Let's Face It

Last updated
Let's Face It
Let's Face It Bosstones cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 11, 1997 (1997-03-11)
Recorded1996
Studio Bearsville (Bearsville, N.Y.); Fort Apache (Cambridge, Mass.)
Genre
Length33:21
Label Mercury, Big Rig
Producer Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones chronology
Question the Answers
(1994)
Let's Face It
(1997)
Live from the Middle East
(1998)
Singles from Let's Face It
  1. "The Impression That I Get"
    Released: January 27, 1997
  2. "The Rascal King"
    Released: 1997
  3. "Royal Oil"
    Released: 1997

Let's Face It is the fifth studio album by American ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on March 11, 1997, by Mercury Records and Big Rig Records. [3]

Contents

The album sold very well due to the success of its single "The Impression That I Get", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Also faring well were the album's other two singles, "Royal Oil" (No. 22) and "The Rascal King" (No. 7). The album itself reached No. 27 on the Billboard 200 (the only Bosstones album to enter the top 50). [4] The album has been certified platinum. [5]

Let's Face It was rereleased on vinyl by Asbestos Records in 2013.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
Pitchfork 7.6/10 [7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Sputnikmusic4/5 [9]

Let's Face It has received positive reviews. Sputnikmusic's Adam Thomas called the album "a quintessential piece of '90s ska" and concluded that it "shows The Mighty Mighty Bosstones at the top of their game and is one of the greatest ska-punk albums to come out of the nineties." [9] AllMusic's Steve Huey also gave the album a positive review, writing: "Even if the production is a tiny bit slick, and the playing time is rather short... it's still difficult to view Let's Face It as anything but a rousing success and easily one of the band's best albums." [6] Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club wrote that "for every misfire like the preachy title track, there's an infectious anthem that begs to be blared from every window in the city. Play 'The Rascal King' or 'The Impression That I Get' as loud as you can get away with, and ask yourself if the Bosstones aren't back." [10] David Fricke of Rolling Stone was more reserved in his praise, criticizing the album's "flat" production. [11]

In 2004, Let's Face It was ranked No. 36 in a Kerrang! reader poll of the 50 greatest punk albums. [12]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Noise Brigade" Dicky Barrett, Dennis Brockenborough, Joe Gittleman 2:16
2."The Rascal King"Barrett, Gittleman2:46
3."Royal Oil"Barrett, Nate Albert 2:39
4."The Impression That I Get"Barrett, Gittleman3:15
5."Let's Face It"Barrett, Albert2:39
6."That Bug Bit Me"Barrett, Albert2:09
7."Another Drinkin' Song"Barrett, Gittleman3:50
8."Numbered Days"Barrett, Albert3:10
9."Break So Easily"Barrett, Brockenborough2:45
10."Nevermind Me"Barrett, Gittleman3:21
11."Desensitized"Barrett, Tim Burton 2:04
12."1-2-8"Barrett, Gittleman2:39
Japanese edition bonus track[ citation needed ]
No.TitleLength
13."At It Again"2:04
12-inch vinyl edition bonus track [13]
No.TitleLength
13."Wrong Thing Right Then"3:12

The track "Wrong Thing Right Then" was previously available on the soundtrack to Meet the Deedles . [14]

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [15]

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [21] Gold35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  2. "These 15 albums from 1997 irrefutably proved that punk was far from dead". Alternative Press. 27 July 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
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  8. Randall, Mac (2004). "The Mighty Mighty Bosstones". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  541–42. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
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  11. Fricke, David (December 26, 1997). "The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Let's Face It / The Skatalites: Foundation Ska". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
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  14. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Meet the Deedles – Original Soundtrack". AllMusic . Retrieved July 3, 2011.
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