Shrimp Attack

by Creative Clay, Stuart Hyatt, The Shrimp Attack Collective

Overview

Like a prior record nominally credited to Stuart Hyatt (2005's The Clouds), this isn't so much a Hyatt recording as a community art project. Though Hyatt did co-write the music with Joe Terrana, the lyrics were written by members of Creative Clay, a non-profit cultural arts center for artists with developmental disabilities in St. Petersburg, FL. Also contributing to the musical performances were students at Eckerd College, and though the vocals aren't specifically credited, at an educated guess most or all of these were done by Creative Clay artists as well. According to the liner notes, the nine tracks eventually produced by this collaborative effort ("performed by the Shrimp Attack Collective," according to the CD credits) "loosely follow a narrative describing the complacency of an alpha-species (humans) and the growing frustration of the underlings (shrimp)." That's a concept even more obscure than the average '70s rock opera, and not one that's too clearly delineated by the songs. Without that context, it sounds more like a collection of whimsical, semi-improvised song-poems -- sometimes sung, sometimes declaimed -- that are somewhat like the most naive form of indie pop, though blander and less edgy. Almost everyone would agree that these sort of artistic endeavors are worthwhile projects to undertake, simultaneously providing an artistic outlet for and serving a part of the population that's usually unfairly neglected by both the media and society as a whole. It won't win many Good Guy awards to say this in a record review, but as to whether it's interesting for many people not involved in the project or its community to hear, that's another matter. There are those who will find its charm winning, but for all but the most specialized tastes, it's too slight to reward multiple listenings. One thing it should win some kind of award for, though, is the packaging, which is as quirky as it comes, enclosing the CD, ninja tree seeds, and a small spiral-bound illustrated notebook (with drawings and texts by Creative Clay artists) in a U.S. Army canteen pouch used in the Vietnam War era. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	07/17/2007
Label:	Innova
UPC:	0726708621728

Tracks

1. I Found Your Kind
2. Bursting on the Ground
3. March
4. House of Dead Bodies
5. Good
6. We're Okay
7. Ninja Tree
8. Let's Be Still
9. Ben's House

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Creative Clay   Primary Artist
The Shrimp Attack Collective   Primary Artist
Stuart Hyatt   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Lynn J.   Group Member
Ainslee M.   Group Member
L. Alex   Group Member
Stefan R.   Group Member
Isaac H.   Group Member
Stephanie H.   Group Member
Jimmy F.   Group Member
B. Thor   Group Member
Donnie A.   Group Member
Jeff M.   Group Member
Misty C.   Group Member
Trevor Sadler   Mastering
Alex L.   Group Member
Artemisa M.   Group Member
Tareena W.   Group Member
Chris C.   Group Member
Creative Clay   Text,Drawing
Kevin H.   Group Member
Stuart Hyatt   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Art Direction,Package Design
Michael R.   Group Member
Dolores M.   Group Member
Amie W.   Group Member
Camilla B.   Group Member
Max Linsky   Liner Notes
Kathryn J.   Group Member
Mici F.   Group Member
Sarah H.   Group Member
Markie L.   Group Member
Josh MM.   Group Member
Arthur B.   Group Member
Todd K.   Group Member
Seth H.   Group Member
Ashley J.   Group Member
Tiffany W.   Group Member
Rick W.   Group Member
Mary Anne B.   Group Member
John V.   Group Member
Yalanda S.   Group Member
Linda R.   Group Member
Ashley F.   Group Member
Kim S.   Group Member
Katie M.   Group Member
Zoe F.   Group Member
Carolyn R.   Group Member
Robin L.   Group Member
Stuart H.   Group Member
Forrest L.   Group Member
Glory B.   Group Member
Ross J.   Group Member
Chris F.   Group Member
Molly L.   Group Member
Marley G.   Group Member