Demon Flower

Background

Demon Flower was released by Hunters & Collectors as their eighth studio album on 16 May 1994, which was co-produced by the band with Nick Mainsbridge (The Triffids, Martha's Vineyard, Ratcat). The line-up of the group was John Archer on bass guitar, P.A., backing vocals; Doug Falconer on drums, backing vocals, programming, and percussion; Jack Howard on trumpet, keyboards and backing vocals; Robert Miles on live sound and art design; Barry Palmer on lead guitar; Mark Seymour on lead vocals and guitar; Jeremy Smith on French horn, keyboards, guitars and backing vocals; and Michael Waters on keyboards and trombone.

Archer told The Canberra Times' Naomi Mapstone that he felt the album had "less kind of studio stuff. I think it's a lot more adventurous, even though the last one sounded really full-on and dense, it was actually quite a safe record in a lot of ways ... We had a lot more fun with the sounds on this one". Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane noticed that it "featured a stronger emphasis on guitars".

It debuted at No. 2 in Australia – their highest charting album – and No. 9 in New Zealand. Demon Flower's lead single "Easy", was issued a month ahead of the album's release and peaked at No. 38 on both countries singles charts. The three subsequent singles however all failed to chart. Seymour describes the band's frustration in the liner notes of Natural Selection, when discussing the fourth single, "The One and Only", "We’d launch into tracks like this one… an absolute live monster, and getting a response would be like trying to raise the dead. The radio recognition factor was crucial. Practically speaking, there wasn’t any radio after Holy Grail. Go figure."

The album was remastered and reissued by Liberation Music on 11 August 2003.

Reception

Naomi Mapstone of The Canberra Times reviewed Demon Flower in June 1994 and noted that "[the band] seem to have, taken a deep breath, cleared their heads and, got back in touch with the vitality that was a hallmark of-earlier albums Human Frailty and The Jaws of Life". In December that year her fellow journalist, Nicole Leedham, rated Demon Flower as the Best Album of the year.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Mark Seymour; all music composed by John Archer, Doug Falconer, Jack Howard, Robert Miles, Barry Palmer, Seymour, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters; unless otherwise indicated.

Personnel

Credited to:

Hunters & Collectors

John Archer – bass guitar, P.A., backing vocals

Doug Falconer – drums, percussion, programming, backing vocals

Jack Howard – trumpet, keyboards, backing vocals

Robert Miles- – live sound, art director

Barry Palmer – lead guitar

Mark Seymour – lead vocals, guitars, mandolin

Jeremy Smith – French horn, guitars, keyboards, mandolin, backing vocals

Michael Waters – trombone, keyboards

Production details

Producer – Hunters & Collectors, Nick Mainsbridge (Absolute Productions)

Engineer – Nick Mainsbridge

Assistant engineer – Lawrence Maddy, Anthony Cook

Mastering – Don Bartley

Mixer – Mark Freegard for 140db

Assistant mixer – Kalju Tonuma

Studios – Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne (recording); Studio's 301, Sydney (mastering); Platinum Studios, Melbourne (mixing)

Track-by-track instrument credits

"Easy"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – keyboards

Palmer – lead guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm guitar

Smith – guitar, backing vocals

Waters – trombone

Mark Freegard – rhythm guitar

"Panic in the Shade"

Archer – bass guitar

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – lead guitar, noise guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, backing vocals

Smith – big riff, drum programming, noise guitar, rhythm guitar

"Back in the Hole"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Palmer – lead guitar, buzz guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar

Smith – guitar

Waters – keyboards

"The One and Only You"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – lead guitar, slide guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, guitar

Seymour – lead vocalsorgan

Waters – trombone

"Mr. Bigmouth"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – lead guitar

Seymour – lead vocals

Smith – keyboards

Waters – trombone

"Courtship of America"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – acoustic guitar, electric guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, acoustic guitar

Smith – keyboards, French horn, string programming, guitar, tambourine

"Drop in the Ocean"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Palmer – fuzz guitar, tremolo

Seymour – lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm guitar

Smith – guitar

"Newborn"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – distorted guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, acoustic guitar

Smith – mandolin, French horn, clean guitar, acoustic guitar, hammond, backing vocals

Waters – trombone

"Tender"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – keyboards

Palmer – lead guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar

Smith – guitar

"Desert Where Her Heart Is"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – guitars

Seymour – lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm guitar

Smith – acoustic guitar, French horn

Waters – trombone

"Betrayer"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – lead guitar

Seymour – lead vocals

Smith – guitar, French horn

Waters – trombone

"Ladykiller"

Archer – bass guitar

Falconer – drums, drum programming, percussion

Howard – trumpet

Palmer – electric guitar, slide guitar

Seymour – lead vocals, mandolin, acoustic guitar

Smith – acoustic guitar, piano, mandolin, string programming

Nick Mainsbridge- drum programming