Opposite Sex (album)

Opposite Sex
Studio album by
the Vulgar Boatmen
Released1995
GenreRock, folk-pop
LabelBlanco Y Negro
ProducerRobert Ray
The Vulgar Boatmen chronology
Please Panic
(1992) 		Opposite Sex
(1995) 		Opposite Sex EP
(1996)

Opposite Sex is an album by the American band the Vulgar Boatmen, released in 1995.[1][2] They promoted the album with appearances on Later... with Jools Holland and at the Glastonbury Festival.[3] The U.S. release was initially delayed for almost two years, with the band eventually acknowledging that a domestic release would not happen.[4][5]

Production

The songs were written between 1991 and 1994.[6] The band recorded 14 and decided on the final 12 after an advance tape had circulated.[7] "Heartbeat" is a version of the Gizmos song.[8] "Genie Says" uses a Walter Salas-Humara vocal from one of the band's first tapes.[8] Carey Crane, who had not appeared on the band's Please Panic, sings on the title track.[8] As with the Vulgar Boatmen's other albums, many of the songs are about wandering and using travels for renewed creativity.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
The Great Alternative & Indie Discography7/10[12]
The Guardian[13]
Poole and Dorset Advertiser[14]
The Yorkshire Evening Press[15]

The Indianapolis Star said that "the songs fall into two basic categories: insistent rock with ticking guitar and drums or languid, countrified folk-pop."[7] The Guardian called the album "a minor classic", and stated that "some of the tracks might seem to be just too simple, but the sparse treatment has an eerie charm and every single note is made to matter, especially when predictably sparse keyboard and viola are added in."[13] The Poole and Dorset Advertiser panned Opposite Sex, noting that "the same pace runs through this—slow or very slow."[14]

The Independent described the songs as "the mysteries of courtship, veiled and set to inhibited guitars."[16] The paper's Andy Gill later wrote, "As with the Feelies and the Silos, the Boatmen's songs are fragile models of pop forms, with just a few light instrumental hints and shades—notably organ and violin—carefully applied so as not to overpower [Robert] Ray and [Dale] Lawrence's vulnerable voices, which owe much to Ricky Nelson and the Everly Brothers."[17] The Washington Post listed Opposite Sex among the best albums of 1996, and noted that the band "have proved restraint can be an essential quality of rock."[18]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."When We Walk" 
2."Wide Awake" 
3."Call Back Instead" 
4."In a Station" 
5."Traveling" 
6."Shake" 
7."Heartbeat" 
8."In a Minute" 
9."Opposite Sex" 
10."We Can Walk" 
11."Genie Says" 
12."Susan, Goodnight" 

References

  1. ^ Sinclair, David (June 30, 1995). "New Albums". Features. The Times. p. 1.
  2. ^ Parsons, Tony (July 1, 1995). "The Arts: Lost hero takes the train from obscurity". The Daily Telegraph. p. 9.
  3. ^ Duffy, Thom (December 23, 1995). "Many borders crossed in 1995 int'l music scene". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. p. 66.
  4. ^ Allan, Marc (March 28, 1997). "The Mysteries of Life and Vulgar Boatmen". The Indianapolis Star. p. B9.
  5. ^ "Blending Styles". Time Out. Daily Herald. Arlington Heights. January 9, 2015. p. 21.
  6. ^ Bangert, Dave (October 14, 1994). "Notes". Journal and Courier. p. C2.
  7. ^ a b Allan, Marc (May 16, 1995). "Plenty to cheer at rock event". The Indianapolis Star. p. C1.
  8. ^ a b c The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock. Simon & Schuster. 1997. p. 797.
  9. ^ Lindquist, David (April 25, 2003). "Things falling into place for Vulgar Boatmen". Weekend. The Indianapolis Star. p. 16.
  10. ^ "Opposite Sex The Vulgar Boatmen". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  11. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 460.
  12. ^ Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography. Canongate. p. 690.
  13. ^ a b Denselow, Robin (June 30, 1995). "Your essential guide to the week's CD releases: Pop". The Guardian. p. T18.
  14. ^ a b "Discs". Poole and Dorset Advertiser. July 27, 1995. p. 24.
  15. ^ Hutchinson, Charles (July 11, 1995). "CD Reviews". The Yorkshire Evening Press. p. 6.
  16. ^ "Six Good Pop CDs". Arts and Books. The Independent. July 1, 1995. p. 2.
  17. ^ Gill, Andy (July 7, 1995). "Album Review: The Vulgar Boatmen Opposite". Pops. The Independent. p. 12.
  18. ^ Jones, Joyce (December 27, 1996). "Best of '96: Music". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 7.
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