Hard Normal Daddy

Hard Normal Daddy
Studio album by Squarepusher
Released	28 April 1997
Length	62:07
Label	Warp
Producer	Tom Jenkinson
Squarepusher chronology
Port Rhombus EP (1996) Hard Normal Daddy (1997) Big Loada (1997)
Singles from Hard Normal Daddy
"Vic Acid" Released: March 31, 1997

Hard Normal Daddy is a 1997 studio album by British electronic musician Tom Jenkinson under his alias of Squarepusher. The album was the first studio album as Squarepusher for Warp Records. A single for the track "Vic Acid" was released in 1997 prior to the album's release.

The album has received praise since its release including a five star review from Allmusic and being listed as one of the best albums of the year by The Wire and the NME. Stylus Magazine referred to the album in 2003 as Squarepusher's "masterpiece".

Production

Tom Jenkinson was offered to sign to Ninja Tune, Rephlex Records, R&S Records and Warp Records. Jenkinson eventually chose Warp as he was more interested in the label's music.^[1]

Style

Jenkinson has stated that his music on Hard Normal Daddy has not been influenced by jazz fusion, but more funk oriented music like Herbie Hancock's Death Wish soundtrack and cop show themes.^[2]

Release

Hard Normal Daddy was released by Warp Records on April 28, 1997. It was released on compact disc, double vinyl, cassette and digital download.^[3] A single was released for the album for the track "Vic Acid" on March 31, 1997 by Warp on compact disc and 12-inch vinyl.^[4][5]

Reception

The online music database AllMusic gave Hard Normal Daddy five out of five stars, comparing it favourably to similar releases from the music labels Spymania and Rephlex describing the album as "substantially cleaner and more thought out than previous releases" from those labels.^[6] The music was also praised for not "simply relying on the shock value of "tripping-over-myself" drum programming and light-speed fretless bass noodling."^[6] In 2003, Stylus Magazine referred to the album as Squarepusher's "masterpiece" and that Squarepusher "refrains from such mind numbing repetition and put down his most accomplished work to that point."^[7] The Wire placed the album on their list of the best albums of 1998.^[8] The NME placed the album at number 34 on their list of best albums of 1997.^[9]

In 1999, Jenkinson referred to the music on his albums Feed Me Weird Things and Hard Normal Daddy as "already beginning to sound a bit... It sort of reminds me of being a bit younger in a way. It's a bit more (of a) naive approach, a bit more fresh. The sound as well. I've gotten better production." and "I still REALLY like it. I like my stuff 'cause I only ever end up with tracks that I really, really like. It always appeals to me. There's only about four tracks that I've done which I don't really like. The rest of them I like."^[1] Rolling Stone gave the album three and a half stars out of five.^[10]

Track listing

All songs composed by Tom Jenkinson.^[6]

1. "Coopers World" – 5:09
2. "Beep Street" – 6:37
3. "Rustic Raver" – 5:08
4. "Anirog D9" – 1:11
5. "Chin Hippy" – 3:16
6. "Papalon" – 8:10
7. "E8 Boogie" – 8:13
8. "Fat Controller" – 5:38
9. "Vic Acid" – 3:07
10. "Male Pill Part 13" – 8:38
11. "Rat/P's and Q's" – 4:33
12. "Rebus" – 2:47

Credits

• Frank Arkwright – mastering
• John Clayton – visuals

See also

• 1997 in music
• Music of the United Kingdom (1990s)

Notes

1. Gross, Jason (January 1999). "Squarepusher Interview". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
2. Blanning, Lisa (August 8, 2012). "Interview: Squarepusher". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
3. "Warp / Records / Releases / Squarepusher / Hard Normal Daddy". Warp Records. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
4. "Vic Acid - Squarepusher : Releases". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
5. DiGravina, Tim. "Vic Acid - Squarepusher". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
6. Cooper, Sean. "Hard Normal Daddy". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
7. Burns, Todd (September 1, 2003). "Squarepusher - Hard Normal Daddy". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
8. "1997 Rewind". The Wire. December 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
9. "Albums and Tracks of the Year for 1997". NME. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
10. Brackett, Hoard 2004, p. 773.

References

• Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743201698.