School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Laughing Stock

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Laughing Stock · After Spirit of Eden, bassist Paul Webb left the group in 1990, which turned Talk Talk into a duo of Mark Hollis and drummer Lee Harris. After a legal dispute they were free of EMI and signed with Polydor, which released the record on the jazz label Verve. From September 1990 to April 1991 they worked at Wessex Sound Studios in London, with producer Tim Friese-Greene and engineer Phill Brown. Verve provided money and freedom. The sessions were gruelling: the windows were covered up and the clocks taken off the walls, and guest musicians improvised without hearing the whole song. Most of the recorded material was thrown away.

The record has six tracks that together sound like one long piece, full of small gestures and shifting moods. Critics called it a landmark for the young post-rock scene. Pitchfork later gave it a 10, and in 2007 Stylus Magazine named it the best post-rock album. After its release the band broke up.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Myrrhman, the opening track, and notice how quiet and sparse the music begins and how much space is left between the sounds.

Track list

  1. 1Myrrhman5:33Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Ascension Day6:01Apple Music ↗
  3. 3After the Flood9:27Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Taphead7:01Apple Music ↗
  5. 5New Grass9:46Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Runeii4:59Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs