Album Notes

"A MURDER OF CROWS"
Just four months after releasing their debut CD (2001's "Non-Specific Gravity"), the band went back into the studio with a new sense of purpose and musical urgency. The result is a 12-song masterpiece that blends old-school pop sensibilities with new-school energy.

THE BAND:
Leslie Kooy - Vocals, violin
Pete Glase - Lead & rhythm guitar, drums
Patrick Stirrat - Rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals
Neel Daniel - Bass guitar
Brian T. Lumb - Drumbs

THE BUZZ:
"Another inspiring collection of work by a local favorite. This record shows growth and even stronger musicianship that the last, which is saying a lot because NSG blew my mind!" - MJ Hays, producer and bass player, Brother Justice

"A Murder of Crows is a perfect reminder of why I make music. It contains elements of everything I have ever loved about rock and roll." - Steven R. Brooks, recording artist

"The Cocktail Revisionists sidestep the dreaded curse of the second album with 'A Murder of Crows.' There is no hesitation here, with a release date less than a year after their first and with a sound that is a rockin' follow up to 'Non-Specific Gravity.' The lyrics on this one are meatier, giving your mind something to chew on while your head bobs to the beat. The music has a harder edge and a fuller sound that shows the band hitting their stride. Check out my faves 'The bar is closing' and 'Heisenberg's a jerk' to see what I mean." - Jen Place, Seattle, WA

"These guys kick some major ass! That drummer is kind of cute, too!" - Carl Hamilton, superfan

THE INTERVIEW:
Recently, the folks at Urban Cheese Records sat down with Patrick Stirrat to talk about A Murder of Crows. Here's an excerpt:

Urban Cheese Records (UCR): OK, I have to get this out of the way: Are you a yuppie?

Patrick Stirrat (PS): I knew that was coming [laughs]. I don't know if I'm a full-on yuppie. I mean, I have a minivan and a two-car garage, or whatever. The song ["Reality Bites" -ed.] is not so much about some problem I have with yuppies, it's just surprising that a generation that was once known for slacking got so caught up with money and materialism in the last couple years -- the whole dot-com thing and all that. It's like we embraced the very thing we were supposedly against. Really, I just thought it was a funny idea for song. I liked getting to use the word "pashmina wrap" in a song.

UCR: Some of the songs on this record are much more political than on the first CD. Was this a reaction to recent world events?

PS: No. Certainly some of the songs have taken on a different meaning since September, but all of these songs were written long before 9/11. People will probably read things into some of the songs, and that's fine, because it's cool that music can mean different things to different people. But the ideas in these songs aren't new, the context has just changed a bit.

UCR: You covered "This Land is Your Land." That was an interesting choice.

PS: Yes, I guess the decision to do "This Land" did have something to do with what's going on in this country, mostly because this song presents a balanced look at the whole patriotism thing. I had wanted to do a Woody Guthrie cover for a while, and saw Billy Bragg do all six verses of "This Land" at a concert last year. Most people don't know about the last 3 verses, which is too bad. It is kind of incomplete unless you hear the whole thing in context. The history of that song is cool. It was also a fun song to do. The recording was spontaneous and loose, which is not something you usually get to do in the studio.

UCR: Were any crows actually murdered for this CD?

PS: None that I know about. You might want to ask Brian T. Lumb, though. I think he once shot a crow in Reno just to watch him die.

UCR: Do you think that Bob Mould would be worth the risk?

PS: I don't know, man. Really.

UCR: What's next for Cocktail Rev?

PS: Hopefully a lot of record sales! Seriously, after cranking out two CDs in less than a year, we'll probably spend less time in the studio and put more energy in promoting A Murder of Crows.

UCR: Anything else we should know about this CD?

PS: Well, we certainly want our fans to know how much we appreciate their support. The word of mouth surrounding the first CD was amazing, a really nice surprise. We hope that our fans continue talking about us, and requesting us on the radio, and all that.

UCR: Ok, thanks and good luck.

PS: Thanks.