The Vertigo of Bliss

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The Vertigo of Bliss
The Vertigo of Bliss cover
Studio album by Biffy Clyro
Released 16 June 2003
Recorded Linford Manor
Milton Keynes, England
Genre Alternative Metal
Length 62:13
Label Beggars Banquet
BBQCD233
Producer Chris Sheldon
Biffy Clyro
Professional reviews
Biffy Clyro chronology
Blackened Sky
(2002)		 The Vertigo of Bliss
(2003)		 Infinity Land
(2004)
Singles from The Vertigo of Bliss
  1. "Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys"
    Released: 15 July 2002
  2. "The Ideal Height"
    Released: 24 March 2003
  3. "Questions and Answers"
    Released: 26 May 2003
  4. "Eradicate the Doubt"
    Released: 22 September 2003

The Vertigo of Bliss is the second studio album by Scottish group Biffy Clyro, and contributed to the perception of the band as one of the hardest working in the British rock scene: according to urban myth, principal recording on the album was recorded in just one day, leaving the band to "play PlayStation" for the remainder of the week that had been booked in Linford Manor.[1]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Recorded and released only one year after Blackened Sky, the album arguably sounds more like a singular piece of work (the only track not recorded during the same sessions was "Toys, Toys, Toys..." which was originally a double-A-side single with "Joy.Discovery.Invention") as opposed to a collection of individual songs. The album remains a firm favourite with a lot of fans on the Biffy Clyro board, perhaps because of its more experimental style, which sees songs such as "Bodies in Flight" and "Toys Toys Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys" cramming several movements into the space of one song. Moreover, string sections are used to climactic effect on "Bodies In Flight", "With Aplomb" and "Now The Action Is On Fire!"" showing a clear progression from their debut. The distinctive cover art was created by Milo Manara, who also created the cover art for all the singles from The Vertigo of Bliss. The album takes its name from one of Lucifer's musings in the novel, I, Lucifer. As with each of the band's first three albums, it has only been played in full once, on 14 December 2005 at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow. The album reached #48 in the UK Albums Chart.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Simon Neil, James Johnston, and Ben Johnston

  1. "Bodies In Flight" – 5:17
  2. "The Ideal Height" – 3:41
  3. "With Aplomb" – 5:29
  4. "A Day Of..." – 2:24
  5. "Liberate The Illiterate/A Mong Among Mingers" – 5:28
  6. "Diary of Always" – 4:04
  7. "Questions and Answers" – 4:02
  8. "Eradicate the Doubt" – 4:26
  9. "When The Faction’s Fractioned" – 3:36
  10. "Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys" – 5:28
  11. "All The Way Down: Prologue Chapter 1" – 6:43
  12. "A Man Of His Appalling Posture" – 3:25
  13. "Now The Action Is On Fire!" – 8:01
    • "Ewen's True Mental You" (hidden track contained within "Now The Action Is On Fire!" from – 6:24) – 1:37
  • "The Ideal Height", "Questions and Answers", "Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys" and "Eradicate the Doubt" were released as singles.

[edit] Release history

The Vertigo of Bliss was released in the UK in 2003.

Country Date Label Format Catalogue number
United Kingdom 16 June 2003 Beggars Banquet CD BBQCD233
United Kingdom 16 June 2003 Beggars Banquet Vinyl (now out of print) BBQ233

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ In an interview with Daniel P. Carter on BBC Radio 1's The Rock Show, on 20 February 2007, Biffy Clyro admitted that this story was a "slight exaggeration".
v • d • e
Biffy Clyro
Simon Neil · James Johnston · Ben Johnston
Studio albums
Blackened Sky · The Vertigo of Bliss · Infinity Land · Puzzle
EPs
Singles
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