O Monolith

Last updated

O Monolith
Squid - O Monolith.png
Studio album by
Squid
Released9 June 2023 (2023-06-09)
Studio Real World, England
Genre Post-punk, art punk [1] [2]
Length41:00
Label Warp
Producer Dan Carey
Squid chronology
Bright Green Field
(2021)		O Monolith
(2023)
Singles from O Monolith
  1. "Swing (In a Dream)"
    Released: 8 February 2023 [3]
  2. "Undergrowth"
    Released: 18 April 2023 [4]
  3. "The Blades"
    Released: 25 May 2023 [5]

O Monolith is the second studio album by British band Squid, released on 9 June 2023 on Warp Records. Produced by Dan Carey, the album was preceded by three singles: "Swing (In a Dream)", "Undergrowth" and "The Blades".

Contents

Written and recorded in rural Wiltshire, the band described the album as a "musical evocation of environment, domesticity and self-made folklore". [6] Several of the album's eight tracks were debuted and workshopped in front of live audiences while touring in support of their debut album, Bright Green Field .

Background

Within two weeks of the release of Squid's debut studio album, Bright Green Field , the band began writing new material for its follow-up, using their 2021 tour in support of the album to improvise and "workshop" ideas for O Monolith's eight tracks. [6] The bulk of the album's material was written in rural Wiltshire, at the Writing Room in Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, the recording studio complex at which the band ultimately recorded the album. [7]

Lead vocalist and drummer Ollie Judge stated that he was trying to make a "spiritual" record despite his "inherent cynicism". [8] Prior to landing on the title, O Monolith, the album had the working title of Moonrakers. Regarding the album's eventual title, the band noted: "We're leaving it open to interpretation. We don't know why it's called that... yet. We were keen for things surrounding this album not to make too much sense. We were quite attracted to the way that the word monolith does that; it can have ancient and modern connotations quite easily." [7]

Musically, the band were influenced by These New Puritans, Talk Talk, and Gazelle Twin and NYX's 2021 album, Deep England. [9]

Recording

O Monolith was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, with Dan Carey; Carey had previously produced the band's debut album, Bright Green Field. The band praised the scale, size and location of Real World Studios, which is based in rural Wiltshire: "Just being in a space where you can see the countryside from the big windows was huge. Naturally when playing acoustic instruments with the choir and orchestral components, being in that space allows for it to feel like the music is singing back to you to a certain extent, and you also have some space to write things individually and having another room to work on different pieces was brilliant too." [6]

Regarding the differences between recording at Real World and Dan Carey's home studio, the band noted: "It's, er, very different! Real World is a James Bond baddie base from which Peter Gabriel is planning on taking over the world. Dan's studio is an old Post Office room in south London." [7]

Writing and composition

The album's opening track and first single, "Swing (In a Dream)", is "inspired by a nocturnal vision" of the painting The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard. [7] "Devil's Den" is named after The Devil's Den, a local burial chamber in Wiltshire that is said to be visited by demons in the night. The song is also in part influenced by ancient witch trials: "There's a feminist play called Vinegar Tom written by Caryl Churchill in the 70s, which I thought was interesting. And then I decided to load the song with as much supernatural imagery as possible." [7]

The lyrics to "Undergrowth" were inspired by lead vocalist and drummer Ollie Judge's insular experiences during COVID-19 lockdowns: "I developed this obsession with animism. I was going for weeks without seeing anyone walking past my window. I was just looking out at things that hadn't moved in weeks, like the bins and found myself wondering if there were spirits living in them. Then I started having these thoughts all the time: 'What if I die, what will I come back as? Maybe I'll come back as furniture... I was going pretty crazy and had to get out to talk to other people. I got a job at the Rough Trade warehouse, doing mail order, simply so I could interact with other people a few times a week. Yeah, "Undergrowth" is about dying really." [7]

