Tear the Signs Down
Encyclopedia
Tear the Signs Down is the third album by Wales-based band The Automatic
. It was released on 8 March 2010 in the United Kingdom, and then on 12 April 2010 for the rest of the world. Tear the Signs Down was the first album released by the band on their own Armoured Records after being splitting with B-Unique. The first single "Interstate
" was released on 6 December, with second single "Run & Hide
" released a week prior to the album itself on 1 March 2010. Third single Cannot Be Saved
was released on 20 June 2010.
on time, or promote it due to the two labels reportedly falling out the band made the decision to end their 5 album deal. After offers from various record labels the band ultimately decided to set up their own record label Armoured Records giving the band complete creative control, yet the ability to reach a mass audience with EMI
contracted to distribute the album. After a final tour in November 2008 the band returned to the studio, only 4 months after the release of their album This Is A Fix.
Throughout the rest of 2008, and up until November 2009 the band worked from their Cardiff
recording studio on new material, working on around some 20 ideas, which were eventually reduced too 11 album tracks and a currently unknown amount of b-sides. After the writing and demoing stage, the band worked with Richard Jackson, who produced a number of tracks on both previous records Not Accepted Anywhere
and This Is A Fix, describing working with Richard as him 'almost being the fifth member of The Automatic.' The album was eventually recorded with Richard Jackson and Stephen Davies at Warwick Hall Studios in Cardiff, and later mixed at Buffalo Studios and Machine Rooms in Cardiff. In the studio the band worked with Nathan Stone and Carly Worsfold on tracks "Run & Hide" and "High Time", who provided string sections.
vocalist & bassist Rob Hawkins
summarised the lyrical construction of all three albums by The Automatic; with Not Accepted Anywhere being about personal experiences and growing up, This Is A Fix was largely based around news and world events, whilst Tear the Signs Down is more about story telling. Lyrically Tear the Signs Down is far more focused as opposed to This Is A Fix according to Paul Mullen. The lyrics themselves are mostly all written by Rob Hawkins and Paul Mullen, however Iwan Griffiths and James Frost also had an input if a lyric didn't sit right with all four band mates.
Rob and Paul, track by track went through Tear the Signs Down for American website randomville.com, describing the lyrical content of each song on 2 March 2010. Lead track "Insides" is described by Paul Mullen as; "the end of a relationship and the inability to cope with that fact. The build up of anger and tension so that you are ready and primed to break and destroy", and is also noted as being very different to anything the band have previously produced. The lyrics in first single "Interstate
" reflect American culture - taken from the bands experience of recording half of previous record This Is A Fix in West Hollywood, California
with Butch Walker
, the song comments on the Americans attitude described by Paul Mullen as a "sickly infectious “sweet dude” attitude they have is a great attribute, anything goes, anything can happen", he also noted the verse section of "Interstate"; "every band is allowed a song where they go “na na na” and “oh yeah” this is ours" and that they won't be doing it again. "Cannot be Saved" was penned by Rob Hawkins and is about paranoia
, described by Rob as' "You know, like in the summer when everyone seems to be on edge and it feels like it could just kick off for no reason".
The lyrics of "List" tell of how things need to go wrong sometimes in order to ultimately succeed, "It’s about experiencing a lack of your own importance in the world; about people lying to you to supposedly protect you but protect you from what? It’s about having your eyes opened you could say", "List" then leads instrumentally into second single "Run & Hide
" which Paul Mullen describes as "a feeling, a moment of being to self conscious
too let yourself go. Its about the way life can be all about seizing moments without having any guarantees, pushing through all that self-doubt and seeing what happens", similarly "High Time" penned by Mullen is about his lack of motivation
; "it’s about giving it a go. Whatever it is. Not putting it off, just fucking do it", and "Tear It Down" - the last song wrote and recorded for Tear the Signs Down is about "pulling yourself out of a bad situation, and shaping things how you want them. In that respect that’s what the last year has been for us. A process of facing up to realities, dealing with them and taking charge".
