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Teen-Beat 252.

Flin Flon

A-OK

SIDE ONE

Kamloops
Red Deer
Ukraina
Buffalo Narrows
Yellowknife

SIDE TWO

Moose Jaw
Odessa
Medicine Hat
Whitehorse
Colgate

Compact Disc (CD) ($14,44)

8-panel folder, in jewel case
with white tray.

Download (FLAC/MP3) ($9,90)

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LINER NOTES

PLAYERS

Matt Datesman, drums

Natalie "Nattles" Mencinsky, bass guitar

Mark Robinson, vocals, guitar

PRODUCED BY

Mark Robinson

RECORDED BY

J. Christian Quick,

at Stillness, Warrenton, Virginia, USA

June 8 and July 2, 1998

MIXED BY

J. Christian Quick,

and Mark Robinson

at Stillness, Warrenton, Virginia, USA

MASTERED BY

D. Trevor Kampmann,

Washington, D.C., USA

MAP IMAGES

Courtesy of The Grand Canyon Association,

Museum of the Northern Arizona,

from "Geologic map of the Eastern part of
the Grand Canyon National Park"

COVER DESIGN AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Robinson, Teen-Beat Graphica

ET CETERA

All songs written by Mark Robinson, Matt Datesman, Natalie Mencinsky (BMI)

Recorded onto 16-track 1-inch analogue tape (Ampex brand). Mixed onto Digital Audio Tape (DAT).

On the vinyl LP edition, lock grooves separate each track from each other. The record will not play more than one song at a time without the listener picking up the needle and advancing it to the next track. The CD similarly has approximately 18 seconds between each track. In perhaps an unintentional nod to the future of single song sales from download stores, there is a prescient explanation printed on the LP JACKET: "Lock grooves have been inserted between each track, do not be alarmed. This will produce a more focused listen, as each song is an entity unto itself. Because of the insertion of lock grooves on this album, the phonograph needle must be raised between each �song'. This will facilitate focus" and inside the CD BOOKLET:
"Long periods of silence have been inserted between each track of this compact disque, do not be alarmed. This will facilitate a more focused listen, as each song is an entity unto itself. This album should not be considered as a complete work on its own, it is a collection of ten distinct and different 'songs.' However, if one wishes to have no breaks in the program, one can program the compact disque player to 'shuffle' or 'juke box.' This should eliminate the purposely placed moments of silence."

The letter "A" is printed on the CD. "A" for the first Flin Flon album release.

Very short excerpts from the song lyrics are included in the CD booklet.

The numbers on the CD booklet are the then telephone and fax numbers of the label, and also the telephone area codes of the band members.

The song "Flatbush" was recorded during the session, but was not included on the album. The band later released a different recording of the song on the 1999 Teen-Beat Sampler album.

COMPLETE SESSION TRACKLIST

Buffalo Narrows
Colgate
Flatbush (not on album/not released)
Kamloops
Medicine Hat
Moose Jaw
Odessa
Red Deer
Ukraina
Whitehorse
Yellowknife

REVIEWS

"Mark Robinson, whose seminal band, Unrest, defined what became known as "indie rock" in the early part of this decade, returns from a long hiatus with Flin Flon, a trio that plays semi-robotic, angular pop. As the liner notes suggest, this album should not be listened to as a whole, but rather as ten individual songs. The music is driving and rigid with heavily syncopated beats that mimic the sound of a drum machine. The bass lines pummel like early Joy Division mixed with Wire while Robinson plucks rhythmical arpeggios on his guitar.

Flin Flon is a far cry from the final days of Unrest or even the brief Air Miami period. Its origins seem to stem from Robinson's one off solo effort from 1996, The Olympic Death Squad. That record, entitled Blue, focused more on rhythm than song structure, which is where Flin Flon takes its cues.

Robinson's clean choirboy voice is the only instantly recognizable element in the mix. His vocals blend well with the carefully calculated guitar/bass interplay. The lyrics seem silly at times, but they will surprise you by mixing silliness with clever, insightful word play: "what you see is only real to me�what I wear and all your hair doesn't mean much to me/all I want is where you're going/where you've been" ("Moose Jaw"). Even with Unrest, Robinson's seemingly inconsequential lyrical blurbs were always peppered with flashes of brilliance. It's not necessarily what he says but how he says it that matters.

A-OK is exciting because of its energetic and disciplined tone; everything is tight and controlled like a poppy version of Gang Of Four. Robinson's production is very direct. There are no superfluous sounds. This record should make fans of Robinson's other work ecstatic, but, more importantly, it should inject a much needed boost of energy into the dying indie rock scene."
- Eric G., Drawer B

"This is one of my favorite CDs and I have a lot. I think it's their best album, better than Boo-Boo and any of the Unrest stuff. Whereas those albums typically have some great songs with some filler, this album is 10 solid songs. The drumming, bass, guitar, and voice all fit together really tightly but still sound different than any other "rock" band. Song #10 is the only song where the guitarist plays chords as opposed to single notes.

