Greatest Hits (Half Japanese album)
| Greatest Hits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | March 13, 1995 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock Alternative rock | |||
| Label | Safe House | |||
| Producer | Half Japanese | |||
| Half Japanese chronology | ||||
| ||||
Greatest Hits is the first compilation album released by the punk rock band Half Japanese, in 1995. It includes the line ups from all albums released by the band.
History[edit]
Half Japanese's Greatest Hits, which was the band's first compilation album, was released on March 13, 1995,[1] after more than twenty years of activity as a band.[2] By the time it came out, the band had gained an international fan base[1] and it had already released thirteen studio albums; since the release of the compilation, there have been three more.[3] Half Japanese later released two more compilation albums.[4]
Music[edit]
Greatest Hits is two discs and has at least one song from each album: from 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts, with the band's original set, to Boo! Live in Europe 1992.[1] The album features notable guests such as John Zorn and Eugene Chadbourne.[5]
There are strong differences in the styles as well as the sound fidelity between the songs.[1] It is possible to find noise and electronic tracks, such as the ones from 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts; punk rock songs, like those from Charmed Life; experimental songs, such as those from The Band That Would Be King as well as more straightforward rock from other releases.[2]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Entertainment Weekly | (Favourable) link |
Ned Raggett from Allmusic gave the album 4.5 stars of 5 calling it the best way to start with Half Japanese given the scattered discography of the band. He praised the songs "King Kong", "Amazing Clock" and "Identical Twins" as well as "How to Play Guitar", which, according to him, makes for a great final touch.[1]
The album was included in Blender's top 100 indie rock albums, where it was called "undeniably difficult and triumphantly messy".[6]
Track listing[edit]
All songs written by Jad Fair unless indicated.
Disc A[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Firecracker (“Firecracker Firecracker”)" | Sing No Evil (1985) | 2:42 | |
| 2. | "Daytona Beach" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 1:47 | |
| 3. | "Said and Done" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 2:52 |
| 4. | "Dance When I Say Dance" | Half Japanese | Our Solar System (1984) | 1:47 |
| 5. | "Postcard from Far Away" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 1:42 | |
| 6. | "The Worst I'd Ever Do" | Jad and David Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 0:43 |
| 7. | "Horseshoes" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 2:12 | |
| 8. | "Open/Close Your Eyes (“Open Your Eyes/Close Your Eyes”)" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 1:10 | |
| 9. | "This Could Be the Night" | Fire in the Sky (1992) | 4:39 | |
| 10. | "Put Some Sugar on It" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 2:50 | |
| 11. | "Calling All Girls" | J. & D. Fair | “Calling All Girls” 7” EP (1977) | 1:01 |
| 12. | "La Bamba" | Traditional | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:56 |
| 13. | "Love at First Sight" | Half Japanese | Charmed Life (1988) | 2:44 |
| 14. | "Rub Every Muscle" | D. Fair | Sing No Evil (1985) | 1:45 |
| 15. | "Silver and Katherine" |
| Music to Strip By (1987) | 3:13 |
| 16. | "My Sordid Past" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:30 |
| 17. | "Ride, Ride, Ride" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 0:32 | |
| 18. | "Day and Night" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 2:52 |
| 19. | "Last Straw (“The Last Straw”)" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:22 |
| 20. | "Nicole (“Nicole Told Me”)" | Sing No Evil (1985) | 4:30 | |
| 21. | "Miracles Happen Every Day" | Charmed Life (1988) | 2:16 | |
| 22. | "U.S. Teens (“U.S. Teens are Spoiled Bums”)" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:08 |
| 23. | "School of Love" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 1:09 |
| 24. | "T. for Texas (“Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)”)" | Jimmie Rodgers | Previously unreleased | 8:23 |
| 25. | "Colleen" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 2:33 |
| 26. | "Red Dress" | Charmed Life (1988) | 2:15 | |
| 27. | "Charmed Life" | Half Japanese | Charmed Life (1988) | 1:46 |
| 28. | "Rosemary's Baby" | D. Fair | Horrible EP (1982) | 1:32 |
| 29. | "I Know How It Feels... Bad" | Half Japanese | Loud (1981) | 2:38 |
| 30. | "Roman Candles" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 2:20 |
| 31. | "Dream Date" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 1:45 |
Disc B[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Movin' on Up" |
| Previously unreleased | 2:17 |
| 2. | "No More Beatle Mania" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 1:53 |
