Vocal Performances

Vocal Performances
EP by David Thomas
Released	1981
Genre	Rock, a capella
Label	Rough Trade
Producer	David Thomas
David Thomas chronology
The Sound of the Sand (1981) Vocal Performances (1981) Winter Comes Home (1982)

Vocal Performances was a 12" EP released by Pere Ubu frontman David Thomas in 1981. The EP was released on Rough Trade Records as Trade 5/12. As per its title, Vocal Performances features two (mostly) a cappella recordings from Thomas.

The first track, "Petrified", argues that evolutionary thinking and Latin nomenclature have poorly captured the charm and dignity of dinosaurs such as the Haplocanthosaur, Pterosaur and Archaeopteryx. The second track is "Sloop John B", a cover of the traditional song made famous on Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. Thomas has argued elsewhere that Pet Sounds is the greatest album of music ever recorded.

"Petrified" was recorded at Bushflow Studio in Akron, Ohio, and features a clarinet solo by Ralph Carney. An ensemble version of the track appears on the Pere Ubu album Song of the Bailing Man. "Sloop John B" was recorded on a portable cassette recorder at the Hotel Slavia in London. A copy of this performance was later overdubbed with drums and trumpet, and released on Thomas's album, The Sound of the Sand and other songs by the Pedestrians.

Track listing

1. "Petrified" (Pere Ubu, lyrics by David Thomas)
2. "Sloop John B" (traditional, arr. David Thomas)