The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast

The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast
Studio album by Matmos
Released	May 9, 2006
Genre	Electronic
Length	61:28
Label	Matador Records
Producer	Drew Daniel, Martin Schmidt
Matmos chronology

The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast is the sixth studio album by Matmos. Each of the album's songs is dedicated to a notable gay or lesbian person who has influenced the duo,[7] and this influence is reflected in the songs themselves. For examples, "Rag for William S. Burroughs" features the clatter of a type writer and a gunshot, representing the William Tell incident, and "Tract for Valerie Solanas" contains excerpts from the "SCUM Manifesto".

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	81/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The A.V. Club	A[3]
Drowned in Sound	8/10[4]
PItchfork	8.0/10[5]
PopMatters	7/10[6]
Slant Magazine	[7]
Stylus Magazine	B+[8]

As with earlier releases, the duo make use of field recordings in the music, recordings that range from ordinary things to more absurd sounds, such as a recording of a bovine uterus.[9] The album's title is taken from a line in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations.[7]

Critical reception

The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast received positive reviews from music critics. Review aggregator website Metacritic gives it a score of 81 out of 100 based on 22 critics, indicating "universal acclaim."[1] Brandon Stosuy, writing for Pitchfork, wrote in a positive review that "there are a few moments when the concept's cooler than the result, but in general The Rose Has Teeth's experiments result in frenetic dance tracks doubling as reading lists."[5]

Jonathan Keefe, writing for Slant Magazine, called the album "endlessly fascinating" but concluded that "even armed with a cheat sheet from Wikipedia and a desire to figure out the significance of every last hair clipper and gunshot, the album never engages as anything more than an academic exercise."[7]

Pitchfork placed it at number 47 on the "Top 50 Albums of 2006" list.[10]

Track listing

No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Roses and Teeth for Ludwig Wittgenstein"	Credits:[11] Guitar [twang guitar], Performer [electronics] – Jay Lesser Performer [cow recordings, goose call], Mixed By – M.C. Schmidt Performer [roses, teeth, manure, sampling, sequencing, digital editing] – Drew Daniel Voice [excerpts from Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations read aloud by] – Björk Guðmundsdóttir, Laetitia Sonami, Marcus Schmickler, Rose McKereghan, Werner Phillip Schmidt, Zum Zoom	3:24
2.	"Steam and Sequins for Larry Levan"	Credits:[11] Drums – Steve Goodfriend Guitar [electric guitar], Horns [peck horn], Trumpet – Mark Lightcap Performer [electronics] – John Talaga Performer [steam, sewing machine, sequins, Arp 2600, sampling, sequencing, digital editing] – Drew Daniel Performer [V-synth, tambourine, shaker, saucepan], Mixed By – M.C. Schmidt Synthesizer [Arp 2600] – Matthew Curry Voice – Kalonica McQuesten	5:20
3.	"Tract for Valerie Solanas"	Credits:[11] Performer [cow uterus, reproductive tract, vagina, vacuum cleaner, plastic gloves], Mixed By – M.C. Schmidt Performer [sampling, sequencing, digital editing, machete, scissors, knives, paper, Personal alarms (rape alarms)] – Drew Daniel Voice [excerpts from Valerie Solanas' The SCUM Manifesto read by] – Barbara Golden, Yalie Kumara	5:07
4.	"Public Sex for Boyd McDonald"	Credits:[11] Drums – Steve Goodfriend Guitar [electric guitar], Trumpet – Mark Lightcap Performer [pen, paper, typewriter, videotape, sampling, sequencing, digital editing, Arp 2600] – Drew Daniel Saxophone – Stephen Thrower Synthesizer [Arp 2600, Sh 101, V-synth, Juno 6], Performer [Videotape], Mixed By – M.C. Schmidt	5:52
5.	"Semen Song for James Bidgood"	Credits:[11] Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Jefferson Friedman Cello – Clarice Jensen Harp – Zeena Parkins Keyboards [V-synth, piano], Performer [sampling, sequencing], Mixed By – M.C. Schmidt Performer [file transfers, effects] – Jon Leidecker Performer [sampling, sequencing, digital editing, toilet paper roll panflute, paper, semen] – Drew Daniel Piano – Matthew Fuerst Strings – American Contemporary Music Ensemble Viola – Bridget Fitzgerald Violin – Erik Carlson, Miranda Cuckson Voice – Antony Hegarty	5:02
6.	"Snails and Lasers for Patricia Highsmith"	Credits:[11] Double bass – Brian O'Reilly Drums – Steve Goodfriend French horn – Amy Vaillancourt Performer [sampling, sequencing, digital editing] – Drew Daniel Performer [sequencing, V-synth, Ms2000, books, brushes, live garden snails, glass cylinder, Light-sensitive theremin], Mixed By – M.C. Schmidt	5:52
7.	"Germs Burn for Darby Crash"	Credits:[11] Performer [Arp 2600, Wahl hair clipper, hair] – M.C. Schmidt Performer [lighter, cigarette] – Don Bolles Performer [sampling, sequencing, digital editing, burnt flesh, cry of pain] – Drew Daniel	4:10
8.	"Solo Buttons for Joe Meek"	Credits:[11] Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin Bass – Jay Lesser Cello – Jeffrey Zeigler Drums – Steve Goodfriend Guitar – Mark Lightcap Performer [tapes, synths, sampling, sequencing, digital editing] – Drew Daniel Performer [whinging] – M.C. Schmidt Strings – Kronos Quartet Viola – Hank Dutt Violin – David Harrington, John Sherba	3:33
9.	"Rag for William S. Burroughs"	Credits:[11] Goblet Drum [darbuka] – Darcy Bartoletti Performer [amateur piano, sampling, V-synth, sequencing, tape recorder, typewriter, vacuum cleaner tube, horn] – M.C. Schmidt Performer [Burroughs adding machines, film projectors] – Michael Brown Performer [electronics] – Jay Lesser Performer [Heidelberg windmill, Chandler And Price printing presses] – Leif Fairfield Performer [sampling, sequencing, digital editing, bombard, tape recorder, shortwave radio, marbles, keys, Efx] – Drew Daniel Trumpet – Mark Lightcap Violin – Blevin Blectum	13:52
10.	"Banquet for King Ludwig II of Bavaria"	Credits:[11] Drums, Percussion [sleighbells] – Steve Goodfriend French horn – Amy Vaillancourt Performer [glassware, dishes, coconuts, sampling, sequencing, V-synth] – M.C. Schmidt Performer [glassware, dishes, sampling, sequencing, digital editing] – Drew Daniel Tuba, Horns [peck horn], Performer [plastic tube] – Mark Lightcap Voice – Maja S. K. Ratkje	3:23

