Humanistic (album)
Encyclopedia
Humanistic is the debut album by Abandoned Pools
. It was released in September 2001
. Though two songs were co-written by Pete Pagonis, the album is considered a solo work of Tommy Walter's in which he used new material, as well as several songs he'd worked on beforehand in both Tely and Metromax, to compose, record, and release on Extasy Records
.
The album features a contrast of dark, gloomy, and sometimes aggressive songs such as "The Remedy" and "Start Over" and more serene, upbeat tracks like "Blood" and "Sunny Day." Elements of industrial rock
are evident in various ways; keyboard
is used in light melody of the ironically dark-lyric-themed "Ruin Your Life" as well as the raging chorus of "Fluorescein," and ambiguous, non-sung vocal recordings are featured in various tracks. Synth
effects are also utilized in various songs. Four tracks include backing vocals by Angie Hart of Frente!. Hart's harmony
style alongside Walter's somewhat androgynous
voice creates a unique vocal chemistry.
s did not begin to chart until March 2002 and commonly peaked around May. Leah Randi
and Bryan Head filled out the ranks of bassist and drummer for the album's tour support. They had several successful tours, going across the country and headlining with acts such as Garbage
and Lenny Kravitz
.
A music video
was produced for the lead single
, "The Remedy," and saw substantial airplay on MTV2
. "Mercy Kiss" and "Monster" were second and third video/single releases; however, the latter consisted of tour footage and was released long after the others via MTV's website. "Start Over" was also included on the National Lampoon's Van Wilder soundtrack
in March 2002.
The group performed "The Remedy" on the June 5, 2002 edition of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and the June 26 edition of The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. A large amount of songs off Humanistic were also featured on the MTV
animated series Clone High
which debuted in November that year. However, after the series was dropped by MTV in February 2003, Abandoned Pools stopped touring (largely due to the dissolution of their label, Extasy Records).
compared Humanistic to Billy Corgan
's solo work and noted it as much more successful. He went on to proclaim, "Humanistic is a fantastic album that could be considered a masterpiece of electro-pop... Walter has a gift for creating dense pop confections that manage to float like a feather even with all of their heaviness." Often referring to the 31 year-old as a "kid," Thom Jurek of Allmusic described Walter as a "harder-rock version of Tommy Gnosis
: vulnerable, lost, and wanting desperately to put it all into terms that are rock & roll enough to make him stand out from the crowd."
Singles
Abandoned Pools
Tommy Walter is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his Alternative rock band, Abandoned Pools, as well as being the former bassist and one of the founding members of Eels....
. It was released in September 2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
. Though two songs were co-written by Pete Pagonis, the album is considered a solo work of Tommy Walter's in which he used new material, as well as several songs he'd worked on beforehand in both Tely and Metromax, to compose, record, and release on Extasy Records
Extasy Records
Extasy Records is a Japanese record label founded in April 1986 by Yoshiki Hayashi, co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan...
.
The album features a contrast of dark, gloomy, and sometimes aggressive songs such as "The Remedy" and "Start Over" and more serene, upbeat tracks like "Blood" and "Sunny Day." Elements of industrial rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
are evident in various ways; keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
is used in light melody of the ironically dark-lyric-themed "Ruin Your Life" as well as the raging chorus of "Fluorescein," and ambiguous, non-sung vocal recordings are featured in various tracks. Synth
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
effects are also utilized in various songs. Four tracks include backing vocals by Angie Hart of Frente!. Hart's harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
style alongside Walter's somewhat androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
voice creates a unique vocal chemistry.
Touring and promotion
While Humanistic was released in September 2001, the majority of promotion took place from early to mid 2002; indeed, the album and its singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s did not begin to chart until March 2002 and commonly peaked around May. Leah Randi
Leah Randi
Leah Randi is an American bass player and vocalist. She has recorded or performed live with bands including Abandoned Pools, Front Line Assembly, Paradise Lost, Delerium, Conjure One and Pink.-Career:...
and Bryan Head filled out the ranks of bassist and drummer for the album's tour support. They had several successful tours, going across the country and headlining with acts such as Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
and Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
.
A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was produced for the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "The Remedy," and saw substantial airplay on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
. "Mercy Kiss" and "Monster" were second and third video/single releases; however, the latter consisted of tour footage and was released long after the others via MTV's website. "Start Over" was also included on the National Lampoon's Van Wilder soundtrack
National Lampoon's Van Wilder (Soundtrack)
National Lampoon's Van Wilder is the soundtrack album for the film of the same name. It was released on March 26, 2002. It omits the song Hello by Sugarbomb and Stuck In America by Sugarcult.-Track listing:# "Roll On" - The Living End...
in March 2002.
The group performed "The Remedy" on the June 5, 2002 edition of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and the June 26 edition of The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. A large amount of songs off Humanistic were also featured on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
animated series Clone High
Clone High
Clone High is a Canadian-American animated television series that aired for one season on MTV and Teletoon....
which debuted in November that year. However, after the series was dropped by MTV in February 2003, Abandoned Pools stopped touring (largely due to the dissolution of their label, Extasy Records).
Reception
The album received overall high praise upon release. Jason Thompson of PopMattersPopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
compared Humanistic to Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
's solo work and noted it as much more successful. He went on to proclaim, "Humanistic is a fantastic album that could be considered a masterpiece of electro-pop... Walter has a gift for creating dense pop confections that manage to float like a feather even with all of their heaviness." Often referring to the 31 year-old as a "kid," Thom Jurek of Allmusic described Walter as a "harder-rock version of Tommy Gnosis
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (musical)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by an East German transgender singer. The text is by John Cameron Mitchell, and the music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask. The musical premiered in 1998 and has been performed throughout the world in hundreds...
: vulnerable, lost, and wanting desperately to put it all into terms that are rock & roll enough to make him stand out from the crowd."
Track listing
All songs by Tommy Walter except where noted.- "The Remedy" - 3:57
- "Mercy Kiss" - 3:17
- "Start Over" - 4:03 (Tommy Walter, Pete Pagonis)
- "Monster" - 3:49
- "Blood" - 4:13
- "Suburban Muse" - 3:50
- "Sunny Day" - 4:02
- "L.V.B.D." - 3:27
- "Ruin Your Life" - 3:45
- "Never" - 3:38 (Tommy Walter, Pete Pagonis)
- "Seed" - 3:30
- "Fluorescein" - 4:19
Personnel
- Tommy Walter
- Sean Slade
- Josh FreeseJosh FreeseJosh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
- Angie Hart
- Yoshiki Hayashi - Executive Producer
Chart positions
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
12 |
| Top Heatseekers (Northeast) | 4 | |
| Top Heatseekers (East North Central) | 10 | |
| Top Heatseekers (Pacific) | 9 | |
| Top Heatseekers (Middle Atlantic) | 8 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "The Remedy" | Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts... |
35 |
| Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 27 |