Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox [Limited Edition]

David Kilgour, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lambchop, Portastatic, The Magnetic Fields, Lou Barlow, Mountain Goats | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 23, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Merge Records
• ASIN: B0031Y4A58
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,361 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Pull Down The Shades (Jay Reatard)

2. Rebel (The Checks)

3. Ain t It Nice (The Bleeding Allstars)

4. Don t Catch Fire (Peter Gutteridge)

5. Luck Or Loveliness (The Chills)

6. Nothing s Going To Happen (David Kilgour)

7. All My Hollowness To You (The Crying Wolfs)

8. Beauty (Stephin Merritt)

9. Nostalgia s No Excuse (Portastatic)

10. Crush (The Mint Chicks)

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Not Given Lightly (Boh Runga)

2. Bodies (Red & Zeke Featuring Bill Doss And Neil Cleary)

3. Sign The Dotted Line (Jeff Mangum)

4. Lapse (Bill Callahan)

5. Growth Spurt (Genghis Smith)

6. Coloured (Yo La Tengo)

7. Dunno Much About Life But I Know How To Breathe (AC Newman)

8. Glide (Alec Bathgate)

9. Inside Story (Don McGlashan)

10. The Outer Skin (Sean Donnelly)

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

In June 2009, Chris Knox suffered a life-altering stroke at his home in Grey Lynn, New Zealand. This album is a celebration of Chris and his music. Chris Knox was instrumental in bringing New Zealand punk and alternative music to international audiences with Tall Dwarfs, Toy Love and with his solo work. Artists from the US (Jeff Mangum, Yo La Tengo, Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, Stephin Merritt, Bill Callahan, Lou Barlow, Jay Retard), New Zealand (The Bats, The Verlaines, The Chills) and the world over have donated their time and talents so that all proceeds can go toward assisting his recovery. All proceeds from this LIMITED EDITION CD will go to aid Chris Knox s recovery. It features deluxe die cut packaging, designed by Alec Bathgate (Chris Knox s bandmate in Tall Dwarfs). The collection features the first new music from Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) in over ten years.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Becoming Something Other, March 11, 2010

By 

Stargrazer "the lost mixtape of my life" (deep in the heart of Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox (Audio CD)

Chris Knox suffered a stroke in summer of 2009. By February of 2010, friends, family and admirers had assembled "Stroke," a collection of covers from his wide pool of songs. As a member of Tall Dwarves with Alec Bathgate, Knox was instrumental in bringing alternative music to New Zealand in in turn, exporting New Zealand's sounds to the rest of the world.

The collection boasts some nuggets for the fanatical, like a track from the recently deceased Jay Reatard and also one from the hermetic Jeff Mangum, an old school synth pop song from Stephin Merritt recorded in the late 1980s, pieces from perennial favorites like Yo La Tengo, Bill Callahan, The Mountain Goats, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Lou Barlow, and a slew of work from fellow New Zealanders. The sheer scope (2 discs!) and breadth (everyone from The Chills to A.C. Newman) of "Stroke" is a testimony to Knox's stature, relevance, and to the devotion he inspires in fans and fellow musicians.

"Stroke" is a solid investment, musically. But more importantly than that, it celebrates a hard-working and talented songwriter and brings him and his family much-needed help in a time of need. Knox himself even makes some post-stroke appearances on wordless vocals on the last two songs -- evidence that he is in no way finished with music. There is a lot here for the casual indie fan and the supporter of Knox alike.