''Sonic Flower Groove'' is the debut studio album by Scottish

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band Primal Scream, released on 5 October 1987 by Elevation Records.

Mayo Thompson Mayo Thompson (born February 26, 1944 in Houston, Texas, United States) is an American musician and visual artist best known as the leader of the experimental rock band Red Krayola. Background His formal education includes Garden of Arts Kind ...

Red Krayola The Red Krayola (originally Red Crayola) is an American avant rock band from Houston, Texas formed in 1966 by the trio of singer/guitarist Mayo Thompson, drummer Frederick Barthelme, and bassist Steve Cunningham. The group were part of the 19 ...

was the producer of the album, after work with Stephen Street did not please the band.Green, Jim; Aswad, Jem & Neate, Wilson
Primal Scream
, ''

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 ...

'', retrieved 2010-07-04 Musically, ''Sonic Flower Groove'' features psychedelic, Byrdsy

jangle pop Jangle pop is a subgenre of pop rock or college rock that emphasizes jangly guitars and 1960s-style pop melodies. The term originated from Bob Dylan's song " Mr. Tambourine Man", whose 1965 rendition by the Byrds became considered one of the g ...

, being the only Primal Scream album to feature founding member Jim Beattie (credited as Jim Navajo). The album sold well enough to reach number 62 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

, but performed poorly by major-label standards.Strong, Martin C. (2002) "The Great Rock Discography (6th edition)", Canongate, The disappointment was a major reason for the original Primal Scream splitting up shortly after ''Sonic Flower Groove'', leaving vocalist Bobby Gillespie and the guitar duo of

Andrew Innes Andrew Colin Innes (born 16 May 1962 in Glasgow) is a Scottish-born, London-based musician. He is best known for being the rhythm guitarist in Scottish rock band Primal Scream. Biography Early years While in high school in 1978, Innes was the ...

and Robert "Throb" Young to reorganize the band.

Critical reception

At the time of its release, critical reception was mixed. ''Underground'' called it "a real gem of a debut album" and "one that's sure to top all the polls come the end of the year", but others were less impressed. '' Melody Maker'' were impressed with "Gentle Tuesday" but said "the rest is not pop. It is dandelion fluff", stating that the album was "swamped with problems" with "no songs, just a dusty pile of dull leftovers". A later

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

review called it "one goofy headscratcher of a release, the sound of a band that didn't quite know exactly what to do yet trying to record a big-budget (of sorts) debut album and ending up with little more than a pristine but dull photocopy of ''

Turn! Turn! Turn! "Turn! Turn! Turn!", or "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)", is a song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s and first recorded in 1959. The lyrics – except for the title, which is repeated throughout the song, and the fin ...

''". In 2002, the '' Evening Times'' stated that it is "now regarded as a retro masterpiece".Middleton, Fraser (2002) "Explosive; THEY SANG ABOUT BOMBING THE PENTAGON, THEN IT HAPPENED. SO WHAT NEXT FOR PRIMAL SCREAM?", '' Evening Times'', 12 December 2002, p. 124

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. ; Primal Scream * Bobby Gillespie – lead and backing vocals * Jim Navajo – 12-string electric guitar * Robert Young – bass guitar *

– rhythm guitar ;Additional personnel * Dave Morgan – drums * Gavin Skinner – drums * Martin Duffy – piano * Frank Sweeney – viola ;Technical * Pat Collier – engineering *Helen Backhouse - design * Andrew Catlin - cover photography

Charts

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1987 debut albums Primal Scream albums Albums produced by Mayo Thompson Albums produced by Clive Langer Jangle pop albums