| 3. | "How Did You Know?" | We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990) | 1:34 | |
| 4. | "Penny in the Fountain" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 1:59 |
| 5. | "King Kong" | Daniel Johnston | A Tribute to Daniel Johnston Vol. 3 compilation 7” EP (1994) | 3:29 |
| 6. | "Secret" | We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990) | 2:16 | |
| 7. | "B./C. Millionaires (“Bogue Millionaires / Cool Millionaires”)" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 2:14 |
| 8. | "Amazing Clock" | D. Fair | Previously unreleased | 2:44 |
| 9. | "Thick and Thin" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:13 |
| 10. | "1,000,000 Kisses (“One Million Kisses”)" | Half Japanese | Charmed Life (1988) | 1:55 |
| 11. | "Big Mistake" | BOO! Live In Europe 1992 (1992) | 1:26 | |
| 12. | "Little Records" | D. Fair | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 1:20 |
| 13. | "No Direct Line (“No Direct Line from My Brain to My Heart”)" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 2:01 |
| 14. | "The House I Live In" | We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990) | 1:02 | |
| 15. | "U.F.O. Expert" | Fire in the Sky (1992) | 1:11 | |
| 16. | "Identical Twins" | D. Fair | Previously unreleased | 0:39 |
| 17. | "Double Trouble" | Sing No Evil (1985) | 2:04 | |
| 18. | "Evidence" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 2:05 |
| 19. | "Stripping for Cash" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:22 |
| 20. | "On the One Hand" | Sing No Evil (1985) | 3:28 | |
| 21. | "Snake Line" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 2:07 |
| 22. | "Too Much Adrenalin" | D. Fair | Our Solar System (1984) | 1:28 |
| 23. | "Trouble in the Water" |
| Charmed Life (1988) | 3:00 |
| 24. | "Ball and Chain" | Willie Mae Thornton | Sing No Evil (1985) | 3:03 |
| 25. | "Her Parents Came Home" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 1:02 |
| 26. | "Deadly Alien Spawn" | The Band That Would Be King (1989) | 2:39 | |
| 27. | "Ancient Life" | Half Japanese | Music to Strip By (1987) | 1:36 |
| 28. | "Poetic License" | Half Japanese | Charmed Life (1988) | 2:10 |
| 29. | "Uncertain Feelings (“Tell Me I'm Wrong”)" | Charmed Life (1988) | 2:10 | |
| 30. | "Something New... (“Something New in the Ring”)" | Half Japanese | Charmed Life CD bonus track (1988) | 1:16 |
| 31. | "Fire to Burn" | D. Fair | Our Solar System (1984) | 2:33 |
| 32. | "Acupuncture" | D. Fair | Sing No Evil (1985) | 2:16 |
| 33. | "Salt & Pepper" | Previously unreleased | 1:58 | |
| 34. | "Guitar Solo" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 0:43 |
| 35. | "A Little Bit More" | I Like It When You Smile (Jad Fair solo album) (1992) | 1:35 | |
| 36. | "Mono (“I Don't Want to Have Mono No More”)" | J. & D. Fair | 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980) | 0:20 |
| 37. | "Better Than Before" | I Like It When You Smile (1992) | 1:26 | |
| 38. | "Everything is Right" | Fleming | We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990) | 2:46 |
Personnel[edit]
The people involved in the album are from the band's different line ups:[5]
- Terry Adams – piano
- Pippin Barnett – drums
- Hank Beckmeyer – bass guitar, guitar, producer
- George Cartwright – saxophone
- Eugene Chadbourne – guitar, harmonica, vocals on "Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)"
- Byron Coley – liner notes
- David Doris – saxophone
- John Dreyfuss – saxophone
- Rick Dreyfuss – drums
- David Fair – guitar, percussion, vocals, liner notes
- Jad Fair – guitar, harmonica, vocals, producer
- Danny Finney – saxophone
- Don Fleming – guitar, vocals
- Tim Foljahn – guitar
- Fred Frith – guitar
- Mick Hobbs – guitar
- Scott Jarvis – drums
- Mark Jickling – guitar
- Steve Johnson – guitar
- Rob Kennedy – bass guitar
- Kramer – organ, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, producer
- Eppo Krol – producer
- Richard Labrie – drums
- David Licht – conga
- Joe Martinelli – drums
- Lisa Mednick – keyboards
- Gilles V. Rieder – drums, producer
- Rebby Sharp – guitar
- John Sluggett – guitar
- Jay Spiegel – drums
- Maureen Tucker – drums, producer
- Jason Willett – bass guitar
- Gary Windo – saxophone
- Howard Wuelfing – bass guitar
- Lana Zabko – saxophone
- Don Zientara – producer
- John Zorn – saxophone
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Raggett, Ned. "Half Japanese - Greatest Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
- ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Half Japanese". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
- ^ "Half Japanese main albums". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
- ^ "Half Japanese compilation albums". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
- ^ a b "Half Japanese - Greatest Hits (credits)". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
- ^ Jon Dolan, Josh Eells, Will Hermes, Jonah Weiner and Douglas Wolk. "The 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever — #100 to #91". Blender. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
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