Black Snakes

Black Snakes is a collaboration between the experimental rock band Red Krayola and the conceptual art group Art & Language.[5][6] It was released in 1983 by RecRec Music.[7] The album was adopted by Drag City and re-issued on CD in 1997.[8]

Black Snakes
Studio album by The Red Krayola with Art & Language
Released	1983
Recorded	Sunrise Studio, Switzerland
Genre	Experimental rock
Length	47:22
Label	RecRec (original release) Drag City (reissue)[1]
The Red Krayola with Art & Language chronology
Kangaroo? (1981) Black Snakes (1983) Sighs Trapped by Liars (2007)
The Red Krayola chronology
Kangaroo? (1981) Black Snakes (1983) Three Songs on a Trip to the United States (1983)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Robert Christgau	B[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10[4]

Critical reception

Dave Thompson, in Alternative Rock, referred to the album as an "avant-garde theater [soundtrack] without the theater to explain what was happening."[9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael Baldwin, Mel Ramsden, and Mayo Thompson.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Black Snakes"	4:41
2.	"Ratman, The Weightwatcher"	2:52
3.	"The Sloths"	6:42
4.	"The Jam"	4:29
5.	"Hedges"	3:48

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Portrait of V. I. Lenin in the Style of Jackson Pollock, Part I"	3:05
2.	"Future Pilots"	4:17
3.	"A Portrait of You"	4:49
4.	"Words of Love"	4:49
5.	"Café Twenty-One"	3:53
6.	"Gynaecology in Ancient Greece"	3:55

Personnel

Musicians Ben Annesley – bass guitar Chris Taylor – drums Allen Ravenstine – synthesizer, saxophone Mayo Thompson – guitar, vocals

Production Etienne Conod – recording Eric Radcliffe – mixing Robert Vogel – recording

References

1. "The Red Crayola with Art & Language - Black Snakes | Drag City". www.dragcity.com.
2. Christgau, Robert. "Red Crayola with Art & Language: Black Snakes". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
3. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 6: MUZE. p. 806.CS1 maint: location (link)
4. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 322.
5. "Thompson's twins". Dallas Observer. June 17, 1999.
6. Miller, Eric T. (June 2, 2006). "The Red Krayola: Outside The Lines".
7. Kenny, Glenn; Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira (2007). "Red Crayola". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
8. "The Red Krayola: Black Snakes". Drag City. 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
9. Thompson, Dave (August 9, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.

External links

• Black Snakes at Discogs (list of releases)