Mothership | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 7, 2016 | |||
Recorded | April–June 2016 | |||
Studio | Interlace Audio Recording Studios (Portland, Oregon) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 49:43 | |||
Label | Rise | |||
Producer | Kris Crummett | |||
Dance Gavin Dance chronology | ||||
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Singles from Mothership | ||||
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Mothership is the seventh studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on October 7, 2016, on Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up the group's sixth studio album, Instant Gratification (2015), and is their second consecutive studio release with the same consistent line-up. The album was produced by Kris Crummett. Upon its release, the album sold over 19,000 copies within its first week in retail, debuting at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. [1]
The album was supported by four singles; "Chucky Vs. The Giant Tortoise", "Betrayed by the Game", "Young Robot", and "Inspire the Liars". To promote the album, the band embarked on the Mothership Tour, which consisted of two North American legs and one European leg, and toured on the 2017 Vans Warped Tour. On June 28, 2019, the band released an instrumental version of the album to streaming and digital download platforms.
Mothership was recorded by the band at Interlace Audio Recording Studios in North Portland, Oregon over a two-month period between April and June 2016 with producer Kris Crummett. During the recording sessions for the album, the band sought out and collaborated with other musicians such as Andrew Michael Wells of Eidola, Aric Garcia of Hail the Sun, Martin Bianchini of Secret Band, and former Dance Gavin Dance guitarist Zachary Garren of Strawberry Girls.
The album artwork for Mothership was created by Swedish illustrator and artist Mattias Adolfsson, who has previously created the album artwork for six of Dance Gavin Dance's studio albums. The album cover depicts a "mothership" in the upper sector of the photo in the shape of an infinity symbol whilst citizens praise its arrival on the ground below. Easter eggs are also illustrated in the album's artwork, including the Death Star-inspired space ship as seen on the band's 2008 self-titled studio album.
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 78/100 [2] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Rock Sound | 7/10 [3] |
Mothership was unveiled by the band on July 27, 2016, slated for an October 7, 2016 release date. [4] On August 18, Dance Gavin Dance released the album's lead single, "Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise", for digital download. [5] A second single, "Betrayed by the Game", was released on September 16. [6] On the same day, the music video for "Betrayed by the Game" premiered on the official Rise Records YouTube channel. An animated music video for the song "Young Robot" premiered on September 27, 2016. [7] On March 3, 2017, the band released the music video for their single "Inspire the Liars". [8]
Throughout the week prior to the release of Mothership, the band uploaded previews of songs off of the album daily on their social media.
Three years later, on June 28, 2019, Rise Records released an instrumental version of Mothership. [9]
The band embarked on the headlining Mothership Tour in the United States and Canada from September 22 to October 27, 2016. [10] The tour included support from The Contortionist, Hail the Sun, Good Tiger, and The White Noise. A European headlining tour took place from November 3 to November 26, 2016 with special guest appearances from former members Jonny Craig and Kurt Travis in honor of the band's tenth anniversary. [11]
Another North American tour took place from February 24 to March 19, 2017 with special guest CHON and support from Eidola and Vasudeva. [12] The band toured the entirety of the 2017 Vans Warped Tour from June 16 to August 6, 2017. [13]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise" | 3:56 |
2. | "Young Robot" | 3:39 |
3. | "Frozen One" | 2:48 |
4. | "Flossie Dickey Bounce" | 2:54 |
5. | "Deception" | 3:52 |
6. | "Inspire the Liars" | 4:35 |
7. | "Philosopher King" | 3:39 |
8. | "Here Comes the Winner" | 4:47 |
9. | "Exposed" | 3:32 |
10. | "Betrayed by the Game" | 3:10 |
11. | "Petting Zoo Justice" | 3:27 |
12. | "Chocolate Jackalope" | 3:50 |
13. | "Man of the Year" | 5:34 |
Total length: | 49:43 |
Dance Gavin Dance
'Additional musicians
Production
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [14] | 13 |
Dance Gavin Dance is an American rock band from Sacramento, California, formed in 2005. The band currently consists of harsh vocalist Jon Mess, cleans vocalist Tilian Pearson, lead guitarist Will Swan, rhythm guitarist Andrew Wells, and drummer Matthew Mingus. The band formerly included lead vocalists Jonny Craig and Kurt Travis, bassists Eric Lodge, Jason Ellis, and Tim Feerick, and guitarists Alvaro Alcala, Sean O'Sullivan, Zachary Garren, and Josh Benton. The lineup has changed numerous times since their inception. Swan and Mingus are the only band members who have appeared on every studio album.
Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean is the debut EP by American post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance. Released on November 14, 2006, the album was originally recorded over a six month period with producer Phil Devereux and was subsequently produced and mastered by Kris Crummett after the band signed to Rise Records.
Downtown Battle Mountain is the debut studio album by American post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance, released on May 15, 2007, on Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up to the band's debut extended play, Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean, which was released in 2006. The title of the album was inspired by the unincorporated town Battle Mountain, Nevada after the band visited the city. The album was produced by Kris Crummett, who would go on to produce most of the band's future studio releases.
Dance Gavin Dance is the second studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on August 19, 2008, on Rise Records. The album is a follow-up to the band's full-length debut studio album, Downtown Battle Mountain (2007), and is their first studio release to feature clean vocalist Kurt Travis and rhythm guitarist Zachary Garren, who replaced Jonny Craig and Sean O'Sullivan, respectively, in 2007. The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Kris Crummett and recorded in Portland, Oregon. Following its release, the album peaked at number 172 on the Billboard 200 and 26 on the Top Independent Albums chart.
Happiness is the third studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on June 9, 2009, on Rise Records. It is the band's second consecutive, and final, studio album to feature Kurt Travis on clean vocals and Zachary Garren on guitar, and is their only studio album to not feature screaming vocalist Jon Mess, who left the group in 2008 before returning in 2010. It is also the band's only studio album to feature bass guitarist Jason Ellis and is their only release to feature screaming vocals from lead guitarist Will Swan. The album serves as a follow-up to the group's sophomore studio album, Dance Gavin Dance (2008) and was produced by Kris Crummett, who recorded the album with the band in Portland, Oregon at Interlace Audio Recording Studio in February 2009. Following its release, the album peaked at No. 145 on the Billboard 200 and No. 30 on the Top Independent Albums chart.
Downtown Battle Mountain II is the fourth studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on March 8, 2011, on Rise Records. The album is a non-direct sequel to the band's full-length debut studio album, Downtown Battle Mountain (2007), and sees the return of original members, vocalists Jonny Craig and Jon Mess, and bass guitarist Eric Lodge. It also serves as a follow-up to the band's third studio album, Happiness (2009) and was produced by Kris Crummett. The album is the group's second studio album, and third and final release overall, to feature Jonny Craig upon rejoining the band in 2010. Craig later departed from the line-up in August 2012. Upon its release, the album debuted at No. 82 on the Billboard 200 while the Hot Topic deluxe version debuted at No. 190 on the Billboard 200 in the same week.
Acceptance Speech is the fifth studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on October 8, 2013, on Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up to the band's fourth studio album, Downtown Battle Mountain II (2011), and is the band's first studio album to feature clean vocalist Tilian Pearson, bass guitarist Tim Feerick, and guitarist Josh Benton. It is the band's only studio album to feature Benton on rhythm guitar, who departed shortly after the album's release. The album was produced by Matt Malpass, which marks the band's first and only studio album to not be produced by Kris Crummett, who has produced all of the band's previous releases since Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean (2006).
Instant Gratification is the sixth studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on April 14, 2015, on Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up to the group's fifth studio album, Acceptance Speech (2013), and is the first release since the departure of guitarist Josh Benton, who joined as a session member in 2013 and left the following year. The album also sees the return of producer Kris Crummett, who produced all of the band's previous studio albums except for Acceptance Speech.
Icarus the Owl is an American alternative rock band based in Portland, Oregon formed in 2009. The band currently consists of vocalist Joey Rubenstein, lead guitarist Tim Brown, percussionist Rob Bernknopf, and bassist Jake Thomas-Low. The band has self-released 5 studio albums titled The Spotless Mind (2009), Love Always, Leviathan (2012), Icarus the Owl (2014), and Pilot Waves (2015), Rearm Circuits (2017) and one EP titled Qualia (2011). The band has participated on the Vans Warped Tour in 2013 and has toured with bands such as A Lot Like Birds, Hail the Sun, Stolas, Eidola, Artifex Pereo, and The Ongoing Concept. In 2015, the band signed with Blue Swan Records and released Pilot Waves, their debut album with the label.
William Swan is an American songwriter and musician born in Sacramento, California. He is best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the American post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance and as the founder and owner of record label Blue Swan Records. He is also a guitarist in the metal band Secret Band, progressive rock band Royal Coda, and was a guitarist in the now defunct Sianvar.
