Mental Floss for the Globe explained

Mental Floss for the Globe
Type:	Studio
Artist:	Urban Dance Squad
Cover:	Urban_Dance_Squad,_Mental_Floss_for_the_Globe,_front_cover.jpeg
Released:	1989
Recorded:	May–July 1989 at I.C.P. studios,^[1] Brussels
Genre:	Rap rock funk rock funk metal
Length:	50:48
Label:	Arista
Producer:	Jean-Marie Aerts^[2]
Next Title:	Life 'n Perspectives of a Genuine Crossover
Next Year:	1991

Mental Floss for the Globe is the debut album by Dutch rap rock band Urban Dance Squad. Released in 1989 (in the US, 1990) and produced by Belgian guitarist Jean-Marie Aerts,^[2] the album features a crossover of several music genres, such as rock, hip hop, and funk. It spawned the hit single "Deeper Shade of Soul," which gained the band international recognition, including in the United States, where they toured with Living Colour.^[3] The album got to #54 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

"Deeper Shade of Soul" reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[4] and two other singles were taken from the album, "No Kid" and "Fast Lane". The album won an Edison Award in the Netherlands, and in 2008 was named the best Dutch pop album of all time by Dutch music magazine OOR.^[5]

Critical reception

The album was released in the United States to positive reviews; the Toledo Blade commented on the unusual combination of rock instrumentation with a rapper and a DJ, and of hip hop rhythms with heavy metal music, and called it "refreshing".^[6]

Track listing

CD release

1. "Fast Lane" – 3:29
2. "No Kid" – 3:39
3. "Deeper Shade of Soul" – 4:32
4. "Prayer for My Demo" – 3:40
5. "Big Apple" – 3:30
6. "Piece of Rock" – 4:59
7. "Brainstorm on the U.D.S." – 4:03
8. "The Devil" – 3:33
9. "Famous When You're Dead" – 5:15
10. "Mental Floss for the Globe" – 3:05
11. "Struggle for Jive" – 4:04
12. "Man on the Corner" – 3:40
13. "God Blasts the Queen" – 4:11

Vinyl release

• A1. "Fast Lane"
• A2. "No Kid"
• A3. "Deeper Shade of Soul"
• A4. "Brainstorm on the U.D.S."
• A5. "Big Apple"
• A6. "Piece of Rock"
• B1. "Prayer for My Demo"
• B2. "The Devil"
• B3. "Famous When You're Dead"
• B4. "Mental Floss for the Globe"
• B5. "Struggle for Jive"
• B6. "God Blasts the Queen"

Cassette release

Europe

• A1. "Fast Lane"
• A2. "No Kid"
• A3. "Deeper Shade of Soul"
• A4. "Brainstorm on the U.D.S."
• A5. "Big Apple"
• A6. "Piece of Rock"
• B1. "Prayer for My Demo"
• B2. "The Devil"
• B3. "Famous When You're Dead"
• B4. "Mental Floss for the Globe"
• B5. "Man on the Corner"
• B6. "Hitchhike H.D." - 3:33
• B7. "God Blasts the Queen"

United States

• A1. "Fast Lane"
• A2. "No Kid"
• A3. "Deeper Shade of Soul"
• A4. "Brainstorm on the U.D.S."
• A5. "Big Apple"
• A6. "Piece of Rock"
• B1. "Prayer for My Demo"
• B2. "The Devil"
• B3. "Famous When You're Dead"
• B4. "Mental Floss for the Globe"
• B5. "Struggle for Jive"
• B6. "Man on the Corner"
• B7. "God Blasts the Queen"

The international releases of the album have track length variances due to removal of uncleared samples. For example, "The Devil" originally contained samples from "Orange Claw Hammer", performed by Captain Beefheart, from his 1969 album Trout Mask Replica.

Personnel

Adapted credits from the liner notes of Mental Floss for the Globe.^[7]

Urban Dance Squad

• Magic Stick – drums, percussion, backing vocals
• DNA – turntables, special FX, backing vocals
• Rudeboy – leads, backing vocals
• Silly Sil – bass, standing bass, hollow bass, backing vocals
• Tres Manos – guitar, national steel, pedal steel, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Luther Renaldo Francois – sax ("Deeper Shades of Soul")
• J.M.X. – guitar ("Piece of Rock", "Mental Floss")

Production

• J.M.A. – artistic producer, mixing
• Michel Dierickx – engineer
• Christian Ramon – engineer, mixing
• U.D.S. – mixing

External links

• Mental Floss For The Globe at Discogs

Notes and References

1. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=urban dance squad|chart=all}} Urban Dance Squad, ''Mental Floss for the Globe'']. Billboard. 24 February 2012.
2. News: Bijl. Peter. Urban Dance Squad: de beginjaren in retrospectief. 29 August 2012. 3VOOR12. 18 August 2006.
3. News: UDS, Living Colour bring new hues to rock. King. Peter B.. 24 January 1991. The Pittsburgh Press. D7. 24 February 2012.
4. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=urban dance squad|chart=all}} Urban Dance Squad, "Deeper Shade of Soul"]. Billboard. 24 February 2012.
5. News: Rudeboy terug met surfband. 23 February 2012. Het Parool. 24 February 2012.
6. News: Recordings. Walker. Stewart. 10 June 1990. Toledo Blade. 24 February 2012.
7. Mental Floss for the Globe. Urban Dance Squad. Arista. 1990. liner notes. ARCD-8640.