Infrared Riding Hood

Infrared Riding Hood is the fourth and final studio album by the American rock band Tad, released in 1995 on EastWest/Elektra Records.^[1][2][3][4] It was the follow-up to their major label debut, Inhaler.^[5]

Infrared Riding Hood
Studio album by Tad
Released	April 11, 1995
Studio	Robert Lang (Seattle, Washington)
Genre	Grunge, alternative metal
Length	58:32
Label	East West/Elektra
Producer	Jack Endino
Tad chronology
Inhaler (1993) Infrared Riding Hood (1995)

Production

The album was produced by Jack Endino.^[6] Due to the departure of founding guitarist Gary Thorstensen, frontman Tad Doyle played all of the guitar parts.^[7]

The cover of the album is an "electron micrograph under a blue bleed", as stated by bassist Kurt Danielson. "In an odd way, the image seemed appropriate to the album name."^{[citation needed]}

Release

Despite enthusiasm and hopes for a long-awaited commercial breakthrough, their A&R representative was fired, and within one week, all of her bands, including Tad, were dropped from the label.^[8] It was the second time in three years that Tad had been dropped by a major label.^[9]

The album sold poorly, having had very little promotion behind it.^[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[12]

Trouser Press lamented "the sheer redundancy of skulk-fests like 'Bludge' and 'Thistle Suit'."^[13] The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that "the band maintains a big, boisterous sound full of metal-flavored guitar riffs and snarling vocals, with enough rocking, melodic hooks to snag a place on the edges of the alternative mainstream."^[14]

Track listing

1. "Ictus" - 3:17
2. "Bullhorn" - 3:17
3. "Thistle Suit" - 4:51
4. "Emotional Cockroach" - 3:46
5. "Red Eye Angel" - 2:17
6. "Bludge" - 2:35
7. "Dementia" - 3:27
8. "Weakling" - 3:28
9. "Halcyon Nights" - 3:19
10. "Particle Accelerator" - 3:25
11. "Tool Marks" - 2:59
12. "Mystery Copter" - 27:07 (there is about 10 minutes of blank recording from 7:17 to 17:17 in this track).
13. "Obsidian Lights" - 2:38 (Japan-only bonus track)

Personnel

• Tad Doyle – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Kurt Danielson – bass
• Josh Sinder – drums
• Jack Endino – producer, engineering, mixing
• John Agnello – mixing
• Eddy Schyreyer – mastering

References

1. "Tad | Biography & History". AllMusic.
2. Considine, J. D. "Tad is slimmer, more focused". baltimoresun.com.
3. "Tad Planning Two Grunge-Heavy Releases". Billboard.
4. Earles, Andrew (September 15, 2014). Gimme Indie Rock: 500 Essential American Underground Rock Albums 1981-1996. Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760346488 – via Google Books.
5. SCULLEY, ALAN. "IN NEED OF A TAD MORE". dailypress.com.
6. "Tad's 'Infrared Riding Hood' Treated to Vinyl Reissue". exclaim.ca.
7. "Tad's New Album Best Work In Years | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com.
8. Chick, Stevie (November 5, 2009). Psychic Confusion: The Sonic Youth Story. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857120540 – via Google Books.
9. "The Majors Get Weird". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. May 28, 2010 – via Google Books.
10. "TAD - Record Collector Magazine".
11. "Infrared Riding Hood - Tad". AllMusic.
12. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 24.
13. "TrouserPress.com :: Tad". www.trouserpress.com.
14. "TAD/CLUTCH". The Philadelphia Inquirer: 27. July 7, 1995.