A Deeper Understanding

Last updated
A Deeper Understanding
A Deeper Understanding.jpg
Studio album by
The War on Drugs
ReleasedAugust 25, 2017
Genre
Length66:13
Label Atlantic
Producer Adam Granduciel
The War on Drugs chronology
Lost in the Dream
(2014)		A Deeper Understanding
(2017)		 I Don't Live Here Anymore
(2021)
Singles from A Deeper Understanding
  1. "Thinking of a Place"
    Released: April 22, 2017
  2. "Holding On"
    Released: June 1, 2017
  3. "Strangest Thing"
    Released: July 18, 2017
  4. "Pain"
    Released: August 3, 2017
  5. "Up All Night"
    Released: August 15, 2017

A Deeper Understanding is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs. It was released on August 25, 2017 through Atlantic Records. The album was mixed by engineer Shawn Everett. The album won Best Rock Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10 [4]
Metacritic 81/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The A.V. Club A− [7]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Pitchfork 8.7/10 [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Uncut 8/10 [14]

A Deeper Understanding received acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 81, based on 33 reviews, indicating universal acclaim. [5] According to Marcy Donelson of AllMusic, A Deeper Understanding "reclaims and explores the distinctive soundscapes, vastness, and haunted psyche of Lost in the Dream , and that in itself is significant." [6] On the same site, in a readers' poll by users it was ranked as the #1 album of 2017. [15] Mark Richardson of Pitchfork noted similarities with mid-'80s rock, stating it is "also a fascinating study in influence; it’s hard to think of a band with more obvious touchstones that also sounds so original." [12] Michael Bonner of Uncut Magazine described it as "some of the richest, most compelling and least lonely-sounding music of Granduciel’s career". [16]

In a less enthusiastic review for Slant Magazine , Josh Goller noted "the album's lyrics, however, can’t match this same level of musical precision, and Granduciel too often repeats the same vague sentiments using threadbare imagery." [17] The album's title was influenced by Kate Bush's song with the same name. [18] [19]

It was nominated for International Album of the Year at the 2018 UK Americana Awards. [20]

At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, A Deeper Understanding won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. [21]

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
Drowned in Sound Favourite Albums of 2017
96
Exclaim! Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums of 2017
9
The Independent The 30 Best Albums of 2017
29
NME NME's Albums of the Year 2017
39
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2017
11
RIOT MagRIOT's Albums Of The Year 2017
9
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2017
6
Uncut 75 Best Albums of 2017
2
Vinyl Me, PleaseThe 30 Best Albums of 2017
12

Track listing

All words by Adam Granduciel. All music by Granduciel, except where noted.

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Up All Night" 6:23
2."Pain" 5:30
3."Holding On"
  • Granduciel
  • Robbie Bennett
5:50
4."Strangest Thing" 6:40
5."Knocked Down" 4:00
6."Nothing to Find" 6:10
7."Thinking of a Place" 11:10
8."In Chains" 7:20
9."Clean Living" 6:28
10."You Don't Have to Go" 6:42
Total length:66:13

Personnel

The War on Drugs

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork and design

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA) [61] Gold10,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI) [62] Gold20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [63] Silver60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Hermes, Will (August 24, 2017). "A Deeper Understanding". Rolling Stone . Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  2. ↑ Jones, Chris. "The War On Drugs: A Deeper Understanding – rehashing the psychedelic Americana formula". The Irish Times . Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  3. ↑ Grow, Kory (September 13, 2017). "The War on Drugs on the Sonic Roots of 'A Deeper Understanding'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  4. ↑ "A Deeper Understanding by The War On Drugs reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Reviews and Tracks for A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs". Metacritic . Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Donelson, Marcy. "A Deeper Understanding – The War on Drugs". AllMusic . Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  7. ↑ Gerardi, Matt (August 25, 2017). "The War On Drugs' biggest album thrives on its smallest details". The A.V. Club . Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  8. ↑ Mumford, Gwilym (August 24, 2017). "The War on Drugs: A Deeper Understanding review – the expansive sound of love and loneliness". The Guardian . Retrieved August 24, 2017.
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  11. ↑ Snapes, Laura (August 27, 2017). "The War on Drugs: A Deeper Understanding review – deeper but not darker". The Observer . Retrieved August 30, 2017.
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  17. ↑ Goller, Josh (August 10, 2017). "The War on Drugs: A Deeper Understanding". Slant Magazine . Retrieved August 14, 2017.
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