White Music (Crack the Sky album)

White Music
Studio album by
Crack the Sky
Released1980
Recorded1980
GenreProgressive rock
LabelLifesong
ProducerTerence P. Minogue, Rick Witkowski
Crack the Sky chronology
Safety in Numbers
(1978) 		White Music
(1980) 		Photoflamingo
(1981)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Link

White Music is the fourth studio album by American rock band Crack the Sky, released on LP in 1980 (see 1980 in music) by Lifesong Records (catalog #LS 8028). It was the first release from the newly reformed Crack the Sky, whose lineup included only two members from the original band: singer/songwriter John Palumbo and guitarist Rick Witkowski.

Track listing

All tracks are written by John Palumbo

No.TitleLength
1."Poptown"3:47
2."Living With the Lights On"2:56
3."The Radio Cries (It's Singles Time)"3:11
4."Skin Deep"4:08
5."White Music"4:12
6."All American Boy"3:18
7."Hot Razors in My Heart"4:38
8."Suspicion"4:50
9."Techni Generation"4:05
10."Flying"1:21
11."Songs of Soviet Sons"5:05

Bonus tracks on the 2001 CD version

  1. "Hot Razors" (f2) – 4:53
    • by Feed da Cat 2, John Palumbo (guitars, voice) and Ian Palumbo (drums), with Ronnie Zebron (lead guitar)
  2. "Poptown" (demo) – 1:37
  3. "A Girl Like Mom" – 4:06
  4. "She's So Clean" – 3:47

note: on the 2001 CD, "Hot Razors" and "Poptown" are the first two tracks on the CD, and "A Girl Like Mom" and "She's So Clean" are the last two.

Personnel

The band

  • John Palumbo — Lead vocal, guitars, bass guitar, piano
  • Rick Witkowski — Guitars, drums, IBM Selectric II, back-up vocals
  • Vince DePaul – Synthesizer, electronic keyboards

Additional musicians

  • Deborah Kucan – Back-up vocals ("Techni Generation")
  • Richard Hunt – Back-up vocals ("Techni Generation")
  • Robin Denning – The orchestra
  • Crack Pack Horns
    • Bill Warfield – trumpet
    • Tom McCormick – tenor saxophone
    • Ellery Eskellin – baritone saxophone

Production

  • Terence P. Minogue – Producer
  • Rick Witkowski – Producer
  • Jeffrey Sharp — Executive producer
  • Victor Giordano – Engineer
  • Ted Jensen — Mastering
  • Elliott Federman – Remastering (2001 CD)

Additional credits

  • Jeffery Sharp – Protection
  • Terence P. Minogue – String arrangement
  • Recorded at Flite III Recorders, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City
  • LSR Strings — Acoustic guitar strings
  • John Palumbo – Album concept
  • Consuelo Y. Regan – Album design
  • Special thanks: Richard Klotzman, J. DeCesare, Gordon Miller Music, Belli Music, Inc., The Bel Loc (Bill Doxanas), Frank Ayd III and all at Flite III, Cindy Markus, Darrell Grysko for the demo recordings at the Attic, Mary, Kook's, Julie, Jane and Our Families
  • Recorded ZenLabs, New Jersey, 2001 ("Hot Razors" (f2))
  • Amy Bennick — Art direction (2001 CD)
  • Rick Sapphire — Photography (2001 CD
  • Remastered at SAJE Sound, New York City

Alternate versions

In 1988, Lifesong released a CD pairing White Music with Crack the Sky on a single disc (LSCD-8801). To fit both albums on one CD, the songs "The Radio Cries" and "Flying" (and one track from Crack the Sky) were omitted. In 2001, a remastered CD of White Music was released (Lifesong LSCD-7001). It included four bonus tracks: a 2001 re-recording of "Hot Razors in My Heart" by Palumbo and his son Ian, a demo version of "Poptown", and two outtakes—"A Girl Like Mom" and "She's So Clean".

Sources

  • LP and CD liner notes