Kaputt (album)

Last updated
Kaputt
2011Kaputt.jpg
Studio album by
Destroyer
ReleasedJanuary 25, 2011
Recorded2008–10
StudioJC/DC Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia
Genre
Length50:08 (US CD / digital)
70:06 (European CD / vinyl)
Label Merge, Dead Oceans
Producer JC/DC (John Collins and David Carswell)
Destroyer chronology
Archer on the Beach
(2010)		Kaputt
(2011)		 Five Spanish Songs
(2013)

Kaputt is the ninth album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. It was released on January 25, 2011, by Merge Records and Dead Oceans Records. [7] The album was leaked towards the end of 2010. [8] [9] The vinyl edition of the album features bonus material on side three written largely by frequent Destroyer collaborator Ted Bois. This material is also included in the European CD version of the album credited as 'The Laziest River'.

Contents

The album was named as a shortlisted (one of 10) nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize award.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10 [10]
Metacritic 84/100 [11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [12]
The A.V. Club A− [3]
Entertainment Weekly A− [1]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [14]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)B+ [15]
NME 8/10 [16]
Pitchfork 8.8/10 [2]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [17]
Spin 7/10 [5]

Kaputt received widespread acclaim from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 84, based on 38 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". [11] In a five-star review of the album for The Guardian , Alexis Petridis was complimentary of the album's stylistic similarities and lyrical allusions to 1980s popular culture, writing that Kaputt "swerves accusations of archness or kitsch" because of the strength of its songs. [13] Petridis further stated that the album "feels like an open love letter to a vanished pop era: it's unique and warm and beautiful, as love letters are supposed to be." [13] Laura Snapes of NME called it Daniel Bejar's "finest work to date, and excessive, but irresistibly so." [16]

Pitchfork placed Kaputt second on their list of the Top 50 Albums of 2011. [18] It also placed on year-end best album lists from Uncut (number 31) [19] and Mojo (number 41), among others. [20] In August 2014, Kaputt was placed as number 16 on a list published by Pitchfork of The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far (2010–2014). [21] In 2019, they ranked the album at number 22 in their list of "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s"; editor Jeremy D Larson wrote that "Dan Bejar made a masterpiece out of a comedown, a glassy-eyed look at a world starting to collapse." [22] In the same year, Pitchfork also ranked "Chinatown" at number 86 on its list of the 200 Best Songs of the 2010s. [23]

Track listing

CD and digital version

All tracks are written by Daniel Bejar, except for lyrics in "Suicide Demo for Kara Walker" which are co-written by Kara Walker and "The Laziest River" co-written by Ted Bois.

No.TitleLength
1."Chinatown"3:49
2."Blue Eyes"4:07
3."Savage Night at the Opera"4:24
4."Suicide Demo for Kara Walker"8:26
5."Poor in Love"3:26
6."Kaputt"6:18
7."Downtown"3:52
8."Song for America"4:29
9."Bay of Pigs (Detail)"11:19

The European CD version contains "The Laziest River" as a single track after "Song for America".

Vinyl version

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Chinatown"3:49
2."Blue Eyes"4:07
3."Savage Night at the Opera"4:24
4."Suicide Demo for Kara Walker"8:26
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Poor in Love"3:26
2."Kaputt"6:18
3."Downtown"3:52
4."Song for America"4:29
Side three: The Laziest River
No.TitleLength
1."Prelude (Estuary)"4:17
2."Nagel's Marimba"4:28
3."The Laziest River"7:04
4."Palm Springs Life"0:30
5."Landing on Water"3:39
Side four
No.TitleLength
1."Bay of Pigs (Detail)"11:18

Personnel

The following people contributed to Kaputt: [24]

Destroyer

Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The New Pornographers</span> Canadian indie rock band

The New Pornographers are a Canadian indie rock band, formed in 1997 in Vancouver. Presented as a musical collective and supergroup of singer-songwriters and musicians from multiple projects, the band has released nine studio albums to date. The band have received critical acclaim for their use of multiple vocalists and songwriters, as well as for the elements of power pop incorporated into their music. Pitchfork has described the band's sound as "peppy, gleeful, headstrong guitar pop", while Stereogum has retrospectively praised the band's debut album Mass Romantic as "one of the greatest and most immediate power pop albums ever rendered".

