Kids in the Street

Kids in the Street
Studio album by The All-American Rejects
Released March 26, 2012
Recorded April–June 2011
The Village Recorder, LA, CA
Rocket Carousel Studio, LA, CA.
Genre
Length 43:12
Label
Producer Greg Wells
The All-American Rejects chronology

I Wanna: The Remixes
(2009)		 Kids in the Street
(2012)		 Flatline EP
(2012)
Singles from Kids in the Street
  1. "Beekeeper's Daughter"
    Released: January 31, 2012
  2. "Kids in the Street"
    Released: March 13, 2012
  3. "Heartbeat Slowing Down"
    Released: October 15, 2012

Kids in the Street is the fourth studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, released March 26, 2012 by Interscope Records.

Composition and recording

The All-American Rejects began writing their fourth studio album in mid 2010. During this time the band's songwriters Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter went on numerous retreats to their secluded house in Chicago, a writing strategy used for their previous albums.[1] Recording began in April 2011 and wrapped up in June, with mixing commencing the following August and concluding in early September.

"Self-discovery is such an important thing," lead vocalist and bassist Tyson Ritter explained, "I feel like in music you're a virtual Magellan as you discover new, vast territories, sonically and lyrically. If you're not discovering something new, you're not doing it right. I knew we needed to find a different place, and I guess in this accidental sort of...I don't know man, in the journey I found a different way and a new voice for our music and even a new voice for me to sing with."[2]

During an interview with Billboard, Ritter says he had no idea he was going to experience so much life in the three years between the band's last record and this one. “I went from the floor to standing up, and I think the whole record reflects that thematically,” he continued that he acknowledged he fell quickly into an unintentional "a quarter-life crisis" with "women and excess, getting into trouble, pouring too much Jamison's into the ol' noggin, a lot of people I could've done without", he added, "Of course it was destructive, but it wasn't really intentional. I was just having fun. It WAS fun, and coming out of it...thank God for the piano. Really, the music helped me out of it through this cathartic experience of writing the songs."[2]

“We started out having two songwriters, Nick [Wheeler] and I. We’ve always just put together collections of songs to compose a record. We would take writing trips, where we’d write five songs at once, in a house in Chicago. That’s been how our songs have seemed cohesive as records [in the past]. This record actually had a story. We realized we weren’t putting together a collection of songs for the first time, but we were actually putting together a record that told a story”,[3] Ritter explained ""Our goal on this record was to push ourselves into making a sound that was original, beyond, I guess, the other records that we've created as far as not limiting ourselves to just the four-piece rock band instrumentation of two guitars, bass and drums," Ritter explains. "I think when we stepped up to a big wall of keyboards for the first time, I was just like a kid in a candy store."[2]

"[The] music climate has changed so much for bands, especially bands with guitars in their hands... our contemporaries, our colleagues, have burnt themselves out, it seems," frontman Tyson Ritter told Billboard during an interview on the set of the music video shoot for "Beekeeper's Daughter". "The great thing about our position as a rock band on a major label, we've had this confused place for so long, that 10 years later, we're still sort of making people scratch their heads going, 'Why am I still loving this band?'"[4] Wheeler added "We're still a rock band. There's still guitars all over this thing. We just found a few different ways to use them, different ways to make guitars not sound like guitars. The songs were there, so we had to take the time to experiment and use all our time and energy in the studio just figuring out how to paint this picture."[2]

In an interview with AbsolutePunk regarding the sound of the album, rhythm guitarist Mike Kennerty stated "Pop radio is literally just pop music now. There’s no guitars to be found, so we kind of saw that coming. It’s a different place and we made a different record. It’s not like a singles record, it’s actually a record. That was our concentration from when we were recording. We knew we were making a fucking record. Fuck the normal system of singles and all that stuff. Obviously, it’s going to get worked by the label, but we wanted to make something we were proud of as a record, first and foremost, and we did that." [5]

The entire album was produced by Grammy Award-nominated producer Greg Wells, who is known for his work with Adele, Katy Perry, and OneRepublic, among many others. "Greg was the first producer we've worked with who really spoke my language, which translated into the sound of the album," Ritter commented. "If you really want to know what Kids in the Street sounds like, it sounds like The All-American Rejects finally got their shit together and wrote a record that was going to keep them around."[6]

Promotion and release

During an interview with MTV in October 2011, Ritter confirmed that the band's fourth album will be released on February 7, 2012. "It’s going to be the year of the Rejects," he teased. "[Our album release] is going to coincide with the Mayan end of the world thing, so the last song you’ll die to will be one of ours."

