Therapy?
Crooked Timber, is the tenth full-length
album by the band
Therapy?, and the first
to be released on
Demolition Records. It was released on
March 23,
2009.
The album
was recorded from July to August 2008 at Blast Studios, Newcastle
, with additional recording at The Beauchamp
Building, London
from August
to September 2008. Produced by
Andy Gill, the album features a bias
towards rhythm rather than melody.
According to
Andy Cairns; “I guess we’re
always challenging just what makes us Therapy?. After so many
years, if we were formulaic about it, we’d have gotten bored with
the band long ago. The album was written together as a band, and
each track has its own concept and inspirations. They took a while
to write and we’ve taken our time to write them.”
“From the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing
was ever made.”Immanuel Kant
(18th-century German philosopher)
Andy explains: “The recording is about celebrating people’s quirks,
the things which make us unique. These days everyone tries to fit
in, instead of just being themselves. The songs examine what it
means to be human - To realise that we are the only living things
on the planet aware of our own deaths."
Crooked Timber reached number 197 in the UK Album charts.
As of early May 2009 (6 weeks following its release), the album had
sold 30,000 copies in Europe.
The album was released on limited edition white 12" vinyl and
CD.
Track listing
All songs written by Therapy? except track 4 written by Therapy?
& Andy Gill
- The Head That Tried To Strangle Itself (3:24)
- Enjoy The Struggle (4:10)
- Clowns Galore (3:41)
- Exiles (5:36)
- Crooked Timber (5:52)
- I Told You I Was Ill (3:50)
- Somnambulist (4:04)
- Blacken The Page (2:48)
- Magic Mountain (10:05)
- Bad Excuse For Daylight (5:49)
Personnel
Single
- "Crooked Timber" - May 18, 2009 on CD and download. A single edit version of
"Crooked Timber" with "Don't Try", "Low Winter Sun" and "Crooked
Timber (Breathless FX Mix)".
Promo Video
- "Crooked Timber": Directed by 'Sitcom Soldiers'
Timeline
- On March 27, 2008, bassist Michael
McKeegan posted a rehearsal video featuring an early idea
entitled Clowns Galore.
- On April 1, 2008, Michael posted a news item that they would
self-produce the album and it was nearing completion at that time.
This turned out to be an April Fools
Joke.
- On July 14, 2008, Michael announced Andy
Gill to be the producer.
- On July 21, 2008, the band posted a rehearsal video featuring
an early idea recorded in June.
- On July 29, 2008, Michael posted a diary item with pictures
from the recording studio.
- On August 3, 2008, Michael posted a diary item from week one of
the album recording.
- On August 11, 2008, Michael posted a diary video clip from week
two of the album recording.
- On August 24, 2008, Michael posted a diary item stating that
the album recording had been completed.
- On December 18, 2008, the band posted a news item revealing the
name of the new album and the release date.
- On December 22, 2008, Michael posted a diary item revealing the
tracklisting.
- On January 1, 2009, Michael posted a studio diary video
featuring unmastered mp3 clip's of three new songs; Enjoy The
Struggle, Crooked Timber and The Head That Tried
To Strangle Itself.
- On January 13, 2009, the band posted a news item revealing the
artwork.
- On January 23, 2009, the full album version of The Head
That Tried To Strangle Itself was streamed on the bands'
official Myspace site.
- On February 22, 2009, Michael posted a diary entry revealing
the choice of Crooked Timber as first single, instead of
original choice Enjoy The Struggle.
- On February 27, 2009, the band posted a news item stating that
the album would be released on limited edition white vinyl on March
30, and both the vinyl and CD can be pre-ordered from the Global
Music web store.
- On March 3, 2009, Neil posted a diary item revealing the video
for Crooked Timber had been recorded in Manchester in
February.
- On March 20, 2009, the band posted a free download of Enjoy
The Struggle on the official site.
- On March 23, 2009, the album was released on CD. The band
launched it with an acoustic instore performance in HMV,
Belfast.
- On March 29, 2009, the complete promo video for Crooked
Timber was posted on the bands official website.
- On March 30, 2009, the album was released on vinyl.
- On April 15, 2009, the band posted a news item detailing the
new single Crooked Timber.
- On May 18, 2009, the Crooked Timber single was
released.
- On June 25, 2009, Andy Cairns posted a blog on Myspace that in
Europe the album has sold 30,000 copies within its first 6 weeks of
release.
Reception
Reviews collated thus far have been mostly positive. The album
earned a rave review on Irish indie website
drop-d,
stating it "not only confirms their incredible legacy, but takes
them to a new level", and they earned the first ever 10/10 on The
Mag".
Kerrang! gave the album a KKK review
(the equivalent of 3/5). Kerrang!'s UK competitor,
Metal Hammer gave the album 8/10. However,
French websites have, on average, slated the album criticising its
schizophrenic nature and the bands' refusal to focus on one
particular sound.
Additional Info
- "Enjoy The Struggle" was scheduled to be released as the albums
first single, but in a change of heart, "Crooked Timber" was deemed
to be a better choice by the band.
- A total of 14 tracks were recorded for the album, only 10 of
which made the final cut.
- In the original unconfirmed track listing, there were 12 tracks
scheduled for the album. The two songs removed (from 12 to 10) were
"Low Winter Sun" and "Don't Try".
- "Beercan" and "Rite Of Spring" are old working titles of
"Exiles" and "Bad Excuse For Daylight", both of which appear on the
album.
- A track called "Mingusisyphus" was also recorded, more than
likely an early working title for "Enjoy The Struggle" on the
album.
- "The Magic Mountain" is the name of a famous German novel by
Thomas Mann about a sanatorium.
- "I Told You I Was Ill" is the translation of an Irish quote
that appears on the gravestone of Irish/English comedian Spike Milligan.
- "Somnambulist" is a medically defined term for a sleepwalker.
References
External links
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