<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>Destroyers Rubies</i> 2006 studio album by Destroyer

Destroyer's Rubies is the seventh studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on February 21, 2006 on Merge Records, Scratch Records, Acuarela Discos, Architecture, and Rough Trade Records.

Stereogum is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.

<i>Trouble in Dreams</i> 2008 studio album by Destroyer

Trouble in Dreams is the eighth LP from Destroyer, released on March 18, 2008 by Merge Records. The album was preceded by the single "Foam Hands", released on December 4, 2007.

<i>This Is Happening</i> 2010 studio album by LCD Soundsystem

This Is Happening is the third studio album by American rock band LCD Soundsystem. It was released first on May 17, 2010, jointly through DFA and Virgin Records in the United States and Parlophone elsewhere. It was recorded over the course of 2009 and early 2010 in the Mansion recording studio in Los Angeles. The first single, "Pow Pow", was released in April 2010, with a music video directed by Spike Jonze. The album is dedicated to Jerry Fuchs (1974–2009), who performed drums live with the band on occasion, as well as having a big part in associated DFA acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroyer (band)</span> Canadian indie rock band

Destroyer is a Canadian indie rock band from Vancouver, formed in 1995. The band is fronted by founding member Dan Bejar, with a collective of regular band members and collaborators joining him in the studio and during live performances. Alongside Bejar, Destroyer currently includes longtime producers John Collins (bass) and David Carswell (guitar), Nicolas Bragg, Ted Bois (keyboards), JP Carter (trumpet) and Joshua Wells (drums).

<i>Apocalypse</i> (Bill Callahan album) 2011 studio album by Bill Callahan

Apocalypse is a studio album by Bill Callahan, released on April 5, 2011. It is the third studio album released under his own name, and fourteenth overall when including LPs released as Smog.

<i>Strange Mercy</i> 2011 studio album by St. Vincent

Strange Mercy is the third studio album by American musician St. Vincent, released on September 13, 2011, by 4AD, in the United Kingdom and a day later in the United States. The album's cover art was designed by St. Vincent, and was photographed by Tina Tyrell. The album peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard 200, and was St. Vincent's highest-charting album at the time, later being surpassed by her next two solo albums, St. Vincent (2014) and Masseduction (2017). In addition, Strange Mercy received significant critical acclaim.

<i>50 Words for Snow</i> 2011 studio album by Kate Bush

50 Words for Snow is the ninth studio album by English singer-songwriter Kate Bush, released on 21 November 2011. It was the second album released on her own label, Fish People, and Bush's first all-new material since Aerial (2005). The album was promoted by the single "Wild Man"; a further single, "Snowflake", followed in October 2024, alongside a short film in support of War Child.

<i>Pluto</i> (Future album) 2012 studio album by Future

Pluto is the debut studio album by American rapper Future. It was released on April 17, 2012, through A1 Recordings and Freebandz, and distributed by Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Drake, R. Kelly, T.I., Trae tha Truth and Snoop Dogg, with the production, which was handled by Will-A-Fool, Sonny Digital and K.E. on the Track, among others.

<i>Five Spanish Songs</i> 2013 EP by Destroyer

Five Spanish Songs is a Spanish language EP by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. It was released on November 26, 2013, via Merge Records and on December 2, 2013, via Dead Oceans in Europe.

<i>In Colour</i> (Jamie xx album) 2015 studio album by Jamie xx

In Colour is the debut studio album by English producer Jamie xx, released on 29 May 2015 by Young Turks. The album was composed during a five-year period while a member of the indie pop band the xx, starting with his production on xx in 2009. After starting his solo career with the remix album We're New Here (2011) and singles like "All Under One Roof Raving" (2014), he was intent on making the album something of a departure from his previous work and genre. The album features guest vocals from fellow the xx members Romy and Oliver Sim, as well as from Young Thug and Popcaan. The album produced five singles: "Girl" and "Sleep Sound" as a double-single on 5 May 2014, "Loud Places" on 27 March 2015, "Gosh" on 4 May, and "I Know There's Gonna Be " on 22 May.

