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Embrace (UK band)
Encyclopedia
Embrace are an English
post-Britpop
band from Bailiff Bridge
, Brighouse
, West Yorkshire
. To date they have released five studio album
s, one singles
album and one B-sides
compilation
. The band consists of brothers singer Danny McNamara
and guitarist
Richard McNamara
, bassist
Steve Firth
, keyboardist
Mickey Dale
, and drummer
Mike Heaton
. The group have released five studio albums – The Good Will Out
(1998), Drawn from Memory
(2000), If You've Never Been
(2001), Out of Nothing
(2004) and This New Day
(2006) – with a sixth in the works, expected to be released sometime in 2012, six years since their last studio release.
was added. After various auditions, the current drummer was settled upon. A period of consolidation of songs and writing of new ones followed, but no gigs took place until their official outing as Embrace in 1993. Once playing at concerts began, the band recorded a three track demo
in a recording studio
in Huddersfield
which was sold at concerts. By 1994, Steve Firth replaced the outgoing bassist. A single
, "All You Good Good People" was released in February 1997 on Fierce Panda Records
.
releases (including "Fireworks EP" and "One Big Family EP
"), their debut album The Good Will Out
was released on 8 June 1998 and went to number 1 in the UK Albums Chart
.
In 27 March 2000 the band released Drawn from Memory
, which reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart. However sales of their second album were stagnant, although the album was supported by an acclaimed tour, during which they were supported by then-fledgling Coldplay
. Afterwards they recorded their third studio album If You've Never Been
, which was released on 3 September 2001. The album reached number 9 in the UK chart and was once again supported by an international tour, covering Europe, US and Australia.
Although the two albums were critically acclaimed their sales however were disappointing by comparison to the first album. Thus the band were dropped by EMI Virgin's Hut Records
in 2002.
label and produced a successful comeback album Out of Nothing
, which reached number one in the UK in 2004. The 'comeback' single that preceded this album was "Gravity", which had been written by Coldplay's Chris Martin
. Danny McNamara and Martin had become friends after Coldplay had supported Embrace in 2000 in Blackpool
. The single was a hit, charting at number seven in the UK Singles Chart
. Coldplay have since re-recorded "Gravity" as a B-side
for their single "Talk
".
In October 2005, the band released their first b-side compilation, called Dry Kids: B-Sides 1997–2005, featuring b-sides from their previous album and including many fan-favourites such as "Blind" and a live rendition of D12
's "How Come
".
The band's fifth studio album, This New Day
was released on 27 March 2006, with the single "Nature's Law
" being released the week before. The album has been seen as a 'fresh start' by the band, with a new songwriting process in place, seeing the whole band contributing to the songs, after the writing partnership the McNamara brothers had previously enjoyed. This new technique saw the band at its most productive, recording twenty four songs in nine days. The first single entered the charts at number two, providing them with their biggest hit. This New Day went straight into the charts at number one and became their third chart topping album in the UK.
The band played a new song live, "Heart and Soul", which was expected to appear on their sixth album. A live version of "Heart and Soul" is a B-side to "I Can't Come Down
". Danny McNamara claimed the band was not to split at the Hammersmith Apollo
two days later, and then during each gig of their national tour, he repeated the statement.
Mickey Dale's side project Talk To Angels played CMJ in New York City in October 2008 and an Obama election night show in Austin, Texas. They appeared in 2009 at SXSW Austin, Texas for the first 'Yorkshire Showcase', at the British Music Embassy, and at Latitude.
Mike Heaton opened several years ago his own drum school, based in Squirrel Studios, offering private drum lessons to aspiring drummers and he also mentors a number of young bands in the North Yorkshire area.
official football World Cup 2006
song, "World At Your Feet
," which received its first radio airplay
on 21 April 2006 on BBC Radio 1
. It was released on 5 June 2006, and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 3, despite selling more copies than "Nature's Law
".
rap song "How Come
". Notably Embrace also covered Bob Dorough
's Three Is a Magic Number
on the b-side of I Wouldn't Wanna Happen to You
. The band have also made available two other 'Christmas' cover versions of the traditional song 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire' and I Believe in Father Christmas
by Greg Lake
both of which were available from the bands website.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
post-Britpop
Post-Britpop
Post-Britpop is a sub-genre of British alternative rock, made up of bands that emerged from the late 1990s and early 2000s in the aftermath of Britpop, influenced by acts like Pulp, Oasis and Blur, but with less overtly British concerns in their lyrics and making more use of American rock...
band from Bailiff Bridge
Bailiff Bridge
Bailiff Bridge is a village north of Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England and from Huddersfield and from Bradford.The village is served by the A641 main road which connects it to the nearby towns and cities.-History:...
