The Balcony (album)

Last updated

The Balcony
The Balcony Catfish and the Bottlemen.jpg
Studio album by
Released15 September 2014 (2014-09-15)
Genre
Length37:38
Label
Producer Jim Abbiss
Catfish and the Bottlemen chronology
Kathleen and the Other Three
(2014)
The Balcony
(2014)
The Ride
(2016)
Singles from The Balcony
  1. "Homesick"
    Released: 18 May 2013
  2. "Rango"
    Released: 13 August 2013
  3. "Kathleen"
    Released: 18 March 2014
  4. "Fallout"
    Released: 7 July 2014
  5. "Cocoon"
    Released: 23 September 2014
  6. "Pacifier"
    Released: 1 December 2014
  7. "Hourglass"
    Released: 19 August 2015
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 52/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Clash 6/10 [3]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
NME 4/10 [6]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
XS Noize7/10 [7]

The Balcony is the debut studio album by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. It was released on 15 September 2014 in the United Kingdom and 15 January 2015 in the United States. On 20 March 2015, The Balcony was awarded a Gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry. The album cover depicts outlines of two headless people pleasuring each other's genitals. The illustration is by New York artist Tim Lahan who originally posted it to his Flickr account in 2009 and was subsequently contacted by the band. [8]

Contents

The Balcony has been nominated for the Welsh Music Prize 2014–15. [9] As the band's second album The Ride was releasing, it was reported that The Balcony had sold 250,000 copies. [10] In the United States, the album has sold 37,000 copies as of April 2016. [11]

Reception

Critical reception of the album was mixed, with review aggregator Metacritic giving it 52/100 based on 6 reviews. [1] Writing for AllMusic, Scott Kerr gave it three and a half stars out of five, saying that McCann's "weathered and assured vocals" gave an impression of a more experienced band and that Billy Bibby provided "grand Johnny Marr-inspired guitar hooks that are unapologetically catchy, gritty, and full of swagger". [2] Ben Homewood of NME was more critical, giving the album 4/10 for being "ham-fisted and about nine years too late" despite "unstoppable desire and conviction". [6] Tillie Elvrum of XS Noize rated the album 7/10, calling it "an incredibly polished debut album." [7]

Track listing

Lyrics by Van McCann and music by Catfish and the Bottlemen

No.TitleLength
1."Homesick"2:30
2."Kathleen"2:43
3."Cocoon"3:59
4."Fallout"3:32
5."Pacifier"4:00
6."Hourglass"2:20
7."Business"3:43
8."26"3:41
9."Rango"3:00
10."Sidewinder"3:29
11."Tyrants"4:41
Total length:37:38

Trivia

A censored version of their song "Cocoon" was featured in the EA Sports game, FIFA 15, as a part of the game's soundtrack. Ewan McGregor features in the music video for the single "Hourglass".

Personnel

Catfish and the Bottlemen
Additional musicians
Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [21] 2× Platinum600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Okkervil River</span> American rock band

Okkervil River is an American rock band led by singer-songwriter Will Sheff. Formed in Austin, Texas, in 1998, the band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya set on the river Okkervil in Saint Petersburg. They began as a trio made up of Sheff and friends he had met in his native state of New Hampshire but, over time, have gone through many lineups.

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

Foghat are an English rock band formed in London in 1971. The band is known for the use of electric slide guitar in its music. Their best known song is the 1975 hit "Slow Ride". The band has released eight gold albums, one platinum and one double platinum album, and despite several line-up changes, continue to record and perform.

<i>Regulate... G Funk Era</i> 1994 studio album by Warren G

Regulate... G Funk Era is the debut studio album by American rapper Warren G. It was released on June 7, 1994, by Violator Records and distributed by Rush Associated Labels. The album's biggest hit was the eponymous single "Regulate", a gritty depiction of West Coast gang life which samples singer Michael McDonald's hit "I Keep Forgettin' " and featured Nate Dogg. The album also contained the top ten hit "This D.J." The song "Regulate" was also featured on the Above the Rim soundtrack, which was released on March 22, 1994. An altered version of the song "So Many Ways" appeared in the 1995 film Bad Boys.

