We have the technology
“We Have the Technology” is the fourth studio album by the Australian band Custard, released in September 1997. The album spawned three singles: “Nice Bird,” “Anatomically Correct,” and “Music Is Crap.” “Nice Bird” and “Anatomically Correct” reached #48 and #24 respectively in the fifth and sixth Hottest 100 charts.[1] & [2]
Notably, “We Have the Technology” marked Custard’s first album with Glenn Thompson, who joined the band after Danny Plant’s departure.
Reception
4.0 / 5 via Discogs (12/05/2024)
Rolling Stone Australia said, “We Have The Technology is Custard exploring the dimensions of being their band. It’s not just David McCormack directing traffic, it’s all four members actively drawing on their experiences and natural enthusiasm for creating sounds and tunes. It’s an immense pleasure to listen to an album made with such a liberal attitude, with a combined sense of fearless abandon and bedroom tinkering. Custard are fun. They’re also smart, but don’t blow their cover.” [3]
Rave said, “Custard are developing a special skill — an ability to seem somewhat dippy on the surface and using that to lighten up more serious notions. The influences seem to come from everywhere and nowhere but are melded into a loose-limbed, gangly pop – gawky, with energy to burn but no apparent control mechanism in place. They’re at their most methodical here, delivering an eclectic but even more willful collection of stupid/smart morsels of cracked pop.” [4]
The Courier-Mail noted, “Whereas the first two albums explored Custard’s unique style of comedic pop, We Have the Technology is a more plenary opus, in lyrical content and musical style. The musicality of the release provides plenty of those moments that remind the listener why Custard is adored.” [5]
REAR COVER TRANSCRIPT
Produced by Eric Drew Feldman, April 1997
Recorded by Rev. Doug Easley and Davis McCain at Easley Studios,
Memphis. Assisted by Stuart Sikes. Mixed by Tom Doty at Hyde Street
Studios, San Francisco, except ‘Memoryman’ and ‘8 years of….’ which
Rev. Doug Easley mixed in Memphis.
Custard play Fender guitars and use Fender amps.
Custard bits Polygram Music Publishing.
Other’s stuff in control.
Artwork by Glenn Thompson.
Computer stuff by lan McCormack.
A&R Matt High
Managed by Sarah Longhurst and her Mac, at
Longshot Artist Management, PO Box 1217,
Neutral Bay, NSW, Australia 2089
Ph: +61 2 9310 4268; Fax: +61 2 9310 4267
c/o The Talent House, Suite 500, 7211 Santa
Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA, USA.
90046.
Ph: +213 883 0360; Fax: +213 883 0085
Email: [email protected]
Custard thank Doug, Davis, Stu, Ol’ man Doty,
The Chief, Tim Prescott, Staci Slater & The
Talent House Crew, Jason Finn, John Lowry, Greg
and Del Fender, Trey Harrison, Petra, Joe Malone, Heather Davis,
Elizabeth Sarkisian, Barbara Sedun, Karen Bliss, Richard Kingsmill,
Chris Ballew, Craig Montgomery, Cara at Epiphone, Mike Dalke, Rocket,
Ludwig, The Fauves, Spangle, Wise Ol’, Cusdad, Humph, John Davis,
Brett Oaten, Andrew Lancaster, Sarah Longhurst, Dave Dederer, Lisa
Rhew, Drew, Aces, Gerard, R.B., J.D.A. & Showtravel, Jacqui Crouch, El
Kid, Paul Sloan and Anouk.
Email: [email protected]
Homepage: http://www.powerup.com.au/~custard
Mail: PO Box 254, Spring Hill. Qld Australia 4004
artists
- David McCormack
- Paul Medew
- Matthew Strong
- Glenn Thompson
Additional artists
- Hansen: Track 2 “Memory man” & Track 6 “Totally Confused”
- Dylan McCormack: Track 5 “Hello Machine”, Track 8 “Pinball Lez”, Track 10 “Nice Bird” & Track 17 “Eight Years Of Rock And Roll Has Completely Destroyed My Memory”
Recording details
- Produced by Eric Drew Feldman, April 1997
- Recorded by Rev. Doug Easley and Davis McCain at Easley Studios, Memphis with assistance of Stuart Sikes
- Mixed by Tom Doty at Hyde Street Studios, San Francisco, except ‘Memoryman’ and ‘8 years of….’ which
Rev. Doug Easley mixed in Memphis.
track List
- Scared Of Skill
- Memory Man
- Very Biased
- Anatomically Correct
- Hello Machine
- Totally Confused
- Piece Of Shit
- Pinball Lez
- Sons And Daughters
- Nice Bird
- No Rock And Roll Record
- Sinatra Theory
- Schtum
- The Truth About Drugs
- Music Is Crap
- The Drum
- Eight Years Of Rock And Roll Has Completely Destroyed My Memory
Sources
(Some info aggregated from Wikipedia)
[1] “Triple j’s Hottest 100”. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original
[2] “Triple j’s Hottest 100”. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original
[3] Lauren Zoric (September 1997). “We Have the Technology”. Rolling Stone Australia.
[4] We Have the Technology”. Rave. 1 October 1997.
[5] Matthew Connors (2 October 1997). “Disc of the week”. The Courier-Mail.