"Sweat Heat Noise" - sung by Rob is about the bands live hiatus after touring with previous album This Is A Fix in 2008; "it’s an optimistic song, it’s also about the frustration of waiting for that chance to prove yourself again". The lyrics of "Race to the Heart of the Sun" came from Rob; "I had a revelation when I was falling asleep one night, that all human progress is a series of collisions - from cavemen using clubs as tools, to sex, to war to particle accelerators, to cooking
everything. That’s what this song is about". Paul noted that the lyrics for "Can I Take You Home" came from an experience at the Egyptian Pyramids, where he saw a German woman who he shared eye contact with for a moment. "Something Else" is musically and lyrically a nod towards the bands influences.
, with the use of more synthesiser parts and three-part-vocals from Robin Hawkins, James Frost and Paul Mullen. The album will use the bands trademark pop hooks, with big choruses, whilst maintaining the bands rock edge, it is also the bands most diverse record yet, being compared to Soulwax
and The Knife
. First single "Interstate" bridges between This Is A Fix and Tear the Signs Down, with the lyrics referring to recording previous album abroad in the USA, the record as a whole has also been described as their most diverse yet. Single "Run & Hide" along with "High Time" and two interludes feature additional string instrumentalists.
" on 3 November 2009, along with the album's title "Tear the Signs Down", as well as the first radio play of "Interstate" and the free download of album bonus track "Something Else". On Soccer AM the band changed the album's release to 8 March 2010. The band's promotional company Chuff Media confirmed that the album will be released on 8 March, with second single "Run & Hide
" a week before on 1 March 2010. The album leaked onto the internet on 20 February 2010, just over 2 weeks before the release date.
The album was released digitally worldwide, with the exception of the United States on 12 April 2010, physical release is currently being arranged, as is release in the United States, under the name The Automatic after the band were cleared to use the title - unlike on their first album Not Accepted Anywhere were they were forced to release music under the title The Automatic Automatic.
, distributed by Columbia Records
in the United States and Polydor Records
everywhere else. With the release of their second album This Is a Fix
, departure of Alex Pennie and arrival of Paul Mullen
the bands sound had changed, which was something that B-Unique were not entirely happy with, as well as this record labels B-Unique and Polydor supposedly fell out leading towards This Is a Fix receiving barely any promotion.
The split itself took place in 2009, with the band giving up release plans for single "Magazines" and instead heading into the studio to work on their third album. After splitting with Polydor and B-Unique, the band had several offers from other record labels however declined with the vision of setting up their own record label, to have complete creative control over the music that they would release on their next record label. Instead of signing a record deal, the band chose a deal with EMI
to distribute Tear the Signs Down, giving the label no creative control, and setting up their own record label Armored Records.
, with BBC Radio 1
DJ's Zane Lowe
and Fearne Cotton
picking the single up throughout the following days whilst the music video for "Interstate" was premiered on the same day on Youtube, soon being added to the MTV Two playlist. "Interstate" was performed live on the 2009 Children In Need
BBC One
program on 21 November 2009. The band set off on a 12 Date UK Tour in November 2009, as well as announcing a full 26 date UK tour in 2010, with plans hinted at for touring in the United States, Europe and Australia. In December 2009 the band appeared in session on BBC Radio Wales
, were they performed acoustic versions of "Steve McQueen
", "Interstate
", a cover of "She Wolf
" and second single from Tear The Signs Down "Run & Hide". Later the band appeared on Five program Live From Studio 5, were they performed an acoustic version of "Interstate". On 19 December they made a second appearance on Sky program Soccer AM
. The band recorded a stripped down session for ITV Wales & West on 18 January 2010, which has yet to be aired. On 26 January 2010 the music video for "Run & Hide" premiered on Youtube. Another stripped down set was recorded on 23 February for Wales Online.
in Poland and Tamworth Midlands Music Festival in July and August, and then their 'comeback performance' on 19 September 2009 in their native Cardiff
at Barfly
, where they performed new material for the first time. Soon after they announced a small 10 date tour across parts of the United Kingdom, in November 2009. Prior to the November tour the full album tour was also announced, across the England, Scotland and Wales in March 2010. Three sold out London dates were at the start of the tour, at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, The Borderline and Camden
Barfly. The band have plans to tour in Europe and America at some point in 2010, as well as plans to tour with Ash
in April or May.
held high praise for the album, rating it 9/10; praising the bands development as musicians describing the lyrical content of Tear the Signs Down as "soulful, impassioned sensibility that’s equally impressive and touching" and that "Tear The Signs Down will surely stand out as one of the finest British records of the year" Kerrang magazine's
Steve Beebee noted the "slick compromise between the 2006 pop-rock debut Not Accepted Anywhere
and the rowdy, Foo Fighters-inspired edge on 2008's This Is A Fix
", likening Paul Mullen's vocals to that of Placebo's Brian Molko
, whilst disliking the bands "attempt to be arty" in track "High Time", but ultimately praising the bands determination to "keep growing".
