Knock Knock (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Knock Knock
Type = Album
Artist = Smog


Released = January 12, 1999 (LP/CD on Drag City)
February 1, 1999 (LP/CD on Domino)
Recorded = 1998
Length = 42:47
Label = Drag City / Domino
Producer = Jim O'Rourke
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:6ku67ur0o0j3 link]
* Pitchfork Media (9.7/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/21830/Smog_Knock_Knock link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/smog/albums/album/95440/review/5945832/knock_knock link] |
Last album = "Red Apple Falls"
(1997)
This album = "Knock Knock"
(1999)
Next album = "The Manta Rays of Time"
(2000)

"Knock Knock" is Smog's seventh album, released in 1999. Following "Red Apple Falls", his first collaboration with Jim O'Rourke as a producer, "Knock Knock" elaborates Callahan's sound and provides twists and edges to the folky style of its predecessor. "Held" was the first single, followed by "Cold Blooded Old Times", which was also featured on the "High Fidelity"-soundtrack, thereby gaining some attention to Callahan's work. Other soundtrack-appearances include "Teenage Spaceship" in "Crazy" (2000, directed by Hans-Christian Schmid) and "Hit the Ground Running" in "Swimming" (2000, directed by Robert J. Siegel). [ [http://www.swimmingthemovie.com/soundtrack.html Swimming - Starring Lauren Ambrose of HBO's Six Feet Under ] ] The album was accompanied by the release of the single "Look Now", featuring the two Japanese bonus tracks.

Loren Mazzacane Connors plays guitar on "Sweet Treat", Tim Mulvenna played drums. Jim O'Rourke played piano, "Wurley" played guitar.

Bill Callahan has referred to the cover as being a reference to "two zen tenets - that of life being like a flash of lightning or a wildcat's roar" (Smog interview in Ink Blot Magazine), though others have speculated that it is a reference to Cat Power, who was in a relationship with Callahan.

Track listing

#"Let's Move to the Country"
#"Held"
#"River Guard"
#"No Dancing"
#"Teenage Spaceship"
#"Cold Blooded Old Times"
#"Sweet Treat"
#"Hit the Ground Running"
#"I Could Drive Forever"
#"Left Only with Love"

Japanese bonus tracks

#"Look Now"
#"The Only Mother"

References