Femmes "tend to sound like an average band dabbling in a goofy brand of punk, save for Gordon Gano's voice, which anyone could spot a mile away."[7] Pastes Andrew Lisle wrote: "With sarcastic, solid originals like 'Happiness Is' and 'Hollywood Is High', the boys try to achieve former glory on Freak Magnet, falling just short of success."[8] Trouser Press called it "a strong return to form," writing that "the Femmes hang their music in thick, hard-rocking sheets of sound rather than on a skeletal acoustic frame."[9]
Personnel
Violent Femmes
- Gordon Gano – vocal, guitar
- Brian Ritchie – bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion, shakuhachi, vocal, additional recording, cover design
- Guy Hoffman – drums, percussion, vocal
Technical personnel
- Violent Femmes – co-producer
- Warren Bruleigh – co-producer, mixing, additional recording
- Pierre Henry – co-producer, additional recording
- Tom Grimley – co-producer, additional recording
- Martin Brass – recording, mixing
- David Vartanian – mixing, cover design
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
- Roger Lian – mastering
- Bill Emmons – additional recording
- Mark Mason – assistant engineer
- Ken Feldman – assistant engineer
- Rich Tapper – assistant engineer
- Nicola Stemmer – assistant engineer
Notes and References
- Web site: Violent Femmes | Biography & History. AllMusic.
- Web site: Reviews. CMJ New Music Report. February 7, 2000. CMJ Network, Inc.. Google Books.
- Web site: Teri. VanHorn. January 3, 2000. Violent Femmes To Take Freak Magnet On Road. https://web.archive.org/web/20171002232526/http://www.mtv.com/news/620225/violent-femmes-to-take-freak-magnet-on-road/. dead. October 2, 2017. MTV News.
- Hear Violent Femmes' First New Song in 15 Years. Nick. Murray. Rolling Stone. March 4, 2015.
- Web site: Freak Magnet [Bonus Tracks] - Violent Femmes | Release Info]. Allmusic.
- News: VIOLENT FEMMES. Mark. Jenkins. April 14, 2000. The Washington Post.
- Web site: Scott. Wilyman. May 1, 2000. Violent Femmes Freak Magnet. Exclaim!.
- Andrew. Lisle. Violent Femmes (reissues). June 30, 2008. Paste.
- Web site: Ira. Robbins. Violent Femmes . . 16 February 2021.