"What's that coming over the hill, is it a monster, is it a monster? No, it's only the return of the rather pointless Welsh band" was the opening to Nick Mitchell of Scottish magazine The Skinny's review of Tear the Signs Down, calling the record "neutered punk, lobotomised indie, [and] whitewashed rock" and rating it one out of 5 stars. Sputnikmusic
's reviewer Davey Boy was also highly negative; "There really is not that much more to say about Tear The Signs Down… It is just so underwhelming and unengaging" calling it the most forgettable album of the last year "What some of these songs wouldn’t give to have Pennie squealing in the background to make them somehow memorable", rating it two out of five.
Simon Jay Catling of The Fly
compared the sound of Tear the Signs Down to that sound on Yourcodenameis:Milo
's record They Came From The Sun
, "Tear The Signs Down is a complete transformation of the four-piece’s style, and whilst the tepid High Time suggests they’re still not there yet, The Automatic are far from the indie-punk joke they were becoming." Rob Crossan of BBC
Music compared the albums style to that of the Kaiser Chiefs claiming that the band had made "an effort to break the charts rather than a statement of singular, ambitious intent", going onto call it "one of the most disappointing albums of 2010". NME reacted negatively toward the album also, giving it half marks at 5/10, claiming that the band had a lack of confidence in order to drive the album.
Additional musicians
Production
Artwork
The Automatic
The Automatic , are a Welsh rock band. The band is composed of Robin Hawkins on vocals, bass and synthesizers, James Frost on guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals and occasional bass, Iwan Griffiths on drums and Paul Mullen on vocals, guitar and synthesizer - since 2007...
. It was released on 8 March 2010 in the United Kingdom, and then on 12 April 2010 for the rest of the world. Tear the Signs Down was the first album released by the band on their own Armoured Records after being splitting with B-Unique. The first single "Interstate
Interstate (song)
Interstate is the first single from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band The Automatic. The single was released on December 6, and marks the first release through the bands own record label; Armored Records....
" was released on 6 December, with second single "Run & Hide
Run & Hide (The Automatic song)
Run & Hide is the second single taken from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh band The Automatic. The single was announced on BBC Radio Wales...
" released a week prior to the album itself on 1 March 2010. Third single Cannot Be Saved
Cannot Be Saved
Cannot Be Saved is the third single by Welsh rock band The Automatic, taken from their third album Tear the Signs Down. The single was released on 20 June 2010 as a digital download.-Composition:...
was released on 20 June 2010.
Recording and production
After record labels B-Unique and Polydor failed to release previous album This Is A FixThis Is a Fix
This Is a Fix is the second album by Wales based band The Automatic. It was released on 25 August 2008. The band worked with producer Don Gilmore in Los Angeles, but were disappointed with these sessions, and instead worked with Butch Walker at Sage and Sound Recording in Los Angeles then back in...
on time, or promote it due to the two labels reportedly falling out the band made the decision to end their 5 album deal. After offers from various record labels the band ultimately decided to set up their own record label Armoured Records giving the band complete creative control, yet the ability to reach a mass audience with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
contracted to distribute the album. After a final tour in November 2008 the band returned to the studio, only 4 months after the release of their album This Is A Fix.
Throughout the rest of 2008, and up until November 2009 the band worked from their Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
recording studio on new material, working on around some 20 ideas, which were eventually reduced too 11 album tracks and a currently unknown amount of b-sides. After the writing and demoing stage, the band worked with Richard Jackson, who produced a number of tracks on both previous records Not Accepted Anywhere
Not Accepted Anywhere
Not Accepted Anywhere is the debut album from Welsh rock band The Automatic, originally released on June 19, 2006. Working with producers Stephen Harris, Richard Jackson and Ian Broudie on different tracks at a variety of studies around the United Kingdom the album was released through a joint deal...
and This Is A Fix, describing working with Richard as him 'almost being the fifth member of The Automatic.' The album was eventually recorded with Richard Jackson and Stephen Davies at Warwick Hall Studios in Cardiff, and later mixed at Buffalo Studios and Machine Rooms in Cardiff. In the studio the band worked with Nathan Stone and Carly Worsfold on tracks "Run & Hide" and "High Time", who provided string sections.
