Around the Fur

Around the Fur
Studio album by Deftones
Released October 28, 1997
Recorded AprilJune 1997
Studio Studio Litho, Seattle, Washington
Genre
Length 74:56 (42:30 without hidden tracks and on vinyl)
Label Maverick/Warner Bros.
Producer
Deftones chronology
Adrenaline
(1995)Adrenaline1995
Around the Fur
(1997)
Live
(1998)Live1998
Singles from Around the Fur
  1. "My Own Summer (Shove It)"
    Released: December 22, 1997
  2. "Around the Fur"
    Released: 1997 (promotional)
  3. "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)"
    Released: March 9, 1998

Around the Fur is the second studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones, released in 1997 by Maverick Records. The songs "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" were both released as singles with accompanying videos. It was their first RIAA-certified album, certified gold in June 1999, with predecessor Adrenaline also certified gold a few weeks later. The album was eventually certified platinum on June 7, 2011.[1]

On Around the Fur, Deftones shifted away from the sound of their debut, using elements of genres such as new wave and shoegaze.[2][3] The album has also been described as alternative metal,[2][4] nu metal[5] and alternative rock.[3][6]

Background

Around the Fur was the second album to feature Frank Delgado under additional personnel; he eventually joined the band officially in 1999.

The song "Headup" featured additional vocals by Max Cavalera of Soulfly. It was written by Cavalera and Deftones singer Chino Moreno as a way of venting some of their pain over the loss of Dana Wells, Cavalera's stepson and Chino's friend. The band name "Soulfly" was taken from a portmanteau invented for the song.

While the album's lyrics were included in the booklet, not every single word was printed. A good example is the song "Lhabia": In the verses, Moreno whispers statements that are hard to decipher. There is also one verse missing from the song "Headup".

The album cover was shot by photographer Rick Kosick during a late-night party in Seattle where the band was recording. Upon seeing the candid photo of a woman, the band decided that they wanted to use it as the album cover. Kosick was unsure who the woman was, so the band had to find and track her down to obtain permission to use the photo, which she eventually granted.[7] Moreno has since expressed his dislike of the cover, calling it "horrible".[8]

"Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)"
Sample of "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)", the second single from Around the Fur (1997). This shows the album's cleaner production and a tendency toward more melody in the music.[9]

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"When we went in to make this record, we really didn't have a set idea of what we wanted to come out with," said Moreno in a 1998 interview with Chart magazine. However, he felt that the album "fell into place" once the band had settled into the studio.[9] The band expanded its sound, spending more time with producer Terry Date, and giving more thought to the album's production. Abe Cunningham varied his drum sound and experimented by using different types of snare drums on almost every track.[10] The album was praised for its loud-soft dynamics, the flow of the tracks, Moreno's unusual vocals, and the strong rhythm section grooves created by Cunningham and bassist Chi Cheng.[9][11][12]

Release

Deftones in July 1997

The album was highly anticipated, and propelled the band to fame in the alternative metal scene on the strength of radio and MTV airplay for the singles "My Own Summer (Shove It)" (released December 22, 1997) and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" (released March 9, 1998).[4] The album's title track was also released as a promotional single in 1997.[13]

Around the Fur sold 43,000 copies in its first week of release, and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 29 (its peak position), remaining on the charts for 17 weeks.[12][14] The band went back to touring, making appearances at the Warped Tour (in the United States, New Zealand and Australia), Pinkpop Festival, Roskilde Festival and Ozzfest, as well as releasing a live EP on June 22, 1999. Around the Fur went on to reach RIAA gold status on June 24, 1999, and platinum status on June 7, 2011.[1]

When the album was released on Spotify, it contained an alternate version of "Headup" running a full minute longer than the original release.[15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]
Pitchfork7.8/10[17]
Punknews.org[18]

The album generally received positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Deftones tap into the same alternative metal vibe as Korn and L7, and while they don't have catchy riffs or a fully developed sound, Around the Fur suggests they're about to come into their own".[16] James P. Wisdom of Pitchfork described the songs from the album as "intense, harsh tunes",[17] while Punknews.org thought that the album "showcased a band aware of their flaws, structure and lyrical approach, and thusly achieved an overall great improvement in said areas".[18]

