Exile on Coldharbour Lane


Exile on Coldharbour Lane is the debut album by Alabama 3, released on 11 November 1997 on One Little Indian and Geffen. The name and cover are references to Exile on Main St. by The Rolling Stones and Coldharbour Lane a major street in Brixton, South London best known for containing several after-hours clubs and not a few drug dealers. Recording sessions took place from March to June 1997. Exile on Coldharbour Lane did not chart on any album charts in the United States. The song "Sister Rosetta" was featured in the film Barnyard. "Woke Up This Morning" is best known as the opening theme music for the television series, The Sopranos, which used the "Chosen One Mix" of that song. "Woke Up This Morning" was later sampled by Nas on "Got Ur Self A..." from the album Stillmatic.

Reception

Upon its release, Exile on Coldharbour Lane received favorable reviews, including an 8.9 review from Pitchfork Media. A review in Cherwell said there were "many highlights on this bizarre journey of an album", praising 'Ain't Going To Goa' and 'Mao Tse Tung Said' but describing 'Purple Tin' as "awful pure bar room schmaltz".
In a 2008 article in The Guardian, Irvine Welsh said the techno and country and western fusion was "astonishingly bold" and called it an "incendiary debut album".

Personnel

Alabama 3
  • Larry Love – vocals
  • The Very Reverend Dr. D. Wayne Love – vocals
  • The Mountain of Love – analogue terrorism, harmonica, jaw's harp & vocals
  • Sir Real "Congaman" Love L.S.D. O.P.T. – percussion, acoustic guitar
  • Mississippi Guitar Love – guitar
  • L.B. Dope – drums
  • The Spirit – keyboards
  • The Book of Love, I.V. Lenin, Lady Love and Little Eye Tie – D. Wayne's Ladies
Technical