Libido Speedway

Libido Speedway is an album by Orbit, released in 1997 on A&M Records.^[1][2] It won a Boston Music Award, for the best debut album of 1997.^[3]

Libido Speedway
Studio album by Orbit
Released	February 25, 1997
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	45:34
Label	A&M Records
Producer	Ben Grosse, Orbit
Orbit chronology
La Mano (1995) Libido Speedway (1997) XLR8R (2001)
Singles from Album
"Medicine" Released: 1997 "Bicycle Song" Released: 1997

The album's first single was "Medicine", which was a modern rock radio hit; the band had considered rewriting it after determining that it sounded too much like Pixies.^[4] Orbit supported the album by playing the second stage on select 1997 Lollapalooza dates.^[5][6]

Production

The album was produced by Ben Grosse and the band.^[7] Many of the songs were written by coming up with the bass line first.^[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
Chicago Tribune	[10]
Daily Breeze	[11]
San Antonio Express-News	[6]

The Chicago Reader called "Medicine" a "memorable car-radio rocker."^[12] The Chicago Tribune thought that "echo tracks and excessive vocal layering clutter an otherwise peppy, involving record."^[10]

The Daily Breeze determined that "Orbit has the rare ability to juxtapose a ferocious instrumental attack with buzzing melodies and make it work."^[11] The Omaha World-Herald deemed the album "crunchy, stripped-down rock that has a melodic aftertaste."^[13]

AllMusic called the album "an entertaining collection of punk-pop and post-grunge power-pop, driven by fizzy melodies and fuzzy guitar riffs."^[9]

Track listing

All songs written by Jeff Lowe Robbins, except where stated.

1. "Yeah" – 2:35
2. "Bicycle Song" – 5:33
3. "Wake Up" – 3:50
4. "Amp" – 2:43
5. "Medicine" – 3:56
6. "Rockets" – 4:17 (Buckley / Robbins)
7. "Motorama" – 3:01
8. "Nocturnal Autodrive" – 4:21
9. "Why You Won't" – 3:46 (Brookner / Buckley / Robbins)
10. "Carnival" – 3:25
11. "Chapel Hill" – 1:41 (Brookner / Buckley / Robbins)
12. "Paper Bag" – 4:44 (Buckley / Robbins)
13. "Gazer" – 1:42
14. "Untitled (Hidden Track)" – 3:04

Credits

• Jeff Lowe Robbins – vocals, guitars
• Paul Buckley – drums, vocals
• Wally Gagel – bass, vocals
• Produced by Ben Grosse (except "Motorama", produced by Orbit)
• Engineered by Grosse and Gagel (except "Motorama", engineered by Gagel)
• Mixed by Grosse (except "Motorama", mixed by Gagel)
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig