Recording details:

Date - late 1974
Studio - Stronghold Sound Recorders, Hollywood
Producer - Andy DiMartino
Engineer - Gregg Ladangi

Musicians:

Don van Vliet - vocals, harmonica
Dean Smith - guitar
Ira Ingber - bass
Bob West - bass (Observatory Crest only)
Michael Smotherman - keyboards, backing vocals
Mark Gibbons - keyboards
Gene Pello - drums
Jimmy Caravan - keyboards, star machine
Ty Grimes - percussion

This album is dedicated to Denny Rosencrantz (who is he?)

The front cover is a painting by Don's cousin Victor Hayden (aka The Mascara Snake)

1. Party Of Special Things To Do (Don Vliet / Elliot Ingber) 3.12
2. Same Old Blues (J.J.Cale) 4.00
3. Observatory Crest (Don Vliet / Elliot Ingber) 3.28
4. Pompadour Swamp (Don Vliet) 3.27
5. Captains Holiday (R.Feldman / W.Richmond / S.Hickerson / C.Blackwell) 5.42
6. Rock and Roll's Evil Doll (Don Vliet / Mark Gibbons / Ira Ingber) 3.09
7. Further Than We'we Gone (Don Vliet) 5.00
8. Twist Ah Luck (Don Vliet / Mark Gibbons / Ira Ingber) 3.17
9. Bluejeans & Moonbeams (Don Vliet) 5.09

Justin Sherill:

Leftovers from Beefheart's interim Magic Band in the mid-70's, usually referred to as the "Tragic Band". Buy it if you need to complete your collection. Most will agree that this is probably the worst Beefheart album, though there are a few people who have told me they enjoyed it.

Graham Johnston:

Well, this is mostly pretty ropey stuff - the only Beefheart album that I wouldn't recommend. It does still have a couple of very good moments however - "Observatory Crest" and the tile track are gorgeous tunes, though it's the real clunkers such as "Captain's Holiday" that really set the tone of the album. It is possible that you can live without this one.

• 1974 UK Original on Virgin V2023
  
  
• 1974 US Original on Mercury SRM 1-1018
  
  
• 1982 UK Re-issue on Virgin OVED 19
  
  
• 198X UK CD on Virgin CDV 2023
  
  
• 1990 US CD on Caroline CAR1631 - rebadged UK CDV 2023
  
  
• 2000 UK Re-issue on audiophile vinyl by Past & Present Records



• 2006 UK on Virgin/EMI CDVR2023
  A well remastered release with excellent new sleevenotes by Mike Barnes. Although the sound is fuller and more upfront the music is still fairly poor by comparison with other classic Beefheat albums but there are people who have found some diamonds in this mud. Pity the lyrics aren't included as a little extra.