Crack The Sky – White Music
Label:
Lifesong
Format:
Vinyl LP, Album
Country:
US
Released:
1980
Crack the Sky were formed in Weirton, West Virginia in the early 1970’s. The Progressive Rock group really gained a loyal local following in the Baltimore, Maryland metro area (the band was also popular in the clubs / bars of Cleveland). Crack the Sky’s first record on the Lifesong record label was their self titled album Crack the Sky released in 1975. (which I have in my collection) Crack The Sky saw radio airplay support from Baltimore Area radio stations WHFS 99.1fm and 98 Rock.
In 1976 Crack The Sky released their second album Animal Notes and toured the United States non-stop opening for Rush, Yes, Supertramp, ELO, and Frank Zappa! White Music (a sarcastic album title about the current state of Hard Rock, Progressive Rock and New Wave) was released in 1980. White Music really helped to capture the shift in rock music between the hard rock of the 1970s and the new rock of the 1980s.
I was fortunate enough to pick up a very nice copy of this great rock record on a recent weekend road trip down to M-Theory Music record store in San Diego.
Crack the Sky was recently named to Rolling Stone Magazines’ list as One of the Top 50 Greatest Progressive Rock albums. The band still actively tours to this day and on Record Store Day Black Friday 2018 - Crack The Sky released their most recent LP Living In Reverse.
A1 ‘Poptown’ - A bouncy party rocker.
A2 ‘Living With The Lights On’ - A New Wave number featuring a brief Hendrix-style guitar intro and Yellow Magic Orchestra keyboards eventually sounding like a Devo number.
A3 ‘The Radio Cries (It’s Singles Time)’ - A Power Pop tune if it weren’t Crack The Sky you might guess it was a Nick Lowe bouncy pop song.
A4 ‘Skin Deep’ - An Epic Rocker! A Glam / Art rock song which one can hear the David Bowie Ziggy Stardust- influences stand out!!! Great white funk horns section as well. Catchy as hell! Standout Track
A5 ‘White Music’- The hard rock tongue- in- cheek title track makes fun of white people music - Heavy Metal. Crack the Sky’s cultural rip on soulless white rock and pink flamingos almost a New Wave / Punk Zappa-esq parody of bad White rock in the street!
B1 ‘All American Boy ‘- A progressive, hard rocker about a red blooded All American Boy hiding from his girlfriend’s parents in the basement.
B2 ‘Hot Razors In My Heart’ -Edgy, intense and larger-than-life. One of the best songs on the album! Standout Track
B3 ‘Suspicion’ - A slow building, Prog Rock song done in crack the sky‘s signature style
B4 ‘Techni Generation’- A silly, novelty, new wave statement ripping on the late 1970’s generation ‘disco roller frisbee punk rockers’’.
B5 ‘Flying’ - The obvious Pink Floyd or Beatles Psychedelic Pop references can be heard here on this short track.
B6 ‘Songs Of Soviet Sons’ - On the somber, ‘Songs Of Soviet Sons’ one can hear Progressive Rock sounds like the well established 1970s Progressive Rock genre.