Sianvar was an American progressive rock band from Sacramento, California, formed in 2013. The group currently consists of lead vocalist Donovan Melero, guitarists Will Swan and Sergio Medina, and drummer Joseph Arrington. The band is signed to Swan's independent record label Blue Swan Records. They released their debut self-titled EP on January 5, 2014 and their debut full-length studio album, Stay Lost, in August 2016. The band announced an indefinite hiatus on April 8, 2019.
Artificial Selection is the eighth studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on June 8, 2018, on Rise Records. It is the follow-up to the band's seventh studio album, Mothership (2016) and is their third consecutive studio release with the same line-up. The album was produced by Kris Crummett, Erik Ron, and Dryw Owens, and was self-produced by Dance Gavin Dance, making it the first release by the band to feature more than one producer.
The Skeptic is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter and Dance Gavin Dance vocalist Tilian Pearson, released on September 28, 2018, through Future Friends and Rise Records. The album is a follow-up to his second studio album, Perfect Enemy (2015), and is his first solo release on Rise since departing with Vital Records. The album was produced by Kris Crummett, who performed drums and percussion on the record, while Pearson performed guitar, keyboards, and bass guitar.
"Head Hunter" is a song performed by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance. It was released as a single for digital download and streaming on March 22, 2019, through Rise Records. It serves as a stand-alone single and will not be featured on the group's recent ninth studio album, and is the first piece of new music since the band's eighth studio album, Artificial Selection (2018). It was written by the band's vocalists Tilian Pearson and Jon Mess, with the music composed by the band with additional guitar and vocals from Eidola guitarist Andrew Wells.
"Blood Wolf" is a song performed by the American rock band Dance Gavin Dance. It was released as a single for digital download and streaming on October 11, 2019, by Rise Records. It is a b-side to the band's 2019 single "Head Hunter". It was produced by Kris Crummett. Following its release, it charted at number 24 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, the group's first career charting single.
Afterburner is the ninth full-length studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance. Released on April 24, 2020, on Rise Records, the album serves as a follow-up the group's eighth studio album, Artificial Selection (2018). Recording sessions for the album took place over a three-month period between August and October 2019 with producer Kris Crummett at Interlace Audio in Portland, Oregon, while the vocals were recorded with producer Drew Fulk in Los Angeles, California. The album is considered a musical progression for the band, as the group experimented with funk, Latin, rap, and metalcore which accompany their post-hardcore and experimental rock style. It is the group's final studio album to be released during bass guitarist Tim Feerick's lifetime before his death in April 2022.
"Prisoner" is a song by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance. It was released to digital download and streaming services as the lead single from their ninth studio album, Afterburner, on February 21, 2020, by Rise Records. The song features an uncredited guest appearance from Royal Coda and Eidola guitarist Sergio Medina.
The Architect is the fourth full-length studio album by American rock band Eidola, released on September 17, 2021 through Blue Swan Records and Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up to their third studio album, To Speak, To Listen (2017), and is their first to not feature rhythm guitarist Brandon Bascom, who departed from the band in December 2017 and was replaced by Royal Coda guitarist Sergio Medina. It is also the band's first release since their record label Blue Swan Records partnered with Rise in February 2021. The album was produced by Ian Cooperstein and Kris Crummett with recording sessions taking place at Interlace Audio in Portland, Oregon.
"Synergy" is a song by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance. It was released as the lead single from their tenth studio album, Jackpot Juicer, to digital and streaming platforms on March 24, 2022, on Rise Records. It was written by the band with additional guitar parts from Louie Baltazar of American post-hardcore band Wolf & Bear and features guest vocals from Rob Damiani of English rock band Don Broco. It is the band's first release to feature Andrew Wells of American post-hardcore band Eidola as an official member since joining as a touring guitarist in 2015 and is their final song to be released before Tim Feerick's death.
Jackpot Juicer is the tenth full-length studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on July 29, 2022, on Rise Records. It serves as the follow-up to their ninth studio album, Afterburner (2020). Produced by Kris Crummett, the album was recorded at Interlace Audio in Portland, Oregon, between April and July 2021 and is the band's longest album to date consisting of eighteen tracks and a runtime of one hour and three minutes. It is the band's first studio album to be credited as a sextet since Acceptance Speech (2013) as well as their first to feature Andrew Wells as an official member since joining as a touring guitarist in 2015. It is also their final release to feature bassist Tim Feerick who died on April 13, 2022.