Dawn of the Cycads

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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Rick Anderson
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic started out as a side collaboration between two gods of the Boston art-punk scene: Mission of Burma's guitarist Roger Miller (who wanted an outlet for his keyboard compositions) and Erik Lindgren, who had played keyboards for an early version of Burma called Moving Parts. Adding third keyboardist Rick Scott and fellow Burma member Martin Swope on guitar, the quartet recorded an eponymous EP, a full-length album (Magnetic Flip), and then another EP (Beat of the Mesozoic), all on the local Ace of Hearts label. In 1988 Miller left, bringing the band's initial era to a close, but the group continues with original members Scott and Lindgren, as well ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Rick Anderson
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic started out as a side collaboration between two gods of the Boston art-punk scene: Mission of Burma's guitarist Roger Miller (who wanted an outlet for his keyboard compositions) and Erik Lindgren, who had played keyboards for an early version of Burma called Moving Parts. Adding third keyboardist Rick Scott and fellow Burma member Martin Swope on guitar, the quartet recorded an eponymous EP, a full-length album (Magnetic Flip), and then another EP (Beat of the Mesozoic), all on the local Ace of Hearts label. In 1988 Miller left, bringing the band's initial era to a close, but the group continues with original members Scott and Lindgren, as well as saxophonist Ken Field and guitarist Michael Bierylo. Dawn of the Cycads is a two-disc compilation that brings together the band's first three releases along with about 45 minutes of previously unreleased live and studio material from the same period. Those who are encountering the early recordings for the first time are in for a treat: the band's rock/classical fusion is in full effect on tracks like "Ptoccata" and the minimalism tribute "Terry Riley's House," while their more whimsical side is given expression in a rollicking rendition of the theme from Rocky and Bullwinkle. Not everything about the band's sound has aged well: that drum machine sounded cheap in 1983 and sounds positively cheesy today. But the Birdsongs' unique blend of compositional rigor, rockish energy, and cheerful complexity is still as fresh and enjoyable as it ever was. It would be too easy to say that this set is like an archaeological find from a rock & roll culture of the distant past -- it's more like an anthropological study of a culture that is both more advanced and more fun-loving than our own.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 9/30/2008
  • Label: Cuneiform
  • UPC: 045775027425
  • Catalog Number: 750274

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Sound Valentine (3:18)
  2. 2 Transformation of Oz (2:25)
  3. 3 Drift (2:38)
  4. 4 The Orange Ocean (2:31)
  5. 5 Triassic, Jurassic, Creataceous (6:23)
  6. 6 Shiny Golden Snakes (3:06)
  7. 7 Ptoccata (3:20)
  8. 8 (Exceprts From) The Rite of Spring (6:50)
  9. 9 International Tours (2:53)
  10. 10 Terry Riley's House (4:02)
  11. 11 Theme from Rocky and Bullwinkle (1:29)
  12. 12 The Tyger (3:20)
  13. 13 The Fundamental (2:51)
  14. 14 Bridge Underwater (5:26)
  15. 15 Chên/The Arousing (2:12)
  16. 16 Final Motif (4:03)
  17. 17 Pulse Piece (3:16)
  18. 18 The Common Sparrow (4:56)
  19. 19 Pop Triassic (3:29)
Disc 2
  1. 1 Lost in the B-Zone (4:32)
  2. 2 Waterwheel (3:57)
  3. 3 Excavation No. 32 (3:09)
  4. 4 Scenes from A... (5:05)
  5. 5 The Best of the Mesozoic, Pt. 1 (5:37)
  6. 6 Jay Reeg Intro (0:53)
  7. 7 Carbon 14 (4:35)
  8. 8 Chariots of Fire (3:00)
  9. 9 Lqabblil Insanya (4:44)
  10. 10 Modern Warfare (3:43)
  11. 11 Slo-Boy (4:02)
  12. 12 Laramide Revolution (6:04)
  13. 13 Pulse Piece (7:12)
  14. 14 [CD-Rom Track]
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic Primary Artist
Tom T. Hall Saxophone, Guest Appearance
Steve Stain Noise, Guest Appearance
Michael Cohen Cymbals, Snare Drums, Roto Toms, Guest Appearance
Erik Lindgren Percussion, Memory Moog, Mini Moog, Group Member
Allan Chase Saxophone, Guest Appearance
Leon Janikian Clarinet, Guest Appearance
Cercie Miller Saxophone, Guest Appearance
Peter Prescott Tom-Tom, Guest Appearance
Martin Swope Guitar, Percussion, Group Member
Rick Scott Percussion, Piano, farfisa organ, DX-7, Group Member
Technical Credits
Igor Stravinsky Composer
Erik Lindgren Composer, Liner Notes, Rhythm Programming
Aram Heller Graphic Design
Ted Jensen Mastering
Martin Swope Composer
Tony Volante Engineer
Jeff Whitehead Engineer
Roger Miller Composer
Mark Chapman Copy Editing
Rick Scott Liner Notes
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