.gif)
Civil War (album)
Encyclopedia
Civil War is the fourth album by the Minneapolis, Minnesota
punk rock
band Dillinger Four
, released on October 14, 2008 by Fat Wreck Chords
. It is the band's second album for Fat, following 2002's Situationist Comedy
. Its recording and production took place over several years, and its release date was pushed back several times. An early internet leak
of the album was the source of some controversy.
The album went unreleased in the Spring and Summer of 2007, however, and guitarist Bill Morrisette stated in September that the band were still working on it:
In December 2007 guitarist Erik Funk remarked on the album's progress, stating in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Star Tribune
that "We have a lot of stuff written and are gonna take the next few months to finish an album." Months continued to pass with no release details, however, and on April 1, 2008 the music news website Punknews.org
poked fun at Civil Wars long-delayed release by making a fake news post in celebration of April Fools' Day
giving false cover artwork and song titles for the album. In July Dillinger Four announced that they were entering a recording studio to finish the album, and that it would be completed by August. This recording session took place at The Terrarium in Minneapolis with producer Dave Gardener. On August 19, 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
posted the official cover artwork on their website and set a release date of October 14. The full track listing was subsequently listed on the band's official website and the Fat Wreck Chords website. On September 16 the band posted the song "Americaspremierfaithbasedinitiative" for listening on their Myspace
profile, and on September 18 Fat Wreck Chords made the song available as a free download through their website. The full album was made available for listening in streaming media
on the band's Myspace profile on October 8.
In an interview with Chart
magazine shortly before Civil Wars release, Funk reflected on the reasons for the long delay:
Funk described the album as "all around slicker, occasionally heavier, more melodic, poppier and longer" than previous Dillinger Four albums.
of Civil War was a source of some controversy. Aaron Hale-Williams, a writer for the online publication Racket Magazine, was given a password-encoded streaming media
version of the album by Fat Wreck Chords
so that he could publish a review prior to its release. Hale posted the password and a link to the album stream on the music news website Punknews.org
, and the album soon spread onto peer-to-peer
networks after the streaming audio was converted into MP3
format. Racket Magazine Editor Jonathan Yost learned of the leak from Hale and contacted Fat Wreck Chords: "He called me to tell me how good it was, and mentioned that he gave it to 'two or three' people. I scoped it on PunkNews and saw that it was all over the place, so [I] dropped Fat a line to change the password before it got too far out of control." Meanwhile, Hale had been submitting samples of his writing to Scott Heisel, Music Editor for Alternative Press and former editor for Punknews.org. Heisel had been covering news of Civil Wars recording and development for Alternative Press and learned of the album leak, which he called "illegal...immoral and immature." He contacted Fat Wreck Chords to inform them of the situation at about the same time as Yost, and learned that the Hale was the suspected source of the leak:
Yost subsequently fired Hale from Racket Magazine, explaining that "it was very obvious that this was a giant fuck up on our homeslice’s part. So...it was my decision to fire Aaron from Racket." Hale responded with his version of events on his blog
:
In the wake of the controversy artist Mitch Clem
published a six-part comic strip
satirizing the events in his webcomic
Nothing Nice to Say
. He received an email
from the album's producer Dave Gardener criticizing his satire of the situation: "As the guy who recorded the record I have to say I found your attempt at social commentary via satire was pretty weak and actually fairly insulting. If you had any idea of the work that all of us, the band, the other guy who did the record and honestly the label put into making the record happen you might have an inkling over how shitty the leaking of the record is to us all." Clem responded that the comic was actually intended to oppose music piracy, not to advocate it. Punknews.org editor Jesse Raub addressed the situation in his blog, stating that "It sucks that Mr. Hale’s decision to share the album with his friends turned out this way. But he is directly responsible for the leak and needs to accept accountability for his actions. You can’t place the blame on everyone but you because they were forced to react to your initial actions." Punknews.org posted a synposis of the controversy, stating that "Punknews.org does not support or condone leaking albums. It's not just about the commerce; there are many people who work on an album like this one, it is fair for people to at least be compensated for the time they took away from other jobs, families and friends in order to put together an album for you."
