Track listing
Show track credits
- The Long Goodbye
- 1.1 What I Heard on the Pop Radio 3:49
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.2 Marlowe 1:52
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.3 Flicking Cigarettes at the Sun 3:20
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.4 Road Is a Preacher 3:06
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.5 Who Stole the Signpost? 3:28
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.6 The World (As We Can Know It) 3:25
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.7 Fortunate Son 3:03
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.8 The Road Ahead 9:25
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.9 Skidrow-on-Sea 2:39
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- 1.10 Lovely Day 4:08
-
analog synthesizer, melodeon, drum programming, songwriter
-
theremin, analog synthesizer
-
clarinet
-
electric bass, upright bass
-
drum kit, percussion
-
electric guitar
-
- Montreuil
- 2.1 Intro 1:13
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.2 Heart of Darkness 4:26
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.3 Flicking Cigarettes at the Sun 3:44
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.4 Marlowe 6:09
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.5 What I Heard on the Pop Radio 5:07
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.6 Road Is a Preacher 3:17
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.7 Who Stole the Signpost? 3:35
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.8 The World (As We Can Know It) 4:04
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.9 Fortunate Son 3:57
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.10 The Road Ahead 11:26
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.11 Skidrow-on-Sea 3:58
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.12 Lovely Day 6:03
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.13 Road to Utah 5:25
-
songwriter
-
bass, songwriter
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
drums, percussion
-
songwriter
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.14 Running Dry 4:12
-
bass
-
drums, percussion
-
songwriter
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- 2.15 Highwaterville 3:29
-
songwriter
-
bass
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
drums, percussion
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
songwriter
-
Nadan Rojnićsound designer
-
- Total length: 108:20
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
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Review
To rate, slide your finger across the stars from left to right.
2 Issues
- Release view [combined information for all issues]
-
The Long Goodbye [p] Bonus CD, Digipak
-
The Long Goodbye 33 rpm, Gatefold, Limited Edition
2 Reviews
still got it
i don't know what morons rated this so low. every ubu album is amazing. the live stuff is wonderful too. thomas is a mad man and gives it his all. the heart of darkness here is a spine-tingling synth wonderbuzz. my GOD do you hear the way he belts "man" on the live "What I Heard..." ??? How are you not astounded??? how are you not dazzled??long live ubu roi, long live bay city, long live the lost highway, long live los angeles
ars longa, spectatores fugaces
The Road Ahead is a genuinely poignant summation of many of the themes thomas has been urging us dullards to consider for the past 40 years. hop on board. this sort of pathos comes up rarely in the ubu oeuvre , so take notice.
Published
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Today’s CD is “The Long Goodbye” by Pere Ubu. I came to Pere Ubu late – in fact I did not know any of their stuff until I saw them at The Dome in Tufnell Park back in 2016. I went on the off chance and was totally hooked by their music. I have seen them lots of times since then – in fact I was supposed to see them at St Pancras Church last night performing “Bring Me The Head Of Ubu Roi” – an adaption of the Alfred Jarry play. Alas, it was not to be and I can’t make the rescheduled date. The last time I saw Pere Ubu, they played “The Long Goodbye”. This was at The Bush Hall and it was quite brilliant.
I should mention that for those of you who don’t know, Pere Ubu is David Thomas plus a large and revolving pool of musicians – “once Ubu always Ubu”. The first Pere Ubu records appeared in 1975 and “The Long Goodbye” was released last year. Despite the title, it has not turned out to be David Thomas’ last album – it could have been. The sleeve note make it clear that David Thomas has been very ill and recorded the album on his own. Fortunately he has recovered – although he has been very frail for years. At the Bush Hall, he was in a wheelchair - when I first saw Pere Ubu, he walked with difficulty - and had to be lifted onto the stage – quite a feat given the height of the stage. The days of “Crocus Behemoth” – his name in the early days of his original band – Rocket From The Tombs – are long gone. He was a large man – but no longer. But if his body is weak, his mind isn’t.
“The Long Goodbye” is not about the end of Pere Ubu and Thomas has said that his death will not be announced until two years after it happens – see “The Ubu Projex” website. It is inspired by Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlowe. But as with all things Ubu – the story is not linear. Musically, I have already said that it was recorded by David Thomas who sings and speaks and played analog synthesizers. Melodeon, and drum program. However, it is not a solo effort – Ubu members added their parts in various ways. Keith Moline played guitar, Gagarin played digital synthesizers, drum program, theremin and analog synthesizers, Darryl Boon played clarinet, Michele Temple – electric and upright bass, Gary Siperko – electric guitar and P.O. Jorgens – drum kit & percussions. Boon’s clarinet give some of the 10 tracks a forties sound which suit the Marlowe theme but this is Pere Ubu – and this is avant-garage and the sound they make is quite unlike anyone else. They have been compared to Beefheart & The Fall but that doesn’t really work and Thomas sings in a quite a high pitched voice, anyway.
