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m InStepWithTheStars moved page Kon Tiki (album) to Kontiki (album): The official title of the album is 'Kontiki'. It is named after the Kon-Tiki expedition, but the title was deliberately condensed to one word.
Added some details to each section and rearranged the page to read better.
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| released = November 26, 1997
| released = November 26, 1997
| recorded = 1995-1997
| recorded = 1995-1997
| studio = Alex the Great <small>([[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], [[Tennessee]])</small><br />Music Lane<ref name="Muze"/> <small>([[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]])</small>
| studio = Music Lane <small>([[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]])</small><br/>El Rancho Gordo <small>([[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]])</small><br/>
Alex the Great <small>([[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], [[Tennessee]])</small>
| genre = [[Power pop]]
| genre = [[Rock and roll]], [[pop rock]], [[psychedelic rock]]
| length = 40:01
| length = 40:01
| label = Copper Records
| label = Copper Records
| producer = [[Robert Harrison]] with Whit Williams and Brad Jones
| producer = Robert Harrison with Whit Williams and Brad Jones
| prev_title = Cotton Is King
| prev_title = Cotton is King
| prev_year = 1994
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Hotel Baltimore
| next_title = Hotel Baltimore
Line 39: Line 40:
| rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Muze">{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1147155/a/Kon+Tiki.htm|title=Cotton Mather - Kon Tiki CD Album|publisher=[[CD Universe]]. [[Muze]]|accessdate=2012-04-14}}</ref>
| rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Muze">{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1147155/a/Kon+Tiki.htm|title=Cotton Mather - Kon Tiki CD Album|publisher=[[CD Universe]]. [[Muze]]|accessdate=2012-04-14}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Kontiki''''' (sometimes '''''Kon Tiki''''') is the second studio album by American [[Power pop|power-pop]] band [[Cotton Mather (band)|Cotton Mather]]. It was originally released in 1997 on Copper Records, but did not see any success until it was re-released in 1999 by Rainbow Quartz International. In 2012, it was reissued on the Star Apple Kingdom label, with a bonus CD of extra tracks, as ''Kontiki Deluxe Edition''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://powerpopulist.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html|title=Oct 2006, Power Populist, "Cotton Mather" ("a brilliant fusion of the Beatles, Squeeze, and Guided By Voices")}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000003ONC|title=Cotton Mather, "Kon Tiki"}}</ref>
'''''Kontiki''''' (sometimes '''''Kon Tiki''''') is the second studio album by American rock band [[Cotton Mather (band)|Cotton Mather]]. The album incorporates rock, pop, and psychedelic music, as well as elements of found sound and field recordings, reflecting the group's origins as an experimental act. It was recorded on four-track cassette and ADAT, leading to a rough, homemade sound. Originally released in 1997, ''Kontiki'' did not see any success until a 1999 re-release in England. In 2012, it was reissued on the Star Apple Kingdom label, with a bonus CD of extra tracks, as ''Kontiki Deluxe Edition''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://powerpopulist.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html|title=Oct 2006, Power Populist, "Cotton Mather" ("a brilliant fusion of the Beatles, Squeeze, and Guided By Voices")}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000003ONC|title=Cotton Mather, "Kon Tiki"}}</ref>


The album is named after the 1947 [[Kon-Tiki expedition]], although Robert Harrison deliberately condensed the name into one word for the album title.
The album is named after the 1947 [[Kon-Tiki expedition]], although band leader Robert Harrison deliberately condensed the name down to one word for the album's title.


== Background and recording ==
== Background and recording ==
Following the commercial failure of the group's first album, ''Cotton is King'', bassist Matt Hovis and drummer Greg Thibeaux left the group and were replaced by George Reiff and Dana Myzer, respectively, both of whom were involved with several local bands around Austin. Initial recordings with producer Dave McNair did not yield the results that Harrison was looking for, leading McNair to suggest Harrison produce the album himself.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.live4ever.uk.com/2017/04/the-album-oasis-wish-theyd-made/|title=The Album Oasis Wish They'd Made|date=2017-04-24|website=Live4ever Media|language=en|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>
Following the commercial failure of the group's first album, ''Cotton is King'', bassist Matt Hovis and drummer Greg Thibeaux left the group and were replaced by George Reiff and Dana Myzer, respectively, both of whom were involved with several local bands around Austin. Initial recordings with producer Dave McNair did not yield the results that Harrison was looking for, leading McNair to suggest Harrison produce the album himself.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.live4ever.uk.com/2017/04/the-album-oasis-wish-theyd-made/|title=The Album Oasis Wish They'd Made|date=2017-04-24|website=Live4ever Media|language=en|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>


