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How Memory Works

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{{Infobox album

| name = How Memory Works

| type = Album

| artist = Joan of Arc

| cover =How Memory Works.jpg

| alt =

| released = May 12, 1998

| recorded = October 1997 – February 1998

| studio = Electrical Audio, Elliot's Loft, Truckstop

| genre = Indie rock

| length = 38:04

| label = Jade Tree

| prev_title = A Portable Model Of

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Live in Chicago, 1999

| next_year = 1999

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r352143|first=Heather|last=Phares}}

| rev2 = Pitchfork Media

| rev2Score = 4.6/10{{Cite web|url=http://www.live-wire.com/record-reviews/xframe/j/joan-of-arc/how-memory-works.html|title=Joan Of Arc: How Memory Works|author=Mirov, Nick|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991007104137/http://www.live-wire.com/record-reviews/xframe/j/joan-of-arc/how-memory-works.html|archive-date=October 7, 1999}}

|rev3 = Sputnikmusic

|rev3score = 4/5{{Cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/12803/Joan-of-Arc-How-Memory-Works/|title=Joan of Arc - How Memory Works (album review ) | Sputnikmusic|website=www.sputnikmusic.com}}

}}

How Memory Works is the second full-length album by the American band Joan of Arc.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joan-of-arc-mn0000783965/biography|title=Joan of Arc Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=AllMusic}} It was released in 1998 on Jade Tree Records. The artwork of the album suggests that it is something of a companion to the debut album, A Portable Model Of...: the booklets for both records contain the phrase "a portable model of... how memory works."

Production

Sessions for How Memory Works were held between October 1997 and February 1998. Nearly half of the album was recorded and mixed by Casey Rice at Electrical Audio, with assistance from Rob Bochnik and Greg Norman. The remaining songs were recorded and mixed by Elliot Dicks, Jeremy Boyle and Tim Kinsella at Elliot's Loft and Truckstop. Rice sequencing the album, while Alan Douches mastered it at West West Side Music in New Jersey.

Critical reception

The Village Voice wrote: "Tempos and volumes rise and fall unexpectedly, as [Tim] Kinsella's squirrelly guitar and voice register a whole gawky wonderama of awkward silences with surprising nerd authority for someone still shy of 25."{{cite journal |last1=Gehr |first1=Richard |title=Yes, this is a concept band's headline |journal=The Village Voice |date=21 July 1998 |volume=43 |issue=29 |page=109}}

Track listing

All songs written by Joan of Arc.

  1. "Honestly Now" – 0:48
  2. "Gin & Platonic" – 3:32
  3. "To've Had Two Of" – 3:07
  4. "This Life Cumulative" – 3:41
  5. "A Pale Orange" – 6:47
  6. "White Out" – 3:50
  7. "So Open; Hooray!" – 4:23
  8. "A Name" – 3:08
  9. "Osmosis Doesn't Work" – 3:33
  10. "God Bless America" – 2:22
  11. "A Party Able Model Of" – 2:52

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=How Memory Works|others=Joan of Arc|year=1998|type=booklet|publisher=Jade Tree|id=JT1037}}

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Joan of Arc

  • Eric Bocek – guitar
  • Jeremy Boyle – guitar
  • Tim Kinsella – vocals, guitar
  • Mike Kinsella – drums
  • Sam Zurick – bass guitar

Additional musicians

  • Marty Ackley – musical saw (track 9)
  • Zach Fiocca – vibraphone (track 3)
  • Julie Pomerleau – violin (tracks 3 and 11), viola (tracks 3 and 11)
  • Griffin Rodriquez – cello (track 3)

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Production and design

  • Casey Rice – recording (tracks 2–4, 6, 8 and 10), mixing (tracks 2–4, 6, 8 and 10), sequencing
  • Rob Bochnik – assistance
  • Greg Norman – assistance
  • Elliot Dicks – recording (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11), mixing (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11)
  • Jeremy Boyle – recording (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11), mixing (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11), cover painting
  • Tim Kinsella – recording (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11), mixing (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11)
  • Alan Douches – mastering
  • Jason Gnewikow – photography, art direction, design

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References

{{Reflist}}

{{Joan of Arc (band)}}

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Category:Joan of Arc (band) albums

Category:1998 albums

Category:Jade Tree (record label) albums

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