The band’s second single garnered a little more attention for the impish Madan and her butterfly stompers.
Kronomyth 0.2: Sing me to sleep.
Echobelly’s second single gave them a brief taste of success, appearing on the UK charts for one week before disappearing. A music video was also made for Insomniac that featured Sonya Madan in a blonde wig. In fact, the video featured little else but Madan, which seems like a slight to the rest of the band. While it didn’t chart in the US, “Insomniac” was included on the soundtrack of Dumb and Dumber, which gave the band some much-needed exposure in the US.
Although the band never made it as big as they should have, it wasn’t for a lack of good ideas. Talent and Centipede are a nice pair of songs that didn’t make it on the first album but do make a case for the band as a noisy alternative to The Smiths. So La Di Da, included on the US extended play, was likewise left off the first album but could have been easily, happily switched with anything that turned up on Everyone’s Got One. Also featured on the US release were two live tracks from their BBC performance, Father Ruler King Computer and Give Her A Gun, that sound as good as the album versions.
Original 7-inch single version
A1. Insomniac (Sonya Madan/Glenn Johansson)
B1. Talent (Sonya Madan/Glenn Johansson)
Original 12-inch and CD single version (UK)
A1. Insomniac (3:46)
A2. Centipede (4:03)
A3. Talent (2:07)
Original CD single version (US)
A1. Insomniac (radio edit) (3:46)
A2. Give Her a Gun (live on the BBC) (3:30)
A3. Father Ruler King Computer (live on the BBC) (2:36)
A4. So La Di Da (4:43)
The Pictures
UK cover photograph by Ray Burrniston.
The Players
“Imsomniac” produced & engineered by Clive Martin; remixed by Simon Vinestock. “Talent” and “Centipede” produced by Clive Martin BBC live tracks produced by Christine Boar; engineered by Miti Adhikari. “So La Di Da” produced by Simon Vinestock.
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch, 12-inch and CD single in March 1994 in the UK (Fauve, FAUV 1/1T/1CD) and in 1995 in the US (Rhythm Kings, 6875) and Australia (Creation, 661333 2). Reached #47 on the UK charts (charted on April 2, 1994 for one week).
