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How Ace Are Buildings

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How Ace Are Buildings
Studio album by
Released29 July 1997
RecordedJune–December 1996
GenreAlternative rock
Length57:52
LabelTycoon/London (UK)
Immortal/Epic (planned US release)
ProducerThom Wilson
A chronology
How Ace Are Buildings
(1997)
A vs. Monkey Kong
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Select2/5[2]

How Ace Are Buildings is the debut album by British alternative rock band A, released in 1997.

The album was re-released in 1998, in cassette and Limited Edition 12" formats. Whereas the cassette featured the same tracks, the 12" album also included a bonus disc, featuring A remixes and live tracks.

The vinyl edition was limited to 500 copies.

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "Turn It Up" – 1:33
  2. "Foghorn" – 3:04
  3. "Cheeky Monkey" – 3:36
  4. "Number One" – 3:50
  5. "Bad Idea" – 2:21
  6. "Sing-A-Long" – 4:20
  7. "Winter of '96" – 5:28
  8. "Out of Tune" – 4:19
  9. "Fistral" – 3:59
  10. "House Under the Ground" – 4:01
  11. "Five in the Morning" – 3:14
  12. "Ender" – 18:07

"Number One" features a portion of lyrics taken from Billy Joel's 1978 track "My Life". Joel was name-checked in the credits as a result. The "borrowed" lyrics are:

"Got a call from an old friend, used to be real close
Said he couldn't go on the American way
Sold his house, sold his car
Bought a ticket to the West Coast
Now he gives 'em a stand-up routine in L.A."

"Cheeky Monkey" features a sample of the actor/comedian John Thomson using the phrase "oh, you cheeky monkey" - this is taken from Thomson's appearance on Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge in character as Joe Beesley, an inept ventriloquist with a puppet monkey.

Bonus vinyl Track listing

[edit]
  1. "Turn It Down"
  2. "Number One (Happy Valley Ranch Mix)"
  3. "Alright (Live)"
  4. "Bad Idea (Live)"
  5. "Sing-A-Long (Post Term Audit Mix)"
  6. "Five in the Morning (DJ Mental Visuals Mix)"
  7. "Foghorn (Live)"
  8. "Barnyard"
  9. "Demolished House" (b-side to foghorn, also remix of House Under The Ground)
  10. "Callhimin"
  11. "Cheeky Monkey (Live)"
  12. "Fistral (Major Threat Mix)"
  13. "Out of Tune" (Live)

Singles

[edit]

Five in the Morning (TYCD 1)

  1. "Five in the Morning" - 3:13
  2. "8 Fingers" - 2:26
  3. "Almost Everything Is Great" - 5:29

House Under The Ground (TYCD 2)

  1. "House Under The Ground" - 4:01
  2. "40" - 2:30
  3. "Demolished House" - 5:22

Bad Idea (TYCD 3)

  1. "Bad Idea" – 2:16
  2. "Look What You Made Me Do" – 3:12
  3. "40" – 2:30

Number One (TYCD 4)

  1. "Number One (Radio Edit)" - 3:22
  2. "Alright" - 2:41
  3. "Ouch!" - 4:00
  4. "Number One" - 3:50

Foghorn (TYCD 5)

  1. "Foghorn" – 3:07
  2. "Last Girl" – 4:24
  3. "A Demolished House" – 5:22

Number One

  • CD1 (TYCD 6):
  1. "Number One" – 3:21
  2. "Good Idea" – 2:18
  3. "Alright" – 2:41
  4. "Sasquatch" – 2:52
  • CD2 (TYCDP 6):
  1. "Number One" – 3:51 (+30)
  2. "Ouch" – 4:02
  3. "Number One" – 6:15 (Happy Valley Ranch Mix)
  4. "Foghorn" – 3:06
  5. "Foghorn" (Video)

Sing-A-Long

  • CD1 (TYCD 7):
  1. "Sing-A-Long (Radio Edit)" - 3:41
  2. "I'm Over It" - 1:47
  3. "Callhimin" - 5:02
  4. "Photo Finger" - 3:58
  • CD2 (TYCDP 7):
  1. "Sing-A-Long" – 4:19
  2. "Sing-A-Long" – 4:22 (Post Team Audit Mix)
  3. "Singing Out of Tune" – 3:49 (In A Castle)
  4. "Number One" – 3:22 (Radio Edit)
  5. "Number One" (Video)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "How Ace Are Buildings - A". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Upton, Sam (August 1997). "A - How Ace Are Buildings". Select.