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11 Transistor

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11 Transistor
Studio album by
Lazlo Bane
ReleasedJanuary 28, 1997
Recorded1995–1996
StudioCheswick Studio, Los Angeles, California
GenreAlternative rock, indie rock
Length45:12
LabelAlmo Sounds
ProducerChad Fischer
Lazlo Bane chronology
Short Style
(1996) 		11 Transistor
(1997) 		All the Time in the World
(2002)
Singles from 11 Transistor
  1. "Buttercup"
    Released: 1996
  2. "Overkill"
    Released: 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
babysue[2]

11 Transistor is the debut album by the American band Lazlo Bane, which was released on the Almo Sounds label in early 1997.[3][4]

Overview

According to Lazlo Bane's frontman Chad Fischer most of the record was done on 16 tracks with very few effects with all the songwriting done on an acoustic guitar into a little dictaphone. He also said that the idea was to work with as little as possible and make it sound the best it could, just like old transistor radios.[5][6]

The album was recorded through 1995 and 1996 with the input from various musicians to the songwriting and recording. They include Chad Fischer's fellow School of Fish band members Josh Clayton-Felt and Josh Freese, Wire Train's Kevin Hunter[7] and Anders Rundblad, Lyle Workman of the Bourgeois Tagg and the most notable being Colin Hay who provides guitar and vocals for Lazlo Bane's version of Men at Work's "Overkill".[8]

11 Transistor features all the songs from the band's previous release, Short Style EP.

Release and promotion

Lazlo Bane was initially signed to an indie label Fish of Death Records[9] and released the song "Buttercup" as a single on vinyl backed with "Overkill".[10]

After signing with Almo Sounds "Buttercup" was included on various promo compilations, including 1996 album titled Swagalicious,[11] which was compiled of the tracks from artists signed to Almo Sounds, Geffen Records, DreamWorks Records and Outpost Recordings. "Overkill" was shifted to the A-side and released as single in some territories in 1997 and 1998, while "I'll Do Everything" was released as promo single in 1997.[12]

Music video for "Overkill" featuring Colin Hay was also released.[5][6][13]

The band went on tour in support of the album later in 1997.[5][6]

Originally released on CD and cassette the album was unavailable digitally until 2020 when it was made available on streaming services[14] and in digital download format. In support of the digital reissue Chad Fischer released a video of the new solo version of the album's opening track "I'll Do Everything".[15]

Reception

The album received positive reviews upon release with critics praising the songs "I'll Do Everything" and "Overkill" the most.

Before the release of the album "I'll Do Everything" was named the Song of the Month by Los Angeles' radio KROQ-FM.[16]

In the review for the Miami New Times, Steven Almond described the album having "great hooks, slinky beats, quirky lyrics" noting, that "the band's playful spirit is best captured on the exuberant opener "I'll Do Everything"". He also called the ballads "dependably entrancing, built around Fischer's mournful melodies and spiced with just enough rhythmic muscle to keep the proceedings from turning maudlin".[17]

Sandra Schulman of the Sun-Sentinel described the album as having "crafting hooky, melodic, slightly quirky pop songs" and also said that "many of these tracks have a rough edge".[18]

Daily Herald's Adam Webb Teen called the album a "stunning debut" and said that Chad Fischer "combines crafty, peppy pop riffs with his mellowing rough-around-the-edges voice. It's a voice that fits perfectly with each song".[19]

In the review for the Lollipop Magazine Sheril Stanford said that "11 Transistor is 99 and 44/100ths percent pure good times" and called a cover of Men at Work's "Overkill" "a truly outstanding track".[20]

On-line magazine babysue rated the album 4 out of 6 stars and described the music as "lush and full of great vocal harmonies" with the songs being "truly catchy tunes" noting "standaout tracks: "Flea Market Girl," "Buttercup," "Sleep," and "Overkill".[21]

A review at ocolly.com described the album as "The quasi-Beatles sound [that] comes together beautifully".[22]

