How Ace Are Buildings is the debut album by British alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band A

A (band)

A are a British alternative rock band from Suffolk, England, that formed in 1993. They have released four albums, and two live mini-albums.In 2002, the band enjoyed a brief period of commercial success, in which "Nothing", the first single from Hi-Fi Serious , charted at #9 on the UK singles chart...

, released in 1997.

The album was re-released in 1998, in the form of cassette and LTD Edition 12". Whereas the cassette featured the same tracks, the 12" album also included a bonus vinyl, featuring 'A' remixes and live tracks.

This vinyl was limited to 500 copies.

Track listing

1. "Turn It Up" – 1:33
2. "Foghorn" – 3:04
3. "Cheeky Monkey" – 3:36
4. "Number One" – 3:50
5. "Bad Idea" – 2:21
6. "Sing-A-Long" – 4:20
7. "Winter Of '96" – 5:28
8. "Out Of Tune" – 4:19
9. "Fistral" – 3:59
10. "House Under The Ground" – 4:01
11. "Five In The Morning" – 3:14
12. "Ender" – 18:07
    • Contains a hidden track
      Hidden track
      In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
      
       at 14:49

"Number One" features a portion of lyrics taken from Billy Joel

Billy Joel

William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...

's 1978 track "My Life

My Life (Billy Joel song)

"My Life" is a song by Billy Joel that first appeared on his 1978 album 52nd Street. A single version was released in the fall of 1978 and reached #2 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Early the next year it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100....

". Joel was namechecked in the credits as a result. The "borrowed" lyrics are:

"Got a call from an old friend, used to be real close

Said he couldn't go on the American way

Sold his house, sold his car

Bought a ticket to the West Coast

Now he gives 'em a stand-up routine in L.A."

"Cheeky Monkey" features a sample of the actor/comedian John Thomson using the phrase "oh, you cheeky monkey" - this is taken from Thompson's appearance on Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge in character as "Joe Beesley" an inept ventriloquist with a puppet monkey.

Bonus vinyl Track listing

1. "Turn It Down"
2. "Number One (Happy Valley Ranch Mix)"
3. "Alright (Live)"
4. "Bad Idea (Live)"
5. "Sing-A-Long (Post Term Audit Mix)"
6. "Five In The Morning (DJ Mental Visuals Mix)"
7. "Foghorn (Live)"
8. "Barnyard"
9. "Demolished House" (bside to foghorn, also remix of House Underground)
10. "Callhimin"
11. "Cheeky Monkey (Live)"
12. "Fistral (Major Threat Mix)"
13. "Out Of Tune (Live)

Singles

Bad Idea

1. "Bad Idea" – 2:16
2. "Look What You Made Me Do" – 3:12
3. "40" – 2:30

Foghorn

1. "Foghorn" – 3:07
2. "Last Girl" – 4:24
3. "A Demolished House" – 5:22

Sing-A-Long

1. "Sing-A-Long" – 4:19
2. "Sing-A-Long" – 4:22 (Post Team Audit Mix)
3. "Singing Out Of Tune" – 3:49 (In A Castle)
4. "Number One" – 3:22 (Radio Edit)
5. "Number One" (Video)

Number One

• CD1:

1. "Number One" – 3:21
2. "Good Idea" – 2:18
3. "Alright" – 2:41
4. "Sasquatch" – 2:52

• CD2:

1. "Number One" – 3:51 (+30)
2. "Ouch" – 4:02
3. "Number One" – 6:15 (Happy Valley Ranch Mix)
4. "Foghorn" – 3:06
5. "Foghorn" (Video)