Lyrical themes
In an interview with Bedfordshire on SundayBedfordshire on Sunday
Bedfordshire on Sunday is a free local newspaper published in Bedfordshire, England.The newspaper is distributed as two editions, one covering Bedford borough and its surrounding villages, the other edition serves Central Bedfordshire...
vocalist & bassist Rob Hawkins
Robin Hawkins
Robin Hawkins, commonly known as Rob is the primary vocalist and bassist for Welsh band The Automatic.-Personal life:Rob studied at Cowbridge Comprehensive School, completing his A-levels and going on to take a chance with The Automatic in his gap year...
summarised the lyrical construction of all three albums by The Automatic; with Not Accepted Anywhere being about personal experiences and growing up, This Is A Fix was largely based around news and world events, whilst Tear the Signs Down is more about story telling. Lyrically Tear the Signs Down is far more focused as opposed to This Is A Fix according to Paul Mullen. The lyrics themselves are mostly all written by Rob Hawkins and Paul Mullen, however Iwan Griffiths and James Frost also had an input if a lyric didn't sit right with all four band mates.
Rob and Paul, track by track went through Tear the Signs Down for American website randomville.com, describing the lyrical content of each song on 2 March 2010. Lead track "Insides" is described by Paul Mullen as; "the end of a relationship and the inability to cope with that fact. The build up of anger and tension so that you are ready and primed to break and destroy", and is also noted as being very different to anything the band have previously produced. The lyrics in first single "Interstate
Interstate (song)
Interstate is the first single from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band The Automatic. The single was released on December 6, and marks the first release through the bands own record label; Armored Records....
" reflect American culture - taken from the bands experience of recording half of previous record This Is A Fix in West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
with Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
, the song comments on the Americans attitude described by Paul Mullen as a "sickly infectious “sweet dude” attitude they have is a great attribute, anything goes, anything can happen", he also noted the verse section of "Interstate"; "every band is allowed a song where they go “na na na” and “oh yeah” this is ours" and that they won't be doing it again. "Cannot be Saved" was penned by Rob Hawkins and is about paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
, described by Rob as' "You know, like in the summer when everyone seems to be on edge and it feels like it could just kick off for no reason".
The lyrics of "List" tell of how things need to go wrong sometimes in order to ultimately succeed, "It’s about experiencing a lack of your own importance in the world; about people lying to you to supposedly protect you but protect you from what? It’s about having your eyes opened you could say", "List" then leads instrumentally into second single "Run & Hide
Run & Hide (The Automatic song)
Run & Hide is the second single taken from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh band The Automatic. The single was announced on BBC Radio Wales...
" which Paul Mullen describes as "a feeling, a moment of being to self conscious
Self-consciousness
Self-consciousness is an acute sense of self-awareness. It is a preoccupation with oneself, as opposed to the philosophical state of self-awareness, which is the awareness that one exists as an individual being; although some writers use both terms interchangeably or synonymously...
too let yourself go. Its about the way life can be all about seizing moments without having any guarantees, pushing through all that self-doubt and seeing what happens", similarly "High Time" penned by Mullen is about his lack of motivation
Motivation
Motivation is the driving force by which humans achieve their goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is generally used for humans but it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation...
; "it’s about giving it a go. Whatever it is. Not putting it off, just fucking do it", and "Tear It Down" - the last song wrote and recorded for Tear the Signs Down is about "pulling yourself out of a bad situation, and shaping things how you want them. In that respect that’s what the last year has been for us. A process of facing up to realities, dealing with them and taking charge".
