The Second Annual Report
| The Second Annual Report | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album / Live album by Throbbing Gristle | ||||
| Released | November 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 18 October 1976 – 3 September 1977 | |||
| Genre | Industrial | |||
| Length | 39:32 | |||
| Label | Industrial | |||
| Throbbing Gristle chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Second Annual Report is the debut album by English industrial music pioneers Throbbing Gristle, released in November 1977 through Industrial Records. It is a combination of live and studio recordings which date from October 1976 to September 1977.
The Second Annual Report is considered to be immensely influential and is credited as being the album that birthed the industrial genre.
Background
The original vinyl edition went through several pressings. Industrial Records's original pressing totaled 785 copies, while Fetish Records pressed 2,000 copies. Fetish would press the album twice more after the original Industrial Records master plates were destroyed. The third edition was included in the five-album Throbbing Gristle box set; the album was recut to play backwards and included a chamber orchestra on the track "After Cease to Exist". The Fetish plates were reused to cut pressings made by Mute Records and Celluloid Records, the latter of which was supposedly released without the band's permission. (At the very least, the Celluloid issue is known to have poor sound quality.)[1]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Pitchfork Media | (8.6/10)[3] |
| Uncut | 8/10[4] |
The album was met with mixed critical reactions throughout the United Kingdom. Jimmy Poythress of the Dublin Review described the record as "a soundscape of necrophilia." Edwin Culbreth of Aloud retorted: "I shagged my wife to this record the other night...It was peculiar, but we went through with it....And she's totally still breathing."
Thirty-Second Annual Report
In 2008, a limited-edition album titled Thirty-Second Annual Report, or The Thirty-Second Annual Report of Throbbing Gristle, was released in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of The Second Annual Report, as well as to mark the official re-activation of the Industrial Records label.[5] The 12" 180gm vinyl LP comprises a recording of Throbbing Gristle's live performance at La Villette in Paris on 6 June 2008, which was a reinterpretation of their original album, and is limited to 777 copies. This album is pre-framed in bespoke, high-quality white gloss acrylic with an easy access clear window for removal of the record/sleeve so that the buyer can play the album and then reseal it in the frame. Accompanying the packaged vinyl is a special "black" extended CD version, which includes extra tracks that would not fit on the LP format. There is a version of the recording available for download, but the track lengths are different from the vinyl edition.
Track listing
| Side A | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Industrial Introduction" | 1:03 |
| 2. | "Slug Bait – ICA" (live) | 4:18 |
| 3. | "Slug Bait – Live at Southampton" (live) | 2:43 |
| 4. | "Slug Bait – Live at Brighton" (live) | 1:17 |
| 5. | "Maggot Death – Live at Rat Club" (live) | 2:47 |
| 6. | "Maggot Death – Studio" | 4:32 |
| 7. | "Maggot Death – Southampton" (live) | 1:34 |
| 8. | "Maggot Death – Brighton" (live) | 0:57 |
| Side B | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "After Cease to Exist – The Original Soundtrack of the Coum Transmissions Film" | 20:16 |
Personnel
According to AllMusic:
- Genesis P-Orridge – bass, clarinet, guitar, liner notes, violin, vocals
- Chris Carter – synthesizers, programming, mixing, photography
- Cosey Fanni Tutti – guitar, liner notes, photography, vocals
- Peter Christopherson – processing, tape, trumpet, unknown contributor role
References
- ↑ "Throbbing Gristle Discography: LP". userpages.umbc.edu. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Bush, John. "The Second Annual Report of Throbbing Gristle – Throbbing Gristle : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. AllRovi. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Daniel, Drew (7 December 2011). "Throbbing Gristle: Second Annual Report / D.O.A. / 20 Jazz Funk Greats / Heathen Earth / Greatest Hits | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ Bonner, Michael (14 February 2012). "Throbbing Gristle: The Industrial Pioneers, Reissued– uncut.co.uk". Uncut. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
- ↑ "Throbbing Gristle – The Thirty-Second Annual Report of Throbbing Gristle :: Industrial Records Store". Greedbag. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
External links
- The Second Annual Report at Discogs (list of releases)