The Underside of Power
| The Underside of Power | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Algiers | ||||
| Released | June 23, 2017 | |||
| Recorded | June–October 2016 | |||
| Studio |
Argot Studio, New York Figure 8, New York Goat Farm, Atlanta Real World, Bath Rex Studios, London Strange Weather, New York Walker Studios, New York[1] | |||
| Genre | Post-punk, gospel music, psychedelic soul | |||
| Length | 44:24 | |||
| Label | Matador | |||
| Producer | Adrian Utley and Ali Chant | |||
| Algiers chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Underside of Power is the second album by American experimental band Algiers. The album was released through Matador Records on June 23, 2017.[2] The album was produced by Adrian Utley of Portishead and his frequent collaborator Ali Chant. It was also the band's first album to feature drummer Matt Tong as a full-time member.
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 86/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Alternative Press | [4] |
| The A.V. Club | A[5] |
| Clash | 9/10[6] |
| Drowned in Sound | 9/10[7] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[8] |
| Magnet | [9] |
| Uncut | 7/10 |
| Under the Radar |  [10] |
The Underside of Power received widespread critical acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 86, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".[3]
In his review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek wrote that, "Algiers ultimately turn doomsday on its head unexpectedly. On The Underside of Power, they assert that even amid violence, darkness, and horror, that the human spirit is affirmed through witness and resistance, leading not only to solace but to redemption."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Walk Like a Panther" | 3:10 |
| 2. | "Cry of the Martyrs" | 4:03 |
| 3. | "The Underside of Power" | 4:12 |
| 4. | "Death March" | 4:31 |
| 5. | "A Murmur. A Sign." | 3:43 |
| 6. | "Mme Rieux" | 3:34 |
| 7. | "Cleveland" | 3:46 |
| 8. | "Animals" | 2:33 |
| 9. | "Plague Years" | 2:52 |
| 10. | "A Hymn for an Average Man" | 4:10 |
| 11. | "Bury Me Standing" | 2:25 |
| 12. | "The Cycle/The Spiral: Time to Go Down Slowly" | 5:25 |
Personnel
All personnel credits courtesy of AllMusic.[1]
Algiers
- Franklin James Fisher – cello, double bass, drum programming, guitar, keyboards, percussion, piano, sampling, synthesizer, tambourine, vocals, wurlitzer
- Ryan Mahan – bass, drum programming, guitar, baritone guitar, sampling, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Lee Tesche – cymbals, guitar, harmonium, loop, music box, percussion, prepared guitar, prepared piano, saxophone, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Matt Tong – chimes, drones, drums, glockenspiel, guitar, percussion, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Ashiya Eastwood – backing vocals
- Jessica Upton Crowe – backing vocals
- Travis Ono – backing vocals
Technical
- Adrian Utley – producer, drum machine, guitar, moog bass, synthesizer
- Ali Chant – producer, guitar, backing vocals
- Alex Weston – engineer
- Ben Greenberg – additional production, engineer
- Chris Kyles – engineer
- Jason Ward – mastering
- Macks Faulkron – engineer, percussion
- Oli Jacobs – engineer
- Patrick Phillips – engineer
- Paul Reust – engineer
- Randall Dunn – mixing
- Will Smith – mixing assistant
Charts
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] | 69 |
References
- 1 2 3 4 Jurek, Thom. "The Underside of Power - Algiers : Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ↑ "The Underside Of Power". Matador. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Reviews and Tracks for The Underside of Power by Algiers - Metacritic". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ↑ "'The Underside of Power' - Algiers" (Print) (July 2017). Alternative Press. Alternative Press. June 19, 2017.
There might be no other band working that so effortlessly transcends its myriad of influences, creating something authentically new, disturbing and beautiful.
- ↑ O'Neal, Sean (June 20, 2017). "Algiers’ The Underside Of Power is the album 2017 needs". The A.V. Club. Onion Media, LLC. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ↑ Clarke, Patrick (June 21, 2017). "Algiers - The Underside Of Power". Clash. Music Republic Ltd. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ↑ Cottingham, Christian (June 23, 2017). "Album Review: Algiers - The Underside of Power". Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ↑ Herd, Mackenzie (June 21, 2017). "Algiers The Underside of Power". Exclaim!. 1059434 Ontario Inc. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Review: 'The Underside of Power' - Algiers" (Print) (143). Mulcahy Publishing. Magnet. June 19, 2017. p. 53.
- ↑ Mayne, Stephen (June 23, 2017). "Algiers: The Underside of Power (Matador) Review". Under the Radar. Redfern Publishing. p. 80. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Algiers – The Underside of Power". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 5, 2017.