Super Raoul

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Super Raoul

Studio album by Fishtank Ensemble
Released	November, 2005
Recorded	Fishtank, Oakland, California
Genre	Eclectic
Length	62:42
Label	Mimicry Records (1st edition only)
Producer(s)	Fishtank Ensemble

Super Raoul is the debut LP from Fishtank Ensemble. The album was recorded live at Fishtank in Oakland, California in early 2004 and completed over the course of two weekends. At this time, the band had only been playing together for three weeks.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks feature traditional music and lyrics except where noted.

"Bordeas"
"Itty Bitty Snitty Little Frenchman" (A. Seeman, 2004)
"Papirosn" (lyrics by H. Yablokoff, 1932)
"Troll Wedding"
"Pegasus Vaulters" (A. Seeman, 2004)
"Ringo Bushi" (Narita Unchiku, 1954)
"Arabu Andaluz"
"Hora di Bucharest / Hora de Fabrice"
"Le Kidnappeur"" (D. Smolens, K. Kmetz, 2004)
"Hopa di Bida"
"The Last Shamisen Master" (K. Kmetz, 2003)
"Suite Romaine"
"Doina Sonnambule"

[edit] First and Second Editions

First Edition album cover

Second Edition album cover

The album has been released in two editions. The first edition was released through a limited Mimicry pressing. It has a photographic montage on the cover and refers to the band as "Fishtank". On the CD label, the first edition has "Super Raoul" in red text, a small green fish under the title and credits the band as "Fishtank". There is no copyright on the disc.

The second edition is independently released, has a cartoon by Garth Kauffman on the cover and refers to the band as "Fishtank Ensemble". On the second edition, the CD label features the "Super Raoul" title in blue text, there is no small green fish under the title and the band is credited as "Fishtank Ensemble".

Besides the look of the CD itself, there are differences between the quality of the releases. Though both of the CDs have the same songs in the same order, the Mimicry pressing of Super Raoul is inferior to the quality of the independent pressing; notably so on the songs "Hora di Bucharest/Hora de Fabrice" and "Suite Romaine". On the Mimicry pressing, these songs "skip" and become silent consistently. This is most likely due to an error in transferring the data of the tracks.

On the second edition, these tracks do not have such problems. Though the first edition is technically inferior in quality, it is likely to become a collector's item.

Most customers who have purchased the first edition CD from CD Baby have been sent a replacement CD directly from Fishtank Ensemble along with a short note of apology.