Hazel

The Red Krayola | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 19, 1996)
• Original Release Date: December 10, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Drag City
• ASIN: B0000019QR
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,103 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

True avant-garde rockers have to be the most patient people in the world. They make albums that tend to get lost (if they're ever released at all), and then wait a decade or more until someone notices. The Red Krayola's resurgence (two albums, an EP, and two singles in the mid-'90s) came when--for only the second time in their 30-year career--someone noticed. Formed out of the late '60s Texas psychedelia scene that spawned other cult obscurities like the 13th Floor Elevators, the Red Krayola made a series of increASINgly abstract records in 1966 and '67. Then they all but disappeared until the late '70s, when sole remaining member Mayo Thompson resurfaced in England with a spate of Red Krayola records featuring a new generation of dada/skronkers, including members of Pere Ubu, Swell Maps, and X-Ray Spex. Now, after having sunk again into deepest obscurity, Thompson resurfaces with Hazel, teaming with Chicago avant-rockers John McEntire (Tortoise), Jim O'Rourke and David Grubbs (both of Gastr del Sol), and others. Perhaps there's power in numbers. Hazel employs a cast of 15 to produce what could be Thompson's most successful amalgamation of melody, rhythm, and experimentation yet. Where past RK outings have been frustratingly jagged and opaque, Hazel emphasizes accessible ("I'm So Blasé") over impenetrable ("Boogie"). Angular and dissonant qualities are still well represented, but so are pastoral, rocking, and even funky ones. At best, tracks like "Another Song, Another Satan" manage to shift easily between free-form abstraction and well-crafted tune, making them thoroughly listenable without sacrificing complexity. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Red Krayola - 'Hazel' (Drag City), April 1, 2006

By 

Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hazel (Audio CD)

Reason I'm giving this later day Red Krayola (1996)release a four star rating, is because it grew on me within the first two times I played it. I mean, I was almost sure that 'Hazel' would indeed suck rocks, glad to see that I was totally wrong. One thing I'll give Red Krayola mastermind Mayo Thompson is the man had most certainly, virtually created his 'own' brand of music. True, 'Hazel' is quite experimental. Perhaps too much so for most. But, at least it's got a purpose. Tracks I dug the most were "I'm So Blase", the avant garde "Duke Of Newcastle", "Decaf The Planet" (reminds me of Daevid Allen), "GOA", the one-minute snippet "Hollywood" and "Father Abraham". Give this one a try.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good, almost great, November 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hazel (Audio CD)

i had only heard other red krayola albums that were older, and was thus a lttle bit nervous as to this one. however, knowing that the drummer from tortoise was on this album i picked it up. seems to be a good blend of earlier thompson work, mostly his solo album, a bit more structured early red krayola, and of course that chicago thrill jockey scene, good, and i type that nodding heavily is the best recommendation i would give. thompson has still got it, in his own ver unique way.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some Great 5-star worthy Moments, November 14, 2003

By 

wade wainio "Wade" (Hancock, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hazel (Audio CD)

This is probably my favorite Red Krayola album. There is a wider variety of emotions on this disc than just about any other red Krayols CD I've heard. Hazel combines avant-garde strangeness with pop sensibilities and kicks convention to the curb. I've alwasy respected artists who do what they want. Mayo Thompson is one of those. One of the greatest things about Mayo Thompson is his awareness of song structure. Keep that in mind while you listen to Red Krayola's beautiful mutant rock.

The album opens with I'm so Blase. Not that great of a song, and not something I would've chosen to start a CD with, but it is a cute little song and nice in its own way.

Then comes "Duck & Cover" which features the brilliant lyric "Duck and cover is a drink from the bottle called life on earth." Brilliant! "Fly bullet fly. fly to the victim. fly bullet fly. Make no mothers die."

Duke of Newcastle is an excellent reggae-like dirge. Who would've thought the Red Krayola could write a reggae song as deeply moving as a Bob Marley song? The image of a cross behind a door is beautiful.

Decaf the Planet is great. It is very neat to decipher the lyrics.

GAO is an awesome song that sounds like a mutated instrumental version of decaf the planet.

Larking features a pleasantly perplexing parallel between oppression and general sexuality.

Falls is a beautiful RK instrumental. Very different from much of the album yet it still fits into the mix.

Boogie is a very annoying noisy instrumental, which is precisely why i like it.

Dad is great because it is very conceptual. the music is rigid as are the lyrics. You have to wonder why it is entitled "Dad" when the lyrics contain lines about "two universal negative signs placed together in some expression".

father abraham is awesome. Listen to the computer-generated space alien voice talk about heavy spaceman milk.

Serenade is brilliant! The way the two voices play off each other is truly amazing. You know the sound lips sometimes make when they prepare to speak or are done speaking? If you listen to the way the voices play off each otherm, you'll know why I'm asking this.