Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective Cracker

• 1 Sick of Goodbyes (Re-Record with Members of Drive-By Truckers) 03:24
• 2 Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now) (Redux Version) 04:03
• 3 Mr Wrong (Feat. Leftover Salmon) 04:51
• 4 I See the Light (Redux Version) 05:28
• 5 Almond Grove (Re-Record with John Keane) 04:35
• 6 Low (Redux Version) 04:54
• 7 Merry Christmas Emily (Emily's Version) 05:10
• 8 The World Is Mine (Redux Version) 03:43
• 9 Sweet Potato (Feat. Leftover Salmon) 04:58
• 10 Turn on, Tune in, Drop out with Me (Live at the Rockpalast Crossroads Festival) 03:59
• 11 Seven Days (Live in Madrid) 04:24
• 12 Big Dipper (Redux Version) 05:45
• 13 Eurotrash Girl Waltz (Feat. Leftover Salmon) 06:14
• 14 King of Bakersfield (Acoustic) 05:24
• 15 I Need Better Friends 03:48
• 16 Father Winter (Hickman Demo) 04:10
• 17 One Fine Day (Live at the Rockpalast Crossroads Festival) 06:55
• 18 Gimme One More Chance (Live at the Rockpalast Crossroads Festival) 04:19
• 19 Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey (Live in Madrid) 03:42
• 20 River Euphrates (Live in Berlin) 03:00
• 21 I Want Everything (Live in Madrid) 06:05
• 22 Movie Star (Live in Madrid) 03:29
• 23 Don't F*Ck Me up with Peace and Love (Live in Madrid) 03:14
• 24 Ain't Gonna Suck Itself (Redux Version) 05:47
• Total Runtime 01:51:21

Info for Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective

Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective is a dynamic journey through the sonic landscape of Cracker, one of alt-rock's most enduring and beloved bands. This special compilation album offers fans a fresh perspective on Cracker's rich musical catalogue, featuring alternative versions, re-recordings, and live takes from the band's history. Spanning their entire career, this retrospective highlights the band's evolution, revisiting classic songs with new energy, creative arrangements, and live recordings that capture their unfiltered spirit.

Featuring 5 previously unreleased versions and 6 rare live recordings the album presents a mix of fan favourites and deeper cuts. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to their music, this retrospective is a celebration of Cracker's influence in the alternative rock world, offering a compelling new way to experience their music.

Extraordinarily, this is the first time that any of these recordings have been available on vinyl and a lead single of a country-leaning re-recording of their track ‘Sick of Goodbyes’ featuring members of Drive-By Truckers is out now. The project started as the band began a discussion with Cooking Vinyl to see if they could rectify a situation whereby their later material was ignored by streaming algorithms that seemingly focused on their first three albums. They wanted to produce a retrospective that would encompass the band’s entire career.

Unfortunately as the process developed, it became apparent that the cost of licensing tracks from the Virgin and Concord catalogs would be prohibitive. However not to be outwitted by ‘the man’ or indeed ‘the machine’, the band began to catalogue the recordings they controlled, and a far more interesting idea emerged. They had a collection of re-recordings, demos, outtakes, collaborations, and live tracks that told an alternate history of the band. And this collection would not only serve as an introduction to the band for new fans, but also provide long-time, hardcore fans with access to some rare and unreleased recordings. Thus, “Alternative History” came into being. As the band say “Hey, we re-recorded our greatest hits, so screw you, Virgin Records.”

Cracker is an American rock band, formed in 1990 by lead singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. The band's first album Cracker was released in 1992 on Virgin Records; it included the single "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)", which went to #1 on the U.S. Modern Rock chart. The band's follow-up, the 1993 album Kerosene Hat included the hit songs "Low", "Get Off This", and "Euro-Trash Girl".

Cracker has released nine studio albums and several compilations, collaborations, solo projects and live albums. The band mix influences and sounds from rock, punk, grunge, psychedelia, country, blues and folk.

Cracker

Cracker
An American alternative rock band, formed in 1990 in Redlands, California, by singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. Lowery had previously been the lead singer of the band Camper Van Beethoven.

He and Hickman settled in Richmond, Virginia, where they recorded a demo tape—later dubbed the "Big Dirty Yellow Demos" by fans. It was only then that they gave their musical project the name Cracker.