"Alone" is a song composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who recorded it under the name i-Ten on their 1983 album Taking a Cold Look.

<i>Something in the Air</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Lila McCann

Something in the Air is the second album from American country music singer Lila McCann. Her second and final album for Asylum Records, it was released in 1999 and it achieved RIAA gold certification. Four of its singles entered the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts: "With You" (#9), "Crush" (#41), "I Will Be" (#47) and "Kiss Me Now" (#41); "With You" was also a hit on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number 41, and became her first and only song to chart in the U.S.. "You're Gone" was originally slated as the album's first single, but was not released.

<i>Jekyll + Hyde</i> 2015 studio album by Zac Brown Band

Jekyll + Hyde is the fourth studio album by American country music group Zac Brown Band. It was released on April 28, 2015. The album's lead single, "Homegrown", was released on January 12, 2015. "Heavy Is the Head", featuring Chris Cornell, was released two months later to the rock format. "Loving You Easy" is the album's second release to country, and third single overall.

<i>The Foundation</i> (Zac Brown Band album) 2008 studio album by Zac Brown Band

The Foundation is the first major-label studio album by American country music band Zac Brown Band. It was released on November 18, 2008. Originally slated for release on the Home Grown label and Big Picture Records, the album is distributed by Atlantic Nashville in association with those two labels. The financing for the album was provided by Atlanta, GA entrepreneur Braden Copeland through his investment company Braden Copeland Ventures, LLC. On December 2, 2009, the album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Album. and also earned the band the Grammy Award for Best New Artist on January 31. The album also has been nominated for the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards "Album of the Year" award. As of September 2015, the album has sold 3.4 million copies in the US. It is the only album to feature Joel Williams, who left the band prior to its release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackberry Smoke</span> American rock band

Blackberry Smoke is an American country rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000. The lineup consists of Charlie Starr, Richard Turner, Paul Jackson, and Brandon Still (keyboards). Richard's brother Brit Turner was the band's drummer before his death in March 2024. In 2018, they added touring members Benji Shanks (guitar) and Preston Holcomb (percussion). They have released eight studio albums, two live albums and five extended plays.

<i>Rebel Soul</i> (Kid Rock album) 2012 studio album by Kid Rock

Rebel Soul is the ninth studio album by American musician Kid Rock and his final release with Atlantic Records. The album was released on November 19, 2012, and was self-produced by Kid Rock. It is his first since 2007's Rock N Roll Jesus to feature his backing band Twisted Brown Trucker; they were not featured on 2010's Born Free. The song "Redneck Paradise" was written by The Young Brothers in 2007 and was sent to Kid Rock's representatives in the hopes that he would use it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catfish and the Bottlemen</span> Welsh indie rock band

Catfish and the Bottlemen are a Welsh indie rock band formed in Llandudno, Conwy, Wales, in 2007. The band's debut album, The Balcony, reached number 10 in the UK Albums Chart and achieved Platinum status on 30 December 2016. The band have toured in South America, Japan, Europe, North America, and Australia performing a wide selection of festivals including Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Latitude, Falls Festival, Community Festival, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park, Governors Ball, All Points East, Bonnaroo, Splendour in the Grass, and TRNSMT. They won a Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act on 24 February 2016. On 27 May 2016, they released their second album, The Ride, which reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and has sold 300,000 units in the UK since its release. On 26 April 2019, they released their third album, The Balance, which reached number 2 in the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highly Suspect</span> American rock band

Highly Suspect is an American rock band from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The band consists of twin brothers Rich and Ryan Meyer, Johnny Stevens, and Matt Kofos. After starting as a bar cover band, they relocated to Brooklyn, New York, where they recorded The Worst Humans EP with producer Joel Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles</span> British rock band

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles are a British rock band formed in the autumn of 2015 in the area around Llandudno, North Wales and Chester, England.

