Arular

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Arular
Arular cover
Studio album by M.I.A.
Released March 22, 2005 (US)
April 18, 2005 (UK)
April 25, 2005 (Intl.)
Recorded Mid 2003–Early 2005
Genre Dancehall, Hip hop, Grime, Electro
Length 38:06 (US release)
41:54 (UK release)
Label XL Recordings
Producer(s) several; see below
Professional reviews
M.I.A. chronology
Piracy Funds Terrorism, Volume 1
(2004)		 Arular
(2005)		 KALA
(2007)


Arular is the highly anticipated debut album by UK rap artist M.I.A. The album is titled after her father's political code name used during the Tamil independence movements. After months of delays due to sample issues, Arular was finally released on March 22, 2005 in America to universal critical acclaim. Almost a month later, Arular was released in the UK with a new track and a replaced skit.

Lily Moayeri of the Phoenix New Times writes: "Fearless and aggressive, Arular knocks listeners unconscious with M.I.A.'s snarling, confrontational approach, changing from Jamaican-dancehall toaster, dirty American rapper, monastic-Tibetan chanter and British jungle MC. She also disguises her very serious lyrical messages in what sounds like borderline nonsense; her topics range from teenage prostitution to poverty to war to consumerism, all spit rough-and-ready over punky electro rhythms. Arular's cut-and-paste feel and politically fraught nursery-rhyme babble bring to mind tin toys in crowded wholesale shops and Third World markets: noisy, man-made, harsh, and difficult to ignore. In just forty minutes, M.I.A. has produced an unparalleled mongrel mix of hip hop, ragga, dancehall, electro and punk."

The original US release on XL omits the track "U.R.A.Q.T", which relies heavily on Quincy Jones' theme song from Sanford and Son. The US XL–Vinyl issue and the later reissue on Interscope Records return "U.R.A.Q.T" to the track listing. The album has sold more than 118,000 copies in the US, and many more worldwide to date.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

[edit] US XL release

  1. "Banana Skit" (Maya Arulpragasam) – 0:36
  2. "Pull Up the People" (M. Arulpragasam, A. Brucker, Paschal Byrne) – 3:45
  3. "Bucky Done Gun" (M. Arulpragasam, Carol Conners, Bill Conti, Wesley Pentz, Ayn Robbins) – 3:46
  4. "Fire Fire" (M. Arulpragasam, Anthony Whiting) – 3:28
  5. "Freedom Skit" (M. Arulpragasam) – 0:42
  6. "Amazon" (M. Arulpragasam, Richard X) – 4:16
  7. "Bingo" (M. Arulpragasam, Whiting) – 3:12
  8. "Hombre" (M. Arulpragasam, Dwayne Wilson) – 4:02
  9. "One for the Head Skit" (M. Arulpragasam) – 0:29
  10. "10 Dollar" (M. Arulpragasam, Richard X) – 4:03
  11. "Sunshowers" (M. Arulpragasam, Stony Browder Jr., August Darnell, Steve Mackey and Ross Orton) – 3:16
  12. "Galang" (M. Arulpragasam, Justine Frischmann, Mackey, Orton) – 3:35
  13. "M.I.A." (M. Arulpragasam, Frischmann, Sugu Arulpragasam) – 3:27

[edit] UK/International/US Interscope release

  1. "Banana Skit" (M. Arulpragasam) – 0:36
  2. "Pull Up the People" (M. Arulpragasam, Brucker, Byrne) – 3:45
  3. "Bucky Done Gun" (M. Arulpragasam, Conners, Conti, Pentz, Robbins) – 3:47
  4. "Sunshowers" (M. Arulpragasam, Browder Jr., Darnell, Mackey, Orton) – 3:15
  5. "Fire Fire" (M. Arulpragasam, Whiting) – 3:28
  6. "Dash The Curry Skit" (M. Arulpragasam) – 0:40
  7. "Amazon" (M. Arulpragasam, Richard X) – 4:16
  8. "Bingo" (M. Arulpragasam, Whiting) – 3:12
  9. "Hombre" (M. Arulpragasam, Wilson) – 4:02
  10. "One for the Head Skit" (M. Arulpragasam) – 0:29
  11. "10 Dollar" (M. Arulpragasam, Richard X) – 4:01
  12. "U.R.A.Q.T" (M. Arulpragasam, Quincy Jones) – 3:26
  13. "Galang" (M. Arulpragasam, Frischmann, Mackey, Orton) – 3:35
  14. "M.I.A." (M. Arulpragasam, Frischmann, S. Arulpragasam) – 3:27

