A/B (album)

Last updated

A/B
KaleoAB2016.jpg
Studio album by
Released10 June 2016
Recorded2014–2015
Studio
Genre
Length42:17
Label Elektra
Producer
Kaleo chronology
Kaleo
(2013)
A/B
(2016)
Surface Sounds
(2021)
Singles from A/B
  1. "All the Pretty Girls"
    Released: 20 January 2015
  2. "Way Down We Go"
    Released: 7 August 2015
  3. "No Good"
    Released: 20 November 2015
  4. "I Can't Go On Without You"
    Released: 19 February 2016

A/B is the second studio album by Icelandic rock band Kaleo. It was released on June 10th, 2016 through Elektra Records.

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Positive [1]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Renowned for Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Sound FictionStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]

A/B received generally favourable reviews from music critics, some of which praised Jökull Júlíusson's vocals, [3] [4] [5] as well as the songs "No Good" and "All the Pretty Girls". [3] [4] [5] Kate Hutchinson from The Guardian , however, thought it lacked originality, seeing the pieces as taking inspiration from the Black Keys ("Hot Blood"), James Bay ("Way Down We Go"), Bon Iver ("All the Pretty Girls") and Kings of Leon (much of the rest). [2]

The track "Glass House" was featured in the soundtrack of Madden NFL 17 and as DLC for Rock Band 4 . The track "Hot Blood" is featured in NHL 18 , Far Cry 5 and Asphalt 9: Legends . The track "Way Down We Go" was featured in FIFA 16 and in the trailer for the 2017 film, Logan . [7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by JJ Julius Son, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."No Good" 3:55
2."Way Down We Go"
  • JJ Julius Son
3:39
3."Broken Bones"
  • JJ Julius Son
  • Rubin Pollock
4:05
4."Glass House" 4:01
5."Hot Blood" 3:38
6."All the Pretty Girls" 4:29
7."Automobile" 3:06
8."Vor í Vaglaskógi"
  • Jónas Jónasson
  • Kristján frá Djúpalæk
4:37
9."Save Yourself" 4:33
10."I Can't Go on Without You" 6:14

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for A/B
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria) [34] Gold7,500*
Canada (Music Canada) [35] 2× Platinum160,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [36] Gold10,000
France (SNEP) [37] Platinum100,000
Germany (BVMI) [38] Gold100,000
Iceland (FHF) [39] Platinum7,000 [40]
Norway (IFPI Norway) [41] Gold10,000*
Poland (ZPAV) [42] Platinum20,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [43] Gold100,000
United States (RIAA) [44] Platinum1,000,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Takk...</i> 2005 album by Sigur Rós

Takk... is the fourth studio album by the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, first released in the United States by Geffen Records on 12 September 2005. The album debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard 200, selling 30,000 copies in its first week.

<i>Christmas</i> (Michael Bublé album) 2011 studio album by Michael Bublé

Christmas is the seventh studio album and first Christmas album released by Canadian singer Michael Bublé. The album was released on October 21, 2011, in Ireland, on October 24, 2011, in the United Kingdom, and on October 25, 2011, in the United States. On the week ending December 10, 2011, Christmas rose to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart, becoming Bublé's third chart-topper following 2007's Call Me Irresponsible and 2009's Crazy Love, and spent five weeks at No. 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Of Monsters and Men</span> Icelandic folk rock band

Of Monsters and Men is an Icelandic indie folk/rock band formed in Garðabær in 2010. It consists of lead singer and guitarist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, singer and guitarist Ragnar "Raggi" Þórhallsson, lead guitarist Brynjar Leifsson, drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, and bassist Kristján Páll Kristjánsson. The band won the Músíktilraunir in 2010, an annual Battle of the Bands in Iceland. In 2011, Of Monsters and Men released an EP titled Into the Woods. Their 2011 debut album, My Head Is an Animal, reached the No.1 position in Australia, Iceland, and Ireland, as well as on the US Rock and Alternative charts, while peaking at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, No. 3 in the UK, and top 20 of most European and Canadian charts. Its lead single, "Little Talks", was an international success, reaching the top 10 in most music charts in Europe, including No. 1 in Ireland and Iceland, and No. 1 on US Alternative Songs.

