Collapsible Lung

Collapsible Lung
Studio album by Relient K
Released July 2, 2013
Genre Alternative rock, pop rock
Length 35:37
Label Mono Vs Stereo
Producer Paul Moak, Aaron Sprinkle
Relient K chronology

Is for Karaoke
(2011)		 Collapsible Lung
(2013)

Collapsible Lung is the seventh studio album by American rock band Relient K. It was released on July 2, 2013.[1][2] The name of the album comes from the title track "Collapsible Lung", which is the last song on the record. The band played various songs from the album live, prior to its release, such as "When You Were My Baby", "Boomerang", "PTL (Part Time Lover)", and "Sweeter". The band also mentioned the song called "Lost Boy" while they were in the studio in late 2012, not yet known to its future listeners.

Matthew Thiessen described the album as being different from their other material, stating, "We made it a point to pull back all of our usual tricks in the recording process, and forced ourselves to determine how to present each song in the best and most concise way. It was a refreshing process, and we feel that much of that energy is transparent in the recording. We are incredibly proud of this record."[3] He also stated that the album is more of a pop album because he felt that it needed to be written. He went on to say, "That being said, our next album will definitely be a rock record. Maybe even punk rock, who knows?"[4]

The first single "Don't Blink" was released with a lyric video on YouTube.[5]

On May 17, 2013, Relient K posted the album art, saying that the album would officially be released on July 2, 2013.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Alternative Press [7]
CCM Magazine [8]
Christian Music Zine [9]
CM Addict [10]
Consequence of Sound [11]
HM [12]
Jesus Freak Hideout [13]
[14]
Louder Than the Music [15]
New Release Tuesday [16]
USA Today [17]
Under the Gun Review 7.5/10[18]

Collapsible Lung garnered mixed reception from music critics. At Louder Than the Music, Jono Davies called it an album "of such great quality" that, he wrote, "has a fresh feel to it with a modern rock sound". He went on to say that "the band have moved away from just writing energetic pop/punk songs, and instead have written an album that is creative, solid and mature, but at the same time not losing their great songwriting skills."[15] At Christian Music Zine, Tyler Hess found the release to be "just an insanely fun pop album that will be one of my favorites of the year."[9] At CCM Magazine, Andy Argyrakis wrote that the band "shakes up its pop/punk formula, while retaining its witty songwriting and welcome stream of sunny harmonies". He called the "resulting" album "a delectable batch of experimental modern pop that may surprise longtime listeners, but will surely have them joining the veterans for the positivity-laden party."[8]

At USA Today, Brian Mansfield said "there's a newfound sadness, too, one that sometimes resembles wisdom."[17] Jesus Freak Hideout's Roger Gelwicks commented that "at the very least, Collapsible Lung is a daring collection and will retain a sundry of reputations", and stated that the album is a welcome "experiment that keeps the band's fans on their toes, doing more right than wrong in the process."[13] In addition, Cortney Warner of Jesus Freak Hideout wrote that "Collapsible Lung continues to solidify the confusion" because it is "almost too inconsistent, and at times it can feel more like a B-side album rather than a collective LP."[14] Sarah Fine of New Release Tuesday called the album "a noticeable departure" because it lacked in moral wisdom that was a hallmark of their past works.[16]

At Alternative Press, Scott Heisel felt that "now we're left with Collapsible Lung, the dreadfully plastic yang to Forget's emotional, powerful yin."[7] Randall Colburn of Consequence of Sound wrote that the album is "frontloaded with generic dance-pop tracks", and evoked that the release is "weighted down by a parade of faceless women, many of whom are reduced to mere sexual objects, resulting in a record that reeks of adolescent rebellion at best and pandering at worst."[11] CM Addict's Kevin Thorson said that the album's "inconsistencies and poor lyrics are things you would expect from possibly a debut artist not from seasoned veterans", and because of this wrote that "Relient K can do much better."[10] At HM, Dan Macintosh commented that the album "makes it difficult to be entirely on Thiessen’s side", and that "it's also two giant steps back in the credibility column."[12]

Track listing

[19]

No. Title Length
1. "Don't Blink"   3:02
2. "Boomerang"   2:47
3. "Lost Boy"   3:10
4. "If I Could Take You Home"   3:32
5. "Can't Complain"   3:14
6. "Gloria"   2:58
7. "PTL"   3:24
8. "Disaster"   2:58
9. "When You Were My Baby"   2:44
10. "Sweeter" (featuring Caleb Owens) 4:27
11. "Collapsible Lung"   3:21
Total length:
 35:37

Personnel

Relient K
Additional production

Chart performance

Chart (2013) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[20] 16
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[21] 3
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[22] 2
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[23] 8
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[24] 4

References

  1. ↑ "Relient K announce new album Collapsible Lung to be released in July 2013". Relient K News. April 22, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Collapsible Lung: Relient K's 'Collapsible Lung' to be released in July". Crossrhythms.co.uk. April 28, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ Whitt, Cassie (19 June 2013). "Song Premiere: Relient K, “Part-Time Lover”". AltPress.com. Alternative Press. Retrieved 14 January 2015. We made it a point to pull back all of our usual tricks in the recording process, and forced ourselves to determine how to present each song in the best and most concise way. It was a refreshing process, and we feel that much of that energy is transparent in the recording. We are incredibly proud of this record.
  4. ↑ "Easterfest 2013 Interview with Relient K". April 13, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Don't Blink (lyric video)". Retrieved April 23, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Tijdlijnfoto's". Facebook. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Heisel, Scott (June 24, 2013). "Relient K - Collapsible Lung". Alternative Press. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Argyrakis, Andy (August 1, 2013). "Relient K: Collapsible Lung (Mono Vs. Stereo)". CCM Magazine. p. 66. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Hess, Tyler (July 1, 2013). "Relient K – Collapsible Lung (Review)". Christian Music Zine. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Thorson, Kevin (July 1, 2013). "Review of Collapsible Lung by Relient K". CM Addict. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Colburn, Randall (July 2, 2013). "Album Review: Relient K – Collapsible Lung". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Macintosh, Dan (July 2, 2013). "Relient K – Collapsible Lung". HM. ISSN 1066-6923. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Gelwicks, Roger (June 30, 2013). "Relient K, "Collapsible Lung" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Warner, Cortney (July 1, 2013). "Relient K, "Collapsible Lung" Review: Second Staff Opinion". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Davies, Jono (July 17, 2013). "Reviews – Relient K – Collapsible Lung". Louder Than the Music. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Fine, Sarah (June 14, 2013). "A New Direction Musically and Thematically". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Mansfield, Brian (July 1, 2013). "Listen Up: Pretty Lights, Joe, Relient K". USA Today. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  18. ↑ "REVIEW: Relient K-'Collapsible Young.'". Under the Gun Review. July 2, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Collapsible Lung by Relient K | CD Reviews And Information". NewReleaseTuesday.com. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Relient K Album & Song Chart History" Billboard 200 for Relient K.
  21. ↑ "Relient K Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Relient K.
  22. ↑ "Relient K Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Christian Albums for Relient K.
  23. ↑ "Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Digital Albums for Relient K.
  24. ↑ "Relient K Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Relient K.

External links