How Ace Are Buildings
How Ace Are Buildings is the debut album by British alternative rock band A, released in 1997.
How Ace Are Buildings | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 29 July 1997 | |||
Recorded | June-December 1996 | |||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Length | 57:52 | |||
Label | Tycoon/London (UK) Immortal/Epic (planned US release) | |||
Producer | Thom Wilson | |||
A chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Select | 2/5[2] |
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
- "Turn It Up" – 1:33
- "Foghorn" – 3:04
- "Cheeky Monkey" – 3:36
- "Number One" – 3:50
- "Bad Idea" – 2:21
- "Sing-A-Long" – 4:20
- "Winter of '96" – 5:28
- "Out of Tune" – 4:19
- "Fistral" – 3:59
- "House Under the Ground" – 4:01
- "Five in the Morning" – 3:14
- "Ender" – 18:07
- Contains a hidden track at 14:49
"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
- "Turn It Down"
- "Number One (Happy Valley Ranch Mix)"
- "Alright (Live)"
- "Bad Idea (Live)"
- "Sing-A-Long (Post Term Audit Mix)"
- "Five in the Morning (DJ Mental Visuals Mix)"
- "Foghorn (Live)"
- "Barnyard"
- "Demolished House" (b-side to foghorn, also remix of House Under The Ground)
- "Callhimin"
- "Cheeky Monkey (Live)"
- "Fistral (Major Threat Mix)"
- "Out of Tune" (Live)
Singles
Five in the Morning (TYCD 1)
- "Five in the Morning" - 3:13
- "8 Fingers" - 2:26
- "Almost Everything Is Great" - 5:29
House Under The Ground (TYCD 2)
- "House Under The Ground" - 4:01
- "40" - 2:30
- "Demolished House" - 5:22
Bad Idea (TYCD 3)
- "Bad Idea" – 2:16
- "Look What You Made Me Do" – 3:12
- "40" – 2:30
Number One (TYCD 4)
- "Number One (Radio Edit)" - 3:22
- "Alright" - 2:41
- "Ouch!" - 4:00
- "Number One" - 3:50
Foghorn (TYCD 5)
- "Foghorn" – 3:07
- "Last Girl" – 4:24
- "A Demolished House" – 5:22
Number One
- CD1 (TYCD 6):
- "Number One" – 3:21
- "Good Idea" – 2:18
- "Alright" – 2:41
- "Sasquatch" – 2:52
- CD2 (TYCDP 6):
- "Number One" – 3:51 (+30)
- "Ouch" – 4:02
- "Number One" – 6:15 (Happy Valley Ranch Mix)
- "Foghorn" – 3:06
- "Foghorn" (Video)
Sing-A-Long
- CD1 (TYCD 7):
- "Sing-A-Long (Radio Edit)" - 3:41
- "I'm Over It" - 1:47
- "Callhimin" - 5:02
- "Photo Finger" - 3:58
- CD2 (TYCDP 7):
- "Sing-A-Long" – 4:19
- "Sing-A-Long" – 4:22 (Post Team Audit Mix)
- "Singing Out of Tune" – 3:49 (In A Castle)
- "Number One" – 3:22 (Radio Edit)
- "Number One" (Video)
References
- "How Ace Are Buildings - A". AllMusic.
- Upton, Sam (August 1997). "A - How Ace Are Buildings". Select.