Sonic Flower Groove
Studio album by
Primal Scream
Released5 October 1987 (1987-10-05)
Genre
Length34:18
LabelElevation
Producer
Primal Scream chronology
Sonic Flower Groove
(1987)		 Primal Scream
(1989)
Singles from Sonic Flower Groove
  1. "Gentle Tuesday"
    Released: June 1987
  2. "Imperial"
    Released: September 1987

Sonic Flower Groove is the debut studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream, released on 5 October 1987 by Elevation Records. Mayo Thompson of Red Krayola was the producer of the album, after work with Stephen Street did not please the band.[1] Musically, Sonic Flower Groove features psychedelic, Byrdsy jangle pop, being the only Primal Scream album to feature founding member Jim Beattie (credited as Jim Navajo).

The album sold well enough to reach number 62 on the UK Albums Chart,[2] but performed poorly by major-label standards.[3] The disappointment was a major reason for the original Primal Scream splitting up shortly after Sonic Flower Groove, leaving vocalist Bobby Gillespie and the guitar duo of Andrew Innes and Robert "Throb" Young to reorganize the band.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Melody Makerunfavourable[5]
Underground23⁄4/3[6]

At the time of its release, critical reception was mixed. Underground called it "a real gem of a debut album" and "one that's sure to top all the polls come the end of the year", but others were less impressed. Melody Maker were impressed with "Gentle Tuesday" but said "the rest is not pop. It is dandelion fluff", stating that the album was "swamped with problems" with "no songs, just a dusty pile of dull leftovers".[5]

A later Allmusic review called it "one goofy headscratcher of a release, the sound of a band that didn't quite know exactly what to do yet trying to record a big-budget (of sorts) debut album and ending up with little more than a pristine but dull photocopy of Turn! Turn! Turn!".[4] In 2002, the Evening Times stated that it is "now regarded as a retro masterpiece".[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Gentle Tuesday"3:49
2."Treasure Trip"3:15
3."May the Sun Shine Bright for You"2:41
4."Sonic Sister Love"2:36
5."Silent Spring"3:52
6."Imperial"3:38
7."Love You"4:45
8."Leaves"3:32
9."Aftermath"2:47
10."We Go Down Slowly Rising"3:23
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Black Star Carnival" 2:39
12."I'm Gonna Make You Mine"William Carr, Carl D'Errico, Carole Bayer Sager2:12
13."Star Fruit Surf Rider" 1:58
14."So Sad About Us"Pete Townshend4:17
15."Imperial" (demo) 3:43

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Primal Scream
Additional personnel
  • Dave Morgan – drums
  • Gavin Skinner – drums
  • Martin Duffy – piano
  • Frank Sweeney – viola
Technical
  • Pat Collier – engineering
  • Helen Backhouse – design
  • Andrew Catlin – cover photography

Charts

Chart Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[2] 62

References

  1. ↑ Green, Jim; Aswad, Jem & Neate, Wilson "Primal Scream", Trouser Press, retrieved 2010-07-04
  2. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  3. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2002) "The Great Rock Discography (6th edition)", Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-312-1
  4. 1 2 Raggett, Ned "Sonic Flower Groove Review", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-07-04
  5. 1 2 Wilde, Jon (1987) "Primal Scream Sonic Flower Groove", Melody Maker, 3 October 1987
  6. ↑ Mescal, Dick (1987) "Primal Scream Sonic Flower Groove", Underground, October 1987 (Issue 7), p. 16
  7. ↑ Middleton, Fraser (2002) "Explosive; THEY SANG ABOUT BOMBING THE PENTAGON, THEN IT HAPPENED. SO WHAT NEXT FOR PRIMAL SCREAM?", Evening Times, 12 December 2002, p. 124
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