Statek kosmiczny Ścianka explained

Statek kosmiczny Ścianka
Type:Album
Artist:Ścianka
Cover:Statek kosmiczny Ścianka.JPG
Released:June 1998
Recorded:February–March 1998
Studio im. Adama Mickiewicza, Sopot
Genre:Rock
Label:Biodro Records
BRCD 002
Producer:Ścianka & Piotr Pawlak
Prev Title:Robaki (demo tape)
Prev Year:1998
Next Title:Dni wiatru
Next Year:2001

Statek kosmiczny Ścianka (Ścianka the Spaceship; often abbreviated to Statek kosmiczny) released in 1998 was the debut album of Polish rock group Ścianka. The album was recorded in Maciek Cieślak's home studio in Sopot.[1] It received a Fryderyk Award nomination in "Debut of the year" category[2] and was awarded best debut album of the year by Tylko Rock magazine. There were no singles promoting the album, but "Skuter" received the status of Ścianka's biggest hit among their fans.[3] "Skuter" was also chosen by Artur Rojek to be official song for the 2nd Off Festival in 2007.[4]

Recording and production

Statek kosmiczny Ścianka was Ścianka's first studio album. Maciej Cieślak decided to sign Ścianka on newly founded record label, Tymon Tymański's Biodro Records. The entire album was recorded in guitarist's home studio in the basement of old house in Mickiewicza Street in Sopot. Four songs ("Insect power", "Ścianka", "Skuter" and "Sopot") were previously unofficially released in their raw versions on a demo tape entitled Robaki.[5]

According to Cieślak, at first Tymański wished to issue a debut album of another Tricity alternative band, Grzegorz Nawrocki's Ego. Because Ego's Światowid was released by Antena Krzyku label, Tymański's decided to release Statek kosmiczny instead, after attending one of Ścianka live performances.[6]

Shortly after the release, Ścianka underwent a major change in personnel, when Vietnamese bassist Tran Chi was replaced with Andrzej Koczan. Tran Chi left Poland and went France, reportedly because of private or political issues.[3] [7]

Promotion

Both band[3] and Biodro Records agree, that promotion of the album was inadequate. A music video to "Piosenka No 3" was created; it was directed by Dawid Marcinkowski.

Critical response

Statek kosmiczny received almost strictly positive reviews from Polish music critics. Problems with classification of Ścianka's music led to creation of jocose descriptive term "post-fuckin'avant-hendrix'grunge-noise-rock".[8] Their style was compared to The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Residents, Hawkwind,[9] The Stooges, Captain Beefheart, Velvet Underground, MC5, Pink Floyd,[10] and modern noise-rock artists signed to Amphetamine Reptile and SKiN GRAFT Records,[8] as well.

Chart performance and sales

The album was a relatively big commercial success, and was sold in more than 5,000 copies.[11] It is currently out of print and unavailable in Biodro Records' catalogue.

Track listing

  1. [untitled] – 0:10
  2. "Skuter" – 2:32 (Scooter)
  3. [untitled] – 0:29
  4. "Ścianka" – 7:18 (Backing)
  5. "Piosenka nr 3" – 3:45 (Song number 3)
  6. "Insect power" – 2:34
  7. [untitled] – 0:05
  8. "Czerwone kozaki" – 7:51 (Red high boots)
  9. "Sopot" – 2:56
  10. "Trans-Atlantyk" – 8:57 (Trans-atlantic)
  11. [untitled] – 0:41
  12. "Sprawa 5-ciu pracowników Instytutu Badań Kosmicznych, zbiegłych w kwietniu 1973 z terenu zakładu w Beskid Wschodni i tam doszczętnie zdziczałych" - 0:30 (The case of five workers of Space Research Institute, who in April 1973 escaped from the Institute area into the mountains of Eastern Beskid, where they became completely wild)
  13. "Chudy" – 3:12 (Thin)
  14. "Down there low" – 7:54
  15. "Sopot II" – 3:53
  16. [untitled] – 0:05
  17. "Piórko" – 6:39 (Little feather)
  18. "Ja nie" – 5:07 (I don't)

Personnel

References

  1. http://www.biodro.pl/index.php?page=37 ŚCIANKA: "Statek Kosmiczny Ścianka"
  2. http://www.zpav.pl/nagroda_fryderyk.asp?page=nominowani_i_laureaci,1998〈=pl Nagrody Fryderyk i Akademia Fonograficzna. Nominowani i laureaci 1998
  3. http://www.scianka.com/archiwum/scianka__historia.htm Historia
  4. http://www.off-festival.pl/img/u/bio_artysci.pdf OFF Festival Mysłowice 2007
  5. http://scianka.com/dyskografia.htm Dyskografia
  6. http://www.ultramaryna.pl/tekst.php3?id=56 Ścianka
  7. Krzysztof Kowalewicz. Wietnamski Łącznik. Rozmowa Z Andrzejem Koczanem - Basistą Ścianki. Gazeta Wyborcza Łódź nr 30, 05/02/1999
  8. Artur Lipiński. Statek kosmiczny. Wiatry - info-reviews zine 14, 1998/1999
  9. Grzegorz Brzozowicz Statek kosmiczny. Machina 10, 31, 1998
  10. Jolka Madziar Statek kosmiczny XL 1998
  11. http://www.biodro.pl/index.php?page=english Biodro Records