Scorpio Rising (Death in Vegas album)


Scorpio Rising is the third album by British electronica band Death in Vegas. It was released on 16 September 2002 in the United Kingdom via Concrete Records, and on 17 June 2003 in the United States via Sanctuary Records. The album takes its name from an experimental film by Kenneth Anger. Scorpio Rising features guest vocalists Liam Gallagher, Hope Sandoval, Nicola Kuperus, and Paul Weller, as well as string arrangements by Dr. Lakshminarayana Subramaniam. The album was recorded at Death in Vegas' own studio The Contino Rooms in early 2002, with the strings recorded at Trinity Wave Station in Chennai, India.
The song "Hands Around My Throat" contains samples from the songs "Rock Around the Clock" by Telex and "Whitewater" by Tortoise. "23 Lies" includes a sample from "Goin' Back" by The Byrds, written and composed by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. "Scorpio Rising" takes its main riff from "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by Status Quo, and is co-credited to songwriter Francis Rossi.
Several songs on the album have appeared in television advertisements and on film soundtracks:
As of July 2013 it was certified silver by British Phonographic Industry for 60,000 sold units in UK.

Reception

The album has a score of 68 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "generally favorable reviews". E! Online gave the album an A and stated: "There's no reason to buy any other electronica CD this year." Filter gave it a score of 84% and said that the sounds "are equally rich and emotive, just not as goblin-esque ." Alternative Press gave it four stars out of five and said that the album has "Mind-melting Indian-flavored strings... wispy vocal guest turns... and snarling, droning guitar riffs drench rising in a pleasing psychedelic haze." Mojo also gave it four stars and called it "exotic, deep, unique". URB gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five and called it "A curious but highly enjoyable mix of experimental beats and good old-fashioned guitar rock."
Other reviews are pretty average, mixed or negative: Q gave the album three stars out of five and stated: "There's no doubting their enthusiasm but it seems Death In Vegas have compiled a list of great cult albums rather than actually making one themselves." Almost Cool gave it a score of 5.75 out of ten and said, "While everything on the release is technically put together well and even sometimes compelling, most of the time things feel like they've been written specifically for the person who's singing them." Blender, however, gave it two stars out of five and called it "A strangely dispassionate exercise in record-collection rock." Playlouder gave it one-and-a-half stars out of five and stated that in the album "there are a couple of standout tracks, and the rest falls on its arse."

Track listing

Singles

Death in Vegas

ChartPeak
position
French Albums Chart22
Norwegian Albums Chart22
UK Albums Chart19