Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

Last updated

Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
WU LYF Go Tell Fire to the Mountain.jpg
Studio album by
Released13 June 2011 (2011-06-13)
RecordedWinter 2010
StudioSt Peter's Church in Ancoats, Manchester, England
Genre Indie rock, post-rock, art rock
Length47:09
Language English
Label LYF Recordings
Producer WU LYF
Singles from Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
  1. "Concrete Gold" / "Heavy Pop"
    Released: 31 May 2010
  2. "Dirt"
    Released: June 2011 (promo only)
  3. "We Bros"
    Released: 20 September 2011

Go Tell Fire to the Mountain is the debut album by English band WU LYF, released on 13 June 2011. The album was released to high anticipation and the backing of NME , [1] Stereogum , [2] and Pitchfork . [3]

Contents

Recording

The band had the concept for Go Tell Fire to the Mountain long before the recording process took place. Roberts states that it was written "in a narrative sense and [was approached] as a complete work rather than a bunch of songs thrown together." [4] When searching for a place to record, the group was dissatisfied with the sound they were getting from traditional studios, leading them to settle on Saint Peter's, an old abandoned church in Ancoats, Greater Manchester. The amount of open airspace in the church allowed for a healthy dose of reverb, which is a critical part of the album's larger than life sound. [3] Despite the media's insistence of the location's relevance to the religious theme of the band, Roberts denies it. Although the church altered the "vibe of the songs", the band asserts that Saint Peter's church sonically fit the album's needs. [4]

Singles

"Heavy Pop" and "Concrete Gold" were released as a double A-side single prior to the album on 31 May 2010. "Dirt" was released as a radio-only promo CD in support of the album's release in June 2011. "We Bros" was released as a single from the album on 20 September 2011. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10 [6]
Metacritic 77/100 [7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The A.V. Club C+ [9]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
NME 8/10 [13]
Pitchfork 8.4/10 [14]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Spin 8/10 [16]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]

Go Tell Fire to the Mountain was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 77 based on 20 reviews. [7]

Accolades

Publications' year-end list appearances for Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
Critic/PublicationListRankRef
Beats Per Minute Beats Per Minute's Top 50 Albums of 20116 [18]
Complex Complex's Top 25 Albums of 201110 [19]
The Fly The Fly's Top 50 Albums of 201128 [20]
NME NME's Top 50 Albums of 201110 [21]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by WU LYF.

No.TitleLength
1."L Y F"4:31
2."Cave Song"3:49
3."Such a Sad Puppy Dog"5:32
4."Summas Bliss"4:01
5."We Bros"6:27
6."Spitting Blood"3:48
7."Dirt"3:19
8."Concrete Gold"5:35
9."14 Crowns for Me & Your Friends"4:42
10."Heavy Pop"5:35

Charts

Chart performance for Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
Chart (2011)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [22] 73
French Albums (SNEP) [23] 85
UK Albums (OCC) [24] 98
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [25] 32

Related Research Articles

<i>Room on Fire</i> 2003 studio album by the Strokes

Room on Fire is the second studio album by American rock band the Strokes, released on October 21, 2003, through RCA Records. Its title is derived from a lyric in the song "Reptilia". The album received positive reviews upon its release and reached number four on the US Billboard 200, where it went on to sell 597,000 units by October 2006, earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. Three singles were released from the album: "12:51", "Reptilia", and "The End Has No End".

<i>Franz Ferdinand</i> (album) 2004 album by Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand is the debut studio album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, first released on 9 February 2004 through the Domino Recording Company. It was recorded during 2003 at Gula Studios in Malmö, Sweden, with Tore Johansson, who produced the majority of the album, with two tracks produced by the band themselves. It entered the United Kingdom album charts at number three in February 2004 and contains the UK top ten singles "Take Me Out" and "The Dark of the Matinée" as well as UK top 20 hit "Michael".

<i>Neon Bible</i> 2007 studio album by Arcade Fire

Neon Bible is the second studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It was first released on March 5, 2007, in Europe and a day later in North America by Merge Records. Originally announced on December 16, 2006, through the band's website, the majority of the album was recorded at a church the band bought and renovated in Farnham, Quebec. The album is the first to feature drummer Jeremy Gara, and the first to include violinist Sarah Neufeld among the band's core line-up.