Japanese edition bonus track
No.	Title	Length
11.	"Kendo for Yukio Mishima"	5:54

Charts

Chart	Peak position
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[12]	21

References

The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast, by Matmos Metacritic. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Heather Phares, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Andy Battaglia, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review The A.V. Club, May 17, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Rachel Cawley, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review Drowned in Sound, May 13, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Brandon Stosuy, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review PItchfork, May 9, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Kevin Jagernauth, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review PopMatters, May 22, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Jonathan Keefe, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review Slant Magazine, May 19, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
Scott McKeating, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review Stylus Magazine, May 9, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
"Matmos at Matador Records".
"Top 50 Albums of 2006 (1/5)". Pitchfork. December 19, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
Album credits, Discogs.com. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
"Matmos Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2019.

External links

The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast at Discogs (list of releases)

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[Metacritic-1] The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast, by Matmos Metacritic. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[2] Heather Phares, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[AVClub-3] Andy Battaglia, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review The A.V. Club, May 17, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[4] Rachel Cawley, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review Drowned in Sound, May 13, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[Pitchfork-5] Brandon Stosuy, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review PItchfork, May 9, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[6] Kevin Jagernauth, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review PopMatters, May 22, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[Slant-7] Jonathan Keefe, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review Slant Magazine, May 19, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[8] Scott McKeating, The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast review Stylus Magazine, May 9, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[9] "Matmos at Matador Records".

[10] "Top 50 Albums of 2006 (1/5)". Pitchfork. December 19, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2017.

[Credits-11] Album credits, Discogs.com. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

[ac_BillboardDanceElectronic_Matmos-12] "Matmos Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2019.

Matmos
Studio albums	Matmos Quasi-Objects The West A Chance to Cut Is a Chance to Cure The Civil War The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast Supreme Balloon Treasure State The Marriage of True Minds Ultimate Care II Plastic Anniversary
EPs	Full On Night California Rhinoplasty
Commons:Matmos