"The Blades" references police brutality, which inspired the "Kill the Bill" protests in Bristol in 2021. [7] Guitarist, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anton Pearson wrote the lyrics to the album's final track, "If You Had Seen the Bull's Swimming Attempts You Would Have Stayed Away", about a fictionalised account of rats arriving in the United Kingdom alongside Roman colonisers: "We know that when the Romans came here it led to the destruction of some languages in different places, so I wrote a story about rats rubbing out dictionaries. But it was also inspired by Theo Anthony's documentary Rat Film about the red-lining of different urban populations in America and how poverty relates to rodent populations." [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10 [10]
Metacritic 82/100 [11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Clash 8/10 [13]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The Line of Best Fit 9/10 [14]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Pitchfork 7.3/10 [8]
PopMatters 7/10 [17]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [18]
Under the Radar Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [19]

O Monolith received a score of 82 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on 14 critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [11] Ryan Leas of Pitchfork wrote that Squid's "core sound remains, with flares of distortion and full-throated freakouts erupting from wiry rhythms" and "for a band that has always been adventurous, Squid now seek a different kind of freedom: They no longer surge forward, but wander". Leas also felt that the album's subject matter is "characteristically dense and far-flung". [8] Rob Moura of PopMatters called it "a tighter, leaner, more refined version of what predecessor Bright Green Field brought to the table [...] with quiet parts building into loud parts that then drop back into gulfs of atmosphere". Moura also felt that it is "hard to be unpredictable for long, and for a group that benefits from unpredictability, O Monolith can't help but suffer from the weight of expectations". [17]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Timothy Monger described O Monolith as "a more streamlined, though still Squid-like sophomore set that nurtures their innate curiosity while still feeding their appetite for chaos", and found that the "most immediate shift in their sound is an increased emphasis on melody and harmonic structure". [12] Robin Murray of Clash felt that the album "is less of a second chapter, and more of a completely distinct book", one that "allows Squid to truly inter-connect, the band's inherently democratic means of music-making storming across eight vivid tracks". Murray also remarked that producer Carey "once more coaxes out some feral performances from the band", concluding that it is "no less inviting than their debut, while asserting its own identity at every corner". [13]

Max Pilley of NME commented that Squid's "hungry curiosity, combined with a desire to push their own boundaries, comes to fruition on O Monolith to create an album that is ripe for discovery across multiple listens", finding that "there is now patience and a sense of self-confidence that allows Squid to develop their ideas across time and space". [16] Elvis Thirlwell of DIY pointed out the album's "otherworldly folk cultishness, with group chants and woodwind figures adding pastoral flair", concluding that it "retains that signature post-punk flex – guitars interlocking in askew time signatures" and is "an album of immense power and conviction". [2]

Jo Higgs of The Skinny described O Monolith as "a torn-up patchwork of terrain; scorching sands sutured violently into haunting forestry, sprawling ocean scapes tidally enveloping dense metropolitan high-rises", highlighting the final track as "most worthy of being considered monolithic in its own right" due to the fact it "provides three distinct sonic variations in its first minute alone, and does not rest on its laurels from thereon out. It encapsulates O Monolith, and elevates it". [18] Writing for musicOMH , Ross Horton opined that the album "showcases a band capable of creating a unique fusion of old and new(ish)" and "finds them delving even deeper into denser and more whimsical themes". Horton highlighted "Siphon Song" as a "skilful manipulation of dynamics [that] creates a thrilling and unpredictable sonic journey, further cementing the album's prowess". [15]

John Amen of The Line of Best Fit summarised the album as "triumphant on its own terms" and "stylistically far-ranging" yet "less radically individual than Field, a still distinct yet replicable template from a band with enormous potential". [14] Ben Jardine of Under the Radar found O Monolith to be "vast, and it both benefits and suffers from this vastness. While it has plenty of memorable moments, paired with an unfettered desire to explore and innovate in the studio, it lacks the immediate throughline of its successor. It's still Squid at their most experimental, but it has more bark than bite". [19]

