| Tales from the Lush Attic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 15 September 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 2–5 August 1983 | |||
| Studio | Flame (London) | |||
| Genre | Neo-progressive rock | |||
| Length | 45:51 | |||
| Label | The Major Record Company | |||
| Producer | IQ | |||
| IQ chronology | ||||
| ||||
Tales from the Lush Attic, released in 1983, is the debut album by neo-progressive rock group IQ, following the cassette-only demo Seven Stories into Eight. It was also among the first neo-progressive releases, alongside Marillion's Script for a Jester's Tear, released in the same year.
In the style of some classic progressive rock albums, Tales from the Lush Attic consists of one epic song filling out almost an entire side of the original vinyl and shorter songs composing the other side.
The Giant Electric Pea 2006 re-release features a bonus track, "Just Changing Hands", which is credited as running for 5:12 but in reality is 10:18 long and features a hidden track, a short nameless exotic sounding instrumental.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
In a retrospective review, Mike DeGagne of AllMusic commented that while the album is highly derivative of progressive rock-era Genesis, "there's an air to this album that gathers attention, especially on the synth-ridden passages." He praised the songs for running long enough for the listener to reflect on the playing, and the numerous unexpected changes in tempo.[1] Paul Stump, in his History of Progressive Rock, commented that "the band are tight enough, and are redeemed by a sense of mission, self-belief and even fun", making particular note of the use of satire ("a commodity as rare as hen's teeth [in progressive rock]") in "My Baby Treats Me Right".[2]
Track listing
All songs written by IQ.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Last Human Gateway" | 19:57 |
| 2. | "Through The Corridors" | 2:35 |
| 3. | "Awake and Nervous" | 7:45 |
| 4. | "My Baby Treats Me Right" | 1:45 |
| 5. | "The Enemy Smacks" | 13:49 |
| Total length: | 45:51 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Just Changing Hands" (actual music: 5:12) | 10:18 |
| Total length: | 56:09 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Last Human Gateway" | 20:20 |
| 2. | "Through The Corridors" | 2:38 |
| 3. | "Awake and Nervous" | 7:57 |
| 4. | "My Baby Treats Me Right" | 1:51 |
| 5. | "The Enemy Smacks" | 14:06 |
| 6. | "Wintertell (Demo" (In tracklist as "Just Changing Hands") | 05:38 |
| 7. | "The Last Human Gateway (Demo)" | 02:48 |
| 8. | "Just Changing Hands" (In tracklist as "Wintertell (Demo)) | 03:06 |
| 9. | "Dans Le Parc Du Chateau Noir (Demo)" | 6:45 |
| Total length: | 01:05:14 | |
- Tracks 6, 7 and 9 of the 2013 Remix had previously been unreleased.
Personnel
- Peter Nicholls – vocals
- Mike Holmes – acoustic, electric & twelve-string guitars
- Martin Orford – keyboards
- Tim Esau – bass guitar
- Paul Cook – drums, percussion
Production
- Arranged and produced by IQ
- Engineered and mixed by Mel Simpson
- Remastered by Peter Van T'Riet