<i>Poison Season</i> 2015 studio album by Destroyer

Poison Season is the tenth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on August 28, 2015, by Merge Records and Dead Oceans Records.

<i>I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It</i> 2016 studio album by the 1975

I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It is the second studio album by English band the 1975, released on 26 February 2016 through Dirty Hit and Polydor. In 2014, frontman Matty Healy released a series of cryptic tweets containing lyrics from the album, revealing its title the following year. After their social accounts were deleted and reinstated with a new visual identity, the band officially confirmed the album in September 2015, a month before "Love Me" was released as the lead single. Over the course of five months, "UGH!", "Somebody Else" and "The Sound" were released as singles, with "A Change of Heart" released four days prior to release. "She's American" and "Loving Someone" were later released in November 2016 and February 2017 as the final singles.

<i>Ken</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Destroyer

Ken is the eleventh studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on October 20, 2017 by Merge Records. Band Leader Dan Bejar began writing ken while on tour in Washington State. Many of the songs and sounds of the album were aesthetic callbacks to Bejar's teenage years in the mid 1980's, with loose ties to Thatcher era politics.

<i>Purple Mountains</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Purple Mountains

Purple Mountains is the only studio album by American indie rock band Purple Mountains. The album was released on July 12, 2019, by Drag City. It is the final overall album by David Berman before his death on August 7, 2019, less than four weeks after the album's release.

<i>Have We Met</i> 2020 studio album by Destroyer

Have We Met is the twelfth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on January 31, 2020, by Merge Records and Dead Oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Shabason</span> Musical artist

Joseph Shabason is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist and composer. He is best known for playing the saxophone. As a band member and session musician, Shabason has contributed to bands such as DIANA, Destroyer and The War on Drugs. Under his own name, Shabason has released experimental ambient jazz albums as a solo project as well as numerous albums with collaborators.

<i>Labyrinthitis</i> (album) 2022 studio album by Destroyer

Labyrinthitis is the thirteenth studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on March 25, 2022, by Merge Records and Bella Union.

References

  1. 1 2 Petrusich, Amanda (January 19, 2011). "Kaputt". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Richardson, Mark (January 24, 2011). "Destroyer: Kaputt". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Hyden, Steven (January 25, 2011). "Destroyer: Kaputt". The A.V. Club . Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  4. ↑ Perpetua, Matthew (25 January 2011). "Singled Out: Destroyer's 'Kaputt'". NPR.
  5. 1 2 Menconi, David (January 25, 2011). "Destroyer, 'Kaputt' (Merge)". Spin . Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  6. ↑ Terich, Jeff; Blyweiss, Adam; Bossenger, A. T.; Prickett, Sam (24 April 2014). "10 Essential Sophisti-pop albums". Treblezine. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Destroyer - Kaputt". www.mergerecords.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  8. ↑ "Frontier Psychiatrist – daily online arts and culture journal covering music, books, film, travel". frontpsych.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
  9. ↑ "Kaputt by Destroyer leaked... and I'm a believer!". tsururadio.
  10. ↑ "Kaputt by Destroyer reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Reviews for Kaputt by Destroyer". Metacritic . Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  12. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "Kaputt – Destroyer". AllMusic . Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 Petridis, Alexis (December 22, 2011). "Destroyer: Kaputt – review". The Guardian . Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  14. ↑ Wappler, Margaret (January 25, 2011). "Album review: Destroyer's 'Kaputt'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  15. ↑ Christgau, Robert (January 17, 2012). "Mekons/Destroyer". MSN Music . Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  16. 1 2 Snapes, Laura (June 14, 2011). "Album Review: Destroyer – 'Kaputt'". NME . Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  17. ↑ Dolan, Jon (January 25, 2011). "Kaputt". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2011". Pitchfork . December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Uncut's Top 50 Albums Of 2011". Stereogum. November 29, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  20. ↑ "MOJO's Top 50 Albums Of 2011". Stereogum. December 2, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  21. ↑ "The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far (2010–2014)". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  22. ↑ "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s". Pitchfork . 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  23. ↑ "The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  24. ↑ "Kaputt – Destroyer > Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved May 21, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.