DeadJournalist of the tsururadio.com called "Overkill" "One of my favorite cover songs of all-time".[23]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'll Do Everything"Chad Fischer / Jon Simon3:21
2."Wax Down Wings"Fischer4:05
3."Flea Market Girl"Fischer / Kevin Hunter3:56
4."Buttercup"Fischer / Lyle Workman3:44
5."1975"Fischer2:50
6."View From The Pavement"Fischer / Workman4:26
7."Sleep"Fischer4:52
8."Novakane"Fischer2:37
9."Last Black Jelly Bean"Fischer2:12
10."Overkill" (feat. Colin Hay)Colin Hay4:14
11."Midday Train"Fischer / Anders Rundblad3:55
69."Prada Wallet" (hidden track)Fischer / Josh Clayton-Felt / Hunter1:12
Bonus track on the Japanese edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
70."Mean Mr. Mustard" (The Beatles cover, hidden track)John Lennon / Paul McCartney2:24
  • On original 11 Transistor US CD after "Midday Train" tracks 12 to 68 are silent and lasting 4 seconds each, making "Prada Wallet" 69th track overall, which starts after 3:48 of silence. The cassette edition simply had 3:48 of silence after "Midday Train".

Personnel

  • Lazlo Bane – primary artist
  • Jon Simon – guitar and bass on "I'll Do Everything"
  • Kevin Hunter – guitar and bass on "Flea Market Girl"
  • Princess Fresse – drums on "Buttercup" and "Prada Wallet"
  • Lyle Workman – guitar and bass on "Buttercup" and "View From The Pavement"
  • Colin Hay – guitar and vocals on "Overkill"
  • David Dale – guitar on "Overkill"
  • Dave Collins – mastering
  • Tony Phillips – mixing
  • Chad Fischer – engineer
  • Jeff Robinson – assistant engineer

Additional personnel

  • Jill Berliner – legal
  • Keryn Kaplan – management
  • Paul McGuinness – management
  • Paul Kremen – artist & repertoire
  • Mary Lynne Barbis – art direction, design
  • Patrick Raske – art direction, design
  • Mary Kocol – photography
  • William Howard – photography
  • Lauren Lambert – photography
  • Molly Amanda Rubin – photography[24]

References

  1. ^ 11 Transistor at Allmusic
  2. ^ "March 1997 Reviews". babysue.com. March 1997. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  3. ^ "Almo Sounds History". onamrecords.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  4. ^ "Debut album due soon". mtv.com. January 20, 1997. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  5. ^ a b c "The History of Lazlo Bane". myspace.com. August 18, 2006. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  6. ^ a b c "All the Time in the World". cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
  7. ^ "Kevin Hunter". simpleminds.org. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  8. ^ "Man (Back) At Work". mtv.com. September 22, 1996. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  9. ^ "Fish of Death records in Billboard magazine". billboard.com. 2 May 1998. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
  10. ^ "Buttercup single on 45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
  11. ^ "Swagalicious at Allmusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2016-01-09.
  12. ^ "I'LL DO EVERYTHING – LAZLO BANE". onamrecords.com. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  13. ^ "Colin Hay Biography". colinhay.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  14. ^ "11 Transistor". spotify.com. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  15. ^ "I'll Do Everything". youtube.com. September 18, 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  16. ^ "11 Transistor". 11 Transistor advance CD liner notes. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  17. ^ Steven Almond (March 6, 1997). "11 Transistor (Almo Sounds) in Rotations". miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  18. ^ "A Real Singin' Cowboy". sun-sentinel.com. October 17, 1997. Archived from the original on December 9, 2015. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  19. ^ "Boston's Lazlo Bane Revives Peppy Pop-Rock with '11 Transistor'". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  20. ^ "Lazlo Bane – 11 Transistor – Review". lollipopmagazine.com. April 1997. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  21. ^ "March 1997 Reviews". babysue.com. March 1997. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  22. ^ "Boston band blasts Beatles beat". ocolly.com. March 6, 1997. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  23. ^ "Various and Sundry: LCD Soundsystem, Dum Dum Girls, Elvis and ... Lazlo Bane?". tsururadio.com. April 4, 2011. Archived from the original on 2018-02-27. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  24. ^ All personnel is taken from 11 Transistor liner notes


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