Welcome to Sky Valley

Welcome to Sky Valley
Studio album by Kyuss
Released	June 28, 1994
Recorded	1993 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California
Genre	Psychedelic metal, stoner rock/metal
Length	50:55
Label	Elektra, Chameleon[1]
Producer	Kyuss & Chris Goss
Kyuss chronology
Blues for the Red Sun (1992) Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) ...And the Circus Leaves Town (1995)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	(B+)[4]
Robert Christgau	[5]
Piero Scaruffi	[6]

Welcome to Sky Valley is the third studio album by American stoner rock/metal band Kyuss, originally released on June 28, 1994.

Album information

Welcome to Sky Valley was recorded in early 1993, but due to the collapse of the band's record label (Dali), its release was delayed until mid-1994. It was the first Kyuss album to feature bassist Scott Reeder, who replaced the departing Nick Oliveri after the recording of Kyuss' previous album, Blues for the Red Sun. Welcome to Sky Valley was the last to feature founding member Brant Bjork for 16 years until his return.^[7]

The song "N.O." was originally recorded by Across The River, a band fronted by Mario Lalli and featuring bassist Reeder. After Reeder left The Obsessed and joined Kyuss, Bjork suggested they record "N.O." as a tribute to Across The River.

On compact disc, Welcome to Sky Valley was originally released with three tracks containing its ten total songs, with an additional, fourth hidden track. It was later re-released with all ten tracks separated individually. However, most commercially-sold versions of the compact disc contain the three tracks, a setup which is meant to encourage listeners to experience it as a full album instead of as a collection of separate songs. Guitarist Josh Homme claimed in an interview that the band "just wanted it to be like hell to play on a CD player". The album's liner notes instruct the listener to "Listen without distraction".

The band Tool covered "Demon Cleaner" during a show at the Hollywood Palladium, with bassist Reeder joining them onstage during the performance.^[8] The song also features on Guitar Hero: Metallica

Track listing

• Movement I – 17:46 (Josh Homme, Brant Bjork)

1. "Gardenia" – 6:54
2. "Asteroid" – 4:49
3. "Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop" – 6:04

• Movement II – 14:50 (Homme, Scott Reeder)

4. "100°" – 2:29

5. "Space Cadet" – 7:02

6. "Demon Cleaner" – 5:19

• Movement III – 18:19 (Homme, Bjork, Reeder, Mario Lalli)

7. "Odyssey" – 4:19

8. "Conan Troutman" – 2:12

9. "N.O." – 3:47

10. "Whitewater" – 9:00

11."Lick Doo" – 0:57 (hidden track)

Promo tracklisting

1. "Gardenia" – 6:50 (Brant Bjork)
2. "Asteroid" – 4:50 (Josh Homme)
3. "Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop" – 6:03 (Josh Homme)
4. "100°" – 2:29 (Josh Homme)
5. "Space Cadet" – 7:02 (Josh Homme/Scott Reeder)
6. "Demon Cleaner" – 5:19 (Josh Homme)
7. "Odyssey" – 4:19 (Josh Homme)
8. "Conan Troutman" – 2:12 (Josh Homme)
9. "N.O." – 3:48 (Mario Lalli/Scott Reeder)
10. "Whitewater" – 8:58 (Brant Bjork/Josh Homme)

Personnel

Kyuss

• • John Garcia - Vocals
  • Brant Bjork - Drums
  • Josh Homme - Guitars
  • Scott Reeder - Bass
• Lead guitar on "N.O." by Mario Lalli
• Produced by Chris Goss & Kyuss
• Engineered & mixed by Joe Barresi
• Assistant engineers: Jeff Sheehan, Wade Norton, Alexe Campbell
• Additional engineering: Brian Jenkins
• Recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, CA
• Mixed at NRG Studios, North Hollywood, CA
• Mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Futuredisc Systems, Hollywood, CA
• Photography: Alex Solca
• Art Direction: Skiles
• Additional percussion on "Asteroid" by Peter Moffet
• Additional peculiar background vocals: Scott Reeder, Josh Homme & Madman Of Encino

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "allmusic ((( Welcome to Sky Valley > Review )))". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r227200. Retrieved March 17, 2010. 
3. ^ Brackett, Nathan. "Kyuss". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. November 2004. pg. 473, cited March 17, 2010
4. ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri. "Sky Valley". Entertainment Weekly. July 1994, cited March 17, 2010
5. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Kyuss". robertchristgau.com, Retrieved on June 2, 2010.
6. ^ Scaruffi, Piero. "Kyuss". pieroscaruffi.com (Italian). Retrieved on March 17, 2010.
7. ^ "KYUSS Lives Without JOSH HOMME". BlabberMouth. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=148693. 
8. ^ Augusto, Troy J. (April 2, 1998). "Tool". Variety. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117467336.html?categoryid=34&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-07-13.