Roots & Crowns

by Califone

Roots & Crowns cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 10 October 2006
  • Label: Thrill Jockey
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 48:26
  • Community rating: 3.69/5 from 8 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Masterfully blending rustic Americana with subtle electronic glitches and tape manipulation, the Chicago group reaches a major creative peak. The cinematic, highly textural approach to roots music heavily utilizes found sounds and unconventional percussion alongside acoustic guitars and banjos. It is frequently cited as a defining masterpiece of experimental alt-country.

Genres

Descriptors: desert, experimental, lo-fi, acoustic, melodic, rhythmic

Tracklist

  1. Pink & Sour (4:13)
  2. Spiders House (3:47)
  3. Sunday Noises (2:50)
  4. The Eye You Lost in the Crusades (4:42)
  5. A Chinese Actor (4:18)
  6. Our Kitten Sees Ghosts (2:47)
  7. Alica Crawley (0:37)
  8. The Orchids (2:55)
  9. Burned By Christians (3:55)
  10. Black Metal Valentine (6:16)
  11. Rose Petal Eat (2:09)
  12. 3Leged Animal (4:08)
  13. If You Would (5:43)

Credits

  • Califone - primary artist, recorded by
  • Chris Hamilton - artwork [art assist]
  • Gina Kelly - artwork [cards]
  • Wil Hendricks - bass
  • Sheila Sachs - design
  • Ben Massarella - drums [batterie, lensdrum], performer [pistons], rattle [zuni], performer [shu{3}lai{2}bao{3} treasure counting stick], performer [bronze fork], percussion [gourds], shaker, percussion [glass], chimes [oak], performer [ribbon crasher], written-by
  • Joe Adamik - drums [drum kit], bass clarinet, organ [wurlitzer], piano, organ, vibraphone, sampler [dr. sample], bells, melodica, percussion [prepared metaliphone], written-by
  • Brian Deck - harmonica, loops, electronics, recorded by, mixed by, synthesizer, electronics [manipulation], vibraphone, organ, written-by
  • Andy Bosnak - recorded by
  • Jim McGranahan - recorded by
  • Michael Krassner - recorded by
  • Ron Guensche - recorded by [wil's bass]
  • Michael McGinley - trombone
  • Alan Scalpone - trumpet
  • Anthony Gilbert - viola
  • Jim Becker - violin, banjo, vocals, guitar, bass, loops, electronics, percussion, xylophone, accordion [cajun], mandolin, kalimba, written-by
  • Tim Rutili - vocals, guitar, piano, electronics, recorded by [field recordings], organ, synthesizer, banjo, loops, balalaika [bowed], photography by, artwork [collage], written-by
  • Glen Sherman - written-by
  • Psychic TV - written-by

More from Califone: full discography