<i>Total Life Forever</i> 2010 studio album by Foals

Total Life Forever is the second studio album by British indie rock band Foals, released on 10 May 2010 through Transgressive Records. Prior to the album's release, the band described it as sounding "like the dream of an eagle dying". It was produced by Luke Smith, and was recorded at Svenska Grammofon Studion in Gothenburg. Upon its release, the album charted in numerous countries worldwide, including number eight in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>The Suburbs</i> 2010 studio album by Arcade Fire

The Suburbs is the third studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on August 3, 2010. Coinciding with its announcement, the band released a limited edition 12-inch single containing the title track and "Month of May". The album debuted at No. 1 on the Irish Albums Chart, the UK Albums Chart, the US Billboard 200 chart, and the Canadian Albums Chart. It won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards, Best International Album at the 2011 BRIT Awards, Album of the Year at the 2011 Juno Awards, and the 2011 Polaris Music Prize for best Canadian album. Two weeks after winning Grammy's Album of the Year, the album jumped from No. 52 to No. 12 on the Billboard 200, the album's highest ranking since August 2010.

<i>The Peoples Key</i> 2011 studio album by Bright Eyes

The People's Key is the ninth studio album by American band Bright Eyes. The album was recorded in Omaha, Nebraska at ARC Studios, produced by Mike Mogis, and engineered by Mogis and Andy LeMaster. The album was released on February 15, 2011, lead singer Conor Oberst's 31st birthday, by Saddle Creek Records. Prior to its official release, the album was available to stream online in its entirety, as part of NPR's "First Listen" series.

<i>Angles</i> (The Strokes album) 2011 studio album by the Strokes

Angles is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Strokes. It was released on March 22, 2011, through RCA Records. It was the group's first album in over five years, following First Impressions of Earth (2006).

<i>Pala</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Friendly Fires

Pala is the second album from British alternative dance band Friendly Fires. It was released in the UK on 16 May 2011, and charted at number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. The album name comes from Aldous Huxley's final novel Island, which tells the story of a journalist shipwrecked on the fictional island of Pala, which supports a utopian society. The scarlet macaw photograph was chosen from the private collection of Norwegian fashion photographer Sølve Sundsbø.

<i>Oceania</i> (The Smashing Pumpkins album) 2012 studio album by the Smashing Pumpkins

Oceania is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on June 19, 2012 through Martha's Music. The album was produced by Billy Corgan and Bjorn Thorsrud, and forms part of the band's 34-track music project Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. It was their first studio album to feature guitarist Jeff Schroeder, and their only album to contain contributions from bassist Nicole Fiorentino and drummer Mike Byrne, who replaced original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WU LYF</span> English heavy pop band

WU LYF were a band from Manchester, England that originally became known for creating a mystery about themselves by declining requests for interviews and not releasing much information to the press. The band described their music as "heavy pop".

<i>Holy Fire</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Foals

Holy Fire is the third studio album by British rock band Foals, released on 11 February 2013 in the United Kingdom on Transgressive Records. The first single "Inhaler" first aired on 5 November 2012 on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, with the music video being released later that same day. The second single "My Number" debuted on Later... with Jools Holland on 13 November 2012. The track had its radio debut one month later, also on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show. The music video premiered on 23 January 2013.

<i>Bloodsports</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Suede

Bloodsports is the sixth studio album by English alternative rock band Suede. It was released on 18 March 2013, via Warner Bros. Records. It is their first studio album since A New Morning in 2002.

<i>The Magic Whip</i> 2015 studio album by Blur

The Magic Whip is the eighth studio album by English rock band Blur. It was recorded in Hong Kong and London, and released by Parlophone on 27 April 2015 and Warner Bros. Records on 28 April 2015. It was the band's first studio album in 12 years since Think Tank (2003), marking the longest gap between studio albums in Blur's career, and the first in 16 years since 13 (1999) to have featured the original line-up. The album also marks the return of the band's longtime producer Stephen Street following Blur (1997).

<i>Junk</i> (M83 album) 2016 studio album by M83

Junk is the seventh studio album by French electronic music band M83, released on 8 April 2016 on Naïve Records in France and Mute Records in the United States. It is the first album released by the band in a half-decade since 2011's Hurry Up, We're Dreaming and the first release since Digital Shades Vol. 1 (2007) without longtime vocalist and keyboardist Morgan Kibby. The album also features guest appearances from Mai Lan, Steve Vai, Susanne Sundfør, Beck and Jordan Lawlor.

