Music for a New Society

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Music for a New Society
Music for a New Society cover
Studio album by John Cale
Released August 1982
Recorded Sky Line Studios, New York
Genre Art rock
Length 44:12
Label Rhino Records
Producer John Cale
Professional reviews
John Cale chronology
Honi Soit
(1981)		 Music for a New Society
(1982)		 Caribbean Sunset
(1983)

Music for a New Society is an album by former Velvet Underground member John Cale. It was released in August 1982 on Island Records. It went in stark contrast with his previous few albums, which were packed with as much avant-garde noise as could be afforded, as it contained very minimalist instrumentation and a great deal of sonic space. All Music Guide has called it "Spare, understated, and perhaps a masterpiece." "(I Keep A) Close Watch" is a re-recording of the song originally released on Helen of Troy. The original "Mama's Song", featured a telephone call between John Cale and his mother. She had sung 'Arlan y Mor' (On The Sea Shore). When she was taken ill, Cale decided not to include it on the album. The engineer misread Cale's handwritten title of "Sanctus" and thus the track was named "Santies" on the LP. The CD reissue calls it "Sanities."

The cover photography is by Betsey Johnson, Cale's former wife.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks composed by John Cale; except where indicated

  1. "Taking Your Life in Your Hands"
  2. "Thoughtless Kind"
  3. "Sanities"
  4. "If You Were Still Around" (Cale/Sam Shepherd)
  5. "(I Keep A) Close Watch"
  6. "Broken Bird"
  7. "Chinese Envoy"
  8. "Changes Made"
  9. "Damn Life" (Cale/Risé Cale)
  10. "Rise, Sam and Rimsky-Korsakov" (Cale/Sam Shepherd)
  11. "In the Library of Force" (included on CD reissues since 1993)

[edit] Musicians:

  • John Cale: vocals, guitars, keyboards
  • Allen Lanier: guitar
  • David J. Young: guitar, assistant engineer
  • David Lichtenstein: accompanyment, engineer
  • John Wonderling: accompanyment
  • Mike McLintock: accompanyment
  • Robert Elk: accompanyment
  • Pipe Major Tom Fitzgibbon: accompanyment
  • Chris Spedding: acoustic guitar
  • Risé Cale: vocal on "Risé, Sam And Rimsky-Korsakov"