Dead Letters
Encyclopedia
Dead Letters is the 2003 album by Finnish alternative rock
band The Rasmus
. It was released in 2004 in the US, UK and Australia
. Their previous album, Into
, had been a success in some parts of Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Germany, but Dead Letters signified the band's major break-through. "Dead Letters" received 8 gold and 6 platinum Awards, while "In the Shadows" received 6 gold and 2 platinum awards. "In the Shadows" which sold over 1 million copies reached historically number one on the list of Finnish compositions earning performance royalties abroad and so overtakes the works of Jean Sibelius
.
Lead singer Lauri Ylönen
has explained the title of the album on the band's website. "Each song is a letter to somebody. It could be an apology, confession or cry out for help". On the back side of the album booklet there is a quote:
, Austria
and Switzerland
as well as in Finland
, where it stayed in the Top 20 Album chart for over a year. Dead Letters was the first of the band's albums to be released in the UK and was in the Top 50 bestselling albums of 2004.
Its European success led to the release of the album in other parts of the world. Dead Letters and its first single "In the Shadows" both reached the Top 50 of the Australian ARIA
charts in 2004. It has also reached the Top 20 of the American Billboard Heatseeker charts. Dead Letters received several gold and platinum awards and the band won five Emma Awards (Best Group, Best Album, Best Video (In My Life), Best Artist, Export Emma).
Their most popular single was "In the Shadows", gaining Top 10 chart placings in eleven countries.
", of which the original version appears on the Into
album, and was added to the UK release as a bonus track.
Bonus CD
DVD
Video directed by Finn Andersson for Film Magica Oy in Helsinki
, Finland
.
Video directed by Niklas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film
/Topaz.
Video directed by Niklas Fronda & Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film in Stockholm
, Sweden
.
Video directed by Sven Bollinger and produced by Volker Steinmetz (Erste Liebe Filmproduktion) in Lausitzring
, Germany
.
Video directed by Philipp Stöltzl in Bucharest
, Romania
.
Video directed by Niklas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film
in Stockholm
, Sweden
.
Video directed by Nathan Cox in Los Angeles
.
Additional musicians
Additional personnel
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Rasmus
The Rasmus
The Rasmus are a Finnish rock band that formed in 1995 in Helsinki while the band members were still in upper comprehensive school. The original band members were Lauri Ylönen , Eero Heinonen , Pauli Rantasalmi and Janne Heiskanen...
. It was released in 2004 in the US, UK and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Their previous album, Into
Into (album)
Into is the fourth studio album by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus , and the first studio album to be released under the name "The Rasmus". It was originally released on October 29, 2001 by Playground Music.It is the band's first studio album with their new drummer Aki Hakala, who replaced Janne...
, had been a success in some parts of Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Germany, but Dead Letters signified the band's major break-through. "Dead Letters" received 8 gold and 6 platinum Awards, while "In the Shadows" received 6 gold and 2 platinum awards. "In the Shadows" which sold over 1 million copies reached historically number one on the list of Finnish compositions earning performance royalties abroad and so overtakes the works of Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
.
Making of the album
The Rasmus recorded Dead Letters in June–December 2002 at Nord Studios in Sweden, reuniting with Mikael Nord Andersen and Martin Hansen, who had produced their Scandinavian hit album Into.Lead singer Lauri Ylönen
Lauri Ylönen
Lauri Ylönen is the frontman of the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus.-Early days:Ylönen was born and grew up in Helsinki. He learned to play the piano when he was five years old, and later learned to play guitar and drums...
has explained the title of the album on the band's website. "Each song is a letter to somebody. It could be an apology, confession or cry out for help". On the back side of the album booklet there is a quote:
Chart success
It was released in Europe in early 2003 and sold 1.5 million copies worldwide. It reached the top of the album charts in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
as well as in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, where it stayed in the Top 20 Album chart for over a year. Dead Letters was the first of the band's albums to be released in the UK and was in the Top 50 bestselling albums of 2004.
Its European success led to the release of the album in other parts of the world. Dead Letters and its first single "In the Shadows" both reached the Top 50 of the Australian ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
charts in 2004. It has also reached the Top 20 of the American Billboard Heatseeker charts. Dead Letters received several gold and platinum awards and the band won five Emma Awards (Best Group, Best Album, Best Video (In My Life), Best Artist, Export Emma).
