These Four Walls (We Were Promised Jetpacks album)

Last updated

These Four Walls
Thesefourwallswwpj.jpg
Studio album by
Released15 June 2009
StudioEarth Studios, Odiham; additional production at Tarquin Studios, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Genre Indie rock, post-punk revival, emo
Length49:36
Language English
Label FatCat
Producer Ken Thomas, Joylon Thomas, Peter Katis
We Were Promised Jetpacks chronology
These Four Walls
(2009)
The Last Place You'll Look
(2010)
Singles from These Four Walls
  1. "Quiet Little Voices"
    Released: 4 May 2009
  2. "Roll Up Your Sleeves"
    Released: 29 June 2009
  3. "It's Thunder and It's Lightning" / "Ships With Holes Will Sink"
    Released: 30 November 2009
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 72/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk 90% [2]
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The A.V. Club A− [4]
Clash 8/10 [5]
Drowned in Sound 7/10 [6]
Gigwise positive [7]
Pitchfork Media 6.7/10 [8]
Scotland on Sunday Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
This Is Fake DIY 7/10 [11]

These Four Walls is the debut studio album by Scottish indie rock band We Were Promised Jetpacks, released on 15 June 2009 in the UK, and on 7 July 2009 in the US by FatCat Records. The band recorded the album at Earth Studios in Odiham, Hampshire, England with producers Ken Thomas, Joylon Thomas, and Peter Katis. Four singles were released from the album: "Quiet Little Voices" in May 2009, [12] "Roll Up Your Sleeves" in June 2009, [13] and the double A-side single "It's Thunder and It's Lightning" and "Ships With Holes Will Sink" in November 2009. [14] Following the album's release, an EP of alternate recordings and unreleased tracks entitled The Last Place You'll Look was issued in March 2010.

Contents

The album was reissued by FatCat as a double gold-coloured LP in July 2019 to mark its tenth anniversary. The expanded edition included 8 previously unreleased tracks chosen from early live performances, demos and radio sessions. [15] [16]

Release

On 15 June 2009, the band celebrated the album's release with an acoustic performance at Buchanan Street HMV, and performed the album in its entirety at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut later that evening.

Track listing

All tracks are written by We Were Promised Jetpacks, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."It's Thunder and It's Lightning"4:48
2."Ships With Holes Will Sink"3:22
3."Roll Up Your Sleeves"4:16
4."Conductor"5:28
5."A Half Built House"2:41
6."This Is My House, This Is My Home"3:17
7."Quiet Little Voices"4:21
8."Moving Clocks Run Slow"4:56
9."Short Bursts"4:40
10."Keeping Warm"8:12
11."An Almighty Thud"3:34
Bonus tracks on Australian CD edition [17]
No.TitleLength
12."Back to the Bare Bones"4:13
13."The Fan"1:27
Bonus tracks on 10th anniversary 2LP edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Keeping Warm" (Acoustic Radio Session)  
13."Move My Limbs" (Acoustic Radio Session)  
14."Ships With Holes Will Sink" (Acoustic Radio Session)  
15."Short Bursts" (Live at Barfly Glasgow)  
16."Red Carpet" (Live at Barfly Glasgow)  
17."Conductor" (Demo)  
18."Quiet Little Voices" (Demo)  
19."The Modern Leper" (Acoustic Radio Session; Frightened Rabbit cover) Scott Hutchison  

Personnel

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