Directions to See a Ghost

Directions to See a Ghost
Studio album by The Black Angels
Released April 15, 2008
Genre Psychedelic rock
Length 70:25
Label Light in the Attic Records
Producer Erik Wofford
The Black Angels chronology

Passover
(2006)
Directions to See a Ghost
(2008)
Phosphene Dream
(2010)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [1]
Blender [2]
Drowned In Sound (6/10)[3]
Pitchfork Media (6.6/10)[4]
PopMatters (8/10)[5]
Prefix Magazine (9.0/10)[6]
The Times [7]
Twisted Ear [8]
World of Music [9]

Directions to See a Ghost is the second album from Austin, Texas rock band The Black Angels. It was released digitally on April 15, 2008 by Light in the Attic Records. However, it was not until May 13 that the CD and 3xLP were released. Those who purchased the album digitally were given a code to download the album. On or after the date of release, it was to be brought back to the place of purchase in exchange for a hard copy of the album as well as a bonus four-song EP[10] Black Angel Exit. Moreover, Directions to See a Ghost features the song "Doves" also available on the "Doves" single 7" released the same day. Unlike the CD, the 3xLP contains bonus tracks "Surf City (Revisited)" and "Paladin's Last Stand."

The group signed to the label Suretone, owned by Interscope, for releases after this album.

Prefix Magazine called it "an easy candidate for one of the best records of the year".[11]

According to Rolling Stone magazine columnist David Fricke "...tripsters the Black Angels bring the aura of mid-1966 - the drilling guitars of early Velvet Underground shows, the raga inflections of late-show Fillmore jams, the acid-prayer stomp of Austin avatars the 13th Floor Elevators - everywhere they go, including the levitations on their second album, Directions to See a Ghost (Light in the Attic). Mid-Eighties echoes of Spacemen 3 and the Jesus and Mary Chain also roll through the scoured-guitar sustain and Alex Maas' rocker-monk incantations."[12]

Track listing

[13]

No. Title Length
1. "You on the Run"   4:53
2. "Doves"   4:29
3. "Science Killer"   4:45
4. "Mission District"   5:12
5. "18 Years"   5:25
6. "Deer-Ree-Shee"   5:49
7. "Never/Ever"   8:34
8. "Vikings"   4:38
9. "You in Color"   5:52
10. "The Return"   4:31
11. "Snake in the Grass"   16:13

Bonus tracks

  1. "Black Angel Exit/Shine" [iTunes]
  2. "Surf City (Revisited)" [LP]
  3. "Paladin's Last Stand" [LP]
  4. "No Satisfaction" [LP]

References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. [Blender review]
  3. Drowned In Sound review
  4. Pitchfork Media review
  5. PopMatters review
  6. Prefix Magazine review
  7. The Times review
  8. Twisted Ear review
  9. "musik angehört". WOM magazin (in German) (World of Music) (September 08): 27.
  10. Thompson, Paul (2008-04-04). "See a Ghost? Must Be the New Black Angels LP". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  11. Rauscher, William (2008-04-08). "The Black Angels: Directions to See A Ghost". Prefix Magazine. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  12. Fricke, David (2008-09-24). "A Trip With Angels". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
  13. "Directions to See a Ghost". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-11-12.