Manners (album)
Encyclopedia
Manners is the debut studio album
by American electropop band Passion Pit
. It was released in the United States on May 19, 2009 by Frenchkiss Records
and Columbia Records
. "The Reeling
" was released as the album's lead single on May 11, 2009, and its music video premiered on YouTube
on April 21, 2009. A second single "To Kingdom Come
" was released in August 2009, followed by "Little Secrets
" in December 2009. "Sleepyhead
" was originally included on Passion Pit's debut EP Chunk of Change
(2008), but was mastered for inclusion on Manners (none of the tracks on the EP were mastered).
Pitchfork Media
announced on March 16, 2010 that Frenchkiss Records would release a deluxe edition of the album on April 13, 2010 with three bonus tracks and new artwork. The bonus tracks included stripped-down versions of "Moth's Wings" and "Sleepyhead" and a cover of The Cranberries
' 1992 song "Dreams
", which the band played live on their 2010 world tour.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 76, based on 27 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Mike Diver
of Clash
magazine scored the album nine out of ten, writing: "At its most adventurous, Manners sounds like little else—a pop record that exists in a world of its own, carving a sub-genre niche which only fits their expansive, tonally decadent material." Will Hermes of Rolling Stone
magazine praised lead singer Michael Angelakos's ability to build on the success of the Chunk of Change EP, noting that "what makes the record are his loose beats, shamelessly fruity melodies and breathless little-boy vocals, all pushing skyward."
John Mayer
expressed his enjoyment of the song "Moth's Wings" on his website blog, saying the song is "[o]ne of the best songs I've heard in a long time. It sounds like the hope I have for the Summer ahead."
Additional
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American electropop band Passion Pit
Passion Pit
Passion Pit is an American electropop band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The group, which formed in 2007, consists of Michael Angelakos , Ian Hultquist , Ayad Al Adhamy , Jeff Apruzzese and Nate Donmoyer...
. It was released in the United States on May 19, 2009 by Frenchkiss Records
Frenchkiss Records
Frenchkiss Records is an independent record label based in New York, New York. The label was started in 1999 by Syd Butler, bassist and founder of Les Savy Fav...
and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. "The Reeling
The Reeling
"The Reeling" is a song by American electronic band Passion Pit. It was released in May 2009 as the first single from the band's debut album Manners....
" was released as the album's lead single on May 11, 2009, and its music video premiered on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
on April 21, 2009. A second single "To Kingdom Come
To Kingdom Come (song)
"To Kingdom Come" is the second single from American electronic band Passion Pit to be released from their debut studio album, Manners. The single was released as a Digital Download in 2009.-Track listing:*Digital download -External links:*...
" was released in August 2009, followed by "Little Secrets
Little Secrets (song)
Little Secrets, written by Michael Angelakos, is the third single by American wonky pop group Passion Pit, to be taken from their debut album Manners.Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Dan Haren has used the song as his run-out music.-Music video:...
" in December 2009. "Sleepyhead
Sleepyhead (song)
"Sleepyhead" is the debut single from American electronic band Passion Pit, featured on their first EP, Chunk of Change. The single was released in 2008...
" was originally included on Passion Pit's debut EP Chunk of Change
Chunk of Change
Chunk of Change is the debut EP by American electropop band Passion Pit. It was released on September 16, 2008 by Frenchkiss Records and Columbia Records. A video for the single "Sleepyhead" was released in October 2008, directed by The Wilderness. The track was featured in the debut trailer for...
(2008), but was mastered for inclusion on Manners (none of the tracks on the EP were mastered).
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
announced on March 16, 2010 that Frenchkiss Records would release a deluxe edition of the album on April 13, 2010 with three bonus tracks and new artwork. The bonus tracks included stripped-down versions of "Moth's Wings" and "Sleepyhead" and a cover of The Cranberries
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
' 1992 song "Dreams
Dreams (The Cranberries song)
"Dreams" is the first single released by rock band The Cranberries. The song is taken from their 1993 debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?...
