Shiny Beast Bat Chain Puller [Import]

Captain Beefheart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B000006XF4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,971 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Floppy Boot Stomp

2. Tropical Hot Dog Night

3. Ice Rose

4. Harry Irene

5. You Know You're A Man

6. Bat Chain Puller

7. When I See Mommy I Feel Like A Mummy

8. Owed T'alex

9. Candle Mambo

10. Love Lies

11. Suction Prints

12. Apes-Ma

Editorial Reviews

Reissue of the experimental rock icon's 1978 album. This 5 star album features 12 tracks including 'Tropical Hot Dog Night'.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, September 29, 1998

By 

Alex De Visscher (Calgary, AB, Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shiny Beast Bat Chain Puller (Audio CD)

When I first heard this CD, I was surprised in many ways. First, Shiny Beast is less bluesy than Beefheart's other records. Second, the atmosphere of some of the songs differs completely from anything I had heard from this man. And third, this is one of the best albums I have ever heard in my life.

Many of the songs on this album are very accessible, but the apparent simplicity is deceptive. As usual, Captain Beefheart is strong on arrangements. My absolute favorite in this respect is the title track. There are some sounds on this song that made me think "how the hell did he do that?". Candle Mambo is one of these songs that really surprised me when I thought I was getting to know the man. But Beefheart can be predictible as well: a Beefheart album always contains one or two nice instrumental songs, and Bat Chain Puller is no exception. Ice Rose really is a little jewel.

A must for any Beefheart fan.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible Beefheart, September 17, 1998

By 

William Michael Brown (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shiny Beast Bat Chain Puller (Audio CD)

The result of a short-lived late 70's association with a major label, reviewers at the time didn't give "Shiny Beast" a lot of sympathy. Too bad, 'cause this is clearly one of the Captain's most accessible albums, managing to be exquisitely tuneful while sacrificing none of his unique brand of home-grown American Surrealism. It's also one of the best incarnations of the Magic Band, mixing all of the threads evident from "Trout Mask Replica" on -- fast meter shifts, slashing guitar, octave-spanning blues hollers, strange lyrics -- with the tender, even (dare I say it?) mellow influences of Bruce Fowler's trombone and Art Tripp's marimba. "Owed T'Alex" wonderfully evokes the San Berdoo/Lancaster California desert Biker world the Captain grew up in, while "Suction Prints" could have come straight off "Trout Mask" (if that album had had better production). The title tune is sheer over-the-top Beefheart madness, a blistering fever-dream of environmental disaster that will leave welts on your mind. If you liked "Doc at the Radar Station", you _must_ have this.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Among His Best, October 22, 2000

By 

JOHN SPOKUS (BALTIMORE, MARYLAND United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shiny Beast Bat Chain Puller (Audio CD)

It can be both edgey and accessible in a strange sort of way. I owned this originally in High School on 8 track, which I probably paid a buck or less for in the almighty bargain bin (Remember those good ones with cut outs before they were loaded with pre-fab budget greatest hits releases). That tape was my intro to the Captain, although it is long gone I just got a used copy of the LP at a local record store, and I must say that this record is even better than what I remembered from twenty years ago.I love the title cut; it used to get played often on Towson State's radio station back when this was new.Other favorites are "Tropical Hot Dog Night", "Harry Irene", and "Floppy Boot Stomp"(the title always made me think of a friend of mine's worn out Sunny's Surplus work boots that he just wouldn't throw away). After just hearing it again I must conclude that this is an essential Beefheart release