In an interview with Dillinger Four singer/guitarist Erik Funk for Alternative Press on the day before the album's release, Heisel asked what Funk thought of the controversy surrounding Civil Wars online leak. Funk replied that the band members do not have a strong stance on the issue and were surprised at the controversy:
also praised the album, calling it "a new stitch in a damaged American flag; it's the healthy new dose of oxygen we are severely in need of in a crippled music industry starved of substance." He particularly praised the band's songwriting and use of melody, stating that "The record is audibly more melodic than previous releases, with a focus on pop-infused choruses and hooks, all while still containing that raw focal point the band has continually reached for on past albums."
Not all reviewers praised the album, however. Scott Heisel of Alternative Press gave it three out of five stars, noting that the band's extended period of inactivity did not allow them to test the new songs in front of an audience, and thus "the band's fourth proper full-length isn't the New Testament of beard-punk that so many Fest attendees want it to be." He also remarked that their hiatus had distanced them from contemporary punk, and thus Civil War sounds dated and "lacks bite and innovation." Heisel also felt that it did not measure up to the promise of the band's earlier work, stating that "While the album has bright spots, overall it feels a bit dull and without the spark that made 1998's Midwestern Songs of the Americas
so fresh and exciting. With the albatross around their neck finally loosened, Dillinger Four have the talent to return with another truly great, defining punk album–hopefully it'll be before 2014." Kyle Ryan of The A.V. Club
remarked that the album was "mostly interchangeable with its predecessors, right down to the silly samples that bookend the songs" and that "after six long years, it would've been nice for Dillinger Four to deliver something beyond more of the same". He did note, however, that the band's pop tendencies were more prominent than on previous releases, and that Funk's vocals were clearer, citing "Contemplate This on the Tree of Woe" and "Americaspremierefaithbasedinitiative" as strong tracks and saying that "Fruity Pebbles" "may be D4's most accessible song yet".
(Patrick Costello, Erik Funk, Bill Morrisette, and Lane Pederson)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Dillinger Four
Dillinger Four
Dillinger Four is an American punk rock band formed in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have released four full-length studio albums. The current band members are Patrick Costello on bass guitar and vocals, Erik Funk and Bill Morrisette on guitars and vocals, and Lane Pederson on drums.- Studio...
, released on October 14, 2008 by Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
. It is the band's second album for Fat, following 2002's Situationist Comedy
Situationist Comedy
-Track listing:# "Noble Stabbings!!" - 3:20# "A Floater Left with Pleasure in the Executive Washroom." - 2:37# "Fuzzy Pink Hand-Cuffs" - 2:09# "The Father, the Son, and the Homosexual/Single Parent" - 2:04...
. Its recording and production took place over several years, and its release date was pushed back several times. An early internet leak
Internet leak
An Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...
of the album was the source of some controversy.
Recording and delayed release
Dillinger Four had announced as early as June 2006 that Civil War would be released on October 31 of that year. However that August they amended the expected release date to March 2007. In November 2006 drummer Lane Pederson stated that the band were "working at D4 speed on a new record. About half of the songs are written." A month later bassist Patrick Costello announced in an interview that the album would be released in the Spring of 2007, stating that it was being pushed back so that the band would be better prepared to tour in support of it:
We're aiming for the Spring but we’re not being that vague just because of concerns of when the record's ready. It’s more to do with when we want to tour. Right now it's more that Lane's having a baby and Billy might be selling his house. Just all sorts of crazy shit like that. We're waiting to see when would be the best time that we could leave for two and half months.
