Frigid Stars LP
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Frigid Stars LP
| type = studio
| artist = Codeine
| cover = Codeine Frigid Stars LP.jpg
| alt =
| released = February 1991
| recorded = July–August 1990
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Slowcore, indie rock
| length = 41:15
| label = Glitterhouse, Sub Pop
| producer = Codeine, Mike McMackin
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Barely Real
| next_year = 1992
}}
Frigid Stars LP is the debut album by American indie rock band Codeine. It was released in February 1991 on Glitterhouse in Europe and in May 1991 on Sub Pop in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://numerogroup.com/blogs/stories/codeine-frigid-stars-lp|title=Codeine: Frigid Stars LP|publisher=The Numero Group|access-date=May 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926123709/https://numerogroup.com/blogs/stories/codeine-frigid-stars-lp|archive-date=September 26, 2023|url-status=live}} The album was released to generally positive reviews and is regarded as being one of the pioneering albums in the slowcore genre.
"New Year's" is a cover version of a track co-written by Bitch Magnet singer Sooyoung Park. Park did not record the track himself until 1992, with new band Seam. Park is featured on the song "Summer Dresses", which can be found on the 2012 expanded reissue by the label The Numero Group. This edition also placed "3 Angels" to the fourth track on the album. "Cave-In" has been covered by rock band Cave In and appears on their compilation album Anomalies, Vol. 1. The song title was the inspiration for their band name.{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/february-2011-1798224037|title=February 2011|website=The A.V. Club|date=February 2, 2011|access-date=December 23, 2015|last=Heller|first=Jason|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816170218/https://www.avclub.com/february-2011-1798224037|archive-date=August 16, 2023|url-status=live}}
The phrase "frigid stars" is taken from a line in the song "Crap Rap 2" by the Fall from their 1979 album Live at the Witch Trials.{{cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/five-albums-slowcore-masterpieces/|title=Five Easy Masterpieces: introductory albums to slowcore|website=Far Out|date=March 29, 2024|access-date=May 30, 2024|last=Potter|first=Jordan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521124435/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/five-albums-slowcore-masterpieces/|archive-date=May 21, 2024|url-status=live}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/frigid-stars-lp-mw0000086177|title=Frigid Stars LP – Codeine|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=December 23, 2015|last=Raggett|first=Ned|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816165029/https://www.allmusic.com/album/frigid-stars-mw0000086177|archive-date=August 16, 2023|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = NME
| rev2score = 7/10{{cite magazine|title=Codeine: Frigid Stars / Slint: Spiderland / Steel Pole Bathtub: Tulip|magazine=NME|issn=0028-6362|date=March 23, 1991|last=Pouncey|first=Edwin|author-link=Savage Pencil|page=36}}
| rev3 = Pitchfork
| rev3score = 8.8/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16766-frigid-stars-barely-real-ep-the-white-birch/|title=Codeine: Frigid Stars / Barely Real EP / The White Birch|website=Pitchfork|date=June 28, 2012|access-date=December 23, 2015|last=Stosuy|first=Brandon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224052721/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16766-frigid-stars-barely-real-ep-the-white-birch/|archive-date=December 24, 2015|url-status=live}}
| rev4 = Record Collector
| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Codeine: Frigid Stars / Barely Real EP / The White Birch|magazine=Record Collector|issn=0261-250X|issue=549|date=October 2023|last=Pearlman|first=Mischa|page=95}}
| rev5 = Spin
| rev5score = 7/10{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DBqo82GMV18C&pg=PA90|title=Diggin' in the Crates|magazine=Spin|issn=0886-3032|volume=28|issue=3|date=May–June 2012|access-date=April 23, 2016|last=Powell|first=Mike|page=90|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816165020/https://books.google.com/books?id=DBqo82GMV18C&pg=PA90|archive-date=August 16, 2023|url-status=live}}
| rev6 = Uncut
| rev6score = 8/10{{cite magazine|title=Codeine: Frigid Stars / 'Barely Real' EP / The White Birch|magazine=Uncut|issn=1368-0722|issue=315|date=August 2023|last=Milner|first=Jack|pages=40–42}}
}}
The St. Petersburg Times noted that "comparisons to Spacemen 3 and Galaxie 500 have been made, but Codeine is on a purer, more simplistic level."{{cite news |last1=Matz |first1=Daniel |title=Sound Bites |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=June 21, 1991 |department=Weekend |page=21}} In 2008, Frigid Stars LP was chosen by Pitchfork as one of the 20 best Sub Pop albums.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7150-sub-pop-20/|title=Sub Pop 20|website=Pitchfork|date=July 11, 2008|access-date=December 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122145011/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7150-sub-pop-20/|archive-date=January 22, 2024|url-status=live}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
|all_writing = Codeine, except "New Year's", written by S. Park and A. Mitchell
|title1 = D
|length1 = 4:27
|title2 = Gravel Bed
|length2 = 3:58
|title3 = Pickup Song
|length3 = 2:44
|title4 = New Year's
|note4 = Seam cover
|length4 = 3:34
|title5 = Second Chance
|length5 = 4:45
|title6 = Cave-In
|length6 = 3:37
|title7 = Cigarette Machine
|length7 = 4:42
|title8 = Old Things
|length8 = 4:59
|title9 = 3 Angels
|length9 = 4:51
|title10 = Pea
|length10 = 3:38
|total_length = 41:15
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = The Numero Group reissue bonus tracks
|title11 = Castle
|note11 = demo
|length11 = 4:29
|title12 = Skeletons
|note12 = demo
|length12 = 1:48
|title13 = 3 Angels
|note13 = demo
|length13 = 3:26
|title14 = Corner Store
|note14 = demo
|length14 =5:20
|title15 = Summer Dresses
|note15 = demo
|length15 = 1:56
|title16 = Pea
|note16 = acoustic
|length16 = 3:34
|title17 = Second Chance
|note17 = demo
|length17 = 4:13
|title18 = Pickup Song
|note18 = demo
|length18 = 2:37
|title19 = Cave-In
|note19 = demo
|length19 = 3:06
|title20 = Kitchen
|length20 = 2:15
|total_length = 73:59
}}
Personnel
;Codeine
- Chris Brokaw – drums, guitar
- John Engle – guitar
- Stephen Immerwahr – bass guitar, vocals, all instruments on demo versions of "Pea", "Second Chance", "Pickup Song", "Cave-In", and "Kitchen"
;Additional personnel
- Mike McMackin – piano on "Pea"
- Peter Pollack – drums on "Castle", "Skeletons", and "3 Angels"
- Sooyoung Park – bass on demo version of "Summer Dresses"
;Production
- Mike McMackin – production, recording
- Laura Larson – photography
- Tammi Colichio – cover art
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|17344|Frigid Stars LP|type=album}}
{{Codeine (band)}}
{{Authority control}}