Like Drawing Blood is the second 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...

 by Gotye

Gotye

Wouter "Wally" De Backer , also known professionally by his stage name Gotye , is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter. He has released three studio albums independently and one remix album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums...

. All the sounds on the album were collected and assembled or performed by Wally De Backer in bedrooms around Melbourne between 2003 and 2005, and the record was mixed and mastered by Franc Tetaz (Wolf Creek

Wolf Creek (film)

Wolf Creek is a 2005 independent Australian horror film written, co-produced and directed by Greg McLean. The story revolves around three backpackers who find themselves held captive by a serial killer in the Australian outback...

soundtrack, Machine Translations

Machine Translations

Machine Translations is the recording and touring name of J Walker, an Australian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. J Walker started out recording all instruments himself in a home studio, but has now branched out to include a band in his recent works...

, Architecture in Helsinki

Architecture in Helsinki

Architecture in Helsinki is an Australian indie pop band which consists of Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland...

). It was featured heavily by Triple J

Triple J

triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...

 in May 2006 and nominated for a J Award

J Award

The J Award is an award given by influential Australian youth radio station Triple J to Australian Album of the Year. It is judged by a panel of members of the music industry, led by Richard Kingsmill...

, which, although it didn't win, lent the album considerable publicity.

Two songs from Like Drawing Blood rated in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2006

Triple J Hottest 100, 2006

The 2006 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2007. It is the fourteenth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as voted by listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J....

: "Heart's a Mess" at #8, and "Learnalilgivinanlovin" at #94. Like Drawing Blood also received the number 1 spot on the 2006 Triple J Album Poll for best album of the year, as voted by Triple J listeners.

Like Drawing Blood has also received the number 11 spot on the 2011 Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time, as voted by the Triple J listeners.

Track listing

1. "Like Drawing Blood" – 0:21
2. "The Only Way" – 4:49
3. "Heart's a Mess" – 6:06
4. "Coming Back" – 6:53
5. "Thanks for Your Time" – 4:18
6. "Learnalilgivinanlovin" – 2:49
7. "Puzzle with a Piece Missing" – 5:40
8. "A Distinctive Sound" – 6:17
9. "Seven Hours with a Backseat Driver" – 4:44
10. "Night Drive" – 5:10
11. "Worn Out Blues" – 0:38

Reception

The album has been critically acclaimed by fans and professional critics. Andrew Drever of The Age said of the album that "De Backer bravely tackles a mind-boggling array of musical styles with conviction and flair...That he never once missteps, pulling off every musical style he attempts with aplomb and skill, highlights the arrival of an important new talent." Pitchfork described the album as "full of dark pop, produced with an open clarity that separates the numerous sounds and consequently comes off as huge and sweeping...Like Drawing Blood is memorable and captivating." PopMatters gave the album a favourable review, stating that "Like Drawing Blood plays as a remarkably consistent, high quality electronic mix album, with thoughtful song/song transitions and a sustained, easily established mood."

Appearances in media

• "Heart's a Mess" from Like Drawing Blood was featured in the 23rd episode entitled "The Wrath of Con" of the second season of the CW
  The CW Television Network
  The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
  
   TV show Gossip Girl
  Gossip Girl
  Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite...
  
  .
• "Learnalilgivinanlovin'" appears in the end credits of the 2010 film Going the Distance
  Going the Distance (2010 film)
  Going the Distance is a 2010 romantic comedy film directed by Nanette Burstein, and starring Justin Long and Drew Barrymore. The movie began filming in New York City in July 2009, and was released on September 3, 2010.-Plot:...
  
  .

Credits

• Wally De Backer – writing, production, performance, artwork
• Jacob Uljans – vocal recording on "Thanks for Your Time"
• Lucas Taranto – bass guitar on "Coming Back"
• Francois Tetaz – mixing, mastering, additional production
• Tim Shiel – album layout

Chart performance

Chart (2006/11)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...	13