Let's Get Killed is the second studio album by Belfast electronica DJ and producer David Holmes. It was released in the UK on September 8 1997 through Go! Beat Records and contained two UK Top 40 singles: "Don't Die Just Yet" and "My Mate Paul".[1][2] The album also includes a re-working of the James Bond theme, retitled as "Radio 7", and a remake of a Serge Gainsbourg song, "Don't Die Just Yet".[3]
Let's Get Killed was Holmes' first album release in the United States, following the domestic acclaim of his debut long-player This Film's Crap Let's Slash the Seats.
Background
Holmes grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland as the youngest of ten children.[4] By the age of 15 he had begun to DJ in his local pubs and bars, playing soul, jazz, rock and disco. This eclecticism would remain into adulthood, and is a feature of his DJ sets.[5]. When he was 17, Holmes visited New York, spending time in the South Bronx, Washington Square and Central Park areas. He took a DAT recorder with him as he explored the city, and taped conversations with many people he spoke to. Holmes kept the recordings for over ten years, using them as the basis of Let's Get Killed.[6]
"Let's Get Killed" is so called because on one occasion Holmes and his associates were "...chased by eight guys through the South Bronx who were after our expensive audio equipment".[7]
Music
Holmes used the recordings he made in New York of conversations and other street-level noise as samples on the album. These snippets of conversation were often spoken by people from New York's cultural underbelly, including prostitutes, pimps and drug-dealers. The samples were used in between the tracks on the album,and in some cases in the tracks themselves.
The record contains a wide variety of styles within the electronica spectrum, including techno, breaks, trip-hop and drum 'n' bass.[8] David Holmes has produced many film scores, and it has often been said that his studio albums have a cinematic feel to them.[9][10]
Track listing
1. "Listen" (David Holmes) — 0:49
2. "My Mate Paul" (Holmes) — 5:29
3. "Let's Get Killed"(Holmes) — 7:28
4. "Gritty Shaker" (Holmes) — 6:40
5. "Head Rush on Lafayette" (Holmes) — 1:20
6. "Rodney Yates" (Holmes) — 6:24
7. "Radio 7" (Monty Norman) — 5:49
8. "The Parcus & Madder Show" (Holmes) — 0:51
9. "Slashers Revenge" (Holmes) — 4:46
10. "Freaknik" (Holmes) — 6:45
11. "Caddell Returns" (Holmes) — 5:42
12. "Don't Die Just Yet" (Serge Gainsbourg) — 6:43
13. "For You" (Holmes) — 0:59
Personnel
David Holmes wrote and produced the majority of the album, apart from "Radio 7" which was written by Monty Norman, and "Don't Die Just Yet", written by Serge Gainsbourg.
Other appearances and credits were:[11]
Critical Reception
Let's Get Killed was well-received by critics in general, and the dance music press in particular. Both Jockey Slut and Mixmag awarded it Album of the Month, whilst DJ Magazine gave it a rating of 10/10.[citation needed]
The NME said; "Holmes both evokes the endless possibilities, claustrophobia and madness of The Big Apple and offers a critique....Not bad at all for a trendy DJ", and placed it number 40 in the 1997 Critics Poll. Melody Maker also included it in their end of year poll, this time at number 24.[citation needed]
Rolling Stone magazine and Allmusic both gave the album 3 stars out of 5, with Allmusic saying the "effect created is like that of a soundtrack, and even though Let's Get Killed isn't attached to a film, it flows with energy and grace". [12][13]
Entertainment Weekly rated the album A-minus, saying "Holmes loves airy cinematic beauty, but he tempers it with frisky Latin percussion".[14]
On the strength of the album, Holmes won Best Rock Artist at Ireland's National Entertainment Awards, the first time it was awarded to a dance artist. [15]
"Let's Get Killed" was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[16]
Chart Performance
"Let's Get Killed" spent two weeks in the UK Album Charts, entering at number 34 in its first week. It dropped to number 75 in its second and final week in the chart.[17]
Singles
References
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David Holmes (musician) |
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| Studio albums |
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| Compilation albums |
Essential Mix 98/01 · Come Get It, I Got It · Cherrystones: Hidden Charms
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| Remix Albums |
Stop Arresting Artists
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| Soundtracks |
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| Singles |
No Man's Land · Gritty Shaker · Don't Die Just Yet · My Mate Paul · Rooftops/The Egg Arrives · 7-29-04: The Day Of · DeNiro · Holy Pictures · I Heard Wonders
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