''Bruiseology'' is the second and final studio album by the American band

the Waitresses The Waitresses were an American new wave band from Akron, Ohio, best known for their singles " I Know What Boys Like" and "Christmas Wrapping." They released two albums, ''Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?'' and ''Bruiseology'', and two EPs, '' I Coul ...

, released in 1983. The album was recorded amidst personnel conflict; the band disbanded a year later. Chris Butler intended for the album's lyrics and themes to be darker than the band's earlier work. The album was coproduced by

Hugh Padgham Hugh Charles Padgham (born 15 February 1955) is an English record producer and audio engineer. He has won four Grammy Awards, for Producer of the Year and Album of the Year for 1985, Record of the Year for 1990, and Engineer of the Year for 1 ...

Critical reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'' wrote that "the Waitresses is one of the very few bands that makes comedy records that also work as good music, solid rock 'n' roll."

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

noted that, "instead of cutting back on verbiage, Chris Butler solves his clutter problem by revving the music up so high it blares over its own complexity." ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' deemed the album "another batch of witty and wise songs about the exigencies of modern womanhood," but opined that "the formula doesn’t wear all that well." ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' determined that "Butler has a punkishly academic way with tunes, and most of these are endearing in a hook-laden, sassy vein."

Track listing

All songs written by Chris Butler and Waitresses, except where noted. # "A Girl's Gotta Do" # "Make the Weather" # "Everything's Wrong If My Hair Is Wrong" # "Luxury" # "Open City" # "Thinking About Sex Again" # "Bruiseology" # "Pleasure" (Waitresses) # "Spin" # "They're All Out of Liquor, Let's Find Another Party"

Personnel

Patty Donahue Patricia Jean Donahue (March 29, 1956 – December 9, 1996) was the lead singer of the 1980s new wave group the Waitresses. She is best known for the band’s singles " I Know What Boys Like" and "Christmas Wrapping". Early life Patricia Jean ...

– vocals * Chris Butler – guitar *Dan Klayman – organ *

Tracy Wormworth Tracy Ann Wormworth (born December 15, 1958) is an American bass guitarist. Wormworth is a member of the B-52s. She has recorded and toured with the band since the Cosmic Tour of 1990. She played on their sixth studio album, 1992's '' Good Stuf ...

– bass, vocals, lead vocal on "Spin" *

Billy Ficca William Joseph Ficca (born February 15, 1950, in Delaware) is an American drummer who was a founding member of the rock groups Television and The Waitresses. Career Italian origins, Ficca was a childhood friend of Tom Verlaine (aka Tom Mill ...

– drums *

Mars Williams Mars Williams (born May 29, 1955) is an American jazz and rock saxophonist. Exposed to big band and dixieland jazz by his trumpet-playing father, Williams played classical clarinet for ten years, then migrated to saxophone in his last year of hig ...

– saxophone with: *

Ed Caraeff Ed Caraeff (born April 18, 1950) is an American photographer, illustrator and graphic designer, who has worked largely in the music industry. He has art directed, photographed and designed more than 400 record album covers from 1967 to 1981 for ...

– art direction, photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control The Waitresses albums 1983 albums Polydor Records albums Albums produced by Hugh Padgham