Primary Colours (album)
Encyclopedia
Primary Colours is the second studio album
by British post-punk revival
band The Horrors
. It was released in the US on 21 April 2009, and in the UK on 4 May 2009 by XL Recordings
. The album charted on the UK Albums Chart
at #25. According to aggregating website Metacritic
, the record was met with "universal critical acclaim", receiving a normalised
score of 82% based on 19 reviews. On 21 July 2009, the album was announced as one of the twelve albums shortlisted for the year's Mercury Prize
award. Primary Colours was named the best album of the year by NME
.
of Portishead, Craig Silvey
, and music video director Chris Cunningham
. Recording took place in Bath during the summer of 2008. The band signed to XL Recordings
after they left Loog Records
in 2007. Of the studio time, band member Rhys "Spider" Webb commented: "We had such an amazing time working on it, writing it and getting lost in it...we'd wander into the studio, and then never want to leave."
Prior to the album's release, the band released a cover of Suicide
's "Shadazz" on a split single released by Blast First Petite as part of their tribute to Alan Vega
in October 2008. On 17 March 2009, the 8-minute music video for "Sea Within a Sea
", directed by former The Jesus and Mary Chain
bassist Douglas Hart
, was posted on the band's website. The song was released as a digital download-only single, and full details of Primary Colours also surfaced. Following the album's release, the single "Who Can Say
" was released on 7" vinyl.
In a preview article, music journalist Mike Diver commented that the album is "set to be one of the year's best" and that it was "wholly worth all the hype that's attracted to its unexpected brilliance."
Japan-only bonus tracks
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British post-punk revival
Post-punk revival
The post-punk revival was a development in alternative rock of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in which bands took inspiration from the original sounds and aesthetics of garage rock of the 1960s and post-punk and New Wave of the late 1970s...
band The Horrors
The Horrors
The Horrors are an English band from Southend on Sea, formed in 2005. Their debut Strange House, was released in 2007 and reached number thirty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, their second album Primary Colours was released in 2009 and peaked at number 25 in the UK...
. It was released in the US on 21 April 2009, and in the UK on 4 May 2009 by XL Recordings
XL Recordings
XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
. The album charted on 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...
at #25. According to aggregating website Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the record was met with "universal critical acclaim", receiving a normalised
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
score of 82% based on 19 reviews. On 21 July 2009, the album was announced as one of the twelve albums shortlisted for the year's Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
award. Primary Colours was named the best album of the year by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
.
Album history
At the end of 2007, The Horrors announced the forthcoming recording of a new album. The album was produced by Geoff BarrowGeoff Barrow
Geoffrey Paul Barrow is the producer, disc jockey, and instrumentalist for Portishead.Portishead—formed in 1991—was named after the small town near Bristol where Barrow grew up...
of Portishead, Craig Silvey
Craig Silvey (producer)
-Early Career:Craig Silvey began his career as an engineer at Skywalker Sound working and training under producer/inventor George Massenburg and working with contemporary classical act Kronos Quartet...
, and music video director Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham is an English music video film director and video artist. He was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1970 and grew up in Lakenheath, Suffolk....
. Recording took place in Bath during the summer of 2008. The band signed to XL Recordings
XL Recordings
XL Recordings is a British independent record label owned by Richard Russell. It originated as a 1989 offshoot of Beggars Banquet Records.Though only releasing an average of six albums a year, XL Recordings has worked with The Prodigy, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A., Vampire...
after they left Loog Records
Loog Records
Loog Records is a British independent record label. Loog was created by former NME editor James Oldham in 2003. It is named after former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham...
in 2007. Of the studio time, band member Rhys "Spider" Webb commented: "We had such an amazing time working on it, writing it and getting lost in it...we'd wander into the studio, and then never want to leave."
Prior to the album's release, the band released a cover of Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
's "Shadazz" on a split single released by Blast First Petite as part of their tribute to Alan Vega
Alan Vega
Alan Vega For several years other sources stated that he was born in 1948 – see 'Myth' section is an American vocalist, primarily known for his work with electronic protopunk duo, Suicide...
in October 2008. On 17 March 2009, the 8-minute music video for "Sea Within a Sea
Sea Within a Sea
"Sea Within a Sea" is the first single from UK band The Horrors' second album Primary Colours. First released online on March 17, 2009 after a week-long countdown on the band's website, the song is notable for its nearly eight-minute length and for not featuring any definable chorus or refrain...
", directed by former The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
bassist Douglas Hart
Douglas Hart
Douglas Hart is a British musician and music video director.-Biography:Hart was the first bassist and founding member of the Scottish band The Jesus and Mary Chain, and played with the group from 1984 to 1991...
, was posted on the band's website. The song was released as a digital download-only single, and full details of Primary Colours also surfaced. Following the album's release, the single "Who Can Say
Who Can Say
"Who Can Say" is the second single released from The Horrors' second album Primary Colours. The single followed the album's release on 7" vinyl on May 11, 2009. The song's lyrics feature a spoken excerpt from the Jay and the Americans 1962 single "She Cried"....
" was released on 7" vinyl.
In a preview article, music journalist Mike Diver commented that the album is "set to be one of the year's best" and that it was "wholly worth all the hype that's attracted to its unexpected brilliance."
Track listing
- "Mirror's ImageMirror's Image-Music video:The music video for "Mirror's Image" is directed by Nicky "Weirdcore" Smith. The beginning shows the bassist Rhys Webb playing in front and on a green screen that has flowers and butterflies in motion...
" – 4:51 - "Three Decades" – 2:50
- "Who Can SayWho Can Say"Who Can Say" is the second single released from The Horrors' second album Primary Colours. The single followed the album's release on 7" vinyl on May 11, 2009. The song's lyrics feature a spoken excerpt from the Jay and the Americans 1962 single "She Cried"....
" – 3:41 - "Do You Remember" – 3:28
- "New Ice Age" – 4:25
- "Scarlet Fields" – 4:43
- "I Only Think of You" – 7:07
- "I Can't Control Myself" – 3:28
- "Primary Colours" – 3:02
- "Sea Within a SeaSea Within a Sea"Sea Within a Sea" is the first single from UK band The Horrors' second album Primary Colours. First released online on March 17, 2009 after a week-long countdown on the band's website, the song is notable for its nearly eight-minute length and for not featuring any definable chorus or refrain...
" – 7:59
Japan-only bonus tracks
- "You Could Never Tell" – 3:30
- "Whole New WayWhole New Way"Whole New Way" is a non-album single by English rock group The Horrors. The single mix was released as a 7" vinyl and digital single on 4 October 2009, along with "Primary Colours", from the album of the same name...
" – 4:58 - "Sea Within a Sea" (enhanced video) – 8:24
Credits
- All songs written and arranged by The Horrors
- Produced, mixed, and engineered by The Horrors, Craig Silvey, and Geoff Barrow
- Tracks 2 and 9 produced by Chris Cunningham
- Artwork by Ciaran O'Shea
Chart performance
| Chart | Provider(s) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium Walloon Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
40 |
| France Physical Albums Chart | SNEP | 141 |
| UK Albums Chart British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
25 |