Strange Free World

Strange Free World
Studio album by Kitchens of Distinction
Released	18 March 1991
Recorded	1990
Studio	Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire
Genre	Shoegazing, dream pop
Length	43:28
Language	English
Label	One Little Indian
Producer	Hugh Jones
Kitchens of Distinction chronology
Love Is Hell (1989) Strange Free World (1991) The Death of Cool (1992)
Singles from Strange Free World
"Quick as Rainbows" Released: March 1990 "Drive That Fast" Released: January 1991

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	(B)[2]

Strange Free World is the second album by British alternative rock band Kitchens of Distinction, released on February 19, 1991 in the US by A&M Records and on March 18, 1991 in the UK by One Little Indian Records. It is the follow-up to their 1989 debut Love Is Hell. Noted producer Hugh Jones, who worked with Echo & the Bunnymen (on their 1981 album Heaven Up Here), among many others, helped KOD to sound more at ease in the studio.

Reviewer Ned Raggett notes that "Musically, the tunes sound quite ambitious in many ways, often steering away from conventional verse-chorus-verse formulas," and calling the album an overall excellent effort; it is often considered one of the group's best works, as well as possibly its most popular and commercially successful, charting at #45 on the UK Albums Chart.^[3] The album also includes KOD's only UK charting single "Drive That Fast," which charted at #93 on the UK Singles Chart.^[3]

Track listing

All tracks written by Kitchens of Distinction.

Singles

• "Quick as Rainbows" (March 1990)
  • UK single:
  1. "Quick as Rainbows"
  2. "Mainly Mornings" (Live)
  3. "In a Cave" (Live)
  4. "Shiver" (Live)
  • US promo 12" single:
  1. "Quick as Rainbows"
  2. "These Drinkers"
  3. "Elephantiny" [acoustic version of "Elephantine"]
  4. "Three to Beam Up"
• "Drive That Fast" (January 1991)
  • UK single:
  1. "Drive That Fast" (7" Edit)
  2. "These Drinkers"
  3. "Elephantiny"
  4. "Three to Beam Up"
  • US promo 12" single:
  1. "Drive That Fast"
  2. "Railwayed"

Personnel

• Patrick Fitzgerald – vocals, bass
• Julian Swales – guitar
• Dan Goodwin – drums
• Roddy Lorimar – trumpet on "Under the Sky, Inside the Sea"
• Hugh Jones – producer, engineer
• Michael Ade – assistant engineer
• Helen Woodward – mixing engineer
• Richard Norris – assistant mixing engineer
• Ken Perry – mastering
• Colin Bell – photography
• Art direction and design by Two Guys and Kitchens of Distinction
• Recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios
• Mixed at Master Rock
• Compiled at First Protocol
• Mastered at A&M Mastering

References