Track listing

O Monolith track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Swing (In a Dream)"4:29
2."Devil's Den"3:05
3."Siphon Song"5:58
4."Undergrowth"6:35
5."The Blades"6:28
6."After the Flash"5:34
7."Green Light"4:23
8."If You Had Seen the Bull's Swimming Attempts You Would Have Stayed Away"5:14
Total length:41:00

Charts

Chart performance for O Monolith
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [20] 78
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [21] 99
Scottish Albums (OCC) [22] 13
UK Albums (OCC) [23] 34
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [24] 6

Related Research Articles

<i>Wild Mood Swings</i> 1996 studio album by the Cure

Wild Mood Swings is the tenth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 6 May 1996 by Fiction Records. The album charted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart, staying on chart for six weeks, and charted at number 12 in the US Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Reverend Horton Heat</span> American psychobilly trio

The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician James C. Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. A Prick magazine reviewer called Heath the "godfather of modern rockabilly and psychobilly".

<i>Turn On the Bright Lights</i> 2002 studio album by Interpol

Turn On the Bright Lights is the debut studio album by American rock band Interpol. It was released in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2002, and in the United States the following day, through independent record label Matador Records. The album was recorded in November 2001 at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and was co-produced, mixed and engineered by Peter Katis and Gareth Jones. Its title is taken from a repeated line in the song "NYC".

<i>Laid</i> (album) 1993 album by British rock band James

Laid is the fifth studio album by British rock band James. It was released on 27 September 1993 through Fontana Records. The album's sound, which is "stripped-down" compared to their prior releases, was inspired by their recent experience touring as supporting act to Neil Young. Enlisting Brian Eno as producer, James recorded for six weeks at The Windings in Wrexham, Wales, and Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire. The sessions also resulted in the experimental sixth studio album Wah Wah (1994). Laid is a folk and pop rock album that was reminiscent of their earlier releases with its atmosphere and minimal arrangements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic Monkeys</span> English rock band

Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group consists of lead singer Alex Turner, drummer Matt Helders, guitarist Jamie Cook and bassist Nick O'Malley; bassist and co-founder Andy Nicholson left the band in 2006.

<i>Swing When Youre Winning</i> 2001 studio album of cover songs by Robbie Williams

Swing When You're Winning is a swing cover album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, and his fourth studio album overall. It was released in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2001 and peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wombats</span> English indie rock band

The Wombats are an English indie rock band formed in Liverpool in 2003, consisting of Matthew Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, and Dan Haggis. They have sold over 1 million albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bombay Bicycle Club</span> English indie rock band

Bombay Bicycle Club is an English indie rock band from Crouch End, London, consisting of Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Suren de Saram, and Ed Nash. They are guitar-fronted and have experimented with different genres, including folk, electronica, world music and indie rock.

<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.

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

Peace are an English indie rock band, formed in Worcester. The band currently consists of brothers Harry and Sam Koisser. The band began to receive critical acclaim in early 2012, from publications such as The Guardian and NME, who compared them to The Maccabees, Foals, Wu Lyf and Vampire Weekend. They were considered part of the B-Town movement, along with bands such as Swim Deep, Jaws and Superfood.

<i>Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.</i> 2018 studio album by The Smashing Pumpkins

Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on November 16, 2018 through Napalm Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, it is the band's first album to feature founding members James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin since Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music (2000) and Zeitgeist (2007), respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunn O))) discography</span> Band discography

The discography of Sunn O))), an American drone metal band, consists of nine studio albums, three collaborative albums, six EPs, four demos, one remix album, eight official live albums, one box set compilation, two stand-alone singles and three compilation contributions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squid (band)</span> British post-punk band

Squid are an English post-punk band from Brighton, England. Consisting of lead singer and drummer Ollie Judge, guitarists Louis Borlase and Anton Pearson, bassist Laurie Nankivell and keyboardist Arthur Leadbetter, they are currently based in Bristol.

