Twitch (EP)

Twitch is an EP, and the first official release, by Australian alternative rock band Jebediah. It was released on 5 August 1996 by record label Murmur.

Twitch
EP by
Jebediah
Released5 August 1996[1]
RecordedMarch 1996
GenreAlternative rock
Length18:07
LabelMurmur
ProducerChris Dickie
Jebediah EP chronology
Twitch
(1996)		 Harpoon
(1998)

Background and recording

In January 1996 Jebediah were selected to play the local leg of the Summersault Festival, run by promoter Steve Pavlovic, which featured Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Beck, Pavement and Rancid. In March that year they recorded five songs with Chris Dickie – an English sound engineer who had worked with The Pogues, Morrissey and Depeche Mode before moving to Australia in 1994 – at the Poons Head Studios in Western Australia.[2] These were the first songs that the band had ever recorded.

In April the band signed with Murmur, an imprint of Sony Music Australia, following which they embarked on a number of national tours. The first with label stable-mates Something for Kate (called "Unipalooza") was for six weeks, performing at universities all around Australia.[3] This was followed by supporting Snout and Automatic on their national tour in June. The band also won its first WAMi award for 'Best Stage Presence' that year.

Content

"Superhero 6 1/2" refers to "Almin" – this is a reference to the band's original drummer, Almin Fulurija, who only lasted one rehearsal session.[4]

The third track from the EP, "Smiler", appeared on the compilation album Edible 96 – The Best in Australian Campus Bands in August 1996, on the Troy Horse label. Another track, "Tracksuit", was re-recorded and appeared on the vinyl version of the band's debut album, Slightly Odway.

Release

Twitch was released on 5 August 1996 by record label Murmur[5] on CD, and was also released as a limited edition vinyl record, with 800 hand-numbered copies made. It peaked at No. 61 on the ARIA Singles Chart,[6] and debuted at No. 1 in the Western Australia ARIA chart.[7]

Critical reception

Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane felt that Twitch "featured quirky tracks like 'Mister Masonic' and 'Tracksuit' and was a strong taster for the band's fuzzy pop. It caused a sensation in hometown Perth."[8] Ed Nimmervoll, writing for AllMusic, stated that "[they established] themselves on the indie charts with the EP Twitch and a single, 'Jerks of Attention'".[9]

In September 1997 Christie Eliezer of Billboard rated Jebediah as one of ten best new artists from Australia, based on the EP and their debut album, Slightly Odway.[10] In March 2005 Joseph Kim of vibwire.net felt Twitch and Frente's Ordinary Angels (1992) were the two most enjoyable EPs he had heard, containing "a host of great songs, rather than just being accompanied by filler tracks."[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chris Daymond, Kevin Mitchell, Vanessa Thornton and Brett Mitchell[12].

No.TitleLength
1."Mister Masonic"4:01
2."Ferris Wheel"3:10
3."Smiler"2:39
4."Superhero 6½"3:27
5."Tracksuit"4:50

Personnel
Jebediah
  • Kevin Mitchell – vocals, guitar
  • Chris Daymond – guitar
  • Vanessa Thornton – bass
  • Brett Mitchell – drums
Technical personnel
  • Chris Dickie – producer
  • Andrew Christie – artwork
  • Shelley Peat – layout and design

Charts
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 61

References
  1. The ARIA Report. 337. ARIA. 4 August 1996. p. 21.
  2. "X-Press Volume Special #24". Issuu. X-Press. Sunstone Capital. 24 July 2012. p. 4. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  3. Young, David (18 April 2011). "The AU Interview:Kevin Mitchell (aka Bob Evans) of Jebediah". AU Review. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  4. Nimmervoll, Ed. "Jebediah". Howlspace. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  5. Jebediah (1996), Twitch, Murmur. National Library of Australia, retrieved 22 January 2015
  6. Ryan, Gavin (26 June 2011). "Chart Positions 51-100 Post 1989 Part 1 – Jebediah singles". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  7. The Hot Hits (2011). "Jebediah Biography". The Hot Hits. mcm media. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  8. McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia entry for 'Jebediah'. Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  9. Nimmervoll, Ed. "Jebediah | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  10. Eliezer, Christie (27 September 1997). "Critic's choice. (Australia's new artists)". Billboard. 109 (39): 69. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. Kim, Joseph (11 March 2005). "Ben Lee: Gamble Everything for Love EP". vibewire.net. VibeWire Youth Services. Archived from the original on 30 November 2005. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  12. "'Mister Masonic' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 22 January 2015. Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Mister Masonic; or at 'Performer:' Jebediah
  13. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 08 Sep 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 20 April 2020 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The HP column indicates the highest position reached.
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