, Brighouse
Brighouse
Brighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. To date they have released five studio album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s, one singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
album and one B-sides
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
. The band consists of brothers singer Danny McNamara
Danny McNamara
Danny McNamara is the lead singer of English band Embrace.-Early years:...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Richard McNamara
Richard McNamara
Richard McNamara is the guitarist for the English band Embrace. He and his older brother, Danny, grew up in the village of Bailiff Bridge, near Bradford, in West Yorkshire....
, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Steve Firth
Steve Firth
Steve Firth is the bass player for the English band Embrace.He studied art at Liverpool University, and also completed a psychology degree....
, keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Mickey Dale
Mickey Dale
Mickey Dale is the keyboardist for the English rock band, Embrace. He grew up in the Heaton area of Bradford, West Yorkshire....
, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Mike Heaton
Mike Heaton
Mike Heaton is the drummer for the English rock band Embrace. Heaton is from Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire.He is nicknamed 'Besty' after the original drummer of The Beatles, Pete Best....
. The group have released five studio albums – The Good Will Out
The Good Will Out
The Good Will Out is the debut album by English rock band Embrace, first released in 1998 .The album achieved critical acclaim as well as success in terms of sales, going gold on its first day of release, becoming one of the fastest-ever-selling debut albums by a British artist, and going on to...
(1998), Drawn from Memory
Drawn from Memory
-Track listing:-Musicians:* Mickey Dale - Keyboards, String arrangements, Guitar* Steve Firth - Bass* Mike Heaton - Drums, Percussion, Loops, Clarinet* Danny McNamara - Vocals, Guitar* Richard McNamara - Guitar, Vocals, Kazoo, Decks, Percussion and Loops...
(2000), If You've Never Been
If You've Never Been
If You've Never Been is the third studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 3 September 2001 through Hut. It reached number nine on the official UK charts one year after the band's second album, Drawn from Memory, reached number eight.-Track listing:-Charts:-Personnel:* Danny...
(2001), Out of Nothing
Out of Nothing
Out of Nothing is the fourth studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 13 September 2004 through Independiente Records. It went straight in at number one on the official UK charts, going double platinum, selling more than 600,000 copies in the UK, making it their best selling...
(2004) and This New Day
This New Day
This New Day is the fifth album by English rock band Embrace, released 27 March 2006 . It was preceded by the release of the single, "Nature's Law", and went straight to number 1 in the UK Albums Chart. The single and album were enough to earn the band the distinction of performing "World At Your...
(2006) – with a sixth in the works, expected to be released sometime in 2012, six years since their last studio release.
Origins and formation: 1990-1997
The band was begun in a small outbuilding at the bottom of a garden in Bailiff Bridge in 1990. A bass player joined the McNamara brothers, Richard playing guitar and Danny singing (into an upturned broomstick at the early stages). The three of them started creating songs, with the aid of a cassette recorder, and soon a drum machineDrum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
was added. After various auditions, the current drummer was settled upon. A period of consolidation of songs and writing of new ones followed, but no gigs took place until their official outing as Embrace in 1993. Once playing at concerts began, the band recorded a three track demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
in a recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
which was sold at concerts. By 1994, Steve Firth replaced the outgoing bassist. A single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "All You Good Good People" was released in February 1997 on Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records
Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label, with its first release in February 1994. It also produced a small number of releases that year by now famous artists such as Ash, The Bluetones, Baby Bird and Supergrass...
.
Early years: 1998-2002
After building a following through their EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
releases (including "Fireworks EP" and "One Big Family EP
One Big Family EP
"One Big Family" was the second chart single from English band Embrace, from their debut album 'The Good Will Out'. It narrowly missed the top 20, peaking at 21...
"), their debut album The Good Will Out
The Good Will Out
The Good Will Out is the debut album by English rock band Embrace, first released in 1998 .The album achieved critical acclaim as well as success in terms of sales, going gold on its first day of release, becoming one of the fastest-ever-selling debut albums by a British artist, and going on to...
was released on 8 June 1998 and went to number 1 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
In 27 March 2000 the band released Drawn from Memory
Drawn from Memory
-Track listing:-Musicians:* Mickey Dale - Keyboards, String arrangements, Guitar* Steve Firth - Bass* Mike Heaton - Drums, Percussion, Loops, Clarinet* Danny McNamara - Vocals, Guitar* Richard McNamara - Guitar, Vocals, Kazoo, Decks, Percussion and Loops...
