At the National Grid

At the National Grid
Studio album by The Bats
Released 2005
Recorded National Grid, Christchurch, New Zealand
Genre Dunedin Sound, Indie pop, Alternative rock
Length 42:44
Label Pocket Music
Producer The Bats
The Bats chronology

Couchmaster
(1995)
At the National Grid
(2005)
The Guilty Office
(2008)
Alternative cover
Alternate cover used on German release
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

At the National Grid is an album released in 2005 by New Zealand band The Bats. It was their first album for ten years and the first to be released on a New Zealand label other than Flying Nun.

Recording and release

The rhythm tracks were recorded to analogue at The National Grid studio, in Christchurch, New Zealand. The tracks were then digitised with overdubs and mixing by Paul Kean with input from the band.[2]

In New Zealand, The Bats released the album on their own newly formed Pocket Music label. It was released in the U.S.A. by Magic Marker, in Germany by Little Teddy (with different artwork and also on vinyl), in the U.K. by Egg Records, and in Australia by Reverberation.[2]

Reception

The album generally received very positive reviews. Tim Sendra at Allmusic gave it 4 stars, adding "...having the group back at such a high level is as refreshing as a plunge into an ice-cold mountain stream." It got airplay on many college radio stations in the U.S., leading to an appearance at Austin's SXSW Festival in 2006.[1][3]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Robert Scott/The Bats, except as noted. 

No. Title Length
1. "Western Isles"   2:49
2. "Horizon"   4:43
3. "Hubert"   2:11
4. "The Bells Are Ringing"   3:31
5. "Single File"   3:02
6. "Pre War Blues"   4:37
7. "The Rays"   3:13
8. "Things I Can't Leave Behind"   2:56
9. "Mir" (Kaye Woodward) 3:27
10. "Up To The Sky"   2:56
11. "We Do Not Kiss The Ones We Kick"   2:19
12. "The Flowers And The Trees"   3:57
13. "Crazy Crowd"   2:59
Total length:
42:44

Personnel

Also credited:

References