| What? And Give Up Show Biz? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Live album by | ||||
| Released | September 30, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | January 10–20, 2008 | |||
| Venue | Barrow Street Theatre | |||
| Genre | Swing music, folk rock, country music | |||
| Label | Yellow Dog Records | |||
| Asylum Street Spankers chronology | ||||
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What? And Give Up Show Biz? is a live double album by Austin, Texas-based band Asylum Street Spankers, which documents the band's performance of a revue of the same name at Barrow Street Theatre during a two-week period in January 2008.[1][2] The album was released on September 30, 2008 on Yellow Dog Records in the United States. In his review of the revue, David Sprague of Variety wrote: "The book, built on fleshed-out codifications of the members’ road-tested stage banter, is somewhat slight, but the ratio of knee-slappers to groan-inducers is high enough to make it diverting." In the same review, he concluded, "...given the Spankers’ remarkably deft musicianship and bottomless pit of material — bad breaks and bad brakes are both likely to be part of the touring band vernacular for some time to come — the revue would seem to have legs."[3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating | 
| AllMusic | |
| Blurt | (favorable)[5] | 
| MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A-[6] | 
| PopMatters | |
Track listing
Disc 1
- "Ladies and Gentlemen... I've Wasted My Life"
 - Everybody Loves My Baby
 - "Nice Theater"
 - "My Country's Calling Me"
 - Winning the War on Drugs
 - Blue Prelude
 - "It's good to be here in, uh...."
 - Why Do It Right?
 - "Stanley and Wammo"
 - Since I Met You Baby
 - "Gig from Hell"
 - Monkey Rag
 - "The Morning Moron Mob"
 - Medley of Burned Out Songs
 - Beer
 - "Strange Talents"
 - Leaf Blower
 - "The Bus Story"
 - Think About Your Troubles
 - "Daddy Drinks Because You Cry"
 - You Only Love Me For My Lunchbox
 
Disc 2
- "Y'all like love songs?"
 - My Baby in the CIA
 - "Read thinner books."
 - Asylum Street Blues
 - Breathin'
 - "bathroom break"
 - Big Noise From Winnetka
 - Hick Hop
 - Got My Mojo Workin'
 - "take a good look..."
 - My Favorite Record
 - "Encore!"
 - Blade of Grass
 - "Requests?"
 - Pakalolo Baby
 - Tight Like That
 - Wake and Bake
 - TV Party
 - "goodnight"
 - Stick Magnetic Ribbons on Your SUV
 
Personnel
- Asylum Street Spankers – primary artist
 - Brooke Barnett – graphic design
 - Justin Fox Burks – photography
 - Joshua Cain – stage manager
 - Tom Durack – mastering
 - Josh Hoag – bass
 - Patrick Jacobs – audio engineer
 - Charlie King – dobro, harmonica, mandolin, member of attributed artist, throat singing, vocals
 - Rich Lamb – engineer, mixing
 - Scott Marcus – drums, percussion, vocals
 - Christina Marrs – audio production, executive producer, guitars, musical saw, producer, tenor banjo, ukulele, vocals
 - Nevada Newman – guitar, mandolin, vocals
 - J.P. Riedie – audio production, director, producer
 - Korey Simeone – member of attributed artist, violin, vocals
 - Stanley Smith – clarinet, guitar, member of attributed artist, vocals
 - Wammo – audio production, executive producer, harmonica, percussion, producer, vocals, washboard, whistle
 - Todd Sebastian Williams – cover photo, photography
 
References
- ↑ Sisario, Ben (15 January 2008). "The Road May Be Rough, but It Yields Material". The New York Times.
 - ↑ Fernandes, Matt (21 November 2008). "Asylum Street Spankers celebrate new CD tonight at Off Broadway". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
 - ↑ Sprague, David (14 January 2008). "Review: 'Asylum Street Spankers: What? And Give Up Show Biz?'". Variety.
 - ↑ Anderson, Rick. "What? And Give Up Showbiz? Review". AllMusic.
 - ↑ Judge, Stephen (19 January 2009). "What? And Give Up Show Biz? Review". Blurt.
 - ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide". Consumer Guide. MSN Music.
 - ↑ Cooper, Lana (28 January 2009). "What? And Give Up Showbiz? Review". PopMatters.
 
