Released 1974 Producer Michael Nesmith Release date 1974 Genres Rock music, Country music | Length 49:10 Artist Michael Nesmith Label Pacific Arts Corporation | |
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The Prison - A Book With A Soundtrack
(1974) From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing
(1977) Similar Michael Nesmith albums, Rock music albums | ||
The Prison - A Book With A Soundtrack (or simply The Prison) is Michael Nesmith's seventh solo album of his post-Monkees career and his first to be released under his own record label, Pacific Arts. It includes a novella meant to be read while listening to the album as its "soundtrack". In 1994 Nesmith recorded a companion novella/album entitled The Garden. According to Nesmith's website (Videoranch), a third installment titled The Ocean has been released and completes the Infinitia trilogy
Contents
The Prison and The Garden were re-released together on CD in 2004 by Video Ranch.
Critical reception
Allmusic called The Prison "a brilliant multimedia concept marrying the personal and inner visual experience of Michael "Papa Nez" Nesmith's novella with the aural medium of an equally original soundtrack." Robert Christgau called it a "ghastly boxed audio-allegory-with-book."
Remixes
"The Prison" was dramatically remixed by Michael Nesmith for CD release on "Rio Records" in 1990, and again in 2007 on "Edsel Records". Some changes on both remixes include the removal or addition of drum machines, extra reverb on vocals (in the case of the 2007 remix, a new or alternate lead vocal track in places), and many other changes.
Although the iTunes download of "The Prison" is credited in the iTunes store as the 1990 remix, it is actually the 2007 remix. As of September 2013, the original mix that appeared on vinyl has not been officially released on CD.
Track listing
All songs by Michael Nesmith.
- "Opening Theme (Life, the Unsuspecting Captive)" – 3:31
- "Dance Between the Raindrops" – 6:47
- "Elusive Ragings" – 5:11
- "Waking Mystery" – 7:36
- "Hear Me Calling?" – 4:51
- "Marie's Theme" – 11:51
- "Closing Theme (Lampost)" – 9:23
Personnel
Songs
1Opening Theme (Life - the Unsuspecting Captive)3:23
2Dance Between the Raindrops6:41
3Elusive Ragings5:04