Wildlife (Mott the Hoople album)

Wildlife
Studio album by Mott the Hoople
Released March 1971
Recorded November–December, 1970
Island Studios, London
Genre Rock
Length 38:25
Label Atlantic (US), Island (UK)
Producer Mott the Hoople (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6-8)
Guy Stevens (track 3)
Mott the Hoople/Guy Stevens (tracks 5 and 9)
Mott the Hoople chronology

Mad Shadows
(1970)		 Wildlife
(1971)		 Brain Capers
(1971)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rolling Stone favourable[2]

Wildlife is the third studio album by the British band Mott the Hoople.

The album was originally released in 1971; in the UK by Island Records (catalogue number ILPS 9144) and in the US by Atlantic Records (cat. no. SD 8384). It was subsequently re-released by Angel Air in 2003 SJPCD159. After the edgier rock of their first two albums this record has a softer feel (leading to its nickname "Mildlife" among band members). Even Ian Hunter's trio of compositions are introspective, though disarmingly beautiful. For the first (and only) time Mick Ralphs' contributions predominate, leading to an almost country-rock feel for much of the album.

"Keep a Knockin'" is a shambolic live version, all that was deemed salvageable at the time from a prospective live album recorded by Mott's original producer Guy Stevens at Croydon's Fairfield Halls in 1970.

Track listing

Side One

  1. "Whiskey Women" (Mick Ralphs) - 3.42
  2. "Angel of Eighth Avenue" (Ian Hunter) - 4.33
  3. "Wrong Side of the River" (Ralphs) - 5.19
  4. "Waterlow" (Hunter) - 3.03
  5. "Lay Down" (Melanie Safka) - 4.13

Side Two

  1. "It Must Be Love" (Ralphs) - 2.24
  2. "Original Mixed-Up Kid" (Hunter) - 3.40
  3. "Home Is Where I Want to Be" (Ralphs) - 4.11
  4. "Keep a Knockin' (Live)" (Richard Penniman) - 10.10 (*)

(*) This track is a rock and roll medley that, in addition to "Keep A Knockin'", also includes snippets of "I Got A Woman" (by Ray Charles), "What'd I Say" (Charles) and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" (Jerry Lee Lewis). On the recording, however, singer Ian Hunter incorrectly introduces "What'd I Say" as being written by Jerry Lee Lewis.

2003 CD bonus tracks

  1. "It'll Be Me" (Clement) - 2.58
  2. "Long Red" (West/Pappalardi/Ventura/Landsberg) - 3.47

Personnel

Additional Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Wildlife". Allmusic. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  2. ↑ Ben Edmonds (10 June 1971). Rolling Stone. Missing or empty |title= (help)