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Sonic Flower Groove
Studio album by Primal Scream
Released	5 October 1987 (1987-10-05)
Genre	Indie pop folk rock jangle pop neo-psychedelia
Length	34:18
Label	Elevation
Producer	Mayo Thompson Colin Fairley Clive Langer
Primal Scream chronology
Sonic Flower Groove (1987) Primal Scream (1989)
Singles from Sonic Flower Groove
"Gentle Tuesday" Released: June 1987 "Imperial" Released: September 1987

Sonic Flower Groove is the debut studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream, released on 5 October 1987 by Elevation Records. Mayo Thompson of Red Krayola was the producer of the album, after work with Stephen Street did not please the band. Musically, Sonic Flower Groove features psychedelic, Byrdsy jangle pop, being the only Primal Scream album to feature founding member Jim Beattie (credited as Jim Navajo).

The album sold well enough to reach number 62 on the UK Albums Chart, but performed poorly by major-label standards. The disappointment was a major reason for the original Primal Scream splitting up shortly after Sonic Flower Groove, leaving vocalist Bobby Gillespie and the guitar duo of Andrew Innes and Robert "Throb" Young to reorganize the band.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Great Rock Discography	5/10
MusicHound Rock
NME	favourable
Record Mirror	3/5
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Select	4/5
Sounds

At the time of its release, critical reception was mixed. Underground called it "a real gem of a debut album" and "one that's sure to top all the polls come the end of the year", but others were less impressed. Melody Maker were impressed with "Gentle Tuesday" but said "the rest is not pop. It is dandelion fluff", stating that the album was "swamped with problems" with "no songs, just a dusty pile of dull leftovers".

A later AllMusic review called it "one goofy headscratcher of a release, the sound of a band that didn't quite know exactly what to do yet trying to record a big-budget (of sorts) debut album and ending up with little more than a pristine but dull photocopy of Turn! Turn! Turn!". In 2002, the Evening Times stated that it is "now regarded as a retro masterpiece".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie, except where noted

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Primal Scream

• Bobby Gillespie – lead and backing vocals
• Jim Navajo – 12-string electric guitar
• Robert Young – bass guitar
• Andrew Innes – rhythm guitar

Additional personnel

• Dave Morgan – drums
• Gavin Skinner – drums
• Martin Duffy – piano
• Frank Sweeney – viola

Technical

• Pat Collier – engineering
• Helen Backhouse – design
• Andrew Catlin – cover photography

Charts

References

1. Green, Jim; Aswad, Jem & Neate, Wilson "Primal Scream", Trouser Press, retrieved 2010-07-04
2. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
3. Strong, Martin C. (2002) "The Great Rock Discography (6th edition)", Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-312-1
4. ^ Raggett, Ned "Sonic Flower Groove Review", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-07-04
5. Larkin, Colin (2011). "Primal Scream". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
6. Strong, Martin C. (2004). "Primal Scream". The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Canongate Books. p. 1211–1212. ISBN 1-84195-615-5.
7. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). "Primal Scream". MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 896. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
8. Pouncey, Edwin (3 October 1987). "Primal Scream: Sonic Flower Groove". NME. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
9. Bailie, Stuart (10 October 1987). "Primal Scream: Sonic Flower Groove". Record Mirror. Vol. 34. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
10. Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Primal Scream". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 654. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
11. Perry, Andrew (August 1991). "Primal Scream: Sonic Flower Groove". Select. No. 14. p. 78. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
12. Wilkinson, Roy (10 October 1987). "Primal Scream: Sonic Flower Groove (Elevation ELV2) ***". Sounds. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
13. Wilde, Jon (1987) "Primal Scream Sonic Flower Groove", Melody Maker, 3 October 1987
14. Middleton, Fraser (2002) "Explosive; THEY SANG ABOUT BOMBING THE PENTAGON, THEN IT HAPPENED. SO WHAT NEXT FOR PRIMAL SCREAM?", Evening Times, 12 December 2002, p. 124

External links

• Sonic Flower Groove at Discogs (list of releases)

• 1987 debut albums
• Primal Scream albums
• Albums produced by Mayo Thompson
• Albums produced by Clive Langer
• Jangle pop albums