Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest

Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest is a 1993 ambient techno album by the Fireman, a duo consisting of Paul McCartney and producer Youth, who is best known as a member of Killing Joke and the Orb.

Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest
Studio album by
The Fireman
Released15 November 1993
Recorded1978, 1992
GenreAmbient techno, industrial, electronic, EDM
Length76:40
LabelParlophone (UK)
Capitol (US)
Producerthe Fireman
The Fireman chronology
Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest
(1993)		 Rushes
(1998)
Paul McCartney chronology
Paul Is Live
(1993)		 Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest
(1993)		 Flaming Pie
(1997)
Singles from Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest
  1. "Transpiritual Stomp"
    Released: 1993

Background

The album consists of samples of McCartney material, mostly from the sessions that spawned his Off the Ground album,[1][2] as well as samples of "Reception" and "The Broadcast" from Wings' 1979 album Back to the Egg,[3] as remixed by Youth. Neither McCartney nor Youth are credited on the album; rumours of McCartney's involvement were eventually confirmed by EMI.

The project began when McCartney asked Youth to remix several tracks from McCartney's Off the Ground album[2] for use on possible 12" singles.[3] McCartney stated,

"The brief from me was that he should only use stuff from our recordings, because dance mixes often feature a kick-drum sample or a James Brown snare sound and, as a consequence, the record ends up sounding a bit like someone else's so I told Youth that I'd prefer any sound he might select to come off our recordings, mainly Off the Ground."

Recording

Regarding the project, Youth has stated,

"I didn't think it appropriate to remix any of the Off the Ground tracks the way I'd been briefed. I thought it would be better to do a more conceptual thing - that is, rather than remix a track I thought we should deconstruct the album into samples and then construct a new mix from those. And Paul liked the idea. He was into it, so I went for it."

Eventually, McCartney decided to join Youth in the studio to create new music to add to the tapestry along with the existing samples, and the project became a more collaborative effort. Although originally conceived as a series of 12" remixes, McCartney became so enamoured with the results of the sessions that the project became this full-length album.

Release and reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Q[5]
Robert Christgau[6]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]

In a Melody Maker review, Michael Bonner wrote,

"Paul McCartney has discovered dance music - and the results are as staggeringly brilliant as those that came from John Lydon's similar road-to-Damascus-like conversion last year. Truly, we live in an age of miracles. Eschewing the easy option of making a remix album, McCartney and his collaborator, Youth, have chosen to follow the likes of Brian Eno down a more experimental and cerebral path. They take a melody and, with dexterous genre-hopping through ambient, trance and house, evolve a number of breathtaking variations. Like snowflakes, each song seems identical to the last, until closer inspection reveals that it has its own unique shape."

Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest was released in the UK on 15 November 1993,[3] and in the US on 14 February 1994.[10] The album, released on Parlophone in the UK,[nb 1][nb 2][3] and Capitol in the US.[10] "Transpiritual Stomp" was released as a 12" single, with "Arizona Light Mix" as the B-side.[11]

Track listing

All songs written by the Fireman.

No.TitleLength
1."Transpiritual Stomp"9:01
2."Trans Lunar Rising"9:09
3."Transcrystaline"8:39
4."Pure Trance"8:40
5."Arizona Light"8:39
6."Celtic Stomp"8:34
7."Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest"8:07
8."4 4 4"7:35
9."Sunrise Mix"8:16
Total length:76:40

Personnel

References
Footnotes
  1. UK Parlophone PCSD 145[3]
  2. UK Parlophone CDPCSD 145[3]
Citations
  1. Morgan, Miles, Barry; Scott, Grant; & Johnny (2008). The Greatest Album Covers of All Time (illustrated ed.). London: Collins & Brown. p. 244. ISBN 9781843404811.
  2. Raymer, Miles; Colebrook, Claire (2010). How to Analyze the Music of Paul McCartney. Edina, Minn.: ABDO Publishing. p. 66. ISBN 9781617587849.
  3. Calkin, Graham. "Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest". Jpgr.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  4. Mason, Stewart. "Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest - The Fireman : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  5. Q (1/94, p.91) - 3 Stars - Good - "...As an infectious, first-gear, instrumental dance album, it's fine..."
  6. http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1430&name=The+Fireman
  7. http://www.ew.com/article/1994/03/25/strawberries-oceans-ships-forest
  8. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/strawberries-ocean-ships-forest-19940630
  9. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th edn). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 1257. ISBN 0-19-531373-9.
  10. Bogdanov, Vladimir, ed. (2001). All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music (2nd ed.). San Francisco, Calif.: Backbeat Books. p. 185. ISBN 9780879306281.
  11. "Fireman, The - Transpiritual Stomp / Arizona Light Mix (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  12. https://www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/album/strawberries-oceans-ships-forest/
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