The All-American Rejects later announced the title of their fourth album, Kids in the Street, on December 16, 2011 and that the album's release date had been pushed back to March 27, 2012.[7] They later revealed that Kids in the Street would be released worldwide on March 26, 2012[8] and unveiled the cover art on February 6.

Singles

On December 3, 2011, The All-American Rejects shot a music video for the album's opening track "Someday's Gone" and released it two days later on December 5, along with the offer to download the song for free from a limited time. The band quoted "We wanted to give fans an early candy cane for the holidays and this song is the teeth of the record." The song was later released as a promotional single for paid download on March 20, 2012.[9]

The lead single "Beekeeper's Daughter" premiered in the plenitude episode of the fourth series of American teen drama 90210 on January 31, 2012 and featured an appearance from the band as themselves playing the song, before being digitally released on the same day.[10] A music video followed its release on February 2.[8]

The title track of Kids in the Street was released as the album's second single on March 13, 2012 [8] a music video followed its release on April 16. The band later released the track "Walk Over Me" as a promotional single, a music video followed its release on June 27, 2012.[8]

The All-American Rejects confirmed in an interview with Fuse News in October 2012 that the song "Heartbeat Slowing Down" would be remixed and released as the next single off Kids in the Street,[11] it premiered on mainstream radio in the United States on October 15. A teaser for the music video was released on October 16, 2012 via the band's official YouTube channel. Since the release of the teaser, the video has not been released and is thought to have been scrapped.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic (62/100)[12]
Review scores
Source Rating
AbsolutePunk 8/10[13]
AllMusic [14]
Artistdirect [15]
Bloody Disgusting [16]
The Boston Phoenix [17]
Entertainment Weekly B[18]
Melodic.net [19]
Metromix [20]
Rolling Stone [21]
Sputnik Music [22]
The Round House B+[23]
USA Today [24]

Critical reception

Kids in the Street received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 62, based on 10 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".[12]

Alternative Press wrote in a preview, "With everything from freewheeling bar rock and funked-up pop to crystalline, nostalgic '80s rock and brush- and string-heavy jazz... it's easily their most ambitious - and praiseworthy - effort to date." Rolling Stone said the band is "still mining teenage dramatics for buoyant, chant-along tunes", but it admired the tracks "Bleed into Your Mind" and "Affection" as a sign of "cracking through [the band's] own arrested development".[25]

Retailer HMV commented, "The band have matured their exuberant sound with a cohesive record that unfolds into a story. Big guitar hooks and soaring melodies still remain, alongside huge drums that bludgeon through sing-a-long choruses that the band are renowned for",[26] while Big Cheese said, "there's a candid attitude to the jumpy beats of 'Beekeeper's Daughter' and a maturity to 'Fast and Slow'. Meanwhile, title track 'Kids in the Street' offers a synch-infused look at childhood naivety and the slow and lurid beats of 'Heartbeat Slowing Down' are seductive."

Artistdirect quoted "The All-American Rejects have built their best album yet, and that's fact. Kids in the Street is at times heartbreaking, the acoustic closer "I For You" comes to mind, and at other moments it's strangely invigorating, namely during the shimmering send-off that is "Someday's Gone." It's a rock record without any boundaries, just the way rock 'n' roll should be."[27] Entertainment Weekly were more negative, saying that the album had "Too many tracks cloaked in unnecessary hoopla, suffocating the best songs' breezy sweetness that makes blasts of pure blissful oxygen like 'Someday's Gone' and 'Beekeeper's Daughter' extra satisfying, but like most internal battles, Kids in the Street ends in a stalemate",[28] Bloody Disgusting stated, "Without a doubt, this record exhibits a much wider sphere of influence for the band. It seems to call on many differing areas of rock n' roll, which is especially inspiring for a pop-rock release such as this one. The sounds of ninety's garage, 60s style rock, and even ska are all present on the record, with some songs resembling the work of bands such as Jet and All Time Low" and that guitarist Nick Wheeler's skills were much more "dynamic" compared to the band's previous albums.[29]