Harrison's friend Joe McDermott owned a small house in [[Leander, Texas]], which had a small recording setup. Harrison and Whit Williams began writing and recording what would become ''Kontiki'' at the house, on McDermott's [[ADAT]] machine and Harrison's [[Multitrack recording|4-track]] [[Cassette tape|cassette]]. At first, Harrison had doubts that the music would be taken seriously due to the quality of the recording gear, but the encouragement of former bassist Matt Hovis towards the material pushed him to continue the recording. Reiff, Myzer, and Darin Murphy contributed to the recordings made in Leander via [[overdubbing]], but the basic tracks of several songs were also recorded live to tape in Harrison's living room, with assistance from Dave McNair.
Harrison's friend Joe McDermott owned a small house in [[Leander, Texas]], which had a small recording setup. Harrison and Whit Williams began writing and recording what would become ''Kontiki'' at the house, on McDermott's [[ADAT]] machine and Harrison's [[Multitrack recording|4-track]] [[Cassette tape|cassette]]. At first, Harrison had doubts that the music would be taken seriously due to the quality of the recording gear, but the encouragement of former bassist Matt Hovis towards the material pushed him to continue the recording. Reiff, Myzer, and Darin Murphy contributed to the recordings made in Leander via [[overdubbing]], but the basic tracks of "Camp Hill Rail Operator", "Password", and "She's Only Cool" were also recorded live to tape in Harrison's living room, with assistance from Dave McNair.


When the recording was done, Harrison contacted Nashville musician and producer [[Brad Jones (musician)|Brad Jones]], and the two assembled the album from the various cassettes and ADATs the songs existed on. For his assistance in assembling the album, as well as suggesting and recording several overdubs, Harrison gave Jones a co-production credit. Jones said that if he was listed as a producer, listeners would think that he had done the bulk of the production, rather than Harrison; years later, many sources still mistakenly cite Jones as the album's primary producer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://magnetmagazine.com/2016/08/08/from-the-desk-of-cotton-mather-paul-ham-sandwich-and-brad/|title=From The Desk Of Cotton Mather: Paul, Ham Sandwich And Brad|last=Staff|first=MAGNET|date=2016-08-08|website=Magnet Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>
When the recording was done, Harrison contacted Nashville musician and producer [[Brad Jones (musician)|Brad Jones]], and the two assembled the album from the various cassettes and ADATs the songs existed on. For his assistance in assembling the album, as well as suggesting and recording several overdubs, Harrison gave Jones a co-production credit. Jones said that if he was listed as a producer, listeners would think that he had done the bulk of the production, rather than Harrison; years later, many sources still incorrectly cite Jones as the album's primary producer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://magnetmagazine.com/2016/08/08/from-the-desk-of-cotton-mather-paul-ham-sandwich-and-brad/|title=From The Desk Of Cotton Mather: Paul, Ham Sandwich And Brad|last=Staff|first=MAGNET|date=2016-08-08|website=Magnet Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref>


== Release and reception ==
== Release and reception ==
''Kontiki'' was released on November 26, 1997, on Copper Records. The album received highly positive reviews and was played on independent radio stations, although listeners had difficulty finding the album in stores because Copper had only produced a limited amount of copies. Harrison's disappointment at the poor distribution of the album began to inform the songs he was writing, which would later become ''The Big Picture''.
''Kontiki'' was released on November 26, 1997, on Copper Records. Despite receiving highly positive reviews and being played on independent radio stations, listeners had difficulty finding the album in stores because Copper had only produced a limited amount of CD copies. Harrison felt, based on the reviews, that the album could have been a success had it been distributed properly. The disappointment of this would inform his next batch of songs, which would become ''The Big Picture''.


