Before the Robots
Encyclopedia
Before the Robots is the studio follow-up album
to Better Than Ezra
's 2001 studio release Closer
and debut album on Artemis Records. It was released on April 4, 2005, internationally and a day later in North America
.
The band enjoyed their biggest success since 1996's Friction, Baby
on the reworked single "A Lifetime
," which first appeared on 2001's Closer
. The tracks "A Southern Thing" and "Our Last Night" also gained some radio airplay. Additionally, the album track "Juicy" was the featured music in promotions for the second season of the ABC
series Desperate Housewives
.
Prior to the album's release, the band offered to autograph all copies of the album pre-ordered through their website.
The album title reportedly came to the band's drummer Travis McNabb in a dream. He dreamt of seeing a UK buzz band called Before the Robots. The next day, he asked fellow band members if there was such a band. Upon finding out there was not, they decided to adopt the phrase for this album's title.
On January 22, 2010, American country-pop singer Taylor Swift
covered "Breathless" at a performance at the Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief
event, a charity telethon to benefit the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
. Swift has also been known to cover "Our Last Night" at many of her concerts.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
to Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock trio based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Formation and early success:Better Than Ezra was formed in 1988 by its four original members - vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin; Joel Rundell, the lead guitarist; bassist Tom Drummond; and drummer, Cary...
's 2001 studio release Closer
Closer (Better Than Ezra album)
Closer is the fifth studio album by the New Orleans-based rock trio Better Than Ezra. It was released on August 7, 2001 by Beyond Records. Closer initially performed better than its predecessor, How Does Your Garden Grow?, peaking at #110 on the Billboard charts...
and debut album on Artemis Records. It was released on April 4, 2005, internationally and a day later in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The band enjoyed their biggest success since 1996's Friction, Baby
Friction, Baby
Friction, Baby is Better Than Ezra's third album. It was released on August 13, 1996. After this album was released, they took the year off in 1997 after touring.The album's title comes from a television interview with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones...
on the reworked single "A Lifetime
A Lifetime
"A Lifetime" is a 2005 single by the American alternative rock band Better Than Ezra. It was originally released on the band's 2001 album Closer. However, a new, re-recorded version , appeared on the 2005 album Before the Robots.-Content:On the surface, the song is about how a group of friends...
," which first appeared on 2001's Closer
Closer (Better Than Ezra album)
Closer is the fifth studio album by the New Orleans-based rock trio Better Than Ezra. It was released on August 7, 2001 by Beyond Records. Closer initially performed better than its predecessor, How Does Your Garden Grow?, peaking at #110 on the Billboard charts...
. The tracks "A Southern Thing" and "Our Last Night" also gained some radio airplay. Additionally, the album track "Juicy" was the featured music in promotions for the second season of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
.
Prior to the album's release, the band offered to autograph all copies of the album pre-ordered through their website.
The album title reportedly came to the band's drummer Travis McNabb in a dream. He dreamt of seeing a UK buzz band called Before the Robots. The next day, he asked fellow band members if there was such a band. Upon finding out there was not, they decided to adopt the phrase for this album's title.
On January 22, 2010, American country-pop singer Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
covered "Breathless" at a performance at the Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief
Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief
Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief was a charity telethon held on January 22, 2010 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time . The telethon was the most widely distributed telethon in history...
event, a charity telethon to benefit the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. Swift has also been known to cover "Our Last Night" at many of her concerts.
Track listing
All tracks by Kevin GriffinKevin Griffin
Kevin Griffin is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter.Griffin formed the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988. The band had great success in the 1990s with hits such as "Good", "In the Blood", and "Desperately Wanting", and has continued in the 2000s with hits such...
- "Burned" – 3:41
- "Daylight" – 3:54
- "A LifetimeA Lifetime"A Lifetime" is a 2005 single by the American alternative rock band Better Than Ezra. It was originally released on the band's 2001 album Closer. However, a new, re-recorded version , appeared on the 2005 album Before the Robots.-Content:On the surface, the song is about how a group of friends...
" – 3:27 - "It's Only Natural" – 4:16
- "Overcome" – 5:22
- "Special" – 4:03
- "American Dream" – 3:39
- "Our Last Night" – 4:12
- "A Southern Thing" – 4:02
- "JuicyJuicy (Better Than Ezra song)"Juicy" was the third hit single from Better Than Ezra's 2005 album Before the Robots.The song was the follow-up single to 2005's "A Lifetime", which was the band's highest-charting single in four years...
" – 3:53 - "Hollow" – 3:30
- "Our Finest Year" – 4:21
- "Breathless" – 3:35
Personnel
- Kevin GriffinKevin GriffinKevin Griffin is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter.Griffin formed the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988. The band had great success in the 1990s with hits such as "Good", "In the Blood", and "Desperately Wanting", and has continued in the 2000s with hits such...
- Vocals, Guitar, Piano - Tom Drummond - Bass
- Travis Aaron McNabb - Drums
Additional Personnel
- Mark Mullins - Trombone
- Eric Lucero - Trumpet
- Jon Gros - B-3 Organ, Whirly, Rhodes
- Jason Hill - Background Vocals
- Brian Karzcig - Background Vocals