Johan Wippsson of Melodic.net wrote "Kids in the Street is a little different and shows a new side of the band. It's a little more alternative and more mature than before, where their strong power-pop influences are more or less completely blown away. Unfortunately is the level of the songs way to low and is quite convinced that the album will flop. There are too many useless tracks like "Bleed Into Your Mind" and "Gonzo" where the band feels more confused that creative".[19] USA Today said "Three years after Gives You Hell, the All-American Rejects sound like somebody put them through hell instead." and that Kids in the Street "Works its way back to sanity" as the album proceeds, but praised the songs "Beekeeper's Daughter", "Kids in the Street" and "Affection" for their realism.[30] AbsolutePunk stated that the album "has something for everyone" and is a mixture of the band's previous LPs and "It's this pacing and experimentation with time signatures that really make each track stand out."[31]

Yahoo! Voices said "The All-American Rejects' Kids in the Street is exactly what music needs. In today's pop music dominated industry, the Rejects bring a breath of fresh air to, not only the musical landscape, but to All-American Rejects' fans." Also praising how "strong" Tyson Ritter's vocals were in the songs "Someday's Gone", "Beekeeper's Daughter" and "Walk Over Me".[32]

Consequence of Sound wrote back negatively, stating "Kids in the Street is uninspired, ’80s-laced material, doomed to exile from Clear Channel for being spearheaded by a band whose following finally began dismissing PostSecret as the double-blind social networking pity party it became,[33] while The Round Table were more positive, saying "It’s pretty obvious the Rejects made a conscious decision to stretch themselves musically on Kids in the Street. At times it works, at times it doesn’t", and that "frontman Tyson Ritter is seen exploring themes of regret, nostalgia, and of course, the rock-star dream of excess." The reviewer also praised the songs "Beekeeper’s Daughter", "Fast & Slow" and "Heartbeat Slowing Down" for their "immense charm thanks in part to [the] lyrical delivery".[34]

Chart performance

The album debuted at #18 on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 18,000 copies in its first-week of sales.[35] It also debuted at #34 on the UK Albums Chart, making it the band's highest-selling album to chart in that territory.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by The All-American Rejects. 

No. Title Length
1. "Someday's Gone"   3:25
2. "Beekeeper's Daughter"   3:33
3. "Fast and Slow"   4:00
4. "Heartbeat Slowing Down"   4:44
5. "Walk Over Me"   3:59
6. "Out the Door"   3:39
7. "Kids in the Street"   4:45
8. "Bleed Into Your Mind"   2:43
9. "Gonzo"   5:06
10. "Affection"   4:44
11. "I for You"   2:34
Total length:
 43:12

Personnel

Credits adapted from booklet.[36]

The All-American Rejects
Additional musicians
  • Greg Wells – piano, keyboards, programming
  • Alex Kandel – additional vocals
  • Kevin Saulnier – piano (track: 10)
  • Willy Wells – bass (track: 10), gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Lenny Castro – percussion
  • Audra Mae – additional vocals (tracks: 2, 3, 7)
  • Alex Kandel – additional vocals (track: 1)
  • Mika – additional vocals (track: 4)
  • Elizaveta – additional vocals (track: 8)
  • Zack Ritter – additional vocals (track: 2)
  • Joel McNeely – orchestra arrangements
  • Ron Blake – horns (track: 1)
  • Francisco Torres – horns (track: 1)
  • The All-American Rejects – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • The Mac – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Julianne Lackey – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Nick Fishbaugh – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Sean Caragher – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Florida – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Jackie Petrie – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
  • Natalie Besharat – gang vocals (tracks: 2, 6)
Production
  • Greg Wells – production,[37] mixing (tracks: 11, 12)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Ian MacGregor – recording engineer
  • Chris Owens – assistant recording engineer
  • John Hanes – mixing engineer
  • Phil Seaford – assistant mixing engineer
  • Nick Wheeler – production (track: 11)
  • Jeremiah "Florida" Langdon – guitar tech
  • John Oreshnick – drum tech
  • Sean Caragher – monitor engineer
Marketing and A&R
  • Pat Magnarella – management
  • Nick Fishbaugh – management
  • Jeff Sosnow – A&R
  • Jackie Petri – A&R coordinator
  • Dyana Kass – product management
  • Jenna Adler – booking for CAA
  • Martin Horn – international booking for X-Ray Touring
  • Larry Einbund – business management
  • Kelly Amador – business management
  • Richard Grabel – legal for Davis, Shapiro, Lewitt, and Hayes
Design and cover art
  • Jon Danovic – photography
  • Brennan Maxwell – photography
  • Jon Danovic – creative
  • Ianthe Zevos – creative
  • Mamelok Papercraft – mask design