<i>The Ride</i> (Catfish and the Bottlemen album) 2016 studio album by Catfish and the Bottlemen

The Ride is the second studio album by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. It was released on 27 May 2016 through Island Records and Capitol Records. The album was produced by Dave Sardy, who has previously worked with bands such as Oasis, Jet and Wolfmother. The Ride became the band's first UK no.1 album and was promoted by four singles; "Soundcheck", "7", "Twice" and "Outside", the second of which became the band's highest charting UK single at the time. The album received generally mixed reviews upon release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen (song)</span> 2014 single by Catfish and the Bottlemen

"Kathleen" is the third single by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. The song was included in their EP, Kathleen and the Other Three, and their debut studio album, The Balcony. The single was digitally released on 18 March 2014 as a music video, and on 7 April 2014, the 7-inch version of the single was released. The single did not contain a B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soundcheck (song)</span> 2016 single by Catfish and the Bottlemen

"Soundcheck" is the eighth single by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. The song was the lead single from their sophomore album, The Ride. The single was digitally released on 16 February 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7 (Catfish and the Bottlemen song)</span> 2016 single by Catfish and the Bottlemen

"7" is the ninth single by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. It is the second single of their second album, The Ride. It was released on 1 April 2016. The single did not contain a B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homesick (Catfish and the Bottlemen song)</span> 2013 single by Catfish and the Bottlemen

"Homesick" is the first single by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. The song was included in their EP, Kathleen and the Other Three, and their debut studio album, The Balcony. The single was released on 18 May 2013 and reached 182 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rango (song)</span> 2013 single by Catfish and the Bottlemen

"Rango" is the second single by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. The song was included in their EP, Kathleen and the Other Three, and their debut studio album, The Balcony. The single was released on 13 August 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocoon (Catfish and the Bottlemen song)</span> 2014 single by Catfish and the Bottlemen

"Cocoon" is the fifth single by Welsh indie rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen. The song was included on their debut studio album, The Balcony. The single was released on 15 September 2014. The single did not contain a B-side.

<i>The Balance</i> 2019 studio album by Catfish and the Bottlemen

The Balance is the third studio album by Welsh band Catfish and the Bottlemen. It was released on 26 April 2019 through Island Records and Capitol Records. It was preceded by the lead single "Longshot", which reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart, also becoming the band's highest-charting song on the chart. The album was supported by a European tour, which began in April 2019. The Balance received mixed reviews from critics. The album is also the last album to feature drummer Bob Hall and guitarist Johnny Bond, who both left in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Critic Reviews for The Balcony". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 Kerr, Scott. "The Balcony – Catfish and the Bottlemen". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  3. Rivers, Joe (15 September 2014). "Catfish And The Bottlemen – The Balcony". Clash . Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  4. Gibsone, Harriet (11 September 2014). "Catfish and the Bottlemen – The Balcony review, self-assured, if dated". The Guardian . Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. Marsh, Graeme (11 September 2014). "Catfish And The Bottlemen – The Balcony". musicOMH . Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  6. 1 2 Homewood, Ben (23 September 2014). "Catfish & The Bottlemen – 'The Balcony'". NME . Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  7. 1 2 Elvrum, Tillie (15 January 2015). "Catfish and the Bottlemen - The Balcony" . Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  8. "CATFISH COAST TO COAST: A photo tour across America with CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN PT 5 - Catfish Coast to Coast is five cities, five photographers, five favorite shots, and five questions documenting each photographer's impressions of the event". Xsnoize.com. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  9. "Wales Music Prize shortlist for 2014–15 unveiled". BBC News. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  10. Petridis, Alexis (26 May 2016). "Catfish and the Bottlemen: The Ride review – crushingly prosaic indie rock". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  11. "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016.
  12. Ryan, Gavin (31 January 2015). "ARIA Albums: Taylor Swift 1989 Spends 8th Week On Top". Noise11.com. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  13. "Catfish & the Bottlemen | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  14. "Catfish and the Bottlemen Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  15. "Catfish and the Bottlemen Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  16. "Catfish and the Bottlemen Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  17. "Catfish and the Bottlemen Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  18. "Catfish and the Bottlemen Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  19. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  20. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2016". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  21. "British album certifications – Catfish and the Bottlemen album – The Ride". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 5 January 2024.