<i>My Head Is an Animal</i> 2011 studio album by Of Monsters and Men

My Head Is an Animal is the debut studio album by the Icelandic indie folk band Of Monsters and Men, released through Record Records in Iceland on 20 September 2011. After their success, topping the Icelandic charts with their debut single, "Little Talks", the band signed with Universal Music Group and the album was released internationally through Republic Records on 3 April 2012. The title of the album comes from the second line in "Dirty Paws".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaleo (band)</span> Icelandic rock band

Kaleo is an Icelandic blues rock band which formed in Mosfellsbær in 2012. It consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jökull Júlíusson, drummer David Antonsson, bassist Daniel Kristjansson, lead guitarist Rubin Pollock and harmonicist Þorleifur Gaukur Davíðsson. They have released three studio albums, Kaleo (2013), A/B (2016), and Surface Sounds (2021), as well as the EP Glasshouse (2013).

<i>Chaos and the Calm</i> 2015 studio album by James Bay

Chaos and the Calm is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter James Bay. It was first released on 23 March 2015 via Republic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Way Down We Go</span> 2015 song by Kaleo

"Way Down We Go" is a song by Icelandic rock band Kaleo, released as the second single for their second studio album A/B by Elektra Records and Atlantic Records.

<i>Encore</i> (DJ Snake album) 2016 studio album by DJ Snake

Encore is the debut studio album by French electronic music record producer DJ Snake, released on 5 August 2016 by Interscope Records.

<i>Stoney</i> (album) Album by Post Malone

Stoney is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Post Malone. It was released on December 9, 2016, by Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from Justin Bieber, Kehlani, and Quavo. The deluxe edition was released on the same day. It features an additional guest appearance from 2 Chainz. The production on the album was handled by Malone himself, Mustard, Metro Boomin, Vinylz, Frank Dukes, Illangelo, Charlie Handsome, Rex Kudo, Foreign Teck, and Pharrell Williams, among others. Malone generally sing-raps on the album, which is noted for its woozy, contemporary R&B-hip hop production. The album also features influence from country and outlaw country music.

<i>Starboy</i> (album) 2016 studio album by the Weeknd

Starboy is the third studio album by Canadian singer the Weeknd. It was released on November 25, 2016 through XO and Republic Records. It features guest appearances from Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey, Kendrick Lamar, and Future. As the album's executive producers, the Weeknd and Doc McKinney enlisted a variety of producers such as Diplo, Cashmere Cat, Metro Boomin, Frank Dukes, and Labrinth, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital Nas</span> American record producer

Nasir Pemberton known professionally as Digital Nas or DN, is an American record producer, singer & songwriter. He initially began producing records for underground artists, most notably Lil Yachty. He later rose to prominence for his work with Kanye West on his tenth studio album Donda (2021) which charted number 1 on the Billboard 200.

<i>So Good</i> (Zara Larsson album) 2017 studio album by Zara Larsson

So Good is the second studio album by Swedish singer Zara Larsson. It was released internationally on 17 March 2017 by TEN Music Group and Epic Records. Originally scheduled to be released in May 2016, then in January 2017, the album was rescheduled to March 2017 to alter several tracks. Musically, So Good is primarily a pop, tropical house and R&B record with elements of dance and several ballads.

<i>American Teen</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Khalid

American Teen is the debut studio album by American singer Khalid. It was released on March 3, 2017, by Right Hand Music Group and RCA Records. The album was supported by the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 singles "Location" and "Young Dumb & Broke"; as well as the third single "Saved".

<i>Harry Styles</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Harry Styles

Harry Styles is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Harry Styles. The album was released on 12 May 2017, through Columbia Records and Erskine. For the album, Styles worked with producers Jeff Bhasker, Alex Salibian, Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon.

<i>Evolve</i> (Imagine Dragons album) 2017 studio album by Imagine Dragons

Evolve is the third studio album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, released on June 23, 2017, by Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. After the release of their previous album Smoke + Mirrors (2015) and its respective world tour, a self-imposed hiatus for 2016 and cryptic messages from the band through their social media gained anticipation for their third album; it was finally announced on May 9, 2017, along with the initiation of its pre-order. In comparison to Smoke + Mirrors and their 2012 debut Night Visions, frontman Dan Reynolds called the album an "evolution" for the band.

