Free All the Monsters

Last updated

Free All the Monsters
Freemonsterscover.jpg
Studio album by
Released15 October 2011
RecordedDecember 2010 at Seacliff Asylum, New Zealand
Genre Dunedin sound, Indie pop, Alternative rock [1]
Label Flying Nun Records
Producer Dale Cotton, The Bats [2]
The Bats chronology
The Guilty Office
(2008)
Free All the Monsters
(2011)
The Deep Set
(2017)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Pitchfork Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
NZ Herald Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Free All the Monsters is the eighth full-length album by New Zealand band The Bats, released in 2011.

Contents

Recording and release

In December 2010, The Bats recorded tracks for the album at a backpackers and stables at the old Seacliff Asylum, between Oamaru and Dunedin. The album was recorded and co-produced by Dale Cotton, who had produced Robert Scott's recent solo album. [5]

The album was released on 15 October 2011. In New Zealand, The Bats reunited with their old label Flying Nun. Internationally the album was released by Mistletone Records in Australia, Revolver/Midheaven Distribution in the U.S.A, and Forte Distribution in the U.K. & Europe. [5]

Reception

The album has been praised by critics in New Zealand and internationally. Tim Sendra of Allmusic said, 'The Bats have managed to maintain a ridiculously high level of quality throughout their career, and Free All the Monsters is as good a record as they’ve ever made." It was described by Pitchfork as "...their best record in years, possibly ever". [3]

The album was shortlisted for the 2012 Taite Music Prize. [6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by The Bats/Robert Scott

No.TitleLength
1."Long Halls"4:27
2."Simpletons"3:56
3."Free All the Monsters"2:57
4."See Right Through Me"4:59
5."It's Not the Same"3:07
6."In the Subway"3:35
7."Fingers of Dawn"4:13
8."Spacejunk"4:47
9."On the Bank"3:49
10."Canopy"2:03
11."When the Day Comes"3:12
12."Getting Over You"1:53

Personnel

Also credited:

Related Research Articles

<i>Screamadelica</i> 1991 studio album by Primal Scream

Screamadelica is the third studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream. It was first released on 23 September 1991 in the United Kingdom by Creation Records and on 8 October 1991 in the United States by Sire Records. The album marked a significant departure from the band's early indie rock sound, drawing inspiration from the blossoming house music scene and associated drugs such as LSD and MDMA. Much of the album's production was handled by acid house DJ Andrew Weatherall and engineer Hugo Nicolson, who remixed original recordings made by the band into dance-oriented tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bats (New Zealand band)</span> New Zealand rock band

The Bats are an influential New Zealand rock band formed in 1982 in Christchurch by Paul Kean (bass), Malcolm Grant (drums), Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward. Though primarily a Christchurch band, The Bats have strong links to Dunedin and are usually grouped in with the Dunedin sound musicians that emerged in the early 1980s. The band has retained the same four members from 1982 to the present day.

<i>Daddys Highway</i> 1987 studio album by The Bats

Daddy's Highway is the 1987 debut album by New Zealand indie rock group the Bats.

<i>Silverbeet</i> (album) 1993 studio album by The Bats

Silverbeet is an album by the New Zealand band the Bats, released in 1993.

<i>At the National Grid</i> 2005 studio album by The Bats

At the National Grid is an album released in 2005 by the New Zealand band The Bats. It was the band's first album for ten years and the first to be released on a New Zealand label other than Flying Nun Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Campesinos!</span> Welsh indie rock band

Los Campesinos! are a seven-piece indie pop band from Cardiff, Wales, formed in early 2006 at Cardiff University. The band has endured several lineup changes with Gareth Paisey, Neil Turner (guitar) and Tom Bromley (guitar) being the only original members remaining. Rob Taylor (guitar), Kim Paisey, Matt Fidler and Jason Adelinia (drums) are also currently rostered. All replace their surnames with "Campesinos!" as stage names.

<i>The Law of Things</i> 1990 studio album by The Bats

The Law of Things is an album by the New Zealand band The Bats, released in 1990. It was released by Mammoth Records in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Checks (band)</span> New Zealand rock band

The Checks were a New Zealand rock band known for blues-driven, high-energy rock. The group released three albums, Hunting Whales, Alice by the Moon and Deadly Summer Sway and toured extensively before splitting up in 2012.

David Keith Dallas is a hip hop artist from New Zealand of Samoan and European descent.

<i>Buffalo</i> (The Phoenix Foundation album) 2010 studio album by The Phoenix Foundation

Buffalo is the fourth full-length album by New Zealand band, The Phoenix Foundation. It was released in New Zealand in April 2010, and internationally in January 2011.

Kerretta is an experimental rock band from Auckland, New Zealand. The band consists of bass player William Waters; drummer H.Walker; and guitarist David Holmes. They have mostly recorded instrumentals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unknown Mortal Orchestra</span> Oregon-based New Zealand psychedelic rock band

Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO) is a New Zealand psychedelic rock band formed in Auckland, primarily composed of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Ruban Nielson, and bassist Jacob Portrait. The band is based in Portland, Oregon, US. Nielson started the band in 2009. The band's first album was released in 2011 on Fat Possum Records; four subsequent studio albums have been released on Jagjaguwar, the most recent being V (2023).

<i>The Guilty Office</i> 2008 studio album by The Bats

The Guilty Office is the seventh studio album by New Zealand indie band, The Bats, released in New Zealand on 1 December 2008, and in the United States on 23 June 2009.

<i>Made Up in Blue</i> 1986 EP by The Bats

Made Up in Blue is a 1986 EP by New Zealand indie rock group the Bats.

<i>Unknown Mortal Orchestra</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is the debut album by the New Zealand rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, released on 21 June 2011 on Fat Possum Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beastwars</span>

Beastwars is a sludge metal band from New Zealand.

<i>Beastwars</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Beastwars

Beastwars is the eponymous debut studio album of the New Zealand-based heavy metal band Beastwars. The album was released on 9 May 2011 through New Zealand independent label Destroy Records, and was distributed by Universal Music. Beastwars received general critical acclaim from New Zealand publications, and reached an RIANZ album chart placing of #15. The album enjoyed further success at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards, receiving a nomination for best New Zealand rock album and winning the award for best album artwork or packaging. It was also shortlisted for the 2012 Taite Music Prize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taite Music Prize</span> Music prize in New Zealand

The Taite Music Prize is an annual New Zealand music award event. It features the same-named prize awarded for the best album from New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street Chant</span>

Street Chant were a New Zealand indie rock band who were signed to Flying Nun Records.

<i>The Deep Set</i> 2017 studio album by The Bats

The Deep Set is the ninth album by New Zealand band The Bats, released in 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 "Free All the Monsters" on All Music Guide. Retrieved on 8 December 2011
  2. 1 2 "The Bats - Free All the Monsters". Discogs . October 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Free All The Monsters - The Bats Review". Pitchfork. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  4. Baillie, Russell (19 November 2011). "Album Review: The Bats, Free All the Monsters". The New Zealand Herald.
  5. 1 2 "The Bats: Recent Past - Official Site". The Bats. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  6. "Taite Music Prize 2012". IMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.