"Sweat Heat Noise" - sung by Rob is about the bands live hiatus after touring with previous album This Is A Fix in 2008; "it’s an optimistic song, it’s also about the frustration of waiting for that chance to prove yourself again". The lyrics of "Race to the Heart of the Sun" came from Rob; "I had a revelation when I was falling asleep one night, that all human progress is a series of collisions - from cavemen using clubs as tools, to sex, to war to particle accelerators, to cooking
Cooking
Cooking is the process of preparing food by use of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions. Cooks themselves also vary widely in skill and training...
everything. That’s what this song is about". Paul noted that the lyrics for "Can I Take You Home" came from an experience at the Egyptian Pyramids, where he saw a German woman who he shared eye contact with for a moment. "Something Else" is musically and lyrically a nod towards the bands influences.
Style
Tear the Signs Down is closer to the style of the bands debut album Not Accepted AnywhereNot Accepted Anywhere
Not Accepted Anywhere is the debut album from Welsh rock band The Automatic, originally released on June 19, 2006. Working with producers Stephen Harris, Richard Jackson and Ian Broudie on different tracks at a variety of studies around the United Kingdom the album was released through a joint deal...
, with the use of more synthesiser parts and three-part-vocals from Robin Hawkins, James Frost and Paul Mullen. The album will use the bands trademark pop hooks, with big choruses, whilst maintaining the bands rock edge, it is also the bands most diverse record yet, being compared to Soulwax
Soulwax
Soulwax, headed by David and Stephen Dewaele, are an alternative rock/electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Next to the Dewaele brothers, Soulwax consists of bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone's...
and The Knife
The Knife
The Knife are a Swedish electronic music duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999. The group consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer, who together also run their own record company, Rabid Records. They first received international attention after their song "Heartbeats", covered by...
. First single "Interstate" bridges between This Is A Fix and Tear the Signs Down, with the lyrics referring to recording previous album abroad in the USA, the record as a whole has also been described as their most diverse yet. Single "Run & Hide" along with "High Time" and two interludes feature additional string instrumentalists.
Release
The first track from Tear the Signs Down; "Something Else" was previewed on Youtube and the bands official website on 6 August 2009 Months later the album's release date was set for 15 February 2010 with the announcement of first single "InterstateInterstate (song)
Interstate is the first single from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band The Automatic. The single was released on December 6, and marks the first release through the bands own record label; Armored Records....
" on 3 November 2009, along with the album's title "Tear the Signs Down", as well as the first radio play of "Interstate" and the free download of album bonus track "Something Else". On Soccer AM the band changed the album's release to 8 March 2010. The band's promotional company Chuff Media confirmed that the album will be released on 8 March, with second single "Run & Hide
Run & Hide (The Automatic song)
Run & Hide is the second single taken from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh band The Automatic. The single was announced on BBC Radio Wales...
" a week before on 1 March 2010. The album leaked onto the internet on 20 February 2010, just over 2 weeks before the release date.
The album was released digitally worldwide, with the exception of the United States on 12 April 2010, physical release is currently being arranged, as is release in the United States, under the name The Automatic after the band were cleared to use the title - unlike on their first album Not Accepted Anywhere were they were forced to release music under the title The Automatic Automatic.
Split from B-Unique
In 2005 the band were given a five album record deal with B-Unique RecordsB-Unique Records
B-Unique Records is a London-based record label, founded in 2001 by Mark Lewis and Martin Toher.B-Unique has been a division of Atlantic Records UK since February 2008...
, distributed by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in the United States and Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
everywhere else. With the release of their second album This Is a Fix
This Is a Fix
This Is a Fix is the second album by Wales based band The Automatic. It was released on 25 August 2008. The band worked with producer Don Gilmore in Los Angeles, but were disappointed with these sessions, and instead worked with Butch Walker at Sage and Sound Recording in Los Angeles then back in...
, departure of Alex Pennie and arrival of Paul Mullen
Paul Mullen
Paul Mullen is an English musician, most notable recognized for being the primary vocalist and guitarist with Yourcodenameis:milo who went on hiatus in 2007, and the joint lead vocalist, guitarist and synthesizer player for The Automatic from 2007 onwards...
the bands sound had changed, which was something that B-Unique were not entirely happy with, as well as this record labels B-Unique and Polydor supposedly fell out leading towards This Is a Fix receiving barely any promotion.
