Bass, Vocals – Mike Watt Drums – Stephen Hodges Guitar – Nels Cline Written by Mike Watt 2 LPs, gatefold jacket LIMITED EDITION Original analog Master tape : YES Heavy Press : 180g Record color : black Speed : 33RPM Size : 12” Stereo Studio Record Press : Pallas Label : ORG Music Original Label : Columbia Recorded at Aire L.A. Studios from May 5 to June 21, 1997 Recorded and mixed by Rob Seifert Produced by Rob Seifert, Mike Watt Remastered by Robert Vosgien, Mike Piacentini Originally released in 1997 Reissued in 2017 Tracks : Side A : 1 In The Engine Room 2 Red Bluff 3 The Bluejackets' Manual 4 Pedro Bound! 5 The Boilerman Side B: 1 Black Gang Coffee 2 Topsiders 3 No One Says Old Man (To The Old Man) 4 Fireman Hurley 5 Liberty Calls! Side C: 1 In The Bunk Room/Navy Wife 2 Crossing The Equator 3 Breaking The Choke Hold 4 Wrapped Around The Screw 5 Shore Duty Reviews : "Mike Watt, recovering from his all-star alterna-rock debut solo album, returned in 1997 with what is perhaps the strongest album he has ever made. Of course, his earlier Minutemen albums will forever go down as landmarks, but in retrospect, many of the band's SST releases were brilliant but uneven affairs that put polemics (and great song titles) over consistent songwriting. Unfortunately, much of fIREHOSE's oeuvre is rife with inconsistency, and on Watt's first solo project, he and his songs were overshadowed by a boatload of high-profile musicians who contributed to the album. Contemplating the Engine Room is Watt's masterpiece, what he calls "a punk rock opera." This is a concept album that works on every level: musically, lyrically, and (most importantly) conceptually. Watt (who sings and plays his trusty bass guitar), drummer Steve Hodges, and guitarist Nels Cline form a psychic bond that allows them to dexterously maneuver the complex terrain Watt has laid out in his songs, which celebrate three guys playing together, punk rock, life, and his relationship with his dad." AllMusic Review by Kembrew McLeod Ratings : AllMusic: 4/5 , Discogs 4.38 / 5
