11 Transistor

11 Transistor
Studio album by Lazlo Bane
Released January 28, 1997
Recorded 1995-1996, Cheswick Studio, LA, CA
Genre Alternative rock, Indie rock
Length 45:12
Label Almo Sounds
Producer Chad Fischer
Lazlo Bane chronology

Short Style
(1996)
11 Transistor
(1997)
All the Time in the World
(2002)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

11 Transistor is the debut album by the band Lazlo Bane, which was released on the Almo Sounds label in early 1997.[2][3] The album was released on CD and cassette and is the only Lazlo Bane album that is currently not available in digital download format.

Overview

The album was recorded through 1995 and 1996. 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.[4][5]

11 Transistor features 12 songs, including all the songs from the band's debut release, Short Style EP. Several artists made guest appearances on the album, with the most notable being Colin Hay who provides guitar and vocals for Lazlo Bane's version of Men at Work's "Overkill".[6]

Release and promotion

The songs "Overkill" and "I'll Do Everything" were released as promo singles in 1996 and 1997 respectively with music video for "Overkil" featuring Colin Hay also being released.[4][5][7] The band went on tour in support of the album later in 1997.[4][5]

Reception

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".[8]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "I'll Do Everything"  Chad Fischer / Jon Simon 3:21
2. "Wax Down Wings"  Fischer 4:05
3. "Flea Market Girl"  Fischer / Kevin Hunter 3:56
4. "Buttercup"  Fischer / Lyle Workman 3:44
5. "1975"  Fischer 2:50
6. "View From The Pavement"  Fischer / Workman 4:26
7. "Sleep"  Fischer 4:52
8. "Novakane"  Fischer 2:37
9. "Last Black Jelly Bean"  Fischer 2:12
10. "Overkill" (feat. Colin Hay)Colin Hay 4:14
11. "Midday Train"  Fischer / Anders Rundblad 3:55
12. "Prada Wallet" (hidden track)Fischer / Josh Clayton-Felt / Hunter 1:12

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

  1. 11 Transistor at Allmusic
  2. "Almo Sounds History". onamrecords.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  3. "Debut album due soon". mtv.com. January 20, 1997. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "The History of Lazlo Bane". myspace.com. August 18, 2006. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "All the Time in the World". cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2014-07-20.
  6. "Man (Back) At Work". mtv.com. September 22, 1996. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  7. "Colin Hay Biography". colinhay.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  8. "11 Transistor (Almo Sounds) in Rotations". miaminewtimes.com. March 6, 1997. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  9. All personnel is taken from 11 Transistor liner notes