What? And Give Up Show Biz?
What? And Give Up Show Biz? is a live double album by Austin, Texas-based band Asylum Street Spankers, which documents the band's performance of a revue of the same name at Barrow Street Theatre during a two-week period in January 2008.[1][2] The album was released on September 30, 2008 on Yellow Dog Records in the United States. In his review of the revue, David Sprague of Variety wrote: "The book, built on fleshed-out codifications of the members’ road-tested stage banter, is somewhat slight, but the ratio of knee-slappers to groan-inducers is high enough to make it diverting." In the same review, he concluded, "...given the Spankers’ remarkably deft musicianship and bottomless pit of material — bad breaks and bad brakes are both likely to be part of the touring band vernacular for some time to come — the revue would seem to have legs."[3]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Blurt | (favorable)[5] |
MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A-[6] |
PopMatters | [7] |
What? And Give Up Show Biz? | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | September 30, 2008 | |||
Recorded | January 10–20, 2008 | |||
Venue | Barrow Street Theatre | |||
Genre | Swing music, folk rock, country music | |||
Label | Yellow Dog Records | |||
Asylum Street Spankers chronology | ||||
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Track listing
Disc 1
- "Ladies and Gentlemen... I've Wasted My Life"
- Everybody Loves My Baby
- "Nice Theater"
- "My Country's Calling Me"
- Winning the War on Drugs
- Blue Prelude
- "It's good to be here in, uh...."
- Why Do It Right?
- "Stanley and Wammo"
- Since I Met You Baby
- "Gig from Hell"
- Monkey Rag
- "The Morning Moron Mob"
- Medley of Burned Out Songs
- Beer
- "Strange Talents"
- Leaf Blower
- "The Bus Story"
- Think About Your Troubles
- "Daddy Drinks Because You Cry"
- You Only Love Me For My Lunchbox
Disc 2
- "Y'all like love songs?"
- My Baby in the CIA
- "Read thinner books."
- Asylum Street Blues
- Breathin'
- "bathroom break"
- Big Noise From Winnetka
- Hick Hop
- Got My Mojo Workin'
- "take a good look..."
- My Favorite Record
- "Encore!"
- Blade of Grass
- "Requests?"
- Pakalolo Baby
- Tight Like That
- Wake and Bake
- TV Party
- "goodnight"
- Stick Magnetic Ribbons on Your SUV
Personnel
- Asylum Street Spankers – primary artist
- Brooke Barnett – graphic design
- Justin Fox Burks – photography
- Joshua Cain – stage manager
- Tom Durack – mastering
- Josh Hoag – bass
- Patrick Jacobs – audio engineer
- Charlie King – dobro, harmonica, mandolin, member of attributed artist, throat singing, vocals
- Rich Lamb – engineer, mixing
- Scott Marcus – drums, percussion, vocals
- Christina Marrs – audio production, executive producer, guitars, musical saw, producer, tenor banjo, ukulele, vocals
- Nevada Newman – guitar, mandolin, vocals
- J.P. Riedie – audio production, director, producer
- Korey Simeone – member of attributed artist, violin, vocals
- Stanley Smith – clarinet, guitar, member of attributed artist, vocals
- Wammo – audio production, executive producer, harmonica, percussion, producer, vocals, washboard, whistle
- Todd Sebastian Williams – cover photo, photography
References
- Sisario, Ben (15 January 2008). "The Road May Be Rough, but It Yields Material". The New York Times.
- Fernandes, Matt (21 November 2008). "Asylum Street Spankers celebrate new CD tonight at Off Broadway". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Sprague, David (14 January 2008). "Review: 'Asylum Street Spankers: What? And Give Up Show Biz?'". Variety.
- Anderson, Rick. "What? And Give Up Showbiz? Review". AllMusic.
- Judge, Stephen (19 January 2009). "What? And Give Up Show Biz? Review". Blurt.
- Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide". Consumer Guide. MSN Music.
- Cooper, Lana (28 January 2009). "What? And Give Up Showbiz? Review". PopMatters.