Their most popular single was "In the Shadows", gaining Top 10 chart placings in eleven countries.
Critical response
Allmusic rated the album 3 stars out of 5. The review said "This Finnish group is more than capable of presenting dark and moody yet very finely tuned rock songs". It rated the best tracks as "Time to Burn", "Not Like the Other Girls" and the re-recording of "F-F-F-FallingF-F-F-Falling
"F-F-F-Falling" is a song by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fourth album Into on October 29, 2001.The single was released on April 2, 2001 by the record label Playground Music...
", of which the original version appears on the Into
Into (album)
Into is the fourth studio album by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus , and the first studio album to be released under the name "The Rasmus". It was originally released on October 29, 2001 by Playground Music.It is the band's first studio album with their new drummer Aki Hakala, who replaced Janne...
album, and was added to the UK release as a bonus track.
Track listing
All tracks by The RasmusThe Rasmus
The Rasmus are a Finnish rock band that formed in 1995 in Helsinki while the band members were still in upper comprehensive school. The original band members were Lauri Ylönen , Eero Heinonen , Pauli Rantasalmi and Janne Heiskanen...
- "First Day of My LifeFirst Day of My Life (The Rasmus song)"First Day of My Life" is a song by the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003....
" – 3:42 - "In the ShadowsIn the Shadows (song)-Revamped version:Siiri Nordin from the Finnish band Killer collaborates on the revamped version of "In the Shadows".-Peak positions:-End of year charts:-Certifications:-External links:* *...
" – 4:08 - "Still Standing" – 3:27
- "In My LifeIn My Life (The Rasmus song)"In My Life" is a song by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on March 21, 2003....
" - 4:01 - "Time to Burn" – 4:32
- "GuiltyGuilty (The Rasmus song)"Guilty" is a song by the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on March 21, 2003....
" – 3:40 - "Not Like the Other Girls" - 5:43
- "The One I Love" – 3:14
- "Back in the Picture" – 3:41
- "Funeral SongFuneral Song"Funeral Song " is a power ballad by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003. It was a number-two hit on the Finnish singles chart.The single was released on 25 April 2004 by the record label Playground Music Scandinavia...
" – 3:17
China/Taiwanese Limited Edition Bonus VCD
- "In the Shadows (Original Version)" - Video
- "In the Shadows (European Version)" - Video
- "In the Shadows (American Version)" - Video
- "First Day of My Life" - Video
- "Funeral Song" - Video
- "In My Life" - Video
- "Epk (Interview)
Dead Letters Finnish Edition
- "First Day of My LifeFirst Day of My Life (The Rasmus song)"First Day of My Life" is a song by the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003....
" (US Remix) – 3:44 - "In the ShadowsIn the Shadows (song)-Revamped version:Siiri Nordin from the Finnish band Killer collaborates on the revamped version of "In the Shadows".-Peak positions:-End of year charts:-Certifications:-External links:* *...
" – 4:05 - "Still Standing" – 3:31
- "In My LifeIn My Life (The Rasmus song)"In My Life" is a song by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on March 21, 2003....
" - 4:01 - "Time to Burn" – 4:32
- "GuiltyGuilty (The Rasmus song)"Guilty" is a song by the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on March 21, 2003....
" (US Remix) – 3:41 - "Not Like the Other Girls" - 5:43
- "The One I Love" (US Remix) – 3:15
- "Back in the Picture" – 3:41
- "Funeral SongFuneral Song"Funeral Song " is a power ballad by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003. It was a number-two hit on the Finnish singles chart.The single was released on 25 April 2004 by the record label Playground Music Scandinavia...
