Stranger Things (Yuck album)

Stranger Things
Studio album by Yuck
Released 26 February 2016
Recorded 2015 (London)
Genre Indie rock,[1] alternative rock[2]
Length 46:10
Language English
Label Mamé Records
Producer Yuck
Yuck chronology
Southern Skies
(2014)		 Stranger Things
(2016)
Singles from Stranger Things
  1. "Hold Me Closer"
    Released: 8 July 2015
  2. "Hearts in Motion"
    Released: 12 January 2016
  3. "Cannonball"
    Released: 2 February 2016

Stranger Things is the third studio album by UK-based indie rock band Yuck, released on Mamé Records on 26 February 2016.[3][4][5] The album was recorded over a period of several months in 2015 in frontman Max Bloom's parents' house in London.[6][7] Stranger Things was self-produced by the band.[2] The album's release was preceded by three singles: "Hold Me Closer";[8][9][10] "Hearts in Motion";[4][11] and "Cannonball".[1][12]

Background and recording

In April 2013, original lead singer and guitarist Daniel Blumberg left the band.[13] Guitarist Max Bloom subsequently took over duties as frontman and the band hired guitarist Ed Hayes as an official member that August.[14][15] Yuck released its sophomore studio album Glow & Behold on Fat Possum Records on 30 September 2013 to mixed reviews.[16]

After touring in support of Glow & Behold,[17] the band self-released the Southern Skies EP in April 2014.[18] Yuck signed with indie label Mamé Records in 2015 and released the single "Hold Me Closer" on 8 July via SoundCloud the same year.[8]

On 12 January 2016, Yuck announced the album title as Stranger Things[3] and release date of 26 February.[4][5] The same day, Yuck revealed the album artwork, released the second single, "Hearts in Motion", and announced a North American spring tour.[3] In an accompanying press release, Bloom stated: "[The band] basically spent no money on the record and it was a really relaxed way of doing things[.]"[6] The album was recorded in London primarily in Bloom's parents' house[7] where Yuck had previously recorded its 2011 self-titled debut album.[6] The band recorded the drum tracks at a nearby rehearsal studio.[5] The band posted a video announcing pre-orders for the album on its official YouTube channel three days later.[19]

On 2 February 2016, "Cannonball" was released as the third single from the album.[1][12]

Composition

‘Hearts In Motion’ is a song about how we deal with relationships. We’re all just blasting through space on a huge rock, so what’s the point in maintaining a relationship? Is it all just doomed to failure, or is it the one thing that we should be holding on to the most in this world? Who knows!

“
”

— Max Bloom, regarding the lyrical content of the second single[7]

Stranger Things is a departure from the softer, shoegaze-esque sound of the Southern Skies EP.[20] The album was inspired by "UK postpunk"[2] and 90's alternative rock bands such as Dinosaur Jr. and Built to Spill.[6] Max Bloom described the songs "Swirling", "Like a Moth", and "I'm OK" as "remarkably gentle"[21] and referred to the latter as "a very personal song because it's just about the anxiety I've been feeling over the last couple of years[.]"[6] Bassist Mariko Doi performs lead vocals on the song "As I Walk Away", which, according to Bloom, was "quite influenced" by her solo work.[2] Chris DeVille from Stereogum favorably compared "Hearts in Motion" to Transmissions from the Satellite Heart-era Flaming Lips,[22] while Tom Breihan from the same website described "Cannonball" as "a blazing, amped-up blast of fuzz-guitar tunefulness[.]"[12] Writing for the webzine Overblown, Jamie Coughlan referred to the lead single "Hold Me Closer" as "euphoric".[9][11]

Release and promotion

On 17 February 2016, about a week before the album's official release, Stranger Things became available for streaming via NPR.[23][24] The previous day, Yuck uploaded a live performance of "Hearts in Motion", with James Thomas from Parakeet (Mariko Doi's side-project) temporarily filling in for Jonny Rogoff on drums.[25] The band announced spring tour dates in the United Kingdom in support of the album[24] and uploaded a short promotional comedic video on YouTube of the band member's fathers recommending purchasing the album.[26]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[27]
Consequence of SoundC+[28]
DIY[29]
Exclaim!6/10[30]
Paste8.2/10[31]
Pitchfork Media5.2/10[32]
PopMatters6/10[33]
Slant[34]

Stranger Things has received mixed to positive reviews. On Metacritic, the album has a normalized score of 62 out of 100 based on 21 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[35] El Hunt from DIY gave Stranger Things four out of five stars, writing "Yuck craft their most immediate, and inescapable record to date[.]"[29] Jesse Nee-Vogelman from Slant gave the album a negative review, calling the album "often little more than a poor imitation of [Yuck's] earlier sound."[34] In a mixed review for Exclaim!, Pierre John Felcenloben cited an "overemphasis on influences" that made the record "more recognizably likeable than imaginative."[30]

Track listing

All tracks written by Yuck. 

