Insignificance (Jim O'Rourke album)

Last updated
Insignificance
Insignificance (Front Cover).png
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 19, 2001 (2001-11-19)
Genre
Length38:25
Label Drag City
Producer Jim O'Rourke, Jeremy Lemos, Konrad Strauss
Jim O'Rourke chronology
Halfway to a Threeway
(1999)
Insignificance
(2001)
I'm Happy and I'm Singing and a 1, 2, 3, 4
(2001)

Insignificance is the second singer-songwriter album by Jim O'Rourke, originally released on November 19, 2001 by Drag City. [2] It is named after the Nicolas Roeg film of the same name. [3] It peaked at number 35 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. [4]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 81/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
NME 8/10 [8]
Pitchfork 8.0/10 [9]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Spin 7/10 [11]
Stylus Magazine A− [12]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 81% based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [5]

Pitchfork placed it at number 166 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s. [14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jim O'Rourke.

No.TitleLength
1."All Downhill from Here"4:59
2."Insignificance"5:12
3."Therefore, I Am"4:53
4."Memory Lame"5:57
5."Good Times"4:04
6."Get a Room"6:58
7."Life Goes Off"6:22
Total length:38:25

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Charts

Chart (2002)Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [4] 35

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonic Youth</span> American rock band (1981–2011)

Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo remained together for the entire history of the band, while Steve Shelley (drums) followed a series of short-term drummers in 1985, rounding out the core line-up. Jim O'Rourke was also a member of the band from 1999 to 2005, and Mark Ibold was a member from 2006 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim O'Rourke (musician)</span> American musician

Jim O'Rourke is a Tokyo-based American musician, composer and record producer. He has released albums across varied genres, including singer-songwriter music, post-rock, ambient, noise music, and tape experiments. He was associated with the Chicago experimental and improv scene when he relocated to New York City in 2000. He now resides in Japan. O'Rourke is best known for his numerous solo and collaborative music projects, many of which are entirely instrumental, and for his tenure as a member of Sonic Youth from 1999 to 2005.

<i>XTRMNTR</i> 2000 studio album by Primal Scream

XTRMNTR is the sixth studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream. It was first released on 31 January 2000 in the United Kingdom by Creation Records and on 2 May 2000 in the United States by Astralwerks. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</i> 2001 studio album by Wilco

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the fourth studio album by American rock band Wilco, first released commercially on April 23, 2002, though released on their band’s website on September 18, 2001. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2000. These sessions, which were documented for the film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, were marred by conflicts including a switch in drummers and disagreements among the band members and engineers about songs. Despite this, the album would be completed in early 2001. The album showcased a more atmospheric and experimental sound than the band's previous work, and has been described as art rock and indie rock by music critics. It was the band's first album with drummer Glenn Kotche, and last with multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Jay Bennett.

<i>Two Against Nature</i> 2000 studio album by Steely Dan

Two Against Nature is the eighth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan. Their first studio album in 20 years, it was recorded from 1997 to 1999 and released on February 29, 2000, by Giant Records.

<i>A Ghost Is Born</i> 2004 studio album by Wilco

A Ghost Is Born is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Wilco. Released on June 22, 2004, it features singer Jeff Tweedy on lead guitar more than any previous Wilco album. The band streamed the album online free, and offered a five-song EP to purchasers.

<i>Mass Romantic</i> 2000 studio album by The New Pornographers

Mass Romantic is the debut studio album by Canadian indie rock supergroup The New Pornographers. Produced by David Carswell and band bassist John Collins, it was released on Mint Records on November 28, 2000. The album was three years in the making, with musicians A.C. Newman and Dan Bejar writing songs as early as 1998. With encouragement from peers, they recorded an album with other Canadian musicians from groups including The Evaporators, Zumpano, and Destroyer.

<i>Murray Street</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Sonic Youth

Murray Street is the twelfth studio album by American rock band Sonic Youth, released on June 25, 2002, by DGC Records. Murray Street is the first album by the band to feature Jim O'Rourke as an official fifth member to bolster the group's sound.

<i>Sound-Dust</i> 2001 studio album by Stereolab

Sound-Dust is the seventh studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab. It was released on 28 August 2001 in North America by Elektra Records and on 3 September 2001 internationally by Duophonic Records. The album was produced by John McEntire and Jim O'Rourke and recorded at McEntire's Chicago studio Soma. It was Stereolab's last album to feature singer and guitarist Mary Hansen, who died in a biking accident the following year.

<i>I Get Wet</i> Album by Andrew W.K.

I Get Wet is the debut studio album by American musician Andrew W.K. It is noted for its controversial artwork as well as its hit singles "Party Hard" and "She Is Beautiful".

<i>Comfort of Strangers</i> 2006 studio album by Beth Orton

Comfort of Strangers is English singer-songwriter Beth Orton's fourth studio album, the follow-up to 2002's Daybreaker. The album was recorded in just two weeks at New York's Sear Sound studio in the spring of 2005, with musician and composer Jim O'Rourke as producer. It features Orton on guitar, piano and harmonica with O'Rourke on bass, piano and marimba and the American percussionist Tim Barnes on drums.