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart 65
Canadian Albums Chart[38] 49
Irish Albums Chart 87
Japanese Albums Chart 120
UK Albums Chart 34
US Billboard 200 18
US Billboard Top Rock Albums 10

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Australia March 26, 2012 CD, digital download DGC, Interscope
Canada
Europe
New Zealand
United Kingdom Polydor
United States DGC, Interscope
United Kingdom[39] May 1, 2012 12" vinyl Polydor
United States[40] DGC, Interscope

References

  1. ↑ "All American Rejects - Kids In The Street". HMV. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "All-American Rejects Singer Escapes L.A.: 'It Was Destructive'". Billboard.com. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "All-American Rejects' Tyson Ritter channels Bono with charity efforts". Audio Ink Radio. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "All-American Rejects releasing new single "Beekeeper’s Daughter," appearing on "90210″ tonight". BAM's Blog. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "The All-American Rejects interview with Jonathan Bautts". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  6. ↑ "All-American Rejects to release new single "Beekeeper’s Daughter" Tuesday". BAM's Blog. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
  7. ↑ "Title announced for The All-American Rejects' fourth studio album". idolator.com. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Surprise! "Kids In The Street" is coming out a day EARLIER now. Monday March 26th, worldwide! Because why the fuck not, right?". Twitter. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "Someday's Gone - Single". iTunes. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "The All-American Rejects Gearing Up to Release New Music in 2012/First single from new album announced". Thronebuzz. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "The All American rejects-The Fuse News". YouTube. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Critic Reviews for Kids in the Street". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  13. ↑ "AbsolutePunk review".
  14. ↑ "AllMusic review".
  15. ↑ "Artistdirect review".
  16. ↑ "Bloody Disgusting review".
  17. ↑ "Boston Phoenix review".
  18. ↑ "Entertainment Weekly review". 23 March 2012.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Melodic.net review".
  20. ↑ "Metromix review".
  21. ↑ "Rolling Stone review".
  22. ↑ "Sputnik Music review".
  23. ↑ "review".
  24. ↑ "review". USA Today. 26 March 2012.
  25. ↑ "All American Rejects - Kids In The Street". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  26. ↑ "All American Rejects - Kids In The Street". HMV. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  27. ↑ "The All-American Rejects "The Kids In The Street" Album Review — 5 out of 5 stars". Artistdirect. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  28. ↑ "Kids in the Street (2012)". Entertainment Weekly. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  29. ↑ "[Review] The All-American Rejects 'Kids In The Street'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  30. ↑ "Listen up: All-American Rejects hit the "Street'". USA Today. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  31. ↑ "All-American Rejects, The - Kids in the Street". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  32. ↑ "All-American Rejects’ ‘Kids in the Street’ is the Band’s Best Effort - Yahoo! Voices". yahoo.com.
  33. ↑ "Album Review: The All-American Rejects – Kids in the Street". consequenceofsound.net.
  34. ↑ "TRT Reviews: The All-American Rejects Kids in the Street Album". The Round Table.
  35. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (2012-04-03). "Madonna At #1 Again With MDNA Madge's 12th studio album sells 359,000 copies, giving singer her fifth straight #1.". MTV.com. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
  36. ↑ Kids in the Street (CD). The All-American Rejects. Interscope Records. 2012.
  37. ↑ "The All-American Rejects Gearing Up to Release New Music in 2012". Newsblaze. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  38. ↑ http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Charts/ALBUMS.html
  39. ↑ "Kids in the Street [VINYL]". Amazon. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Kids In The Street LP". Amazon. Retrieved May 1, 2012.