Product Description

"Rock and roll is the only cultural asset America has giventhe world", declared a young Patti Smith years before she made her own records. Then she made EASTER, which made that asset a little more valuable. EASTER is an essential culturaltouchstone.
Whereas HORSES was built on poetry and RADIOETHIOPIA scrapped accessibility for primal cacophony, EASTER was The Patti Smith Group's most approachable package of Smith's vision.
As an artist and songwriter, Smith constantly pushed the boundaries of rock's scope: The demented "Space Monkey" builds a visual landscape, "Because The Night" melds pop with literary intention, and "Ghost Dance" transcends all musical genres to become a mantra. Possibly the most powerful track on the album is Smith's epic "Babelogue/Rock NRoll Nigger" segue, where she incorporates Jimi Hendrix, Jesus Christ and Jackson Pollack into a paean to artistic individuality and its inevitable alienation.

Track Listing

1. Till Victory
2. Space Monkey
3. Because The Night
4. Ghost Dance
5. Babelogue
6. Rock 'n' Roll Nigger
7. Privilege
8. We Three
9. Twenty Fifth Floor/High On Rebellion
10. Easter

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6873 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-01
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Because the Night - Awesome... the rest...different!!!
I own an original vinyl copy of this. At the time of purchase I'd heard "Because the Night" and thought it was fantastic. Went out and bought the album on the strenth of the single. Have to say the album now lies dormant in my collection. Then, as now I find the rest of the tracks just a noise. Obviously I'm in the minority here judging by other reviews.
All I can say is, be aware you might find the rest of the album not to your taste! If you can, listen before you buy!

Bombastic Brilliance
NY's "punk rock poet laureate" Patti Smith might have a fluctuating success rate with albums (the patchy "Wave" being an example), but this record is in her top three finest records of all time. The other two are called "Horses" and "Trampin" respectively.

Two soul-stirring rave-ups begin the album. The madly excited "Till Victory" and the ejaculatory "Space Monkey" are thrilling rock songs recorded in zany burps of creativity.

Stirring pieces such as "Because The Night" and the gorgeous camp-fire number "Ghost Dance" are spine-chilling and represent the pinnacle of Patti's ethereal, literate vox.

"Babelogue" and "Rock 'n' Roll Nigger" represent the controversial experimentalist Patti. An incoherent poetic rant and an incendiary anti-PC anthem are familiar delights in the Tower of Smith.

"Privilege (Set Me Free)" and "We Three" are evocative and moving pieces of music, the latter co-written by Tom Verlaine.

"25th Floor" and "High on Rebellion" is the sound of a group in a state of majestic swagger. A thunderous noise festival and a call to transform waste into beauty... this is art-rock deluxe courtesy of Princess Patti & Co.

"Easter" (title track) is beautiful. Enough said.

The bonus track "Godspeed" is appalling, but Patti fans will probably just be pleased to see it here on the remaster.

Newcomers... start with this album. "Horses" is more avant-garde and less user-friendly. Those who own "Horses" and nowt else, get this immediately.

Everyone else, stop trying to see if Patti has shaved under her arms. FYI... she has.

Greatness on stilts.
A writer and singer of rare excellence with a band that utterly rocks result in a must-have album.