Following the album's muted release, a copy was played at a party hosted by [[Ronnie Wood|Ron Wood]] of [[the Rolling Stones]]. [[Noel Gallagher]] of [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], in attendance at the party, tracked down a copy of the album and began to praise Cotton Mather in interviews.<ref name=":0" /> Following this, the label Rainbow Quartz International licensed the album and released it in the UK in 1999, along with three singles from it. Cotton Mather performed in the UK, opening for Oasis, in 2000. An electric version of "Spin My Wheels", recorded during the early sessions with Dave McNair, was included on a bonus track on the Japanese CD edition, also released in 1999.
Following the album's muted release, a copy was played at a party hosted by [[Ronnie Wood|Ron Wood]] of [[the Rolling Stones]]. [[Noel Gallagher]] of [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], in attendance at the party, tracked down a copy of the album and began to praise Cotton Mather in interviews.<ref name=":0" /> Following this, the label Rainbow Quartz International licensed the album and released it in the UK in 1999, along with three singles from it. Cotton Mather performed in the UK, opening for Oasis, in 2000. An electric version of "Spin My Wheels", recorded during the early sessions with Dave McNair, was included on a bonus track on the Japanese CD edition, also released in 1999.


During the group's hiatus, which began in 2003, ''Kontiki'' began to grow in stature in underground music circles and among power-pop fans. Artists such as [[Britt Daniel]] of [[Spoon (band)|Spoon]] and [[Nicole Atkins]] praised the album in interviews, and the song "Lily Dreams On" was used in the 2005 television series ''[[Veronica Mars]]''. Inspired by the re-discovery the album was experiencing, and due to the fact that copies of the CD were becoming increasingly hard to find, Harrison launched a [[Kickstarter]] project in 2011 to reissue ''Kontiki'' with a second CD of bonus tracks. The campaign was a success, and the expanded reissue was released in the spring of 2012. In addition to the bonus disc, Harrison penned an essay in the booklet called "Where Did ''Kontiki'' Come From? Recollections of Cotton Mather", which included contributions from Reiff, Myzer, McNair, Murphy, Williams, and Jones.
Cotton Mather entered a hiatus in 2003, following the muted reception of 2001's ''The Big Picture''. During this period, artists such as [[Nicole Atkins]] and [[Britt Daniel]] of [[Spoon (band)|Spoon]] praised the album in interviews, and "Lily Dreams On" was used in the 2005 television series ''Veronica Mars''. With copies of the CD becoming increasingly hard to find, Harrison launched a [[Kickstarter]] project in 2011 to reissue ''Kontiki'' with a second CD of bonus tracks. The campaign was a success, and the expanded reissue, titled ''Kontiki Deluxe Edition'', was released on February 14, 2012. In addition to the bonus disc, Harrison wrote an essay in the CD booklet detailing the creation and recording of the album, which included contributions from George Reiff, Dana Myzer, Dave McNair, Darin Murphy, Whit Williams, and Brad Jones.


During the summer of 2019, Harrison provided an in-depth look at the process of writing and recording ''Kontiki'' via his [[Patreon]]. This included videos discussing the tracks in detail, a home-made [[CD-R]] containing the mixes Harrison originally sent to Brad Jones, instrumental mixes of several tracks, and a downloadable folder containing the [[Stem (audio)|stems]] for eight of the album's songs.
During the summer of 2019, Harrison provided an in-depth look at the process of writing and recording ''Kontiki'' via his [[Patreon]]. This included unlisted YouTube videos discussing the tracks in detail, a home-made [[CD-R]] containing the mixes Harrison originally sent to Brad Jones, instrumental mixes of several tracks, and a downloadable folder containing the [[Stem (audio)|stems]] for eight of the album's songs.