You put a year of your life into making a record, then the label doesn’t tell anyone it’s released or distribute it. It was very frustrating – we had a complicated deal where we were signed to B-Unique but releasing through Polydor. We suspect that the two parties involved fell out, and we were the child of the divorce, so to speak.— Rob Hawkins
The split itself took place in 2009, with the band giving up release plans for single "Magazines" and instead heading into the studio to work on their third album. After splitting with Polydor and B-Unique, the band had several offers from other record labels however declined with the vision of setting up their own record label, to have complete creative control over the music that they would release on their next record label. Instead of signing a record deal, the band chose a deal with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
to distribute Tear the Signs Down, giving the label no creative control, and setting up their own record label Armored Records.
Promotion
First single "Interstate" was broadcast on 3 November on XFMXfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
, with 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...
DJ's Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
and Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
picking the single up throughout the following days whilst the music video for "Interstate" was premiered on the same day on Youtube, soon being added to the MTV Two playlist. "Interstate" was performed live on the 2009 Children In Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
program on 21 November 2009. The band set off on a 12 Date UK Tour in November 2009, as well as announcing a full 26 date UK tour in 2010, with plans hinted at for touring in the United States, Europe and Australia. In December 2009 the band appeared in session on BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Wales is the BBC's national radio station broadcasting to Wales in the English language. Operated by BBC Wales, it began broadcasting on 12 November 1978 following the demise of the old "Radio 4 Wales" when BBC Radio 4 became a national network and moved from medium wave to long wave...
, were they performed acoustic versions of "Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen (The Automatic song)
"Steve McQueen" is the first and ultimately only single from Welsh rock band The Automatic's second album This Is A Fix. It is their fifth single overall...
", "Interstate
Interstate (song)
Interstate is the first single from Tear the Signs Down, the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band The Automatic. The single was released on December 6, and marks the first release through the bands own record label; Armored Records....
", a cover of "She Wolf
She Wolf
She Wolf or similar can mean:*She Wolf , a 2009 album by Shakira**"She Wolf" , Shakira's first single taken from her third English studio album, She Wolf*"She-Wolf", a track from Megadeth's Cryptic Writings album...
" and second single from Tear The Signs Down "Run & Hide". Later the band appeared on Five program Live From Studio 5, were they performed an acoustic version of "Interstate". On 19 December they made a second appearance on Sky program Soccer AM
Soccer AM
Soccer AM is a British Saturday-morning football-based comedy/talk show, predominantly based around the Premier League...
. The band recorded a stripped down session for ITV Wales & West on 18 January 2010, which has yet to be aired. On 26 January 2010 the music video for "Run & Hide" premiered on Youtube. Another stripped down set was recorded on 23 February for Wales Online.
Touring
During 2009 the band only played a handful of dates, Jarocin FestivalJarocin Festival
Jarocin Festival was one of the biggest and most important rock music festivals in the 1980s Europe, by far the biggest festival of alternative music in the Warsaw Pact countries....
in Poland and Tamworth Midlands Music Festival in July and August, and then their 'comeback performance' on 19 September 2009 in their native Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
at Barfly
Barfly (club)
Barfly is a chain of live music venues nightclubs in the UK operating as part of the MAMA Group. It has venues in Brighton, London & York. They regularly feature live music. Their club nights tend to feature rock, alternative and independent music...
, where they performed new material for the first time. Soon after they announced a small 10 date tour across parts of the United Kingdom, in November 2009. Prior to the November tour the full album tour was also announced, across the England, Scotland and Wales in March 2010. Three sold out London dates were at the start of the tour, at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, The Borderline and Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
Barfly. The band have plans to tour in Europe and America at some point in 2010, as well as plans to tour with Ash
Ash (band)
Ash are an alternative rock band that formed in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland in 1992. The band has sold 8 million albums worldwide.-Band beginning, Trailer and 1977 :...
in April or May.
Reception
The Automatic's third album received both negative and positive critical feedback. Tim Newbound of Rock Sound magazineRock Sound
Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
held high praise for the album, rating it 9/10; praising the bands development as musicians describing the lyrical content of Tear the Signs Down as "soulful, impassioned sensibility that’s equally impressive and touching" and that "Tear The Signs Down will surely stand out as one of the finest British records of the year" Kerrang magazine's
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
Steve Beebee noted the "slick compromise between the 2006 pop-rock debut Not Accepted Anywhere
Not Accepted Anywhere
Not Accepted Anywhere is the debut album from Welsh rock band The Automatic, originally released on June 19, 2006. Working with producers Stephen Harris, Richard Jackson and Ian Broudie on different tracks at a variety of studies around the United Kingdom the album was released through a joint deal...
and the rowdy, Foo Fighters-inspired edge on 2008's This Is A Fix
This Is a Fix
This Is a Fix is the second album by Wales based band The Automatic. It was released on 25 August 2008. The band worked with producer Don Gilmore in Los Angeles, but were disappointed with these sessions, and instead worked with Butch Walker at Sage and Sound Recording in Los Angeles then back in...
