Endangered Species is the fourth and penultimate album by the Canadian progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Klaatu

Klaatu

Klaatu was a Canadian progressive rock group formed in 1973 by the duo of John Woloschuk and Dee Long. They named themselves after the extraterrestrial Klaatu portrayed by Michael Rennie in the film The Day the Earth Stood Still...

, released in mid-1980. At this time, the band had virtually no artistic control over the music; the album was a project of Capitol Records

Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

. To quote the Official Klaatu Website's FAQ (by Dave Bradley):

"An outside producer was brought in, most of the instruments were played by Los Angeles based session musicians, and the band members were asked to add their voices and (usually) one lead instrument per song. The band was sent home before the album was even mixed."

The difference between this album and the rest of Klaatu's work was immediately apparent. The band evidently resented this, as one track on the album ("Sell Out, Sell Out") was a searing attack on Capitol's attempts to "jump on the bandwagon." As it turned out, Capitol's attempts to turn the band into a more conventional and radio-friendly pop/rock band were completely in vain since the album was a commercial and critical bomb. As a result, the band was dropped shortly afterwards by Capitol, though Capitol's Canadian division picked up the band and released their final album Magentalane

Magentalane

Magentalane was the fifth and final album of new material by the Canadian progressive rock group Klaatu.The album was not released in the United States, since Capitol Records had terminated Klaatu, following the commercial failure of Klaatu's previous album, Endangered Species...

in Canada only.

Regular Klaatu artist Ted Jones - who had not painted the cover for the group's previous album, Sir Army Suit

Sir Army Suit

Sir Army Suit is the third and antepenultimate album recorded by the Canadian progressive rock band Klaatu. It was different from their two previous albums, 3:47 EST and Hope, adopting more of a pop feel...

- returned to paint the album cover.

Track listing

1. "I Can't Help It" (Long)
2. "Knee Deep in Love" (Woloschuk/Tome)
3. "Paranoia" (Woloschuk)
4. "Howl at the Moon" (Woloschuk/Tome)
5. "Set the World on Fire" (Woloschuk)
6. "Hot Box City" (Long)
7. "Dog Star" (Long)
8. "Sell Out, Sell Out" (Woloschuk)
9. "All Good Things" (Woloschuk)