They brought in additional musicians, including Davey Faragher (bass) and Greg Weatherford (drums). Weatherford did not stay long; by the time recording began for their self-titled debut album, *Cracker* (Virgin, 1992), he was no longer with the group. Consequently, the band enlisted drummers such as Rick Jaeger and Jim Keltner, alongside other guest musicians, for the studio sessions.

The album sold over 200,000 copies and featured two minor hit singles. By the time they recorded their second album, *Kerosene Hat* (Virgin, 1993), the band had secured a permanent drummer in Michael Urbano.

That album sold over half a million copies and reached number 59 on the Billboard 200 chart. Following this commercial success, the label released a compilation titled *The Virgin Years* (Virgin, 1994), which included songs from both Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker.

"Bob's Car" (Virgin, 1995) was released primarily for fans. For the recording of their third album, "The Golden Age" (Virgin, 1996), Lowery and Hickman brought two new members into the band—Bob Rupe (electric bass, synth, vocals) and Charlie Quintana (drums)—after Faragher and Urbano threw in the towel.

The album, which featured contributions from many additional musicians, climbed to number 63 on the Billboard 200. Its successor, "Gentleman's Blues" (Virgin, 1998), only managed to reach number 182. By this time, Frank Funaro had joined as the new drummer. It was their final album for Virgin.

As a parting gesture, the label released a compilation titled "Garage D'Or" (Virgin, 2000). A double-CD version included live songs, demo tracks, and outtakes on the second disc. Meanwhile, Camper Van Beethoven had unexpectedly reunited in 1999, keeping Lowery occupied there for the time being.

Nevertheless, a new Cracker studio album, "Forever" (Back Porch, 2001), was released, featuring a lineup of David Lowery (vocals, guitar, keyboards, electric bass), Johnny Hickman (guitar, vocals, percussion), Kenny Margolis (keyboards, accordion, vocals), Brandy Wood (electric bass, vocals), and Frank Funaro (drums, percussion, vocals).

That same year, the live album "Flash Your Sirens" (Pitch-A-Tent, 2001) was released under the moniker "The Cracker Traveling Apothecary Show And Revue and Ex-Members Of Camper Van Beethoven!" Live recordings by Cracker—captured back in 1999—were released under the title "Hello, Cleveland! (Live From The Metro)" (Cooking Vinyl, 2002).

A collaborative recording with the bluegrass/jam band Leftover Salmon was released under the title "O' Cracker Where Art Thou?" (Pitch-A-Tent, 2003). "Countrysides" (Cooking Vinyl, 2003) was a Cracker-only album, recorded by Lowery and Hickman alongside Wood and Funaro.

This album consisted primarily of cover songs—the same material the band had performed during a previous tour under the name "Ironic Mullet." "We Don't Suck Live: Live At Wavefest" (Pitch-A-Tent, 2005) featured live recordings from 1998.

"Greatest Hits Redux" (Cooking Vinyl, 2006) was a collection of well-known Cracker songs, re-recorded for the release. The compilation "Get On With It: The Best Of Cracker" (Virgin, 2006) was released on the same day. "Greenland" (Cooking Vinyl, 2006) contained new material and featured Victor Krummenacher—of Camper Van Beethoven—as the band's new bassist.

The CD "Berlin" (Pitch-A-Tent, 2007) was sold at concerts. Sal Maida served as the new bassist on the subsequent studio album, "Sunrise In The Land Of Milk And Honey" (429 Records, 2009). "Live At The Rockpalast Crossroads-Festival" (Blue Rose, 2010) was released as a double CD accompanied by a DVD.

The set consisted of live recordings captured in Germany. Several years passed before the release of the next studio album, the double CD "Berkeley To Bakersfield" (429 Records, 2014). Part of this album was recorded with the rhythm section of Davey Faragher (electric bass) and Michael Urbano (drums).

Since then, the only other releases have been "Live In Madrid" (Pitch-A-Tent, 2022) and "Bingo! Live In The Inland Empire" (2023), both featuring live recordings from that period. The compilation "Alternative History: A Cracker Retrospective" (Cooking Vinyl, 2024) was released as a three-LP or two-CD set. (Source: compendium-musicum.com)

This album contains no booklet.