The album went unreleased in the Spring and Summer of 2007, however, and guitarist Bill Morrisette stated in September that the band were still working on it:
The new record is coming along great! The new jams are high energy, and are gonna be a blast to play live. We're working on really using all three vocals, which we used to do a bit more in the early days and works great, and people always seem to want more of, so that will be fun. But mostly I expect a great Dillinger Four record: fun, fast-paced, great change-ups and a couple songs on this one where it's a bit different than stuff we've done before.
In December 2007 guitarist Erik Funk remarked on the album's progress, stating in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Star Tribune
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
that "We have a lot of stuff written and are gonna take the next few months to finish an album." Months continued to pass with no release details, however, and on April 1, 2008 the music news website Punknews.org
Punknews.org
Punknews.org is a website founded by Aubin Paul which launched in 1999. The website publishes music news and album reviews relating to punk rock, hardcore punk, ska, indie rock and heavy metal...
poked fun at Civil Wars long-delayed release by making a fake news post in celebration of April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
giving false cover artwork and song titles for the album. In July Dillinger Four announced that they were entering a recording studio to finish the album, and that it would be completed by August. This recording session took place at The Terrarium in Minneapolis with producer Dave Gardener. On August 19, 2008 Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
posted the official cover artwork on their website and set a release date of October 14. The full track listing was subsequently listed on the band's official website and the Fat Wreck Chords website. On September 16 the band posted the song "Americaspremierfaithbasedinitiative" for listening on their Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
profile, and on September 18 Fat Wreck Chords made the song available as a free download through their website. The full album was made available for listening in streaming media
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
on the band's Myspace profile on October 8.
In an interview with Chart
Chart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
magazine shortly before Civil Wars release, Funk reflected on the reasons for the long delay:
We weren't trying not to put out a record. It was just one thing after another and time flew by. When you don't do your band like a career like us, you've got other things to do than worry about getting records made. If you don't put a deadline on it, it may never get done. Like us, you turn around and it's been six years. The first year or two after the last record, we were still touring and not thinking about making an album. Then, in the third year, we were busy and it took a few months to write and get in the studio. There's lag time at the label and then it's winter... It just goes on and on. When NOFXNOFXNOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
asked us if we wanted to go on the road with them, we thought it would be fun, but we thought it would be better if we had the record finished. We hadn't planned on being done in October. It was for later in the year, so we had to kick it in high gear and get into the studio. Everything worked backwards from there 'cause if we had fucked it up, we'd be looking at 2009 before the album was done. That deadline really got it all together, but it was only a matter of a few weeks. We'd planned to go into the studio three weeks after we actually did. We'd have only rehearsed with the luxury time, so we were ready. Most of [Civil Wars songs were written in] the last 12 months, so it's a new record, not stuff we were sitting on and hadn't recorded. It's also not like we were writing these songs for the last six years. Once we were ready, it came together surprisingly quickly, and I think people will be kind of shocked but happy with the results.
Funk described the album as "all around slicker, occasionally heavier, more melodic, poppier and longer" than previous Dillinger Four albums.
Internet leak controversy
An early internet leakInternet leak
An Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...
of Civil War was a source of some controversy. Aaron Hale-Williams, a writer for the online publication Racket Magazine, was given a password-encoded streaming media
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
version of the album by Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
so that he could publish a review prior to its release. Hale posted the password and a link to the album stream on the music news website Punknews.org
Punknews.org
Punknews.org is a website founded by Aubin Paul which launched in 1999. The website publishes music news and album reviews relating to punk rock, hardcore punk, ska, indie rock and heavy metal...
