Five (Goodbye Mr Mackenzie album)

Five
Studio album by
Released1994
Recorded1993–1994
GenreAlternative rock, college rock
Length38:20
LabelBlokshok Records
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie chronology
Hammer and Tongs
(1991)
Five
(1994)
The Glory Hole
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic(not rated, no review)[1]

Five is the third album from the Scottish group Goodbye Mr Mackenzie and was self-released in 1994 by the band on their own label Blokshok Records. It has a rougher edge to it than their two previous major label albums, partly due to Martin Metcalfe being inspired by grunge music and The Pixies.[2] The album was supported by the extended play release of "Hard" as a single.[3] Five failed to revive interest outside of the band’s existing fanbase. Metcalfe later explained: "We turned to a harder sound and radio wasn’t prepared to play it".[4]

The songs that make up Five and the songs that were recorded for side-project Angelfish's debut album were written at the same time. The original plan for the record was to have Shirley Manson's vocals more prominent to give her better status in the band, but in the end only "Normal Boy" featured Manson's vocal prominently and it proved to be Manson's last album with the band as she would join Garbage not long after the album's release.[2] An unreleased duet with Metcalfe titled "Carnival Is Over" was recorded, but went unreleased.[3] Some of the influences on the writing and recording of Five include Metcalfe's obsession with the Marilyn Monroe film noir Niagara (on "Niagara").[5]

  1. ^ "Five - Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b Clarkson, John (13 December 2013). "Martin Metcalfe - Interview". Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  3. ^ a b Davis, Andy (January 1997). "Goodbye Angelfish". Record Collector. No. 209. UK: Diamond Publishing. pp. 61–63. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Hammer and Tongs re-release bio". Cherry Red/Blokshok Records. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Goodbye Mr Mackenzie - Some songs from The RiverSessions LP discussed". Blokshok Records. Retrieved 25 June 2017.