Underclass Hero

Underclass Hero
Studio album by Sum 41
Released July 18, 2007
Recorded November 6, 2006–March 14, 2007 at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, California; Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, California; Sage & Sound Studios, Hollywood, California
Genre Pop punk
Punk rock
Alternative rock
Length 51:49
Label Aquarius (Canada)
Island (US)
Producer Deryck Whibley
Sum 41 studio album chronology
Chuck
(2004)		 Underclass Hero
(2007)		 Screaming Bloody Murder
(2011)
Singles from Underclass Hero
  1. "Underclass Hero"
    Released: May 15, 2007
  2. "Walking Disaster"
    Released: July 23, 2007
  3. "With Me"
    Released: February 28, 2008
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AbsolutePunk (74%) [1]
Allmusic [2]
BBC (unfavourable) [3]
Robert Christgau [4]
The Guardian [5]
IGN (7.0/10) [6]
NME (4/10) [7]
PopMatters 4/10) [8]
Rolling Stone [9]
Sputnikmusic [10]

Underclass Hero is Sum 41's fourth studio album and the only record that was released with only three members in the band, since Dave Baksh left a year early to focus on Brown Brigade. The album was first released July 18, 2007 in Japan. It was released under the Island Records label and distributed worldwide by Universal Records, and in Canada by Aquarius Records. The album cover features a photo which would really be singer Deryck Whibley himself spitting something. This album features more alternative rock songs than their previous albums. Despite mixed reviews, the album gained success on the Canadian and the United States album charts, peaking at #1 on the Canadian Albums Chart and at #7 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Contents

Background

It was the first new material to be released without former guitarist Dave Baksh. The album title's similarity to John Lennon's hit "Working Class Hero" is not a coincidence, according to the band's front man Deryck Whibley, who in an interview with Sun Media claimed Lennon as his favorite songwriter.

"I had to decide what I wanted to say with my music, I asked myself all these questions and then just pulled up my own answers and started writing songs based on those themes. I wanted to make an album that meant something important from beginning to end. I wanted it to have relevance and significance. It's not a concept album. It's not about fictional characters in a made-up story but there is a constant idea that runs through the record. It's a deeply personal statement that reflects the confusion and frustration in modern society."

— Deryck Whibley

Commercial Performance

In Canada, Underclass Hero debuted at #1 on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling just over 9,000 copies in its first week.[11] In the United States, the album sold 44,601 copies in its first week and debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, making it their highest chart positioning to date in the U.S. It has sold 183,638 copies as of March 2011, making it their lowest selling album to date.[12]

The album spawned three singles, "Underclass Hero", "Walking Disaster", and "With Me". Another song called "March of the Dogs" had also been released as an album preview. The only single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 was "Underclass Hero" which peaked at number 86.[13]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Deryck Whibley, except where noted.

Underclass Hero
No. Title Length
1. "Underclass Hero" (Deryck Whibley/Steve Jocz) 3:14
2. "Walking Disaster"   4:46
3. "Speak of the Devil"   3:58
4. "Dear Father"   3:52
5. "Count Your Last Blessings"   3:03
6. "Ma Poubelle" (Deryck Whibley/Steve Jocz) 0:55
7. "March of the Dogs"   3:09
8. "The Jester"   2:48
9. "With Me"   4:51
10. "Pull the Curtain"   4:18
11. "King of Contradiction"   1:40
12. "Best of Me"   4:25
13. "Confusion and Frustration in Modern Times"   3:46
14. "So Long Goodbye"   3:01
15. "Look at Me" (not available on all editions; hidden track; starts at 2:00) 4:03

Personnel

Sum 41
Additional personnel

Release history

Region Date
Japan July 18, 2007
Canada/Europe July 23, 2007
United States July 24, 2007

Charts

Album

Chart (2007) Peak
position
Canadian Albums Chart 1
U.S. Billboard 200[14] 7
U.S. Alternative Albums 1
U.S. Rock Albums 1
U.S. Digital Albums 7
U.S. Tastemaker Albums 10
Austrian Albums Chart 8
Australian Albums Chart 22
Swiss Albums Chart 9
UK Albums Chart 46

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
2007 "Underclass Hero" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 116
U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks 34
U.S. Pop 100 86
Canadian Hot 100 33
UK Singles Chart 188
"Walking Disaster" U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks 26
2008 "With Me" Canadian Hot 100 37
U.S. Pop 100 91

Certifications

Country Certification Recording Industry Association Sales
Canada Gold[15] CRIA 50,000 Units+
Japan Gold[16] RIAJ 100,000 Units+

References

  1. ^ "Sum 41 - Underclass Hero - Album Review". AbsolutePunk.net. 2007-07-24. http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=254161. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  2. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1074163
  3. ^ "Music - Review of Sum 41 - Underclass Hero". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/6vxm/. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  4. ^ "CG: sum 41". Robert Christgau. http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=sum+41. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  5. ^ Jude Rogers. "CD: Sum 41, Underclass Hero | Music". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jul/20/popandrock.shopping3. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  6. ^ var authorId = "" by Ed Thompson. "Sum 41 - Underclass Hero Review - Music Review at IGN". Music.ign.com. http://music.ign.com/articles/807/807733p1.html. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  7. ^ "NME Album Reviews - Sum 41". Nme.Com. 2007-07-12. http://www.nme.com/reviews/sum-41/8771. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  8. ^ Blackie, Andrew. "Sum 41: Underclass Hero < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/sum-41-underclass-hero. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ "Sum 41 - Underclass Hero (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=19703. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  11. ^ "Sum 41's 'Hero' debuts at No. 1". Jam!. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/S/Sum_41/2007/08/01/4385468-ca.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 
  12. ^ "Upcoming Releases". HITS Daily Double. http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/sales/sales_ur.cgi?032911. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
  13. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=401778&model.vnuAlbumId=948088
  14. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/sum-41/underclass-hero/948088
  15. ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification - April 2008". Canadian Recording Industry Association. http://www.cria.ca/gold/0408_g.php. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
  16. ^ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2007年7月" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2007-08-10. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200707.html. Retrieved 2010-11-10. 

External links

Sum 41
Studio albums
and Singles
Underclass Hero
Other songs
Live albums
Demos and EPs
Compilation albums
DVDs
Tours
Related
Articles
Bands
Book:Sum 41 · Category:Sum 41 · Portal:Punk rock