", likening Paul Mullen's vocals to that of Placebo's Brian Molko
Brian Molko
Brian Molko is a songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the band Placebo. He is known in particular for his high-pitched vocals, androgynous appearance, and unique, Sonic Youth-influenced guitar style and tuning.-Early life:Born to an American father of French-Italian heritage and a Scottish...
, whilst disliking the bands "attempt to be arty" in track "High Time", but ultimately praising the bands determination to "keep growing".
"What's that coming over the hill, is it a monster, is it a monster? No, it's only the return of the rather pointless Welsh band" was the opening to Nick Mitchell of Scottish magazine The Skinny's review of Tear the Signs Down, calling the record "neutered punk, lobotomised indie, [and] whitewashed rock" and rating it one out of 5 stars. Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
's reviewer Davey Boy was also highly negative; "There really is not that much more to say about Tear The Signs Down… It is just so underwhelming and unengaging" calling it the most forgettable album of the last year "What some of these songs wouldn’t give to have Pennie squealing in the background to make them somehow memorable", rating it two out of five.
Simon Jay Catling of The Fly
The Fly (magazine)
The Fly is a free music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. The magazine is published by the HMV owned MAMA Group.The magazine started as a listings leaflet in Camden, north London, for the Barfly music venue on Chalk Farm Road...
compared the sound of Tear the Signs Down to that sound on Yourcodenameis:Milo
Yourcodenameis:milo
-External links:**...
's record They Came From The Sun
They Came from the Sun
They Came From the Sun is the second and last album by British post-hardcore band Yourcodenameis:Milo. The album was released on 2 April, 2007 under V2 Records. The song "Understand" was originally called 'Second Mater Responds' in relation to the song 'First Mater Responds' which featured on their...
, "Tear The Signs Down is a complete transformation of the four-piece’s style, and whilst the tepid High Time suggests they’re still not there yet, The Automatic are far from the indie-punk joke they were becoming." Rob Crossan of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Music compared the albums style to that of the Kaiser Chiefs claiming that the band had made "an effort to break the charts rather than a statement of singular, ambitious intent", going onto call it "one of the most disappointing albums of 2010". NME reacted negatively toward the album also, giving it half marks at 5/10, claiming that the band had a lack of confidence in order to drive the album.
Personnel
The Automatic- Robin HawkinsRobin HawkinsRobin Hawkins, commonly known as Rob is the primary vocalist and bassist for Welsh band The Automatic.-Personal life:Rob studied at Cowbridge Comprehensive School, completing his A-levels and going on to take a chance with The Automatic in his gap year...
- vocals, bass, synthesiser - James FrostJames FrostJames Martin Frost is the guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of Welsh band The Automatic, and guitarist and backing vocalist for Cardiff based band Effort. As well as his musical duties for The Automatic, Frost has also directed two of the bands music videos and their tour video daries...
- vocals, guitar, bass, synthesiser - Paul MullenPaul MullenPaul Mullen is an English musician, most notable recognized for being the primary vocalist and guitarist with Yourcodenameis:milo who went on hiatus in 2007, and the joint lead vocalist, guitarist and synthesizer player for The Automatic from 2007 onwards...
- vocals, guitar, synthesiser - Iwan GriffithsIwan GriffithsIwan Griffiths is drummer for Welsh rock band The Automatic, Iwan originates from Cowbridge in Wales, and currently resides in a house with band mates Robin Hawkins and James Frost.-Musical career:...
- drums
Additional musicians
- Nathan Stone - cello
- Carly Worsfold - violin
Production
- Richard Jackson - producer
- Stephen Davies - additional engineering
Artwork
- Mei Lewis - photography
- Rich Samuels - artwork graphics
Track listing
External links
- Chuff Media Tear the Signs Down promotional material
- Official website The Automatic official website