Naked Apes and Pond Life was the seventh full-length Shriekback

Shriekback

Shriekback are an English rock band, formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen , and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four , with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out On Blue Six soon added to the line-up. They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983...

 album. This 2000 release was a surprise resurfacing for the band, after almost a decade of quiet. It gathered many songs performed in intimate appearances in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 over the preceding years, recorded in the studio by Barry Andrews

Barry Andrews (musician)

Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...

, Martyn Barker

Martyn Barker

Martyn Barker is an English drummer, best known as the drummer for Shriekback. He has also been a member of King Swamp, and worked with Paula Rae Gibson, Billy Bragg and Beth Gibbons, Rustin Man and Juldah Camara & Justin Adams....

, Lu Edmonds (last seen on 1985's Oil & Gold

Oil & Gold

Oil & Gold, the third full-length Shriekback album, is widely considered the band's highest moment. Released in 1985 on Island Records after the failure of 1984's Jam Science on Arista Records, Oil & Gold saw the band metamorphose from contemplative to rocking...

), as well as Simon Edwards and Mark Raudva.

Many of the tracks are instrumentals, but the strong vocal-led "Berlin" and Big Night Music

Big Night Music

Big Night Music was the fourth full-length Shriekback album, released in 1986. Barry Andrews dominates the writing and performing on the album, with remaining original member Dave Allen fading into the background. Allen would leave the band following this release...

-esque "Everything's on Fire" are standouts.

Track listing

1. "Stimulate the Beaded Hamster" - 1:17
2. "Pond Life" - 4:05
3. "Hostage" - 4:12
4. "Invisible Rays" - 3:48
5. "Claxon Bolus" - 1:36
6. "Massive Custard" - 1:44
7. "JP8" - 2:17
8. "Unsong" - 4:50
9. "Berlin" - 4:12
10. "Baby Lion" - 3:00
11. "Everything's on Fire" - 4:26
12. "Keep-Net Stevenson" - 1:42
13. "String, Sedatives, Weaponry" - 3:26
14. "Anal Piss-Machine" - 1:34

Personnel

• Barry Andrews
  Barry Andrews (musician)
  Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...
  
   - keyboards, synthesizers, accordion, vocals
• Martyn Barker
  Martyn Barker
  Martyn Barker is an English drummer, best known as the drummer for Shriekback. He has also been a member of King Swamp, and worked with Paula Rae Gibson, Billy Bragg and Beth Gibbons, Rustin Man and Juldah Camara & Justin Adams....
  
   - drums, percussion
• Lu Edmonds - guitar, saz, oud, percussion
• Simon Edwards - bass, sintir, percussion
• Mark Raudva - bodhrán, didgeridoo, mandolin, percussion