Uncle Anesthesia
1991 studio album by Screaming Trees
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Uncle Anesthesia is the fifth studio album by the American band Screaming Trees.[2][3] It was released in 1991 via Epic Records.[1] It includes three of the four tracks from the band's previous Epic release, Something About Today.[4]
| Uncle Anesthesia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Original album artwork by Mark Ryden | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 29, 1991[1] | |||
| Recorded | June 1990 | |||
| Studio | London Bridge, Seattle, Washington | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock | |||
| Length | 47:05 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Terry Date, Chris Cornell | |||
| Screaming Trees chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Uncle Anesthesia | ||||
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"Bed of Roses" was released as a single and peaked at No. 23 on the Modern Rock charts.[5] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Nirvana and Das Damen; Dan Peters played drums on much of the tour.[6][7][8]
Production
Recorded at London Bridge Studio, Uncle Anesthesia was produced primarily by Terry Date and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell.[9][10] Unlike in the past, the band rehearsed for a couple of weeks before recording.[11] The album took six and a half weeks to record.[12]
Uncle Anesthesia was the last to feature drumming by original member Mark Pickerel, who left on amicable terms in 1991.[10] He was replaced by Barrett Martin.[13]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Calgary Herald | B−[15] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [16] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10[17] |
The Calgary Herald noted the "strong rockin' guitars with psychedelic undercurrents and the occasional pause for the pensive cause."[15] The St. Petersburg Times wrote that "vocalist Mark Lanegan croons fairy tale lyrics that melt through a sonic wall of guitars and percussion."[18] The Dayton Daily News concluded that "if Jim Morrison had joined a garage band instead of the jazz-trained Doors, it might have sounding something like Screaming Trees."[19]
The Province opined that "Gary Lee Conner resurrects the guitar sound of Syd Barrett and takes the band toward Interstellar Overdrive."[20] The Washington Post determined that "Gary Lee Conner can tear off a screeching lead or stomp a wah-wah pedal like any halfway-initiated Black Sabbath disciple, but he's not merely a piledriver; his atmospheric playing on tracks like 'Bed of Roses' give them unexpected delicacy."[21] The San Diego Union-Tribune stated that "Lanegan's spooky, back-from-the-crypt vocals and Gary Lee Conner's luminous guitars give this album an otherworldly glow."[22]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Mark Lanegan and Gary Lee Conner, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Beyond This Horizon" | 4:13 | |
| 2. | "Bed of Roses" | Lanegan, G. Conner, Van Conner | 3:02 |
| 3. | "Uncle Anesthesia" | Lanegan, G. Conner, V. Conner | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Story of Her Fate" | 1:41 | |
| 5. | "Caught Between" | Lanegan, G. Conner, V. Conner | 5:03 |
| 6. | "Lay Your Head Down" | 3:32 | |
| 7. | "Before We Arise" | 2:26 | |
| 8. | "Something About Today" | 3:02 | |
| 9. | "Alice Said" | 4:11 | |
| 10. | "Time for Light" | 3:50 | |
| 11. | "Disappearing" | 3:12 | |
| 12. | "Ocean of Confusion" | 3:05 | |
| 13. | "Closer" | 5:48 | |
| Total length: | 47:05 | ||
Personnel
- Screaming Trees
- Mark Lanegan – vocals
- Gary Lee Conner – guitar, backing vocals
- Van Conner – bass, backing vocals
- Mark Pickerel – drums, percussion on "Bed of Roses"
- Additional personnel
- Terry Date – producer, engineer, backing vocals on "Alice Said"
- Chris Cornell – producer, backing vocals on "Alice Said," "Uncle Anesthesia," and "Before We Arise", recorder on "Lay Your Head Down"
- Screaming Trees – producer
- Scott Miller – backing vocals on "Alice Said"
- Terry Pickerel – percussion on "Bed of Roses"
- Jeff McGraph – trumpet on "Disappearing"
- David Coleman – art direction
- Karen Mason – photography
- Mark Ryden – artwork
Charts
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Bed of Roses" | Modern Rock Tracks | 23 |