Half-Mute

Half-Mute is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Tuxedomoon, released on March 15, 1980 by Ralph Records.[4] It was their first long-form record, after two EPs, 1978's No Tears and 1979's Scream with a View.[5] Half-Mute was reissued on CD in 1985 by Cramboy, bundled together with Scream with a View. The album's cover art is by Patrick Roques.

Half-Mute
Studio album by Tuxedomoon
Released	March 15, 1980
Recorded	December 1979
Studio	Audios Amigos (San Francisco, California)
Genre	Post-punk, experimental rock
Length	40:04
Label	Ralph
Producer	Tuxedomoon
Tuxedomoon chronology
Scream with a View (1979) Half-Mute (1980) Desire (1981)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Record Collector	[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Steven Brown, Peter Dachert and Blaine L. Reininger.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Nazca"	3:07
2.	"59 to 1"	3:58
3.	"Fifth Column"	2:55
4.	"Tritone (Musica Diablo)"	2:50
5.	"Loneliness"	2:56

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"James Whale"	2:42
2.	"What Use?"	4:01
3.	"Volo Vivace"	2:48
4.	"7 Years"	3:08
5.	"KM/Seeding the Clouds"	11:39

1985 CD issue bonus tracks

No.	Title	Music	Lyrics/Vocals	Length
11.	"Nervous Guy" (from Scream with a View)	Reininger	Reininger	5:11
12.	"Where Interests Lie" (from Scream with a View)	Dachert	Brown	4:07
13.	"(Special Treatment for the) Family Man" (from Scream with a View)	Brown	Brown	5:10
14.	"Midnite Stroll" (from Scream with a View)	Michael Belfer	Belfer	3:21

Personnel

Adapted from the Half-Mute liner notes.[6]

Tuxedomoon

• Steven Brown – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming, lead vocals
• Peter Dachert (as Peter Principle) – bass guitar, guitar, synthesizer, drum programming
• Blaine L. Reininger – violin, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming, spoken word (A2)

Production and additional personnel

• Jim Renney – engineering
• Patrick Roques – cover art
• Tuxedomoon – production, arrangement

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
UK Independent Albums (Record Business)[7]	10

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[8]	198
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[9]	135

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United States	1980	Ralph	LP	TX8004
France		Celluloid		529806
Netherlands	1985	Cramboy		CBoy 1010
			CD	CBoy 1040
United States	1988	Ralph		80042
Netherlands	2016	Cramboy		CBoy 1011

References

1. Mills, Ted. "Half-Mute – Tuxedomoon". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
2. Shirley, Ian (June 2016). "Tuxedomoon – Half-Mute/Give Me New Noise". Record Collector. No. 454. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
3. Lowy, Kenn (1983). "Tuxedomoon". In Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide (2nd ed.). Random House/Rolling Stone Press. p. 520. ISBN 0-394-72107-1.
4. Gimarc, George (2005). Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock, 1970–1982. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 306. ISBN 9780879308483. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
5. Payes, Robert; Sheridan, David. "Tuxedomoon". Trouser Press. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
6. Half-Mute (sleeve). Tuxedomoon. San Francisco, California: Ralph Records. 1980.CS1 maint: others (link)
7. Lazell, Barry (1997). "Tuxedomoon". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums). Cherry Red Books. ISBN 978-0-9517206-9-1. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
8. "Ultratop.be – Tuxedomoon – Half-Mute / Give Me New Noise: Half-Mute Reflected" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
9. "Ultratop.be – Tuxedomoon – Half-Mute / Give Me New Noise: Half-Mute Reflected" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2020.

External links

• Half-Mute at Discogs (list of releases)