These Things Happen (David Van Tieghem album)


These Things Happen is the debut studio album by American progressive electronic composer and percussionist David Van Tieghem, released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. Van Tieghem produced the album himself, and it was recorded at four separate recording studios in New York City, which were Battery Sound, Right Track Recording, Public Access Synthesizer Studio and Rosewood Sound.
Although not his first musical work, it was his first proper album, notorious for Van Tieghem's use of percussion objects such as radio transmissions, a wine bottle, hair comb, metal ashtrays and balloons. It was commissioned for the dance "Fait Accompli", choreographed and directed by Twyla Tharp.
After its original release, the album remained out of print on any format for many years. However, the album became available in 2017 via online digital download on Bandcamp.

Critical reception

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic William Ruhlmann wrote of the album, "Van Tieghem plays a wine bottle, a hair comb, metal ashtrays, and balloons, among other things. But this musically arranged junk heap is often amazingly musical."

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the These Things Happen liner notes.
Musicians
Technical
Artwork