, and the album soon spread onto peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
networks after the streaming audio was converted into MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
format. Racket Magazine Editor Jonathan Yost learned of the leak from Hale and contacted Fat Wreck Chords: "He called me to tell me how good it was, and mentioned that he gave it to 'two or three' people. I scoped it on PunkNews and saw that it was all over the place, so [I] dropped Fat a line to change the password before it got too far out of control." Meanwhile, Hale had been submitting samples of his writing to Scott Heisel, Music Editor for Alternative Press and former editor for Punknews.org. Heisel had been covering news of Civil Wars recording and development for Alternative Press and learned of the album leak, which he called "illegal...immoral and immature." He contacted Fat Wreck Chords to inform them of the situation at about the same time as Yost, and learned that the Hale was the suspected source of the leak:
When I asked a friend who worked for Fat where they think the leak came from, they pinpointed it to one specific person from a specific magazine (again, not AP) who had been begging them to hear the record. Upon hearing this person's name, I realized that same person had been emailing and IMing me incessantly for the past few weeks about trying to write for AP...Once I found out the label was holding him responsible for the leak, I promptly wrote him and let him know that AP doesn't use writers who leak records, so I would not need his services.
Yost subsequently fired Hale from Racket Magazine, explaining that "it was very obvious that this was a giant fuck up on our homeslice’s part. So...it was my decision to fire Aaron from Racket." Hale responded with his version of events on his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
:
I'm sorry for whom I hurt [at Fat Wreck Chords], but the truth is...I did my job, in a roundabout way. I got people, in a way, really hyperventilating about a band that's been dormant for nearly a decade. In the terms of underground music...that's nearly impossible, with so many bands worthy of attention falling on and off the radar nearly daily. Not that this particular band needs any help, but with years and years of taunting new releases, new music, and then shooting them down, it became a game of "band who cried album."
Mitch Clem
Mitch Andrew Clem is an American cartoonist best known for his web comics Nothing Nice To Say, San Antonio Rock City, and My Stupid Life.- Early life:...
published a six-part comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
satirizing the events in his webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
Nothing Nice to Say
Nothing Nice To Say
Nothing Nice to Say is a webcomic, touted as "The world's FIRST online punk comic", created by artist Mitch Clem. It is sometimes abbreviated as Nothing Nice, NNTS or NN2S.- Synopsis :...
. He received an email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
from the album's producer Dave Gardener criticizing his satire of the situation: "As the guy who recorded the record I have to say I found your attempt at social commentary via satire was pretty weak and actually fairly insulting. If you had any idea of the work that all of us, the band, the other guy who did the record and honestly the label put into making the record happen you might have an inkling over how shitty the leaking of the record is to us all." Clem responded that the comic was actually intended to oppose music piracy, not to advocate it. Punknews.org editor Jesse Raub addressed the situation in his blog, stating that "It sucks that Mr. Hale’s decision to share the album with his friends turned out this way. But he is directly responsible for the leak and needs to accept accountability for his actions. You can’t place the blame on everyone but you because they were forced to react to your initial actions." Punknews.org posted a synposis of the controversy, stating that "Punknews.org does not support or condone leaking albums. It's not just about the commerce; there are many people who work on an album like this one, it is fair for people to at least be compensated for the time they took away from other jobs, families and friends in order to put together an album for you."
In an interview with Dillinger Four singer/guitarist Erik Funk for Alternative Press on the day before the album's release, Heisel asked what Funk thought of the controversy surrounding Civil Wars online leak. Funk replied that the band members do not have a strong stance on the issue and were surprised at the controversy:
We were surprised to see it become as big--I mean, the story became way bigger than our part in it. Or it wasn't really about our record. It was just about that circumstance. For us, none of us have a real strong position against people sharing music. I mean, I think that's fine. We didn't feel like we were getting ripped off or anything. Everything else related to it, between that writer and his boss... [Laughs.]... Whatever else happened, I feel like we're out of it.
