Everything about Cheer Up totally explained
Overview, lyrics, etc.
Cheer Up is the debut album by
Plexi, released on
Sub Pop Records on October 8, 1996. It was recorded by Jeff Powell at Oceanway Studios (Los Angeles, CA), Fox Force Five Studios (Los Angeles), and Ardent Studios (Memphis, TN). The packaging is an elaborate fold-out design, encased by a slide-off black external slipcase. There are three large photos of band members preening in front of bathroom mirrors; there's also "BYE PLEXI & PALS (adios, amigos)" written on one of the mirrors with lipstick in guitarist Michael Barragan's handwriting. Though "Star Star" shares a title with a 1973
Rolling Stones song (the uncensored title of the Stones' song is actually "Starfucker"), it isn't a cover. "Peel" and "Magnet" are re-recorded versions of songs from prior Plexi EPs. "Peel" was given a radically-different 2nd half with lyrics, instead of the instrumental noise coda called "He" with which it had previously ended. After a few minutes of reverb-heavy, hypnotic droning about how "she can't stand her hair, she can't stand her face," "Peel" now had a chorus of, "She was gonna swing/ She was gonna swing from her neckbone..." "Bunny" is a 2-minute ambient segue apparently based on a sampled loop of an orchestra, with sounds of explosions in the distance; it concludes with a muffled, echoing scream of "We're gonna die..." Barragan handled the vocals on "56," a song said to be inspired by his love of
numerology; the album's sleeve also had cryptic "23" artwork on it.
In the liner notes, Barragan thanks the
NHRA in the liner notes. The band as a whole thanks the L.A. Free Clinic, Dave Navarro, "and of course, the vagina."
Promotional copies came in a plain black sleeve with a photo of the band, and a removable mini foldout poster; the poster contained Plexi's discography to date, and a mostly-false biography detailing their meeting at a Taoist retreat. (This in-joke is possibly continued via the band's publishing company, which was entitled Three Pious Egoists.)
Reissue, video, singles
Cheer Up was re-released on CD and cassette in July, 1997, as a joint release by Sub Pop/ Lava/ Atlantic. (The vinyl LP version remains in print solely on Sub Pop.) The "23" rune design on the CD itself was slightly changed in size and color, but overall, the packaging remained very faithful to the original design.
A video was shot for "Forest Ranger," featuring the band cavorting in a bathtub and in the studio; it aired a few times on MTV's
120 Minutes in September '97. (This song was slightly remixed by Tom Lord-Alge for radio play on the reissue.) "Forest Ranger" was also used in the movie
Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000, but didn't appear on the soundtrack album.
"Roller Rock Cam" was released as a 1-track promotional CD single to radio stations. In 1997, the promotional
Mountains EP was released. It featured the
Cheer Up version of "Mountains," plus live recordings of "Forest Ranger," "Change" and "Simple Man." "Dimension" appeared on
Spring Lineup: A Compilation Of Sub Pop's Heavy Hitters in early 1997. "Bunny" appeared on
Brine: The Antisurf Soundtrack in 1997.
Track listing
(All songs written by Plexi)
"Forest Ranger" (4:01)
"Dimension" (2:25)
"Roller Rock Cam" (3:08)
"Peel" (5:02)
"Dayglo" (3:09)
"Ordinary Things" (4:01)
"Bunny" (2:08)
"Change" (2:58)
"Fourget" (2:20)
"Mountains" (3:01)
"Magnet" (2:30)
"56" (2:04)
"Star Star" (3:58)
Personnel
Michael Angelos - Vocals, Bass
Michael Angelos - Guitar, Noises, Mini Moog, Rhodes 88; Vocals on 12
Norm Block - Percussion, Drums
Melora Creager - Cello on 6, 13
Paul Roessler - Keyboards on 5, "and various other sounds"
Jonathan Poneman - Executive producer
Jeff Kleinsmith - Art direction/ design
Robert Sebree, Derrick Ion - PhotographyFurther Information
Get more info on 'Cheer Up'.
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