“The Long Goodbye” is nowhere near as accessible as its predecessor – “20 Years In A Montana Missile Silo” which was “nasty little punk songs” but it may be better – and if it isn’t that doesn’t matter – it is a wonderful record. From the mutant rock of “What I Heard On The Pop Radio” and “Flicking Cigarettes At The Sun” to the long spoken “The Road Ahead” – “The Long Goodbye” covers many styles. The road seems to be a theme that runs through the album. Another theme seems to be time. The closing – “Lovely Day” is almost gospel – well sort of! “The Long Goodbye” is not easy listening - I am sure David Thomas never intended it not to be but “The Long Goodbye” deserves your attention. I love it.
And wait..there is more! With “The Long Goodbye” comes “Montreuil” a live album of a show Pere Ubu recorded in Paris in December 2018. The band was David Thomas, Keith Moline, Gargarin and returning on drums – Chris Cutler – best known for his work with Henry Cow – although he had been drummer with Pere Ubu many years before. They played all of “The Long Goodbye” although this being Pere Ubu, it was very different from the album – in some cases extremely different ("Marlowe") and far harder edged - and in a slightly different order. Also included is Neil Young’s “Running Dry” which David Thomas sings beautifully. There is also “Heart Of Darkness” the B-side of Pere Ubu’s first single from 1975, “Road To Utah” from “Carnival of Souls”, and “Highwaterville” from “Pennsylvania”. Not often you get a bonus CD/album that is the equal of the main album – “Montreuil” is and as I remember Pere Ubu at The Bush Hall on 13th September last year – another country.
I trust Mr Thomas when he says this is not the end – but if these two albums are the end of the road – it really has been a fine one.
I should mention that for those of you who don’t know, Pere Ubu is David Thomas plus a large and revolving pool of musicians – “once Ubu always Ubu”. The first Pere Ubu records appeared in 1975 and “The Long Goodbye” was released last year. Despite the title, it has not turned out to be David Thomas’ last album – it could have been. The sleeve note make it clear that David Thomas has been very ill and recorded the album on his own. Fortunately he has recovered – although he has been very frail for years. At the Bush Hall, he was in a wheelchair - when I first saw Pere Ubu, he walked with difficulty - and had to be lifted onto the stage – quite a feat given the height of the stage. The days of “Crocus Behemoth” – his name in the early days of his original band – Rocket From The Tombs – are long gone. He was a large man – but no longer. But if his body is weak, his mind isn’t.
“The Long Goodbye” is not about the end of Pere Ubu and Thomas has said that his death will not be announced until two years after it happens – see “The Ubu Projex” website. It is inspired by Raymond Chandler and Philip Marlowe. But as with all things Ubu – the story is not linear. Musically, I have already said that it was recorded by David Thomas who sings and speaks and played analog synthesizers. Melodeon, and drum program. However, it is not a solo effort – Ubu members added their parts in various ways. Keith Moline played guitar, Gagarin played digital synthesizers, drum program, theremin and analog synthesizers, Darryl Boon played clarinet, Michele Temple – electric and upright bass, Gary Siperko – electric guitar and P.O. Jorgens – drum kit & percussions. Boon’s clarinet give some of the 10 tracks a forties sound which suit the Marlowe theme but this is Pere Ubu – and this is avant-garage and the sound they make is quite unlike anyone else. They have been compared to Beefheart & The Fall but that doesn’t really work and Thomas sings in a quite a high pitched voice, anyway.
“The Long Goodbye” is nowhere near as accessible as its predecessor – “20 Years In A Montana Missile Silo” which was “nasty little punk songs” but it may be better – and if it isn’t that doesn’t matter – it is a wonderful record. From the mutant rock of “What I Heard On The Pop Radio” and “Flicking Cigarettes At The Sun” to the long spoken “The Road Ahead” – “The Long Goodbye” covers many styles. The road seems to be a theme that runs through the album. Another theme seems to be time. The closing – “Lovely Day” is almost gospel – well sort of! “The Long Goodbye” is not easy listening - I am sure David Thomas never intended it not to be but “The Long Goodbye” deserves your attention. I love it.
And wait..there is more! With “The Long Goodbye” comes “Montreuil” a live album of a show Pere Ubu recorded in Paris in December 2018. The band was David Thomas, Keith Moline, Gargarin and returning on drums – Chris Cutler – best known for his work with Henry Cow – although he had been drummer with Pere Ubu many years before. They played all of “The Long Goodbye” although this being Pere Ubu, it was very different from the album – in some cases extremely different ("Marlowe") and far harder edged - and in a slightly different order. Also included is Neil Young’s “Running Dry” which David Thomas sings beautifully. There is also “Heart Of Darkness” the B-side of Pere Ubu’s first single from 1975, “Road To Utah” from “Carnival of Souls”, and “Highwaterville” from “Pennsylvania”. Not often you get a bonus CD/album that is the equal of the main album – “Montreuil” is and as I remember Pere Ubu at The Bush Hall on 13th September last year – another country.
I trust Mr Thomas when he says this is not the end – but if these two albums are the end of the road – it really has been a fine one.
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