No. Title Length
1. "Hold Me Closer"   3:49
2. "Cannonball"   2:25
3. "Like a Moth"   2:52
4. "Only Silence"   3:52
5. "Stranger Things"   5:07
6. "I'm OK"   4:30
7. "As I Walk Away"   4:17
8. "Hearts in Motion"   3:22
9. "Swirling"   5:29
10. "Down"   4:09
11. "Yr Face"   6:18
Total length:
 46:10

[3][36]

Personnel

Yuck[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kaye, Ben (2 February 2016). "Yuck share new track 'Cannonball' - listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wiseman, Stewart (22 January 2016). "Interview with Max Bloom from Yuck." Northern Transmissions. Retrieved 6 February 2016
  3. 1 2 3 4 Minsker, Evan (12 January 2016). "Yuck Announce Stranger Things, Share "Hearts in Motion", Plot Tour". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Kaye, Ben (12 January 2016). "Yuck announce new album, Stranger Things, share lead single "Hearts in Motion" - listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Murray, Robin (13 January 2016). "Yuck Announce New Album 'Stranger Things'". Clash. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Adams, Gregory (12 January 2016). "Yuck Detail 'Stranger Things' LP, Premiere New Single". Exclaim!. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Hunt, El (13 January 2016). "Yuck Announce New Album 'Stranger Things'". DIY. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 Hudson, Alex (8 July 2015). "Yuck "Hold Me Closer"". Exclaim!. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  9. 1 2 Coughlan, Jamie (9 July 2015). "Yuck Share Euphoric New Single "Hold Me Closer"". Overblown Webzine. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  10. ↑ Yuck. "Hold Me Closer by Yuck". SoundCloud. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  11. 1 2 Coughlin, Jamie (12 January 2016). "Yuck Share 'Hearts In Motion', Announce New Album". Overblown Webzine. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 Breihan, Tom (2 February 2016). "Yuck -"Cannonball"". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  13. ↑ Battan, Carrie (15 April 2013). "Yuck Frontman Daniel Blumberg Leaves Band". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Yuck find a new guitarist". YouTube. Yuck. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Hunt, El (7 October 2013). "Yuck: 'There Was Some Weird Shit Going On'". DIY. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Glow & Behold at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  17. ↑ Bychawski, Adam (29 August 2013). "Yuck to unveil new member at London gig residency - ticket details". NME. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  18. ↑ Cohen, Ian (29 April 2014). "Yuck: Southern Skies EP". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  19. ↑ Yuck (15 January 2016). "Yuck Introduces Stranger Things (pre-order now!)". YouTube. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  20. ↑ DeVille, Chris (16 April 2014). "Yuck - "Southern Skies" Video & Southern Skies Stream". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  21. 1 2 Oliver, Ben (12 January 2016). "Yuck Announce New Album and US Tour". Listen Hear. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  22. ↑ DeVille, Chris (12 January 2016). "Yuck - "Hearts in Motion"". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  23. ↑ Mosurock, Doug (17 February 2016). "First Listen: Yuck 'Stranger Things'". NPR. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  24. 1 2 Taylor, Sam (18 February 2016). "Yuck share new live video, stream album 'Stranger Things' in full". Upset. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  25. ↑ Yuck (16 February 2016). "YUCK - "Hearts In Motion (Official Live)"". YouTube. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  26. ↑ Yuck (25 February 2016). "Yuck's Dads Recommend Stranger Things - Yuck Official YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  27. ↑ Sendra, Tim. "Stranger Things - Yuck". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  28. ↑ Brennan, Collin (22 February 2016). "Yuck - Stranger Things Album Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  29. 1 2 Hunt, El (18 February 2016). "Yuck - Stranger Things album review". DIY. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  30. 1 2 Felcenloben, Pierre John (24 February 2016). "Yuck - Stranger Things". Exclaim!. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  31. ↑ Hayden, Mack (1 March 2016). "Yuck: Stranger Things Review". Paste. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  32. ↑ Rytlewski, Evan (29 February 2016). "Yuck: Stranger Things Album Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  33. ↑ Korber, Kevin (3 March 2016). "Yuck: Stranger Things". PopMatters. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  34. 1 2 Nee-Vogelman, Jesse (30 January 2016). "Yuck: Stranger Things". Slant. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  35. ↑ "Reviews for Stranger Things by Yuck - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  36. ↑ "Stranger Things by Yuck on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
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