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==
Line 158: Line 159:
== External links ==
== External links ==
* [https://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/03/15/148518211/cotton-mathers-kontiki-the-album-that-wont-go-gently Cotton Mather's 'Kontiki,' The Album That Won't Go Gently] — [[David Brown (radio host)]], [[NPR]]
* [https://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/03/15/148518211/cotton-mathers-kontiki-the-album-that-wont-go-gently Cotton Mather's 'Kontiki,' The Album That Won't Go Gently] — [[David Brown (radio host)]], [[NPR]]
*


[[Category:1997 albums]]
[[Category:1997 albums]]

Revision as of 00:19, 19 April 2020

Kontiki
Studio album by
Cotton Mather
ReleasedNovember 26, 1997
Recorded1995-1997
StudioMusic Lane (Austin, Texas)
El Rancho Gordo (Austin, Texas)
Alex the Great (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreRock and roll, pop rock, psychedelic rock
Length40:01
LabelCopper Records
ProducerRobert Harrison with Whit Williams and Brad Jones
Cotton Mather chronology
Cotton is King
(1994) 		Kontiki
(1997) 		Hotel Baltimore
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Austin Chronicle[2]
Boston Phoenix[3]
Mojofavorable[4]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)B+[5]
NME7/10[6]
Optionfavorable[7]
PopMatters8/10[8]
Trouser Pressfavorable[9]
Uncut[10]

Kontiki (sometimes Kon Tiki) is the second studio album by American rock band Cotton Mather. The album incorporates rock, pop, and psychedelic music, as well as elements of found sound and field recordings, reflecting the group's origins as an experimental act. It was recorded on four-track cassette and ADAT, leading to a rough, homemade sound. Originally released in 1997, Kontiki did not see any success until a 1999 re-release in England. In 2012, it was reissued on the Star Apple Kingdom label, with a bonus CD of extra tracks, as Kontiki Deluxe Edition.[11][12]

The album is named after the 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition, although band leader Robert Harrison deliberately condensed the name down to one word for the album's title.

Background and recording

Following the commercial failure of the group's first album, Cotton is King, bassist Matt Hovis and drummer Greg Thibeaux left the group and were replaced by George Reiff and Dana Myzer, respectively, both of whom were involved with several local bands around Austin. Initial recordings with producer Dave McNair did not yield the results that Harrison was looking for, leading McNair to suggest Harrison produce the album himself.[13]

Harrison's friend Joe McDermott owned a small house in Leander, Texas, which had a small recording setup. Harrison and Whit Williams began writing and recording what would become Kontiki at the house, on McDermott's ADAT machine and Harrison's 4-track cassette. At first, Harrison had doubts that the music would be taken seriously due to the quality of the recording gear, but the encouragement of former bassist Matt Hovis towards the material pushed him to continue the recording. Reiff, Myzer, and Darin Murphy contributed to the recordings made in Leander via overdubbing, but the basic tracks of "Camp Hill Rail Operator", "Password", and "She's Only Cool" were also recorded live to tape in Harrison's living room, with assistance from Dave McNair.

When the recording was done, Harrison contacted Nashville musician and producer Brad Jones, and the two assembled the album from the various cassettes and ADATs the songs existed on. For his assistance in assembling the album, as well as suggesting and recording several overdubs, Harrison gave Jones a co-production credit. Jones said that if he was listed as a producer, listeners would think that he had done the bulk of the production, rather than Harrison; years later, many sources still incorrectly cite Jones as the album's primary producer.[14]

Release and reception

Kontiki was released on November 26, 1997, on Copper Records. Despite receiving highly positive reviews and being played on independent radio stations, listeners had difficulty finding the album in stores because Copper had only produced a limited amount of CD copies. Harrison felt, based on the reviews, that the album could have been a success had it been distributed properly. The disappointment of this would inform his next batch of songs, which would become The Big Picture.

Following the album's muted release, a copy was played at a party hosted by Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones. Noel Gallagher of Oasis, in attendance at the party, tracked down a copy of the album and began to praise Cotton Mather in interviews.[13] Following this, the label Rainbow Quartz International licensed the album and released it in the UK in 1999, along with three singles from it. Cotton Mather performed in the UK, opening for Oasis, in 2000. An electric version of "Spin My Wheels", recorded during the early sessions with Dave McNair, was included on a bonus track on the Japanese CD edition, also released in 1999.

Cotton Mather entered a hiatus in 2003, following the muted reception of 2001's The Big Picture. During this period, artists such as Nicole Atkins and Britt Daniel of Spoon praised the album in interviews, and "Lily Dreams On" was used in the 2005 television series Veronica Mars. With copies of the CD becoming increasingly hard to find, Harrison launched a Kickstarter project in 2011 to reissue Kontiki with a second CD of bonus tracks. The campaign was a success, and the expanded reissue, titled Kontiki Deluxe Edition, was released on February 14, 2012. In addition to the bonus disc, Harrison wrote an essay in the CD booklet detailing the creation and recording of the album, which included contributions from George Reiff, Dana Myzer, Dave McNair, Darin Murphy, Whit Williams, and Brad Jones.