<i>17</i> (XXXTentacion album) 2017 studio album by XXXTentacion

17 is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer XXXTentacion. It was released through Bad Vibes Forever and Empire Distribution on August 25, 2017. With a runtime of just under 22 minutes, 17 is a brief album and does not feature a song longer than three minutes. The album was supported by the lead single "Revenge", and is XXXTentacion's second commercial record, following the compilation mixtape of the same name (2017). 17 includes a sole guest appearance from Trippie Redd and samples by Shiloh Dynasty. Production was handled by XXXTentacion, among others.

<i>?</i> (XXXTentacion album) 2018 studio album by XXXTentacion

? is the second studio album by American rapper and singer XXXTentacion and his last studio album to be released before his death. It was released through Bad Vibes Forever, Caroline Distribution, and Capitol Music Group on March 16, 2018, and primarily produced by frequent collaborator John Cunningham, it includes a wide range of guest appearances from PnB Rock, Travis Barker of Blink-182, Joey Badass, Matt Ox, Rio Santana, Judah, and Carlos Andrez, and also succeeds the release of his debut studio album 17 (2017) and the extended play A Ghetto Christmas Carol (2017).

<i>Stokeley</i> 2018 studio album by Ski Mask the Slump God

Stokeley is the debut studio album by American rapper Ski Mask the Slump God. It was released on November 30, 2018, by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from Juice Wrld, Austin Lam, Lil Baby and Lil Yachty.

<i>Chosen</i> (EP) 2017 EP by Måneskin

Chosen is the debut extended play by Italian rock band Måneskin. It was released on 8 December 2017 and peaked at number 3 on the Italian Albums Chart.

<i>Multitude</i> (album) 2022 studio album by Stromae

Multitude is the third studio album by Belgian musician Stromae, released through Mosaert on 4 March 2022. It is Stromae's first album since Racine carrée in 2013. Multitude includes various music styles from different cultures, as seen in "Santé" and "L'enfer". During an interview with TF1, he stated that his album was influenced by the frequent travelling he and his mother would do.

References

  1. Monger, Timothy (10 June 2016). "A/B - Kaleo Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 Hutchinson, Kate (23 June 2016). "Kaleo: A/B review – warbling, fedora-clad rock with not a single original idea". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Skinner, Jared (11 July 2016). "Kaleo: A/B review". PopMatters. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Smith, Michael (20 June 2016). "Kaleo 'A/B' Album Review". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Dolan, Jon (30 June 2016). "Kaleo 'A/B' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  6. Smith, Michael (20 June 2016). "Kaleo 'A/B' Album Review". Sound Fiction. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  7. Movieclips Trailers (19 January 2017), Logan Trailer #2 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers , retrieved 7 July 2018
  8. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – Kaleo – A/B" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  10. "Ultratop.be – Kaleo – A/B" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  11. "Ultratop.be – Kaleo – A/B" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  12. "Kaleo Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  13. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums - SNEP (Week 13, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved 4 April 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kaleo – A/B" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  15. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2018. 26. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  16. "Tónlistinn Vika 50 – 2016". Plötutíðindi (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  17. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 24, 2016". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  18. "Charts.nz – Kaleo – A/B". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  19. "Swisscharts.com – Kaleo – A/B". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  20. "Kaleo | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  21. "Kaleo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  22. "Kaleo Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  23. "Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2016" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  24. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  25. "Jaaroverzichten 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  26. "Rapports Annuels 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  27. "Top de l'année Top Albums 2017" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  28. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  29. "Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2017" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  30. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2017 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  31. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  32. "Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2018" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  33. "Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2019" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  34. "Austrian album certifications – Kaleo – A/B" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  35. "Canadian album certifications – Kaleo – A/B". Music Canada . Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  36. "Danish album certifications – Kaleo – A/B". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  37. "French album certifications – Kaleo – A/B" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  38. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kaleo; 'A/B')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  39. "Tónlistinn – Plötur" [The Music – Albums] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  40. "Söluviðurkenningar" (in Icelandic). Félag Hljómplötuframleiðenda. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  41. "Norwegian album certifications – Kaleo – A/B" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  42. "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2021 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  43. "British album certifications – Kaleo – A/B". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  44. "American album certifications – Kaleo – A/B". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 2 February 2024.