Black Snakes

Black Snakes
Black Snakes
Studio album by The Red Krayola with Art & Language
Released	1983
Recorded	Sunrise Studio, Switzerland
Genre	Experimental rock
Length	47:22
Label	RecRec (original release); Drag City (reissue)
The Red Krayola with Art & Language chronology
The Red Krayola chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Robert Christgau	B^[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10^[4]

Black Snakes is a collaboration between the experimental rock band Red Krayola and the conceptual art group Art & Language.^[5]^[6] It was released in 1983 by RecRec Music.^[7] The album was adopted by Drag City and re-issued on CD in 1997.^[8]

Critical reception[edit]

Dave Thompson, in Alternative Rock, referred to the album as an "avant-garde theater [soundtrack] without the theater to explain what was happening."^[9]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Michael Baldwin, Mel Ramsden, and Mayo Thompson

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Black Snakes"	4:41
2.	"Ratman, The Weightwatcher"	2:52
3.	"The Sloths"	6:42
4.	"The Jam"	4:29
5.	"Hedges"	3:48

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Portrait of V. I. Lenin in the Style of Jackson Pollock, Part I"	3:05
2.	"Future Pilots"	4:17
3.	"A Portrait of You"	4:49
4.	"Words of Love"	4:49
5.	"Café Twenty-One"	3:53
6.	"Gynaecology in Ancient Greece"	3:55

Personnel[edit]

Musicians

Ben Annesley – bass guitar
Chris Taylor – drums
Allen Ravenstine – synthesizer, saxophone
Mayo Thompson – guitar, vocals

Production

Etienne Conod – recording
Eric Radcliffe – mixing
Robert Vogel – recording

References[edit]

^ "The Red Crayola with Art & Language – Black Snakes | Drag City". www.dragcity.com.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Red Crayola with Art & Language: Black Snakes". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 806.
^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 322.
^ "Thompson's twins". Dallas Observer. June 17, 1999.
^ Miller, Eric T. (June 2, 2006). "The Red Krayola: Outside The Lines".
^ Kenny, Glenn; Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira (2007). "Red Crayola". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
^ "The Red Krayola: Black Snakes". Drag City. 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
^ Thompson, Dave (August 9, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.

External links[edit]

Black Snakes at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] "The Red Crayola with Art & Language – Black Snakes | Drag City". www.dragcity.com.

[Christgau_Review-2] Christgau, Robert. "Red Crayola with Art & Language: Black Snakes". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved July 28, 2017.

[CL-3] Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 806.

[SP-4] Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 322.

[5] "Thompson's twins". Dallas Observer. June 17, 1999.

[6] Miller, Eric T. (June 2, 2006). "The Red Krayola: Outside The Lines".

[trouserpress-7] Kenny, Glenn; Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira (2007). "Red Crayola". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.

[8] "The Red Krayola: Black Snakes". Drag City. 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.

[9] Thompson, Dave (August 9, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.

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v t e Red Krayola
Mayo Thompson
Studio albums	The Parable of Arable Land God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It Soldier-Talk Three Songs on a Trip to the United States Malefactor, Ade The Red Krayola Coconut Hotel Hazel Fingerpainting Introduction
with Art & Language	Corrected Slogans Kangaroo? Black Snakes Sighs Trapped by Liars Five American Portraits
EP's	Amor and Language Blues, Hollers and Hellos Red Gold
Live albums	Live 1967
Remix albums	Fingerpointing
Compilations	Singles
Soundtracks	Japan in Paris in L.A.
Related	Corky's Debt to His Father Essential Logic Pere Ubu The Raincoats