Red Brocade

by Nikki Sudden

Overview

Red Brocade feels more like a Jacobites recording than one of his wonderfully shambolic slash-and-burn rock offerings (evidence is in the tracks; Dave Kusworth, Sudden's long-suffering partner in Jacobites plays some guitar here). Not surprisingly, the piano plays a big role in these songs -- check "Broken Door," with Terry Miles' gorgeous keys. In many ways this is a more "orchestral" pastoral work, with strings, acoustic double bass, tenor saxophone (courtesy of Mars Williams playing like a partying Clarence Clemons or Alvin "Red" Tyler, no less), and B-3 organ among the instruments employed here. The slippery midtempo rocker "Countess" uses all of the above, and the use of handclaps is also prominent. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy makes a harmonica appearance on "Silver Blanket," with Sudden's trademark 12-string work eclipsing his scattershot vocal in the tune's introduction. As Kevin Junior's Ron Wood-esque electric guitar enters the picture, Todd Fletcher's piano gives way to a Hammond B-3 and the song breaks wide open into the world as a perfect depiction of why a relationship doesn't work. Sudden, of course, is oblivious and is just trying to get through it; his reverie, sadness, and resignation feel like Ronnie Lane's ghost coming through his voice. Tweedy finishes it all off with a moaning, weeping harmonica solo that puts the cut in the sad rock stratosphere. "Take Me Back Home," which closes the disc, throws off all the grief and sadness and lets it rock. Williams' sax solo and the guitar work are simply over the edge, and the set ends if not on a celebratory note then a wanton one. Red Brocade is one of those forgotten Nikki Sudden records, one that stands as Robespierre's Velvet Basement in his catalog. It's a ragged rock school masterpiece. The great sadness is that -- like so many of Sudden's records -- it languishes as a one-off for yet another fly-by-night indie label that has no idea how to market or promote it, and the fear is that it will soon be deleted like so much of his work. Seek it out, folks -- this one will shake you to the core. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/2003
Label:	Vicious Kitten Records
UPC:	0614511717724
Rank:	162244

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nikki Sudden   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Guitar (Electroacoustic),Guitar (12 String Acoustic)
Anthony Illarde   Primary Artist,Drums,Tambourine,Handclapping
Dr. Brad   Timpani
Gus Friedlander   Banjo,Mandolin
Russ Bassman   Organ
Doctor Brad   Stick,Congas,Shaker
Amyl Nitrate   Tambourine
Fred Beethoven   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Paul Brook   Drums,Tambourine
Tudor Vernon   Organ,Farfisa Organ
Ellis Clark   Keyboards,Percussion,Handclapping,Slide Guitar,Farfisa Organ,Guitar (Bass),Featured Artist,Guitar (Rhythm),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Guitar (12 String Acoustic),Bass,Piano,Vocals
John A. Rivers   Piano,Organ (Hammond),Contrabass Guitar
Eric Remschneider   Strings
Jeff Tweedy   Vocals,Harmonica,Featured Artist
Carl Eugene Picot   Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
John Rivers   Piano,Contrabass,Farfisa Organ,Organ (Hammond)
Chico Welsh   Fiddle
Terry Miles   Piano
Chamber Strings   Featured Artist
Kevin Junior   Handclapping,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Kevin Tihista   Handclapping,Vocals (Background)
Mars Williams   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Todd Fletcher   Organ,Piano
Tom Clark   Drums
Brad Yoder   Timpani
Dave Kusworth   Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

Tom Arnold   Design,Photography,Cover Design,Layout Design
Tudor Vernon   Executive Producer
Ellis Clark   Engineer,Producer,Composer
John A. Rivers   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Katharina Rosenkranz   Photography,Cover Design
John Rivers   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Nikki Sudden   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer