Twitch (EP)

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.{{cite news|title=X-Press Volume Special #24|url=http://issuu.com/xpressmag/docs/xpvolume1328|work=Issuu|publisher=Sunstone Capital|accessdate=1 September 2012|series=X-Press|page=4|date=24 July 2012}} These were the first songs that the band had ever recorded.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.theaureview.com/interviews/the-au-interview-kevin-mitchell-aka-bob-evans-of-jebediah-perth|title=The AU Interview:Kevin Mitchell (aka Bob Evans) of Jebediah|work=AU Review|last=Young|first=David|date=18 April 2011|accessdate=22 January 2015}} 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.

"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.{{cite web | title = Jebediah | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120726191200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20120727-0512/www.howlspace.com.au/en3/jebediah/jebediah.htm | url = http://www.howlspace.com.au/en3/jebediah/jebediah.htm | publisher = Howlspace. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd | last = Nimmervoll | first = Ed | authorlink = Ed Nimmervoll | archivedate = 26 July 2012 | accessdate = 31 July 2013 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

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.

Twitch was released on 5 August 1996 by record label Murmur{{Citation | author1 = Jebediah | authorlink1 = Jebediah | title = Twitch | date = 1996 | publisher = Murmur. National Library of Australia | url = http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/157611467 | accessdate = 22 January 2015 }} 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,{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=35111&pages=|title=Chart Positions 51-100 Post 1989 Part 1 – Jebediah singles|work=Australian Charts Portal|publisher=Hung Medien|last1=Ryan|first1=Gavin|date=26 June 2011|accessdate=30 June 2011}} and debuted at No. 1 in the Western Australia ARIA chart.{{cite web|title=Jebediah Biography|url=http://www.thehothits.com/artists/106/jebediah/bio|work=The Hot Hits|publisher=mcm media|accessdate=1 September 2012|author=The Hot Hits|year=2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414073746/http://www.thehothits.com/artists/106/jebediah/bio|archivedate=14 April 2012}}

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."{{cite book | title = Encyclopedia entry for 'Jebediah' | url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=1049 | work = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | publisher = Allen & Unwin | location = St Leonards, NSW | archivedate = 3 August 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 | first = Ian | last = McFarlane | authorlink = Ian McFarlane | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20040803121202/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=1049 | year = 1999 | accessdate = 25 January 2015 }} Ed Nimmervoll, writing for AllMusic, stated that "[they established] themselves on the indie charts with the EP Twitch and a single, 'Jerks of Attention'".{{cite web | url = http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jebediah-mn0000195231/biography | title = Jebediah | Biography | publisher = AllMusic| last = Nimmervoll | first = Ed | accessdate = 22 January 2015 }}

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.{{cite magazine | title = Critic's choice. (Australia's new artists) | last = Eliezer | first = Christie | magazine = Billboard | issue = 39 | volume = 109 | date = 27 September 1997 | page = 69 | issn = 0006-2510 }} 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."{{cite web | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20051129130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/30336/20051130-0000/www.vibewire.net/2/index2d04.html | url = http://www.vibewire.net/2/index2d04.html | title = Ben Lee: Gamble Everything for Love EP | work = vibewire.net | publisher = VibeWire Youth Services | last = Kim | first = Joseph | archivedate = 29 November 2005 | date = 11 March 2005 | accessdate = 22 January 2015 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Chris Daymond, Kevin Mitchell, Vanessa Thornton and Brett Mitchell{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'Mister Masonic' at APRA search engine | url = https://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch#axd?q=Mister%2Masonic | accessdate = 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

| title1 = Mister Masonic

| length1 = 4:01

| title2 = Ferris Wheel

| length2 = 3:10

| title3 = Smiler

| length3 = 2:39

| title4 = Superhero 6½

| length4 = 3:27

| title5 = Tracksuit

| length5 = 4:50

}}

; 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

{{Reflist}}

{{Jebediah}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 debut EPs

Category:Jebediah albums

Category:Murmur (record label) EPs