<i>Eureka</i> (Jim ORourke album) 1999 studio album by Jim ORourke

Eureka is the first singer-songwriter album by Jim O'Rourke, originally released on February 25, 1999 by Drag City. It is named after the Nicolas Roeg film of the same name. NME named it the 16th best album of 1999. In 2012, Fact placed it at number 24 on the "100 Best Albums of the 1990s" list.

<i>Bad Timing</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Jim ORourke

Bad Timing is a 1997 studio album by American musician Jim O'Rourke, and the first to be released by the Drag City label. Although O'Rourke had previously established himself with a prolific output of experimental music beginning in the late 1980s, this album marked the beginning of his series of albums released by Drag City focusing on more traditional instrumentation and song structures. It is an instrumental album, consisting largely of Jim O'Rourke's acoustic guitar playing, sometimes with additional instrumentation.

Loose Fur was an American rock supergroup comprising Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche, along with Wilco collaborator and Sonic Youth's multi-instrumentalist Jim O'Rourke. The trio first convened in May 2000 in preparation for a Tweedy performance at a festival in Chicago. Tweedy was offered the opportunity to collaborate with an artist of his choosing, and he decided to work with O'Rourke. O'Rourke brought Kotche to a rehearsal session, and the trio recorded an album's worth of songs. The trio have since released two albums, 2003's Loose Fur and 2006's Born Again in the USA, for Drag City. The band has only toured once.

<i>Isolation Drills</i> 2001 studio album by Guided by Voices

Isolation Drills is the 12th studio album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices. It was their second and final LP released under TVT Records and their second to feature a major rock producer in Rob Schnapf. The album was also their first to chart on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 168. The album notably features instrumental contributions from Elliott Smith and David Sulzer. Previous longtime band member Tobin Sprout also returned as a guest and contributed with playing piano. While Jim MacPherson plays drums on the album, his replacement Jon McCann is featured in the cover photos, as MacPherson had left the band immediately after the recording to focus on his home life.

<i>Dongs of Sevotion</i> 2000 studio album by Smog

Dongs of Sevotion is the eighth studio album by Smog. It was released on April 3, 2000, in Europe by Domino Recording Company and a day later in North America by Drag City. It peaked at number 28 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.

<i>The Letting Go</i> 2006 studio album by Bonnie Prince Billy

The Letting Go is a 2006 studio album by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. It was released on Drag City.

<i>Sky Blue Sky</i> 2007 studio album by Wilco

Sky Blue Sky is the sixth studio album by American rock band Wilco, released on May 15, 2007 by Nonesuch Records. Originally announced on January 17, 2007 at a show in Nashville, Tennessee, it was the band's first studio album with guitarist Nels Cline and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone. Before its release, the band streamed the entire album on its official website and offered a free download of "What Light".

<i>The Visitor</i> (Jim ORourke album) 2009 studio album by Jim ORourke

The Visitor is an instrumental album by American musician Jim O'Rourke. It was released on Drag City in 2009 on CD and LP, but not digitally by O'Rourke's request. O'Rourke played every instrument on the album, and it was all recorded in his home in Tokyo. It marks his first proper studio album in eight years since Insignificance, released in 2001, and is intended to be a continuation of that album, Eureka, and Bad Timing.

<i>Simple Songs</i> (Jim ORourke album) 2015 studio album by Jim ORourke

Simple Songs is the third and final singer-songwriter album by American musician Jim O'Rourke for Drag City. It was released on May 19, 2015, nearly fourteen years after O'Rourke's previous singer-songwriter album Insignificance (2001).

References

  1. Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 27, 2023. Insignificance...to date remains his solo effort most concerned with pop accessibility.
  2. "Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance". Drag City . Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  3. Ratliff, Ben (September 2, 2009). "Once Insider, Now Outsider, and Liking It". The New York Times . Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Reviews for Insignificance by Jim O'Rourke". Metacritic . Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  6. Phares, Heather. "Insignificance – Jim O'Rourke". AllMusic . Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  7. Aizlewood, John (January 18, 2002). "Significant strides". The Guardian . Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  8. Wirth, Jim (January 19, 2002). "O'Rourke, Jim : Insignificance". NME . Archived from the original on August 3, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  9. Pecoraro, David M. (November 27, 2001). "Jim O'Rourke: Insignificance". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  10. "Jim O'Rourke: Insignificance". Q (185): 128. December 2001.
  11. Gross, Joe (March 2002). "Jim O'Rourke: Insignificance". Spin . 18 (3): 137. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  12. Martin, Tyler (September 1, 2003). "Jim O'Rourke – Insignificance – Review". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  13. "Jim O'Rourke: Insignificance". Uncut (57): 110. February 2002.
  14. Pitchfork staff (September 28, 2009). "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200–151". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 1, 2009.