[edit] Outtakes

  • A few tracks were written and recorded for Arular but did not make the final cut, leaked onto the Internet prior to the album's release or were made available later to buy digitally through various online music stores. The tracks "Macho" (formerly known to fans as "Untitled"), "U.R.A.Q.T" and "You're Good" were on a rare, seven-track hard-copy promo of Arular which had been "floating around". More information on the promo and its full track listing has not been revealed, however after Piracy Funds Terrorism was released to the general public, "U.R.A.Q.T" was reworked and placed on the UK/International issue of Arular.
  • The tracks "Do Ya?", "Lady Killa" and a longer, reworked version of "You're Good" were made available for download on various online music stores. "You're Good" was added as a bonus track to the iTunes Music Store's release of "Arular", "Do Ya?" to Karma Download's release and "Lady Killa" to the OD2 Network's release.
  • The track "Pop" remains the only Piracy Funds Terrorism track and Diplo remix to not have the original version made available to the public.

[edit] Singles

  • The first single, "Galang", was originally released on M.I.A.'s former label, Showbiz Records, in late 2003/early 2004 and featured instrumental and a cappella versions of the title track. It was later re-released on Maya's current label, XL Recordings, on November 1, 2004 and included remixes by Cavemen and South Rakkas. The song was re-released again in 2005, under the title "Galang '05". The music video was directed by Ruben Fleischer.
  • The second single, "Sunshowers", was M.I.A.'s first release on XL Recordings. It was released as a single on July 5, 2004. It contained the b-side "Fire, Fire", as well as instrumental and a cappella versions of the title track. The music video was directed by Rajesh Touchriver.
  • The third single, "Bucky Done Gun" was released on July 11, 2005. It contained remixes by D'Explicit, DJ Marlboro, ¥£$ Productions and DaVinChe, as well as instrumental and a cappella versions of the title track. The music video was directed by Anthony Mandler.
  • Many Arular tracks were also released as limited edition vinyl singles, although the release dates and track listing details are hazy at best. These include "Hombre", "Pull Up the People", "Bucky Done Gun" and "10 $".

[edit] Song usage in other media

  • The song “Fire Fire” was used in an episode from season 3 on The O.C..
  • The songs "10 Dollar" and "Galang" were used in episodes on the TV show Entourage in season 2.
  • The song “Galang” was featured in an ad for the Honda civic.
  • The song “Bucky Done Gun” was featured in the soundtrack of the videogame NBA Live 06, renamed as “Bucky Done.” The song “Fire Fire” as well as the song “Denang” performed by M.I.A. featured in the soundtrack of the video game Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition.

[edit] Reception

Arular was released to widespread critical acclaim.[1] It was named number 1 album of the year in 2005 by several publications including Blender Magazine, Stylus Magazine and influential music website I Love Music. Amazon.com named it their number 2 album of the year. Pitchfork Media named Arular the number 4 best album of 2005 and Rolling Stone and TIME Magazine listed Arular as one of the best albums released in 2005. Among its accolades, Arular was positioned 6th on GQ Magazine’s list of the "100 Coolest Albums Ever Released" and was featured in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die."[1]

[edit] Personnel

  • Maya Arulpragasam - main performer, artwork
  • A. Brucker - producer on "Pull Up The People", final mix and additional production on "Bucky Done Gun" and "U.R.A.Q.T"
  • Paschal Byrne - producer on "Pull Up The People", final mix and additional production on "Bucky Done Gun" and "U.R.A.Q.T"
  • Diplo - producer on "Bucky Done Gun", "U.R.A.Q.T" and "M.I.A."
  • KW Griff - producer on "U.R.A.Q.T"
  • Pete Hofmann - engineer and mixing on "Amazon" and "10 $"
  • Steve Loveridge - artwork design
  • Steve Mackey - producer on "Sunshowers" and "Galang"
  • Ross Orton - producer on "Sunshowers" and "Galang"
  • Nesreen Shah - chorus vocals on "Sunshowers"
  • Anthony Whiting - producer on "Fire Fire" and "Bingo"
  • Dwayne "Willy" Wilson III - producer on "Hombre"
  • Wizard - programming, mixing and additional production on "Bucky Done Gun"
  • Richard X - producer on "Amazon" and "10 $"

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Acclaimed Music.net: Acclaimed Music - Arular. Acclaimed Music.net. 31 December 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2007.

[edit] External links

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