, which reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart. However sales of their second album were stagnant, although the album was supported by an acclaimed tour, during which they were supported by then-fledgling Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
. Afterwards they recorded their third studio album If You've Never Been
If You've Never Been
If You've Never Been is the third studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 3 September 2001 through Hut. It reached number nine on the official UK charts one year after the band's second album, Drawn from Memory, reached number eight.-Track listing:-Charts:-Personnel:* Danny...
, which was released on 3 September 2001. The album reached number 9 in the UK chart and was once again supported by an international tour, covering Europe, US and Australia.
Although the two albums were critically acclaimed their sales however were disappointing by comparison to the first album. Thus the band were dropped by EMI Virgin's Hut Records
Hut Records
VC Recordings trading as Hut Records was a British record label brand which was started in 1990 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Virgin Records...
in 2002.
Comeback: 2003-2006
They were signed by Andy McDonald to his Independiente RecordsIndependiente Records
Independiente is a record label formed in 1997 after Andy MacDonald sold Go! Discs Records to PolyGram in 1996 for a reported £30 million. In the UK, the label is distributed Vital PIAS....
label and produced a successful comeback album Out of Nothing
Out of Nothing
Out of Nothing is the fourth studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 13 September 2004 through Independiente Records. It went straight in at number one on the official UK charts, going double platinum, selling more than 600,000 copies in the UK, making it their best selling...
, which reached number one in the UK in 2004. The 'comeback' single that preceded this album was "Gravity", which had been written by Coldplay's Chris Martin
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John "Chris" Martin is an English song-writer, who is the lead vocalist, pianist and rhythm guitarist of the band Coldplay. He is married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow.-Early life:...
. Danny McNamara and Martin had become friends after Coldplay had supported Embrace in 2000 in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
. The single was a hit, charting at number seven in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Coldplay have since re-recorded "Gravity" as a B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
for their single "Talk
Talk (song)
"Talk" is a song by the British alternative rock band Coldplay. Built around a motif from Kraftwerk's 1981 song "Computer Love", it was written by all members of the band and appeared on their third album, X&Y...
".
In October 2005, the band released their first b-side compilation, called Dry Kids: B-Sides 1997–2005, featuring b-sides from their previous album and including many fan-favourites such as "Blind" and a live rendition of D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
's "How Come
How Come
"How Come" is a 2004 rap single by the rap group D12. It is the second single from their second album D12 World. The song is about the tenuous relationship between the members of D12 There have been speculations that this song is about rapper Royce Da 5'9". However Royce Da 5'9" has stated he...
".
The band's fifth studio album, This New Day
This New Day
This New Day is the fifth album by English rock band Embrace, released 27 March 2006 . It was preceded by the release of the single, "Nature's Law", and went straight to number 1 in the UK Albums Chart. The single and album were enough to earn the band the distinction of performing "World At Your...
was released on 27 March 2006, with the single "Nature's Law
Nature's Law
"Nature's Law" is a song by English band Embrace and is featured on their fifth album, This New Day. It was released 20 March 2006 as the lead single from the album, charting at number two in the UK Singles Chart, the band's highest chart entry to date .-Track listing:7" ISOM103S# "Nature's Law" -...
" being released the week before. The album has been seen as a 'fresh start' by the band, with a new songwriting process in place, seeing the whole band contributing to the songs, after the writing partnership the McNamara brothers had previously enjoyed. This new technique saw the band at its most productive, recording twenty four songs in nine days. The first single entered the charts at number two, providing them with their biggest hit. This New Day went straight into the charts at number one and became their third chart topping album in the UK.
I Can't Come Down
"I Can't Come Down" is a song by British rock band Embrace and the fourth and final single from their number-one selling album, This New Day. It was released on 4 December 2006 as the follow-up to "Target". The B-sides included various versions of "I Can't Come Down", "Contender" and a live...
". Danny McNamara claimed the band was not to split at the Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
two days later, and then during each gig of their national tour, he repeated the statement.
Hiatus: 2007-2010
However, contrary to Danny's statements the band was on break through much of 2007 to 2010, abandoning any studio work and instead bandmembers focused on solo projects.Mickey Dale's side project Talk To Angels played CMJ in New York City in October 2008 and an Obama election night show in Austin, Texas. They appeared in 2009 at SXSW Austin, Texas for the first 'Yorkshire Showcase', at the British Music Embassy, and at Latitude.
Mike Heaton opened several years ago his own drum school, based in Squirrel Studios, offering private drum lessons to aspiring drummers and he also mentors a number of young bands in the North Yorkshire area.