Critical reception
Critical response to Civil War was generally positive. Online retailer Interpunk.com called the album "worth every second of the interminable wait. From the opening note of the first track it's blatantly apparent that the guys in D4 haven’t lost a step". Reviewer Jason Lymangrover of Allmusic commented that the album "[holds] strong to their melodic punk roots, but [shows] a new, more mature side of the band. The fiery pep is still intact here, but the carefree days of 'He's a Shithead (Yeah, Yeah)' have been replaced with thoughtful lyrics dealing with social injustices...it's their most glossy, most consistent, most calm, and surprisingly, their most socially relevant album, despite their approach toward middle age on a teen-oriented punk playground." Chris Fallon of Absolutepunk.netAbsolutePunk.net
AbsolutePunk is a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate . The website mainly focuses on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it has been known to feature artists who have eventually achieved crossover success, including Fall...
also praised the album, calling it "a new stitch in a damaged American flag; it's the healthy new dose of oxygen we are severely in need of in a crippled music industry starved of substance." He particularly praised the band's songwriting and use of melody, stating that "The record is audibly more melodic than previous releases, with a focus on pop-infused choruses and hooks, all while still containing that raw focal point the band has continually reached for on past albums."
Not all reviewers praised the album, however. Scott Heisel of Alternative Press gave it three out of five stars, noting that the band's extended period of inactivity did not allow them to test the new songs in front of an audience, and thus "the band's fourth proper full-length isn't the New Testament of beard-punk that so many Fest attendees want it to be." He also remarked that their hiatus had distanced them from contemporary punk, and thus Civil War sounds dated and "lacks bite and innovation." Heisel also felt that it did not measure up to the promise of the band's earlier work, stating that "While the album has bright spots, overall it feels a bit dull and without the spark that made 1998's Midwestern Songs of the Americas
Midwestern Songs of the Americas
Midwestern Songs of the Americas is an album released by the punk rock band Dillinger Four.-Track listing:# "O.K. F.M. D.O.A." – 3:10# "#51 Dick Butkus" – 2:24# "It's a Fine Line Between the Monkey and the Robot" – 2:18...
so fresh and exciting. With the albatross around their neck finally loosened, Dillinger Four have the talent to return with another truly great, defining punk album–hopefully it'll be before 2014." Kyle Ryan of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
remarked that the album was "mostly interchangeable with its predecessors, right down to the silly samples that bookend the songs" and that "after six long years, it would've been nice for Dillinger Four to deliver something beyond more of the same". He did note, however, that the band's pop tendencies were more prominent than on previous releases, and that Funk's vocals were clearer, citing "Contemplate This on the Tree of Woe" and "Americaspremierefaithbasedinitiative" as strong tracks and saying that "Fruity Pebbles" "may be D4's most accessible song yet".
Track listing
All songs written by Dillinger FourDillinger Four
Dillinger Four is an American punk rock band formed in 1994 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have released four full-length studio albums. The current band members are Patrick Costello on bass guitar and vocals, Erik Funk and Bill Morrisette on guitars and vocals, and Lane Pederson on drums.- Studio...
(Patrick Costello, Erik Funk, Bill Morrisette, and Lane Pederson)
- "A Jingle for the Product" - 3:47
- "'Contemplate This on the Tree of Woe.'" - 3:03
- "Parishiltonisametaphor" - 2:59
- "Gainesville" - 3:39
- "Ode to the North American Snake Oil Distributor" - 2:29
- "Minimum Wage is a Gateway Drug" - 2:24
- "The Classical Arrangement" - 2:24
- "Americaspremierefaithbasedinitiative" - 3:21
- "The Art of Whore" - 3:14
- "Fruity Pebbles" - 3:06
- "A Pyre Laid for Image and Frame" - 2:51
- "Like Eye Contact in an Elevator" - 3:10
- "Clown Cars on Cinder Blocks" - 3:18
Performers
- Patrick Costello - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Erik Funk - vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Bill Morrisette - guitar, vocals
- Lane Pederson - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jake Luck - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
intro on "Parishiltonisametaphor"
Studio personnel
- Produced by Dave Gardener.
- Recorded and mixed by Eric Olsen and Dave Gardener at the Terrarium, Underwood and magento, Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. - Mastered by Dave Gardnener and Bruce Templeton at Magneto Mastering, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Artwork and layout
- Cover art and flags by John Grider
- Layout design by Jason McShane Miller
- Inside cover photo by Brian Kelleher
- Live band photos by Brian Garrity