<i>Welcome to Bobbys Motel</i> 2020 studio album by Pottery

Welcome to Bobby's Motel is the debut full-length studio album by Canadian five-piece indie rock/garage punk band Pottery. It was released on June 26, 2020 through PTKF/Partisan Records, and was produced by Jonathan Schenke. Recording sessions took place at Break Glass Studio in Montreal during summer 2019.

<i>Bright Green Field</i> 2021 studio album by Squid

Bright Green Field is the debut studio album by British band Squid. The album was released on 7 May 2021 through Warp Records.

<i>Life Is Yours</i> 2022 studio album by Foals

Life Is Yours is the seventh studio album by British rock band Foals, released on 17 June 2022 via Warner/Transgressive/ADA. The album was preceded by five singles; "Wake Me Up", "2am", "Looking High", "2001" and "Crest of the Wave".

<i>I Love You Jennifer B</i> 2022 studio album by Jockstrap

I Love You Jennifer B is the debut studio album by British experimental pop band Jockstrap. It was released through Rough Trade Records in September 2022 and received critical acclaim. It debuted and peaked at number 57 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize.

<i>Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts</i> 2022 studio album by the Smashing Pumpkins

Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts is the twelfth studio album by American rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released in three separate installments of 11 songs—Atum: Act One was released on November 15, 2022, Atum: Act Two was released on January 31, 2023, and Atum: Act Three was released on May 5, 2023. A physical box set consisting of all 33 songs, along with a group of 10 additional exclusive songs, under the title "Zodeon at Crystal Hall" was released in early May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panopticom</span> 2023 single by Peter Gabriel

"Panopticom" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released in January 2023 as the first single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O, his first album of original material since 2002's Up. Two versions of the song have been released: the "Bright Side Mix" on 6 January 2023, and the "Dark Side Mix" on 21 January. The cover features David Spriggs' Red Gravity as the cover art. The single was released on the first full moon of the year.

<i>Below the Waste</i> (Goat Girl album) 2024 studio album by Goat Girl

Below The Waste is the third studio album by English band Goat Girl. It was released on 7 June 2024 by Rough Trade Records.

References

  1. ↑ Smirnov, Aleksandr (9 June 2023). "Album Review: Squid – O Monolith". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Thirlwell, Elvis. "Squid – O Monolith review". DIY . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Daly, Rhian (8 February 2023). "Squid announce new album O Monolith and share first single 'Swing (In a Dream)'". NME . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Rettig, James (18 April 2023). "Squid Share New Single 'Undergrowth'". Stereogum . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  5. ↑ Krueger, Jonah (25 May 2023). "Squid Share Origins of New Song "The Blades": Exclusive". Consequence . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Coffey, Cailean (12 June 2023). "Squid and the importance of breathing space". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Doran, John (2 May 2023). "Stone to the Bone: Squid Interviewed". The Quietus . Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Leas, Ryan (9 June 2023). "Squid: O Monolith Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Pilley, Max (6 June 2023). "Squid on new album O Monolith: 'We're all in the groove now: we've never been more confident'". NME . Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "O Monolith by Squid reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  11. 1 2 "O Monolith by Squid Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  12. 1 2 Monger, Timothy. "Squid – O Monolith Album Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  13. 1 2 Murray, Robin (8 June 2023). "Squid – O Monolith | Reviews". Clash . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  14. 1 2 Amen, John (7 June 2023). "Squid hammer home their iconoclastic moxie with O Monolith". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  15. 1 2 Horton, Ross (9 June 2023). "Squid – O Monolith | Album Reviews". musicOMH . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  16. 1 2 Pilley, Max (7 June 2023). "Squid – O Monolith review: a monument to daring artistic growth". NME . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  17. 1 2 Moura, Rob (7 June 2023). "Squid's O Monolith Is a Paranoid Post-Genre Maelstrom". PopMatters . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  18. 1 2 Higgs, Jo (6 June 2023). "Squid album review: O Monolith". The Skinny . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  19. 1 2 Jardine, Ben (9 June 2023). "Squid: O Monolith (Warp)". Under the Radar . Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Squid – O Monolith" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Squid – O Monolith" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  23. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
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.