Chris Gentlemen's Hairdresser and Railway Book Shop is the second full-length album recorded by the band Lightyear

Lightyear (band)

Lightyear were a UK 7-piece ska punk band. They formed in 1997 in Derby, England.They signed to Household Name Records in 2001, and the band released two full-length albums via the label...

.

The album was released by Household Name Records

Household Name Records

Household Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands...

 on July 7, 2003 on compact disc

Compact Disc

The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

. It was seen as a departure from the band's usual 'skacore' (a combination of ska

Ska

Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...

, punk rock

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 and hardcore

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

) sound, incorporating acoustic guitar, technical vocal layering, and even scratching

Scratching

Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...

 courtesy of Joey Malibu & Coke on the track 'Trumpet Trousers'. This track also samples a quote directly from the movie

Film

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

 Johnny Dangerously

Johnny Dangerously

Johnny Dangerously is a 1984 comedy spoof of 1930s' crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling; its four screenwriters included Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris, both of whom previously created the hit TV series Diff'rent Strokes...

, much like the track 'Shatner's Bassoon' on Lightyear's debut album Call of the Weasel Clan

Call of the Weasel Clan

Call of the Weasel Clan is the debut album of UK ska punk band Lightyear, who originate from Derby, it features a blend of ska, pop punk, hardcore and reggae styles...

, which included a quote from satirical TV series Brass Eye

Brass Eye

Brass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A series of six aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001....

.

The album also included lyrical references to, and guest appearances from members of, renowned UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 bands including Adequate Seven

Adequate Seven

Adequate Seven were a seven piece punk band from the UK who blended music styles such as hip hop, hardcore, punk, and funk who formed in 2000 and split in December 2006.-History:...

, Captain Everything!

Captain Everything!

Captain Everything! are a punk band from Watford, United Kingdom. They met at Parmiter's School. Formed in 1998, the band play high tempo pop-punk, which was branded "Bubblegum Thrash". Renowned for their heavy touring schedule, they have played all over the UK and Europe, touring with bands such...

 and Five Knuckle

Five Knuckle

-History:Five Knuckle from Bristol, England formed in 1998, playing punk & hardcore influenced by Minor Threat, Refused, Anti-Flag, At the Drive-In and Choking Victim amongst others...

.

Closing track '200 Kebab Shops' features a strangely touching monologue by vocalist Chas laid over the continuous drum and vocal loop

Music loop

In electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...

, in which he thanks everyone listening for supporting the band and explains how touring can take its toll both mentally and physically on a person.

The album title refers to a real shop with the same rather unusual name on Macklin Street in Derby

Derby

Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...

town centre, which is also pictured on the front of the album sleeve.

Track listing

1. "Twat out of Hell"
2. "Life Jacket, Water Wings"
3. "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890 Cinnamon Rolls"
4. "Nuff Cuts"
5. "Don't Count Your Horses"
6. "Trumpet Trousers"
7. "That's the Way it Goes, Big Nose"
8. "Data's Double Chin"
9. "Whispering Ron vs. Maz"
10. "Uri Geller Bent my Heart"
11. "200 Kebab Shops"