Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot

The producers were Linkous and David Charles, a pseudonym of David Lowery, who also played bass, drums, guitars and keyboards. The first recordings were made on an eight-track Lowery left at Linkous's house, and most of the album was recorded with Cracker's musicians. Linkous called Tom Waits's Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Bone Machine a road map. Other players include Johnny Hott, Bob Rupe, Paul Watson, Mike Lucas on pedal steel, Armistead Wellford and Dennis Herring, with a joke drum-machine credit to Al Esis. Found sounds include a defective amp on "Ballad of a Cold Lost Marble". The title came from a dream of a crude Civil War submarine with an old-time band distorted by water.

It reached 58 in the UK in 1996. AllMusic gave it 4 stars, NME 9 out of 10 and Spin 7. Trouser Press called the title magnificently titled. The singles were "Spirit Ditch", "Hammering the Cramps", "Someday I Will Treat You Good" and "Rainmaker".