Villains (The Verve Pipe album)

Last updated
Villains
Vervepipevillains.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 26, 1996
Recorded1995–1996
StudioStudio D and The Plant, Sausalito, CA, Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, CA.
Length53:40, 54:23 (Original)
Label RCA
Producer Jerry Harrison
The Verve Pipe chronology
Pop Smear
(1993)
Villains
(1996)
The Verve Pipe
(1999)
Singles from Villains
  1. "Photograph"
    Released: February 1996
  2. "Cup Of Tea"
    Released: July 16, 1996 [1]
  3. "The Freshmen"
    Released: January 21, 1997 [1]
  4. "Villains"
    Released: 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Robert Christgau (C) [3]

Villains is the third studio album, and first major label release by the Verve Pipe. It was released in March 1996. The band received its first hit in "Photograph", which peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. A year after the release of the album, a reformatted version of "The Freshmen" peaked at number 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The single was also the band's sole appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 5. The success of the song helped this album go platinum. To date, it is the Verve Pipe's best selling album. The album was originally pressed in a blue case to match the color of the artwork, which included the slower recording of "The Freshmen," before it was later re-recorded and added to subsequent pressings.

Contents

Artwork

The artwork includes a toy duck in a darkened background and inverted-like coloring.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Brian Vander Ark, except where noted.

Tracks
No.TitleLength
1."Barely (If at All)"3:45
2."Drive You Mild"3:02
3."Villains"4:42
4."Reverend Girl"4:27
5."Cup of Tea"4:26
6."Myself"4:47
7."The Freshmen (Original pressings included the slower version which is 5:08)"4:29
8."Photograph"4:55
9."Ominous Man"4:20
10."Real"1:51
11."Penny Is Poison" (A.J. Dunning, Brian Vander Ark)3:30
12."Cattle"3:42
13."Veneer"5:32
Total length:53:40

Personnel

Adapted from the Villains booklet and liner notes. [4]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [8] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. 1 2 RCA's Verve Pipe Earns Freshman Standing – Billboard Magazine Google Books
  2. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r233041
  3. "Robert Christgau: CG: Verve pipe".
  4. Villains (booklet; inlay cover). The Verve Pipe. RCA. 1996. 07863 66809-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. "The Verve Pipe, TLP" . Billboard . Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  6. "The Verve Pipe, TLN" . Billboard . Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  7. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  8. "American album certifications – The Verve Pipe – Villains". Recording Industry Association of America.


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