A Single History: 1991–1997 is a compilation album by Unwound released on Kill Rock Stars. It contains tracks previously released on various 7" singles and multiple-artist compilations. "Crab Nebula" and "Stumbling Block" originally appeared on the band's 1991 demo tape. The fourth song is a reference to the U.S. government's secret MK Ultra brainwashing program. The "Negated"/ "Said Serial"/ "Census" 7" was the first-ever release on Troubleman Unlimited Records. "Plight" is a cover of a Minutemen song, from the tribute disc Our Band Could Be Your Life. "Seen Not Heard" is from a split 7" with Steel Pole Bath Tub; the song comes from the Repetition album sessions. Following an extended drum and bass-style intro, "The Light At The End..." features odd vocal snippets from a man trying to persuade some band to make upbeat, "tribal-sounding" aerobics music. According to a Kill Rock Stars Q&A from 1999, the cover art is a composite of photos taken by drummer Sara Lund on the band's overseas tours. The top photo is of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice; "the train in the middle is from Japan, and the nuns on the bottom are from a religious procession we witnessed in Trani, Italy." (wiki) ==================================== by Stewart Mason A curiously incomplete anthology of Unwound's non-LP singles and compilation tracks -- two early singles, "Kandy Korn Rituals" and "You Bite My Tongue," are inexplicably missing, although one previously unreleased track, "Mile Me Deaf," is included -- A Single History: 1991-1997 is nonetheless essential for fans of the Olympia-based noise rockers. Of course, like all such compilations, it's a rather hit-or-miss affair, featuring both utterly essential tracks like the whisper-to-a-scream dynamics of the quietly tense "Eternalux" and the Sonic Youth-like rocker "Negated" to a few failed experiments and lesser efforts like the dull, detuned "Said Serial." One particular standout is the epic "The Light at the End of the Tunnel Is a Train," a ten-minute seeming improvisation with samples and found-sound vocals that sounds very much like what the experimental post-rock leader Justin Trosper and former Unwound drummer Brandt Sandeno would further explore on the Replikants' Slickaphonics. Credits Artwork By [Built By] – Pat Castaldo Artwork By [Cover] – Sara Lund Instrumentation By – Unwound Keyboards – Steve Fisk Producer – Steve Fisk (tracks: 1 to 8, 14, 16) Recorded By – Stuart Hallerman (tracks: 2 to 7, 14), Tim Green (tracks: 9 to 12, 15) Written-By – Unwound (tracks: 1 to 11, 13 to 17) Notes 1 and 16 recorded August, 1997. 2 to 4 recorded November, 1993. 5 recorded December, 1994. 6 and 7 recorded December, 1991. 8 recorded January, 1996. 9 to 12 recorded April, 1994. 13 and 17 recorded October, 1991. 14 recorded January, 1993. 15 recorded November, 1992. "Mile Me Deaf" and "The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train" (CD Bonus Track) originally appeared on a 12" single on Kill Rock Stars (KRS 288). "Broken E-Strings" originally appeared on Jabberjaw Compilation - Good To The Last Drop (CD) & Jabberjaw No. 1 (7") on Mammoth Records (MR00981-2 & MR0077). "Totality" and "Mkultra" originally appeared on a 7" single on Kill Rock Stars (KRS 225). "Seen Not Heard" originally appeared on a split with 'Steel Pole Bath Tub' on Honey Bear Records (HB012). "Caterpillar" and "Miserific Condition" originally appeared on the A-side of a 7" single on Kill Rock Stars (KRS 203). "Everything Is Weird" originally appeared on the B-side of a 7" single on Kill Rock Stars (KRS 262). "Negated," "Said Serial" and "Census" originally appeared on a 7" single on Troubleman Unlimited (TMU 001). "Plight" originally appeared on Our Band Could Be Your Life - A Tribute To D Boon And The Minutemen on Little Brother Records (LB003). "Stumbling Block" originally appeared on Throw - The Yoyo Studio Compilation on Yoyo Recordings (YOYO-LP-01). "Eternalux" originally appeared on A Day In The Park... A Compilation Of Now Sounds on The Now Sound (NS-001). "New Radio Hit" originally appeared on The Smitten Love Song Comp. on Karate Brand Records (KBR-010). "Crab Nebula" originally appeared on a self-released (demo) cassette. Barcode and Other Identifiers Barcode: none Matrix / Runout: 32205AD-01B KRS-345 990908-04 77D4-3106