Character Assassination (album)

Character Assassination
Studio album by Ed Kuepper
Released	August 1994
Recorded	1994
Genre	Alternative rock
Label	Hot
Producer	Ed Kuepper & Phil Punch
Ed Kuepper chronology
Serene Machine (1993) Character Assassination (1994) A King in the Kindness Room (1995)

Character Assassination is the eighth solo album by Australian guitarist and songwriter Ed Kuepper recorded in 1994 and released on the Hot label.^[1] Early pressings of the album were released with an additional disc Death to the Howdy-Doody Brigade containing the undubbed master versions of all songs but one from Character Assassination and one new song.

Reception

The album spent 3 weeks in the Australian charts in 1994 peaking at number 32.^[2] Character Assassination was nominated for an ARIA for the Best Independent Release at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 and Kuepper was nominated for Best Male Artist.^[3]

The Allmusic review by Ned Raggett awarded the album 4 stars and states "Kuepper once again demonstrates his talent for instantly appealing, addictive music on Character Assassination. The whole album is for the most part a stripped-down experience, not an unplugged or wholly acoustic effort by any means and often taking a faster pace, but eschewing Kuepper's fiercer guitar work and fuller arrangements for a calmer, less explosive turn".^[4]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]

Track listing

All compositions by Ed Kuepper except as indicated

1. "By the Way" - 4:03
2. "Little Fiddle (and the Ghost of Xmas Past)" - 4:23
3. "Cockfighter" - 3:43
4. "My Best Interests at Heart" - 4:27
5. "Take It by the Hand" - 3:46
6. "La Di Doh" - 5:07
7. "I'm with You" - 3:07
8. "Ill Wind" - 6:37
9. "So Close to Certainty" - 4:44
10. "A Good Soundtrack (Pushin' Fear)" - 3:36
11. "Ring of Fire" (June Carter Cash, Merle Kilgore) - 4:04
12. "If I Had a Ticket" - 2:40

Bonus Disc: Death to the Howdy-Doody Brigade

1. "By the Way" - 4:03
2. "Little Fiddle (and the Ghost of Xmas Past) - 4:23
3. "Cockfighter" - 3:43
4. "My Best Interests at Heart" - 4:27
5. "Take It by the Hand" - 3:46
6. "La Di Doh" - 5:07
7. "I'm with You" - 3:07
8. "Ill Wind" - 6:37
9. "So Close to Certainty" - 4:44
10. "A Good Soundtrack (Pushin' Fear)" - 3:36
11. "Ring of Fire" (Cash, Kilgore) - 4:04
12. "Number 10" - 2:40

• Recorded at Electric Avenue Studio, Rozelle, Sydney, Australia.

Personnel

• Ed Kuepper - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, elastic stringed guitar, bass, bottle
• Mark Dawson - drums, percussion
• Barry Turnbull - bass
• Linda Neil - violin
• Naomi Star, Toni Mott - backing vocals
• Miroslav Bukovsky, Julian Gough, Herb Cannon - horn section
• Charlie McMahon - didgeridoo
• Jim Conway - harmonica, jaw harp
• Peter Burgess - washboard

References

1. ^ The Kuepper Files: Discography accessed 6 July 2010
2. ^ Australian Charts entry accessed 6 July 2010
3. ^ 9th Annual ARIA Awards accessed 8 July 2010.
4. ^ ^{a b} Raggett, N. Allmusic Review accessed 6 July 2010