Drag City
2007
Sighs Trapped By Liars
About This Album
For 40 years prior to this CD, Red Krayola could be relied upon to offer records that were determinedly different from anything going on in the mainstream, and from most of what was going on in the underground. Being so consistently iconoclastic has its own dangers, and by the time this album came out, even hardcore Red Krayola faithful could be forgiven for expecting another record of yelping Mayo Thompson vocals, whimsical stream-of-consciousness lyrics, and rhythmic but somewhat amelodic music. Even Red Krayola faithful, however, will likely be very surprised -- and delightedly so -- by how refreshingly different this entry in their canon is. The most obvious change is immediate: Thompson doesn't sing at all on the record, the lead vocal chores handled exclusively by Elisa Randazzo and Sandy Yang. He still has a large role as composer of the music and pianist, and the lyrics are still odd by rock and pop standards, though here they're devised by the conceptual artist group Art & Language. Red Krayola had collaborated with Art & Language in the past, but the music here is much different, and more accessible, than most of what Thompson had previously produced. With Randazzo and Yang's sultry vocals leading the path, it's downright tuneful, albeit in a whimsical, almost quizzical fashion.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,5 and 6)

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