Guaranteed to stay in high rotation for a long time. Guaranteed to make you pick up air-drumming again."
- a customer review, Amazon

RELEASE DATE

September 28, 1998

FORMAT

compact disc
vinyl L.P.

LENGTH

CD:
35 minutes, 46 seconds

(Includes the periods of silence between tracks)

10 tracks

LP:
33 minutes, 11 seconds

(Does not include the periods of silence)

10 tracks

CATALOGUE No.

Teen-Beat 252

DETAILS

LP

September 28, 1998

1,078 pressed on black vinyl.

Jacket Exterior:
full-colour on uncoated stock.

Jacket Interior:
100% magenta (pink) on the coated side of the stock.

LABEL:
green ink on white paper.

Lock grooves separate each track.

FIRST CD PRESSING

September 28, 1998

1,642 pressed.

INSERT:
6-page folder, tray card (one side colour and one side black and white).

JEWEL CASE:
with white tray.

LABEL:
green with white text.

The folder (cover) was inserted incorrectly on the first pressing, resulting in a different cover from the second and third pressings.

SECOND CD PRESSING

April 23, 1999

508 pressed.

JEWEL CASE:
with white tray.

LABEL:
white with green text.

The folder (cover) was inserted correctly on the second and third pressings, resulting in a different cover from the first pressings.

THIRD CD PRESSING

March 20, 2000

1,000 pressed.

JEWEL CASE:
with white tray.

LABEL:
white and blue inks.

The folder (cover) was inserted correctly on the second and third pressings, resulting in a different cover from the first pressings.

LP:

Mastered by
Don VanGordon, Executive Mastering, New York, New York.

Printed by
Dorado Press, California.

Pressed by
Vinyl Fidelity, California.

CD (first and second pressings):

Printed by
Discmakers Print Services, Pennsauken, New Jersey.

Pressed by
Nimbus, Ruckersville, Virginia.

CD (third pressing):

Printed by
Discmakers Print Services, Pennsauken, New Jersey.

Pressed by
Failsafe, Illinois.

DISCOGRAPHY

SINGLES

Swift Current
Black Bear

ALBUMS

A-O.K.
Boo-Boo
Boo-Boo (Version)
Chicoutimi
Swift Current
Dixie
Dixie (Version)
Et Cetera

COMPILATIONS

1998 Teenbeat Sampler
1999 Teenbeat Sampler
2000 Teenbeat Sampler
2001 Teenbeat Sampler
2002 Teenbeat Sampler
2003 Teenbeat Sampler
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2003
2004 Teenbeat Sampler
Teen-Beat 20th Commemorative
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2005
Teen-Beat Subscribers' CD, 2006
Teen-Beat No.1 Record Label
2010 Teen-Beat / Other Music Sampler
Teen-Beat Holiday Card 2010/2011

SOUNTRACKS

CNN/Anderson Cooper theme song

ALSO

Teen-Beat 13th Anniversary Celebrations
Teen-Beat 14th Anniversary Celebrations
Teen-Beat 15th Anniversary Celebrations
Teen-Beat 17th Anniversary Celebrations
Teen-Beat 18th Anniversary Celebrations
Teen-Beat 20th Anniversary Celebrations
Flin Flon Pocket Catalog Postcard
Teen-Beat 21st Anniversary Celebrations
Pocket Catalog [set of four]

RELATED

Air Miami
Grenadine
True Love Always
Unrest

SONGS

Argyle
Argyle (Version)
Anglo Tignish
Anglo Tignish (Version)
Annapolis Royal
Annapolis Royal (Version)
Black Bear
Bonaventure
Bonnie (Lamb)
Bonnie (Lamb) (Version)
Buffalo Narrows
Cape Smokey
Capstick
Cavendish
Cavendish-Capstick (Version)
Cardigan
Cardigan (Version 1)
Cardigan (Version 2)
Chicoutimi
Coddles
Coddles (Version)
Colgate
Darlings
Flatbush
Flin Flon
Flin Flon (Version)
Floods
Floods (Version 1)
Floods (Version 2)
Happy Adventure
Happy Adventure (Version)
Inverness
Inverness (Version)
Jumpers
Jumpers (Version No.1)
Jumpers (Version No.2)
Kamloops
Kamloops (Version)
Leading Tickles
Leading Tickles (Version)
Levis
Linkletter
Linkletter (Version)
The Lookoff
Medicine Hat
Mistaken Point
Mistaken Point (Version)
Mistassini
Moose Jaw
Odessa
Red Deer
Rimouski
Roman Valley Rossignol
Rossignol (Version)
St. Patricks
St. Patricks (Version)
Shuffle Board
Skir Dhu
Skir Dhu (Version)
Swift Current
Swift Current (Version 1)
Swift Current (Version 2)
Trafalgar
Trafalgar (Version)
Trinity
Trinity (Version)
Ukraina
Upper Ferry
Upper Ferry (Version)
Virgin Arm
Virgin Arm (Version)
Whitehorse
Yellowknife