<i>Summer 08</i> 2016 studio album by Metronomy

Summer 08 is the fifth studio album by English electronic music band Metronomy, released on 1 July 2016 by Because Music.

<i>The Now Now</i> 2018 studio album by Gorillaz

The Now Now is the sixth studio album recorded by the British virtual band Gorillaz, released on 29 June 2018 via Parlophone and Warner Bros. Records. Recording for the album began in late 2017 – according to Gorillaz co-creator Damon Albarn, it was recorded quickly so the band would have new material to play at future concerts.

<i>Every Bad</i> 2020 studio album by Porridge Radio

Every Bad is the second studio album by British indie rock band Porridge Radio. It was released on 13 March 2020 on the record label Secretly Canadian. The album was nominated for the 2020 Mercury Prize.

<i>Sideways to New Italy</i> 2020 studio album by Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Sideways to New Italy is the second studio album by Australian indie rock band Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. It was released on 5 June 2020 under Sub Pop.

<i>Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You</i> 2022 studio album by Big Thief

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You is the fifth studio album by the American band Big Thief, released as a double album through 4AD on February 11, 2022. Produced by drummer James Krivchenia, the album features 20 songs which were recorded over five months in five different locations across the United States. The album was supported by six singles. It was also the last album to feature bassist and founding member Max Oleartchik before his departure in 2024.

<i>We</i> (Arcade Fire album) 2022 studio album by Arcade Fire

We is the sixth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released through Columbia Records on May 6, 2022. Produced by Nigel Godrich and band members Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, it was recorded in studios in New Orleans; in El Paso, Texas; and on Mount Desert Island in Maine. The album takes its name from the Russian dystopian novel We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. It was the final album by Arcade Fire to feature multi-instrumentalist Will Butler, who departed the band in 2022.

References

  1. Wilkinson, Matt (12 May 2010), "Radar Band Of The Week – No 5: Wu Lyf", NME
  2. Suarez, Jessica (27 May 2010), "Band To Watch: WU LYF (World Unite/Lucifer Youth Foundation)", Stereogum
  3. 1 2 Fitzmaurice, Larry (1 June 2011), "New Release: WU LYF: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain", Pitchfork
  4. 1 2 Newman, Jason (27 July 2011), WU LYF Explain The Band Behind The Myth, MTV, archived from the original on 9 July 2021
  5. We Bros – Single by WU LYF, iTunes Store
  6. Go Tell Fire To The Mountain by WU LYF reviews, AnyDecentMusic?
  7. 1 2 Reviews for Go Tell Fire To The Mountain by WU LYF, Metacritic
  8. O'Brien, Jon, Go Tell Fire to the Mountain – WU LYF, AllMusic
  9. Hyden, Steven (5 July 2011), "Wu Lyf: Go Tell Fire To The Mountain", The A.V. Club
  10. Simpson, Dave (10 June 2011), "Wu Lyf: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain – review", The Guardian
  11. Carroll, Jim (10 June 2011), "Wu Lyf", The Irish Times
  12. "WU LYF: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain", Mojo , no. 212, p. 115, July 2011
  13. Haynes, Gavin (14 June 2011), "Album Review: Wu Lyf – 'Go Tell Fire To The Mountain'", NME , archived from the original on 28 October 2011, retrieved 24 June 2011
  14. Cohen, Ian (23 June 2011), "WU LYF: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain", Pitchfork
  15. "WU LYF: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain", Q , no. 300, p. 118, July 2011
  16. Harvey, Eric (21 June 2011), "WU LYF, 'Go Tell Fire to the Mountain' (LYF)", Spin , archived from the original on 6 April 2013
  17. "WU LYF: Go Tell Fire to the Mountain", Uncut , no. 169, p. 107, August 2011
  18. "The Top 50 Albums of 2011". Beats Per Minute . 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 September 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  19. Ahmed, Insanul (20 December 2011). "The 25 Best Albums of 2011". Complex . Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  20. Dunning, JJ (2 December 2011). "The Top 50 Albums of 2011". The Fly . Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  21. "50 Best Albums of 2011". NME . 9 December 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  22. "Ultratop.be – Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  23. "Lescharts.com – Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  24. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  25. "Wu Lyf Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 June 2021.