Black Snakes was issued in 1983 as a co-release by Switzerland's Rec Rec and Germany's Pure Freunde label. With a quartet featuring synth player ALLEN RAVENSTINE doubling on soprano sax, this was a smaller group than had appeared on either of the Crayola's two previous releases, Soldier-Talk and Kangaroo?. MAYO THOMPSON's guitar in particular shines in the space allowed by this configuration. As with Corrected Slogans, Black Snakes debuted on CD via Drag City in 1997. Now that it is 20 years since the most recent of the records was issued, it's time for all those who sail the way of The Red Krayola to have a copy to spin again-at going market rates, of course. (STREET DATE - 4/21/2015)