During the summer of 2019, Harrison provided an in-depth look at the process of writing and recording Kontiki via his Patreon. This included unlisted YouTube videos discussing the tracks in detail, a home-made CD-R containing the mixes Harrison originally sent to Brad Jones, instrumental mixes of several tracks, and a downloadable folder containing the stems for eight of the album's songs.

Track listing

Original Release

All tracks are written by Robert Harrison

No.TitleLength
1."Camp Hill Rail Operator"3:21
2."Homefront Cameo"3:11
3."Spin My Wheels"3:29
4."My Before And After"2:53
5."Private Ruth"3:04
6."Vegetable Row"5:01
7."Aurora Bori Alice"2:38
8."Church of Wilson"2:01
9."Lily Dreams On"2:50
10."Password"3:12
11."Animal Show Drinking Song"1:16
12."Prophecy for the Golden Age"0:56
13."She's Only Cool"2:31
14."Autumn's Birds"3:37
Total length:40:01

Japanese Release Bonus Track

No.TitleLength
15."Spin My Wheels (Electric Version)"4:07
Total length:44:08

Kontiki Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc

No.TitleLength
1."Homefront Cameo (4-Track)"3:12
2."Pine Box Builder (No. 1)"2:40
3."Camp Hill Rail Operator (Acoustic)"2:41
4."Little Star"5:36
5."Baby Freeze Queen (No. 1)"1:19
6."Altar Boy (Live to ADAT)"2:41
7."Flying Annie's Kite"3:06
8."Innocent Street (Acoustic)"3:11
9."Spin My Wheels (Electric)"3:32
10."Church Of Wilson (4-Track)"1:51
11."Private Ruth (Acoustic)"2:30
12."The Gold Gone Days"2:37
Total length:34:57

Personnel

Musicians

  • Robert Harrison - vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion
  • Whit Williams - vocals, guitar
  • Dana Myzer - drums
  • George Reiff - bass
  • Darin Murphy - drums
  • Brad Jones - percussion
  • Greg Thibeaux - drums on "Vegetable Row"

Technical

  • Robert Harrison - recording, mixing, production
  • Brad Jones - mixing, co-production
  • Whit Williams - co-production
  • John Croslin - recording (drums on "Vegetable Row")
  • Mark Wilder - mastering
  • Dave McNair - recording (bonus disc only)
  • Lars Göransson - mixing, mastering (bonus disc only)

References

  1. ^ Mason, Stewart; Sendra, Tim. "Kontiki - Cotton Mather". AllMusic. Review. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  2. ^ Toland, Michael (February 10, 2012). "Record Review". The Austin Chronicle. Austin: Austin Chronicle Corp. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  3. ^ Lundy, Zeth (February 14, 2012). "Kontiki [Deluxe Edition] - CD Reviews". Boston Phoenix. Boston: Phoenix Media/Communications Group. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  4. ^ "Review: Kon Tiki". Mojo (64). London: EMAP: 88. March 1999.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (April 13, 2012). "Cotton Mather/Oasis". MSN Music. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  6. ^ "Kontiki". NME. January 25, 1999. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  7. ^ "Cotton Mather - Kon Tiki". Option (79): 82. May–June 1998.
  8. ^ Horowitz, Steve (February 20, 2012). "Cotton Mather: Kontiki (Deluxe Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  9. ^ Horton, Marc. "Cotton Mather". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  10. ^ "Cotton Mather - Kon Tiki CD Album". CD Universe. Muze. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  11. ^ "Oct 2006, Power Populist, "Cotton Mather" ("a brilliant fusion of the Beatles, Squeeze, and Guided By Voices")".
  12. ^ "Cotton Mather, "Kon Tiki"".
  13. ^ a b "The Album Oasis Wish They'd Made". Live4ever Media. 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  14. ^ Staff, MAGNET (2016-08-08). "From The Desk Of Cotton Mather: Paul, Ham Sandwich And Brad". Magnet Magazine. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
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