release date: Apr. 1987
format: digital (1990 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,82]
producer: John Cale
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Kuff Dam" - 2. "Tart Tart" - 4. "Russell" - 5. "Olive Oil" - 8. "Oasis" - 9. "24 Hr Party People"
Studio album debut by Happy Mondays with the full title: Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) is recorded by John Cale for Factory Records.
The band is the same stable sextet who released the 1985 Forty Five EP. The track "Oasis" also appears on the ep but apart from that it's an album with nine new compositions.
Where the band started out as a jangle pop-oriented alt dance-band, they now mix several styles and the jangle pop has been subdued. Instead they blend funk, surf rock ("Russell"), indie pop and neo-psychedelia, which ultimately makes it a rather complex mix of styles. It's not really an example of a coherent collection of songs, and it's somewhat difficult to find a common denominator but it's also clear that the songs appear quite originally crafted despite obvious loans from other artists.
The album was met by positive reviews but generally lacked to attract music buyers as it sold quite poorly.
In a music historical perspective, it's quite fascinating but as a stand-alone experience, this album is simply not good enough.
[ Shaun Ryder interview about the origines of the band, The Haçienda, the production of the album etc.]