" – 3:17 - "F-F-F Falling" (Us Remix)- 3:52
- "If You Ever" - 3:48
- "What Ever" - 3:11
Bonus CD
- "Everything You Say" - 2:48
- "In The Shadows (Meadows Remix)" - 4:38
- "In The Shadows (video - Nordic Version)"
- "In The Shadows (Making of video - Nordic Version)"
- "The Rasmus Computer Stuff:
- Screensavers
- Desktops
- Photo Gallery
- Extra Video Material
Italian Edition Bonus DVD
- "First Day Of My Life" (Us Remix)
- "In The Shadows"
- "Still Standing"
- "In My Life"
- "Time To Burn"
- "Guilty" (Us Remix)
- "Not Like The Other Girls"
- "The One I Love" (Us Remix)
- "Back In The Picture"
- "Funeral Song"
- "If You Ever"
- "Everything You Say"
- "What Ever"
- "Since You've Been Gone"
- "First Day Of My Life (Acoustic Demo)"
DVD
- "In The Shadows (Nordic Version - Video)"
- "In My Life" (Video)
- "First Day Of My Life" (Video)
B-sides, outtakes and non-album tracks
| Song | Releases |
|---|---|
| "What Ever" | B-Side of "In My Life In My Life (The Rasmus song) "In My Life" is a song by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on March 21, 2003.... " |
| "Since You've Been Gone" | B-Side of "First Day of My Life First Day of My Life (The Rasmus song) "First Day of My Life" is a song by the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003.... " UK Edition |
| "Everything You Say" | B-Side of "Funeral Song Funeral Song "Funeral Song " is a power ballad by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003. It was a number-two hit on the Finnish singles chart.The single was released on 25 April 2004 by the record label Playground Music Scandinavia... " |
| "If You Ever" | B-Side of "Funeral Song Funeral Song "Funeral Song " is a power ballad by the Finnish rock band The Rasmus, originally released on the band's fifth album Dead Letters on 21 March 2003. It was a number-two hit on the Finnish singles chart.The single was released on 25 April 2004 by the record label Playground Music Scandinavia... " |
Release history
A list of countries and the date when the album was released.| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
26 November 2003 |
| Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
5 January 2004 |
| U.S. United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... /UK United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
22 March 2004 |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Early 2004 |
| Taiwan Taiwan Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... |
June 2004 |
Music videos
- In the Shadows - Finnish "Bandit" version (2003)
Video directed by Finn Andersson for Film Magica Oy in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
- In My Life (2003)
Video directed by Niklas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film
Baranga Film
Baranga Film was a Swedish film company, owned by two music video and commercial directors, Niclas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg . They produced commercials, short movies and motion pictures...
/Topaz.
- In the Shadows - European "Crow" version (2003)
Video directed by Niklas Fronda & Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
- First Day of My Life (2003)
Video directed by Sven Bollinger and produced by Volker Steinmetz (Erste Liebe Filmproduktion) in Lausitzring
EuroSpeedway Lausitz
The EuroSpeedway Lausitz is a race track located near Klettwitz in the state of Brandenburg in Eastern Germany, near the borders of Poland and the Czech Republic...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
- In the Shadows - US/UK "Mirror" version (2004)
Video directed by Philipp Stöltzl in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
- Funeral Song (The Resurrection) (2004)
Video directed by Niklas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg, Baranga Film
Baranga Film
Baranga Film was a Swedish film company, owned by two music video and commercial directors, Niclas Fronda and Fredrik Löfberg . They produced commercials, short movies and motion pictures...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
- Guilty (2004)
Video directed by Nathan Cox in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Personnel
The Rasmus- Lauri YlönenLauri YlönenLauri Ylönen is the frontman of the Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus.-Early days:Ylönen was born and grew up in Helsinki. He learned to play the piano when he was five years old, and later learned to play guitar and drums...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Pauli Rantasalmi – GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Eero Heinonen – BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Aki Hakala – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional musicians
- Rutger Gunnarson – StringsStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
- Ylva Nilsson, Håkan Westlund and Anna Wallgreen – CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
s - Jörgen Ingeström – Additional keyboards
Additional personnel
- Mikael Nord and Martin Hansen – ProducingRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, ProgrammingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and Additional sounds - George Marino – MasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Lars Tengroth – A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
- Seppo Vesterinen – Business managementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
- Dina Hovsepian – DesignPage layoutPage layout is the part of graphic design that deals in the arrangement and style treatment of elements on a page.- History and development :...
- Henrik Walse – LogoLogoA logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
- Henrik Walse and Nela Koenig – Photos
External links
- Dead Letters on Playground MusicPlayground Music ScandinaviaPlayground Music Scandinavia AB is a Scandinavian based record label and is currently owned by Jonas Sjöström....
- Dead Letters review at Allmusic