In 2015, critic Saby Reyes-Kulkarni of Diffuser stated that "[o]n their landmark second album, Deftones infused elements of new wave and shoegaze to define their future direction. Alt-metal would never be the same."[19] Reyes-Kulkarni observed that the album "captures the first full blossoming of the duality that has come to define the Sacramento quintet’s musical identity" and "set a new standard for ’90s alt-metal and opened doors to what’s possible when bands find the motivation to get heavy away from the brutish impulses that typically drive aggressive music."[6] He further noted that, while the album "sounds undeniably thicker and heavier" than the band's debut album Adrenaline, Chino Moreno's new wave and post-punk influences became increasingly evident: "On Around the Fur, Moreno’s love of new wave groups like Depeche Mode and the Cure began to rear its head in earnest."[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Deftones, except "Headup" by Deftones and Max Cavalera.

No.TitleLength
1."My Own Summer (Shove It)"3:35
2."Lhabia"4:11
3."Mascara"3:45
4."Around the Fur"3:31
5."Rickets"2:42
6."Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)"5:08
7."Lotion"3:57
8."Dai the Flu"4:36
9."Headup" (featuring Max Cavalera)6:13
10."Mx" ("Mx" ends at 4:52 but is followed by two hidden tracks: "Bong Hit" (19:32–19:55) and "Damone" (32:36–37:18); neither hidden track was included on the vinyl release)37:18
Total length:74:56

Personnel

Band members


Additional personnel

Chart positions

Certifications

Country Certification
Australia[26] Gold
United Kingdom[27] Gold
United States[1] Platinum

Other media and cultural references

References

  1. 1 2 3 "RIAA Gold and Platinum searchable database". Search for artist "Deftones". RIAA. Archived from the original on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  2. 1 2 Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby. "18 Years Ago: Deftones Leave Nu Metal in the Dust with ‘Around the Fur’". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 24 December 2015. On their landmark second album, Deftones infused elements of new wave and shoegaze to define their future direction. Alt-metal would never be the same.
  3. 1 2 Buchanan, Brett. "Five Alt-Rock Classics to Soundtrack Your Summer". AlternativeNation.com. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  4. 1 2 Prato, Greg. "Deftones". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  5. Zlatopolsky, Ashley (October 9, 2013). "Deftones". Real Detroit Weekly. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby. "18 Years Ago: Deftones Leave Nu Metal in the Dust with ‘Around the Fur’". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  7. Bennet, J.Revolver. September 2007. Pg. 122
  8. "Deftones Speak Of Past Struggles With Drugs, Clashes With Stef, Album Art & More | Theprp.com – Metal And Hardcore News Plus Reviews And More". Theprp.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  9. 1 2 3 Bromley, Adrian. Keeping It Simple, Chart, July, 1998.
  10. Peiken, Matt. Interview with Abe Cunningham, Modern Drummer, 1997.
  11. Smith, Matt. Deftones New Album Stays Heavy, Gaston Gazette, 1997.
  12. 1 2 Glover, Adrian Gregory. Deftones: Running on Pure Passion, Circus, May, 1998.
  13. "Around The Fur (CD) at Discogs".
  14. "The Billboard 200 Around the Fur". Billboard.com. June 13, 1998. Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  15. "Headup - Deftones - Spotify". Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Around the Fur - Deftones". AllMusic.
  17. 1 2 "Deftones: Around The Fur". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on June 18, 2003.
  18. 1 2 "Deftones - Around the Fur". Punknews.org. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  19. "Saby Reyes-Kulkarni". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  20. "Deftones - Around the Fur". Hung Medien.
  21. "Deftones - Around the Fur". Hung Medien.
  22. "Deftones - Around the Fur". Hung Medien.
  23. "Chartverfolgung / Deftones / Longplay" (in German). PhonoNet.
  24. 1 2 Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: Asher D – Dyverse". Zobbel.
  25. "Around the Fur - Deftones". Billboard.
  26. "Accreditations - 2006 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2010-02-04.
  27. "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2010-01-17.
  28. Deftones - Muse Wiki: Supermassive wiki for the band Muse
  29. muse : archives | microcuts.net | July 1999
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