New album: 2011-present
In an interview with Danny McNamara the band is recording their sixth album. "We're about three quarters of the way through the writing process," said McNamara. "We've got eight really killer songs. I want to get to 12 or 15 before we start recording. Musically it's more inventive than what we've done before. We're champing at the bit to get back."In other media
In March 2006, Embrace were chosen to record England'sEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
official football World Cup 2006
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
song, "World At Your Feet
World at Your Feet
"World at Your Feet" is a song by English rock band Embrace, and is featured on the re-released version of their album This New Day. It was the official song of the England World Cup squad in the 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign, and was released on 5 June 2006 . Singer Danny McNamara told the NME:...
," which received its first radio airplay
Airplay
* Airplay is the amount of time a song is played on the radio.It may also refer to:* AirPlay, an audio & video streaming technology from Apple Inc.* Airplay , Foster & Graydon music project from 1980* Citroën C1, Citroën C1 Airplay...
on 21 April 2006 on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. It was released on 5 June 2006, and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 3, despite selling more copies than "Nature's Law
Nature's Law
"Nature's Law" is a song by English band Embrace and is featured on their fifth album, This New Day. It was released 20 March 2006 as the lead single from the album, charting at number two in the UK Singles Chart, the band's highest chart entry to date .-Track listing:7" ISOM103S# "Nature's Law" -...
".
Covers
On Radio 1's Live Lounge, Embrace recorded a slower more melodic version of the D12D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
rap song "How Come
How Come
"How Come" is a 2004 rap single by the rap group D12. It is the second single from their second album D12 World. The song is about the tenuous relationship between the members of D12 There have been speculations that this song is about rapper Royce Da 5'9". However Royce Da 5'9" has stated he...
". Notably Embrace also covered Bob Dorough
Bob Dorough
Bob Dorough is an American bebop and cool jazz pianist, composer and vocalese singer.He worked with Miles Davis and Allen Ginsberg, and his adventurous style was an influence on Mose Allison, among other singers...
's Three Is a Magic Number
Three Is a Magic Number
"Three Is a Magic Number" is the pilot episode of the Schoolhouse Rock! series and the first episode of the program's first season, "Multiplication Rock."...
on the b-side of I Wouldn't Wanna Happen to You
I Wouldn't Wanna Happen to You
"I Wouldn't Wanna Happen to You" is a song by Embrace, released as the fourth single from their second studio album Drawn From Memory. There are two different versions of the song...
. The band have also made available two other 'Christmas' cover versions of the traditional song 'Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire' and I Believe in Father Christmas
I Believe in Father Christmas
"I Believe In Father Christmas" is a song by Greg Lake , with lyrics by Peter Sinfield.Although it is often categorised as a Christmas song this was not Lake's intention...
by Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
both of which were available from the bands website.
Discography
- The Good Will OutThe Good Will OutThe Good Will Out is the debut album by English rock band Embrace, first released in 1998 .The album achieved critical acclaim as well as success in terms of sales, going gold on its first day of release, becoming one of the fastest-ever-selling debut albums by a British artist, and going on to...
(1998) - Drawn from MemoryDrawn from Memory-Track listing:-Musicians:* Mickey Dale - Keyboards, String arrangements, Guitar* Steve Firth - Bass* Mike Heaton - Drums, Percussion, Loops, Clarinet* Danny McNamara - Vocals, Guitar* Richard McNamara - Guitar, Vocals, Kazoo, Decks, Percussion and Loops...
(2000) - If You've Never BeenIf You've Never BeenIf You've Never Been is the third studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 3 September 2001 through Hut. It reached number nine on the official UK charts one year after the band's second album, Drawn from Memory, reached number eight.-Track listing:-Charts:-Personnel:* Danny...
(2001) - Out of NothingOut of NothingOut of Nothing is the fourth studio album by English rock band Embrace. It was released on 13 September 2004 through Independiente Records. It went straight in at number one on the official UK charts, going double platinum, selling more than 600,000 copies in the UK, making it their best selling...
(2004) - Dry KidsDry Kids: B-Sides 1997-2005Dry Kids: B-sides 1997-2005 is a compilation album of b-sides by English band Embrace, released on 31 October 2005. It features 18 tracks from singles and EPs across their entire career, including a version of "Blind", an early live favourite which was omitted from their debut album The Good Will...
(2005) - This New DayThis New DayThis New Day is the fifth album by English rock band Embrace, released 27 March 2006 . It was preceded by the release of the single, "Nature's Law", and went straight to number 1 in the UK Albums Chart. The single and album were enough to earn the band the distinction of performing "World At Your...
(2006)