Hissing Prigs in Static Couture

Hissing Prigs in Static Couture is the third and final studio album by American indie rock band Brainiac, released on March 26, 1996. It is the band's second release through Touch & Go Records, following the Internationale extended play released the year prior. The album incorporates more electronics than previous Brainiac releases, and hints towards the more synth-based electropunk style that the band would later focus on for their next extended play, and final release before Tim Taylor's death in 1997, Electro-Shock for President.

Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
Studio album by
Brainiac
ReleasedMarch 26, 1996
StudioWater Music, Hoboken, New Jersey
GenreIndie rock
Synthpunk
Noise rock
Dance-punk
Art pop
Post-hardcore
Length34:35
LabelTouch & Go
ProducerEli Janney, Steve Albini
Brainiac chronology
Bonsai Superstar
(1994)		 Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
(1996)		 Electro-Shock for President
(1997)

Background and recording

In an interview with Seconds magazine, Brainiac frontman Tim Taylor stated that the band was very interested in writing a "futuristic pop" album of sorts: "the idea was to make pop music that sounded futuristic so it wouldn’t sound dated."[1] The band also incorporated a "70's fashion band" aesthetic around the time the album was in production, wearing gaudy outfits for their live performances.[2]

The album was predominately recorded at Water Music in Hoboken, New Jersey, with production and engineering duties done by Eli Janney, who had also helped the band with their previous album Bonsai Superstar. "Nothing Ever Changes" was produced and recorded by Steve Albini in his basement. The entire album was mixed at Oz Recording in Baltimore, Maryland. A music video for the track "Vincent Come on Down" was produced to promote the album.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Alternative Press4/5[4]
NME7/10[5]
Pitchfork8.0/10[6]
Tiny Mix Tapes4/5[7]

Hissing Prigs in Static Couture received much acclaim from critics and fans and is considered as one of the band's best recordings, alongside Bonsai Superstar. In a contemporary review of the album for CMJ New Music Monthly, Jenny Eliscu described Brainiac as "Saturday Night Fever gone punk".[8] Retrospectively, Magnet described the album as a "lost classic",[9] while Wondering Sound's Yancey Strickler referred to it as "the band's undisputed masterpiece".[10]

Pitchfork ranked Hissing Prigs in Static Couture at number 73 on its list of the top 100 albums of the 1990s.[11] It was also included in the site's list of the 25 best albums released through Touch & Go Records.[12] NME included the album in its list of five albums with production by Steve Albini that they considered to be "essential", referring to Brainiac as "one of the most brain-bustingly unique [bands] the rock underground has ever seen".[13]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Indian Poker (Part 3)"0:51
2."Pussyfootin'"2:36
3."Vincent Come on Down"2:34
4."This Little Piggy"3:51
5."Strung"2:10
6."Hot Seat Can't Sit Down"3:10
7."The Vulgar Trade"1:44
8."Beekeeper's Maxim"2:53
9."Kiss Me, U Jacked Up Jerk"3:13
10."70 Kg Man"3:32
11."Indian Poker (Part 2)"0:45
12."Nothing Ever Changes"2:42
13."I Am a Cracked Machine"4:34
Total length:34:35

Personnel

Brainiac
  • Tim Taylor – vocals, incidental
  • John Schmersal – guitar
  • John Monasterio – bass
  • Tyler Trent – drums

Production
  • Eli Janney – production, recording, engineering
  • Steve Albini – recording, production ("Nothing Ever Changes")
  • Jeff Gattens – assistance
  • Mike Rippe – assistance

References
  1. Thrasher, Don. "Looking Back On Brainiac's Final LP". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  2. Aaron, Charles (June 1996). "Leaders of the New Cool". Spin. Vol. 12 no. 3. pp. 85–87. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  3. Egan, Brian. "Hissing Prigs in Static Couture – Brainiac". AllMusic. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  4. "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Alternative Press. No. 95. June 1996. p. 72.
  5. "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". NME. March 16, 1996. p. 46.
  6. Josephes, Jason. "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 14, 2001. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  7. Mahoney, Bredan. "Brainiac – Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on September 6, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  8. Eliscu, Jenny (May 1996). "Brainiac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 33. p. 28. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  9. "Lost Classics: Brainiac's Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Magnet. March 7, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
  10. Strickler, Yancey (April 22, 2011). "Brainiac, Hissing Prigs in Static Couture". Wondering Sound. Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  11. Pitchfork staff (November 17, 2003). "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork. p. 3. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  12. Crock, Jason (September 6, 2006). "Touch and Go 25". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  13. "From The Mixing Desk Of Steve Albini – 5 Essential Albums". NME. April 2, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
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