''Rocket'' is the
Primitive Radio Gods
Primitive Radio Gods is an American alternative rock band from Southern California. Current members consist of frontman Chris O'Connor, who performs vocals and bass guitar; percussionist Tim Lauterio; and Luke McAuliffe, who contributes various ...
' debut album, released on June 18, 1996, by
.
"
Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" was a hit single.
Reception
Despite the critical acclaim surrounding the lead single, the album as a whole received negative reviews from critics.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
critic
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
wrote: "Most of ''Rocket'' sounds exactly like somebody messing around with a four-track, more intent on capturing sounds, not songs. Usually, this would at least result in some interesting sounds, but O'Connor hasn't even managed that. At its core, ''Rocket'' sounds like a demo tape with one promising song."
[
''Pitchfork'' writer Ryan Schreiber said, "At any rate, you don't want ''Rocket'' in your record collection now or ever since the music sounds like a third-rate, decaffeinated version of ]Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin is an English rock band formed in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in November 1987. The band took their name from an episode of radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show''. The band is unusual for using two bass-players in their ...
and because, by reading ''Pitchfork'', you've already proven you have better taste than that (I hope)." Schreiber gave it an extremely negative rating of 1.2/10, falling under "Awful, not a single pleasant track". However, Schreiber wrote that "Phone Booth" "as a single, is going to sell like the Rubik's Cube.", but that "as an album? Let's face it: Three minutes is enough for even the most mind-numbed, tasteless societal outcast."[
]
Track listing
All songs written by Chris O'Connor, except where noted.
#"Women" – 4:18
#"Motherfucker" – 5:20
#" Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" – 5:38
#"Who Say" – 3:24
#"The Rise and Fall of Ooo Mau" – 3:50
#"Where the Monkey Meets the Man" (O'Connor, Jeff Sparks) – 4:17
#"Are You Happy?" (O'Connor, Sparks)– 5:35
#"Chain Reaction" – 4:47
#"Skin Turns Blue" – 4:27
#"Rocket" – 4:42
Personnel
;Primitive Radio Gods
* Chris O'Connor – performer, songwriter, producer
;Additional
* Mary Kay Fishell – additional vocals
* Jeff Sparks – additional guitar
* Tim Lauterio – drums
* David Vaught – engineer, bass
* Ray Staff – mastering
* Valerie Phillips – photography
* Lisa Wright – CD photo
Chart performance
;Album
;Singles
References
{{Authority control
1996 debut albums
Columbia Records albums
Primitive Radio Gods albums