Naked City: The Complete Studio Recordings
John Zorn · 2005
327 min · 121 tracks · avant-garde jazz
A chaotic blend of avant-garde jazz, punk energy, and cinematic soundscapes that defy genre boundaries.
Why this album works
'Naked City: The Complete Studio Recordings' is significant for its eclectic mix of styles and has been influential within the avant-garde jazz scene. It received critical acclaim for its audacious approach to composition and performance, contributing to Zorn's ongoing legacy as an innovator, and is often cited by contemporary experimental artists as a major influence.
- Best for
- wave-like pacing with surprises short bursts of intense energy immersive cinematic soundscapes
- Context
- By the time 'Naked City: The Complete Studio Recordings' was released in 2005, John Zorn had already established himself as a pioneering figure in avant-garde music. This compilation showcases his innovative work from the late 1980s and early 1990s with the band Naked City, following their groundbreaking self-titled debut album in 1989 and solidifying his reputation for genre-defying experimentation.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Christina Aguilera· Diana Ross· Madonna· Prince· George Benson· Chicago· Bob Dylan· Barbra Streisand
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 Batman Standout 2:04
- 2 The Sicilian Clan 3:32
- 3 You Will Be Shot 1:31
- 4 Latin Quarter 4:11
- 5 A Shot in the Dark 3:13
- 6 Reanimator 1:43
- 7 Snagglepuss 2:20
- 8 I Want to Live 2:12
- 9 Lonely Woman Standout 2:45
- 10 Igneous Ejaculation 0:24
- 11 Blood Duster 0:16
- 12 Hammerhead 0:11
- 13 Demon Sanctuary 0:41
- 14 Obeah Man 0:20
- 15 Ujaku 0:30
- 16 Fuck the Facts 0:14
- 17 Speedball 0:43
- 18 Chinatown 4:28
- 19 Punk China Doll 3:04
- 20 N.Y. Flat Top Box 0:45
- 21 Saigon Pickup 4:50
- 22 The James Bond Theme 3:06
- 23 Den of Sins 1:15
- 24 Contempt 2:54
- 25 Graveyard Shift 3:32
- 26 Inside Straight 4:16
Disc 2
- 1 Grand Guignol 17:49
- 2 Blood Is Thin 1:03
- 3 Thrash Jazz Assassin Standout 0:48
- 4 Dead Spot 0:35
- 5 Bonehead 0:56
- 6 Piledriver 0:37
- 7 Shangkuan Ling-Feng 1:18
- 8 Numbskull 0:32
- 9 Perfume of a Critic’s Burning Flesh 0:28
- 10 Jazz Snob: Eat Shit 0:27
- 11 The Prestidigitator 0:47
- 12 No Reason to Believe 0:27
- 13 Hellraiser 0:42
- 14 Torture Garden 0:39
- 15 Slan 0:26
- 16 The Ways of Pain 0:35
- 17 The Noose 0:12
- 18 Sack of Shit 0:48
- 19 Blunt Instrument 0:56
- 20 Osaka Bondage 1:16
- 21 Shallow Grave 0:43
- 22 Kaoru 0:54
- 23 Dead Dread 0:49
- 24 Billy Liar 0:15
- 25 Victims of Torture 0:26
- 26 Speedfreaks 0:51
- 27 New Jersey Scum Swamp 0:44
- 28 S/M Sniper 0:16
- 29 Pigfucker 0:27
- 30 Cairo Chop Shop 0:24
- 31 Face Lifter 0:57
- 32 Whiplash 0:23
- 33 The Blade 0:43
- 34 Gob of Spit 0:28
- 35 La cathédrale engloutie 6:26
- 36 Three Preludes, op. 74: I. Douloureux, déchirant 1:22
- 37 Three Preludes, op. 74: II. Très lent, contemplatif 1:42
- 38 Three Preludes, op. 74: III. Allegro drammatico 0:51
- 39 Prophetiae Sybillarum 1:52
- 40 The Cage 2:03
- 41 Louange à l’éternité de Jésus 7:23
- 42 Grand Guignol (version vocale) 17:40
Disc 3
- 1 Main Titles 1:28
- 2 Sex Games 2:23
- 3 The Brood 2:49
- 4 Sweat, Sperm + Blood 2:04
- 5 Vliet 0:50
- 6 Heretic 1 2:33
- 7 Submission 4:23
- 8 Heretic 2 1:46
- 9 Catacombs 2:46
- 10 Heretic 3 2:43
- 11 My Master, My Slave 2:23
- 12 Saint Jude 2:13
- 13 The Conqueror Worm 2:32
- 14 Dominatrix 2B 2:15
- 15 Back Through the Looking Glass 2:40
- 16 Here Come the 7,000 Frogs 1:59
- 17 Slaughterhouse/Chase Sequence 2:19
- 18 Castle Keep 1:49
- 19 Mantra of Resurrected Shit 1:43
- 20 Trypsicore 1:47
- 21 Fire and Ice (Club Scene) 2:37
- 22 Crosstalk 1:41
- 23 Copraphagist Rituals 0:53
- 24 Labyrinth 5:49
Disc 4
- 1 Asylum 1:55
- 2 Sunset Surfer 3:24
- 3 Party Girl 2:33
- 4 The Outsider 2:28
- 5 Triggerfingers 3:31
- 6 Terkmani Teepee 3:59
- 7 Sex Fiend 3:32
- 8 Razorwire 5:31
- 9 The Bitter and the Sweet 4:52
- 10 Krazy Kat 1:54
- 11 The Vault 4:44
- 12 Metaltov 2:07
- 13 Poisonhead 1:09
- 14 Bone Orchard 3:54
- 15 I Die Screaming 2:29
- 16 Pistol Whipping 0:57
- 17 Skatekey 1:24
- 18 Shock Corridor 1:08
- 19 American Psycho 6:09
Disc 5
- 1 Val de travers 6:19
- 2 Une correspondance 5:09
- 3 La fée verte 5:12
- 4 Fleurs du mal 4:08
- 5 Artemisia absinthium 4:34
- 6 Notre Dame de l'oubli (For Olivier Messiaen) 4:51
- 7 Verlaine, Part One: Un midi moins dix 4:28
- 8 Verlaine, Part Two: La bleue 6:03
- 9 ...rend fou 6:16
- 10 Leng Tch'e 31:38
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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