Opposites (album)
- 39:47 (CD 1 )
- 38:58 (CD 2)
55:04 ( Single Edition )
Occupation
- Vocals, guitar: Neil Simon
- Bass, Vocals: James Johnston
- Drums, Vocals: Ben Johnston
Opposites is the sixth studio album by British alternative rock band Biffy Clyro, which was published on 28 January 2013. The album is a double album with 20 songs, but is also available as an abridged version with 14 songs. Originally two separate albums The Land at the End of Our Toes and The Sand and the Core of Our Bones were announced.
- 5.1 Singles
- 6.1 chart positions
Background
After finishing the tours to Only Revolutions, the band increasingly alienated, also became drummer Ben Johnston in an increasing alcohol problem and Simon Neil smoked pot claims to be too much. The band existence was threatened in between, but the common composing brought the members back together.
Opposites appeared more than three years after its predecessor, Only Revolutions, which is the longest break between albums by Biffy Clyro. During this time, Biffy Clyro toured a lot. They began to write songs in spring 2010. In March 2011, said singer and guitarist Simon Neil, that 15 or 16 songs were ready for the album and Biffy Clyro would go into the studio as soon as they are finished with tours.
In May 2012, NME announced two new albums from Biffy Clyro, The Land at the End of Our Toes and The Sand at the Core of Our Bones at. A month later it was reported that the band had changed their minds and want to release a double album. The title of the double album was featured in Zane Lowe 's show on BBC Radio 1. On September 18, the title list is on the website of Biffy Clyro published and recognized publication for January. In an interview with Q magazine, the band explained that they had written 45 songs by the end of 2011 and thus had the feeling that it was necessary to release a double album. Later, they also stressed that there was no Füllsong on the album and you can enjoy it from beginning to end.
The main recording time of Opposites began in early 2012 and lasted five months. Producer was Garth Richardson, who has also mixed the two previous albums, puzzles and Only Revolutions. As a co- producer acted Biffy Clyro was recorded himself in The Village Studios in Los Angeles. For the choir chants and orchestral arrangements on the album David Campbell was responsible. The Keyboard parts in the songs were played by Jamie Muhoberac. Mike Vennart of British Theatre played an additional guitar a, Eric Rigler the bagpipes.
In the songs Opposite Accident and Emergency Without can be heard as a guest singer Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses.
Concept
Singer and guitarist Simon Neil described the concept of Opposites follows:
"Each album is the exact opposite vibe to the other lyrically. [ ... ] One 's about putting things in the worst possible way and thinking you're getting yourself into a hole. The other looks at things more positively "
" Each album has the lyrics exactly contrary to law mood to another. [ ... ] This is one to put on things in a bad situation as possible and to think yourself into a hole. The other sees things more positively. "
Bassist James Johnston described the concept in an interview with rockyourlife.fr:
" The Sand ... is about past and things you did Brought to did point, the difficult things in your life, the things you can not change, the things Which are difficult. And The Country ... is about what comes next and your hopes and fears about the future, how you can make things better and bring things together in order to move forward "
" The Sand ... is about the past and things that have brought you to this point, the complicated things in your life, the things you can not change the things that are complicated. And The Land ... is about what comes next and your hopes and fears of the future, how can you make things better and bring together in order can to go forward. "
Biffy Clyro even claimed that the album is very diverse. In addition, many instruments can be heard. Among other things, you will hear a bagpipe, a kazoo, tap dance, a church organ and bells. But there are also the two songs on the album Pocket and Skylight, which were written before the predecessor Only Revolutions.
Musically, the first half of the album is rather similar to pop music, while the second is more adventurous, according to the band. After the German music magazine Visions this concept but had been followed less strictly.
Cover design
The cover of Opposites was designed by Storm Thorgerson, who is considered one of the most important designers for Rock Album of the story and even for the last two albums of the Biffy Clyro cover designed. Opposites was his last work before he died of cancer in 2013. For the publication of the cover, the band called on their fans to tweet under the hashtag # biffyopposites. After 9000 tweets in 12 hours, the cover was released on 19 October 2012 at the site of Biffy Clyro. The cover is intended to represent the oldest tree in the world in Chile. Simon Neil told the connection to the band as follows:
" I loved the original image of the tree, and I got thinking about how strong the roots must be, and how strong my band is - how we can deal with anything, Because We have eachother "
"I love the original picture of the tree and thought about how much the roots need to be and how strong my band is - how we can deal with everything, because we have each other "
Title list
All songs were written by Neil Simon.
Double Edition
Single Edition
Songs
The first of the public for the Song of Opposites was The Joke 's on Us, which was played on July 3, 2011 in Milton Keynes on one of the last concerts before the start of studio work. Other songs, including Stingin ' Belle, Sounds Like Balloons, Modern Magic Formula, Victory Over the Sun, Black Chandelier and Opposite were played live before the release of Opposites.
On 31 July 2012, published as the first song of the album Stingin ' Belle as a studio version, it ran on BBC Radio 1 the song online along with videos of live performances and studio recordings in Los Angeles was available. Although the song was discussed as a single, it was finally only available digitally.
Singles
The song Black Chandelier was presented on 19 November 2012 on BBC Radio 1, and YouTube for the first time, the publication as a single followed on 14 January 2013. The accompanying video was released on December 11.
The single was featured in Zane Biblical Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 in the UK and Gary Cool's rock dimension in South Africa, the single release was followed on 29 March 2013.
In an article published on YouTube a video teaser for the song Opposite was announced and unveiled the artwork for the single. The video was released on May 15, 2013, the single on June 24.
On 13 December 2012, the actor Ev Salomon tweeted that the video shoot for Victory Over the Sun was ready. The song was released on September 8, 2013 as the fourth and final single.
Reception
Opposites rated overwhelmingly positive. Thus, Metacritic calculated based on 16 reviews, an average rating of 68 out of 100 possible points, which "generally Favorable reviews " (Eng.: mostly positive reviews ). Praise was, among other things, the creative yet solid songwriting and musical secure implementation. Criticized the length of the album, which contains several Füllsongs by views of many magazines, as well as the more boring compared to previous albums songs. There was album of the month in February 2013 in the German music magazine Visions. In the year-end list of the magazine Opposites was also placed # 2 in the reader and place 4 of the editors.
Chart positions
Opposites could be placed as the first album by Biffy Clyro No. 1 on the British charts. In Germany, the album debuted at number five in Austria on 12 and in Switzerland on 2 In the United States made it the album on the Billboard charts. The singles were able to place only in the British charts, Victory Over the Sun there either.