XTRMNTR

XTRMNTR
Studio album by Primal Scream
Released 31 January 2000 (UK)
Recorded 1997–1999
Genre Electronica, industrial rock, alternative rock, noise rock
Length 60:24
Label Creation
Producer Primal Scream, Brendan Lynch, Adrian Maxwell Sherwood, Jagz Kooner, David Holmes, Hugo Nicolson, The Chemical Brothers, Kevin Shields, Tim Holmes
Primal Scream chronology

Echo Dek
(1997)		 XTRMNTR
(2000)		 Evil Heat
(2002)
Singles from XTRMNTR
  1. "Swastika Eyes"
    Released: 8 November 1999
  2. "Kill All Hippies"
    Released: 20 March 2000
  3. "Accelerator"
    Released: 11 September 2000

XTRMNTR (pronounced "Exterminator") is the sixth studio album by Primal Scream. In a departure from Primal Scream's earlier hedonistic recordings, the band took a more political stance, attacking government, police, and multinational corporations. The sound of the album is much more aggressive and forceful than the group's previous output, with harsh industrial sounds forming the basis for songs such as "Insect Royalty", "Accelerator" and "Swastika Eyes". A free postcard championing the cause of the "Free Satpal Ram Campaign" and encouraging fans to participate was included with initial copies of the album's UK release.

The album is also notable for being the final LP release on the influential British label Creation Records. The track "Accelerator" was later lifted from the album to become the last single to be released on the label. Although Gary Mounfield joined the band in 1997 and recorded a selection of tracks on the album Vanishing Point, it was the first time he shared songwriting credits with the band and his first full album since his time in The Stone Roses.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 90/100[1]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]
Alternative Press [3]
Entertainment Weekly B+[4]
NME (9/10)[5]
Pitchfork Media (8.1/10)[6]
Q [7]
Rolling Stone [8]

XTRMNTR was critically acclaimed upon release and is recognized as one of the two definitive Primal Scream albums - the other being Screamadelica. NME magazine (12/30/00, p. 77) rated XTRMNTR #2 in its "Top 50 Albums Of The Year 2000", and later at the NME Carling Awards 2001, it won "Best Album" of the year. Over the years, it has gathered more praise, including appearances on lists of the top albums of the 2000s: NME placed it at #3 of their top 50 albums of decade list[9] and Pitchfork placed it at #142 in its Top 200 Albums of the 2000's list.[10] Uncut, like NME, named it at #2 on their list of the best albums of 2000.[11]

In 2001, Q magazine named it as one of the "50 Heaviest Albums Of All Time".[12] Metacritic placed it at #20 of the 40 best reviewed albums released 2000-9.[13]

In October 2011, NME placed "Swastika Eyes" at #45 and "Accelerator" at #114 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[14][15] In 2014, they ranked "Accelerator" at #497 and "Shoot Speed/Kill Light" at #190 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[16]

Referring to the 2013 update, the album ranks at number 160 in NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[17]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Primal Scream, except where noted. 

No. Title Length
1. "Kill All Hippies" (written by Primal Scream/M. Nelson/Discovery Productions Inc.) 4:57
2. "Accelerator"   3:41
3. "Exterminator"   5:49
4. "Swastika Eyes" (Jagz Kooner Mix) 7:05
5. "Pills"   4:17
6. "Blood Money"   7:03
7. "Keep Your Dreams" (Mani) 5:24
8. "Insect Royalty"   3:35
9. "MBV Arkestra (If They Move Kill 'Em)"   6:41
10. "Swastika Eyes" (Chemical Brothers Mix) 6:33
11. "Shoot Speed/Kill Light"   5:19

Notes

2009 Japan Reissue

A two-CD edition of XTRMNTR was released as part of a deluxe series consisting of their fourth through eighth albums. The first disc includes original album with three bonus tracks; the second includes an additional five B-sides and remixes.[18]

Disc 1

No. Title Length
1. "Kill All Hippies"   4:57
2. "Accelerator"   3:41
3. "Exterminator"   5:49
4. "Swastika Eyes (Jagz Kooner Mix)"   7:05
5. "Pills"   4:17
6. "Blood Money"   7:03
7. "Keep Your Dreams"   5:24
8. "Insect Royalty"   3:35
9. "MBV Arkestra (If They Move Kill 'Em)"   6:41
10. "Swastika Eyes (War Pigs) (Chemical Brothers Mix)"   6:33
11. "Shoot Speed/Kill Light"   5:19
12. "I'm 5 Years Ahead of My Time" (The Third Bardo cover) 4:08
13. "Swastika Eyes (Spectre Mix)"   8:10
14. "Swastika Eyes (David Holmes Mix)"   6:01

Disc 2

No. Title Length
1. "Kill All Hippies (Two Lone Swordsmen #2)"   5:49
2. "Exterminator (Massive Attack Remix)"   5:10
3. "Exterminator (Jagz Kooner Remix)"   5:38
4. "When The Kingdom Comes"   4:22
5. "Hammond Connection"   3:40

Personnel

Band

Guests

References

  1. ↑ XTRMNTR at Metacritic Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  2. ↑ Carlson, Dean (2000-05-02). "Allmusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  3. ↑ "May 2000 Issue p75". Altpress.com. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  4. ↑ (5/19/00, p.74)
  5. ↑ "NME Review". Nme.com. 2005-09-12. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  6. ↑ Pitchfork Media Review
  7. ↑ "Q Magazine Review". Q4music.com. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  8. ↑ "Rolling Stone Review". Rollingstone.com. 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  9. ↑ NME magazine staff (17 November 2009). "The Strokes' 'Is This It' tops NME albums of the decade list". NME. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  10. ↑ Stuart Berman (29 September 2009). "STAFF LISTS: The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 150-101". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
  11. ↑ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/uncut.htm#2000
  12. ↑ Q magazine staff (July 2001). "Q 50 Heaviest Albums Of All Time". Q magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  13. ↑ Jason Dietz (15 December 2009). "Ten Years of Metacritic: The Best Music of the Decade". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  14. ↑ http://www.nme.com/list/150-best-tracks-of-the-past-15-years/248648/page/11
  15. ↑ http://www.nme.com/list/150-best-tracks-of-the-past-15-years/248648/page/4
  16. ↑ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_500_greatest_songs_2014.htm
  17. ↑ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_500_greatest_albums_2013.htm
  18. ↑ Discogs.com. "Primal Scream - XTRMNTR". Discogs.com.