", which the band played live on their 2010 world tour.
Critical reception
Manners was met with positive critical acclaim. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 76, based on 27 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Mike Diver
Mike Diver
Mike Diver is a British music journalist. He started his career at music website Drowned in Sound, where he became editor, before moving on in 2008 to become editor of Clash magazine's website. He has contributed to several magazines including NME and Rock Sound.Diver is currently album reviews...
of Clash
Clash (magazine)
Clash is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the United Kingdom. Its magazine title is published 12 times a year. It has a circulation of around 40,000....
magazine scored the album nine out of ten, writing: "At its most adventurous, Manners sounds like little else—a pop record that exists in a world of its own, carving a sub-genre niche which only fits their expansive, tonally decadent material." Will Hermes of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine praised lead singer Michael Angelakos's ability to build on the success of the Chunk of Change EP, noting that "what makes the record are his loose beats, shamelessly fruity melodies and breathless little-boy vocals, all pushing skyward."
John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
expressed his enjoyment of the song "Moth's Wings" on his website blog, saying the song is "[o]ne of the best songs I've heard in a long time. It sounds like the hope I have for the Summer ahead."
Track listing
Sample credits- "Sleepyhead" contains elements of "Óró Mo Bháidín" by Mary O'HaraMary O'HaraMary O'Hara is an Irish soprano and harpist from County Sligo. O'Hara achieved fame on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Her recordings of that period influenced a generation of Irish female singers who credit O'Hara with influencing their style, among them Carmel...
.
Personnel
Band- Michael Angelakos – 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...
, 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...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA 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...
, 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...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, performer (all tracks); engineer, vocal engineer (track 8) - Nate Donmoyer – programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, 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 ....
(all tracks); performer (tracks 1–8, 10, 11) - Ian Hultquist – guitar (tracks 1, 3); vocal engineer (track 8)
Additional
- Alex AldiAlex AldiAlex Aldi is a New York-based recording + mixing engineer who has worked with indie and major-label bands such as Passion Pit, The Rakes, Les Savy Fav, and White Rabbits.-2010:*Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost! - Mixing, Engineer...
– engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
(tracks 1–8, 10, 11); mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
(all tracks) - Sofia Degli Alessandri – backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(tracks 3, 4, 6, 7) - Eric BiondoAntibalas Afrobeat OrchestraAntibalas is a Brooklyn-based afrobeat band that is modeled after Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive Orchestra...
– hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
(tracks 1, 2, 4, 8) - Stuart BogieStuart D. BogieStuart Bogie is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and producer. Originally from Evanston, IL, Bogie has become a staple in the Brooklyn music scene, as part of Antibalas, as well as TV on the Radio, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many other acts....
– horn (tracks 1, 2, 4, 8) - Anita Marisa Boriboon – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Greg Calbi – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
(tracks 1–11) - Richard Cohen – managementTalent managerA talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
- Steve Fallon – mastering (tracks 12–14)
- Paul Hogan – string arrangementsString sectionThe string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
(track 6) - Seth JabourLes Savy FavLes Savy Fav is a New York City indie rock band. Their style is influenced by art rock and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington...
– guitar (track 2) - Frank Napolski – designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
- George Pagonis – drums (track 1)
- Cale ParksCale ParksMichael Cale Parks, otherwise known as Cale Parks, is best known for his current role as the multi-faceted drummer, percussionist, pianist and vibraphonist of the indie band Aloha on Polyvinyl Records....
– vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
(tracks 6, 10, 11) - PS22 chorusPS22 chorusThe PS22 Chorus is an elementary school chorus from Public School 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island . It is composed of 60-70 fifth-graders, and is directed by Gregg Breinberg. Students are assigned to the chorus after an annual auditioning process at the beginning of each school year...
– backing vocals (tracks 2, 4, 10) - Robert Seidel – artworkAlbum coverAn album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
- Julian Tepper – backing vocals (track 1)
- Grant Wheeler – additional programming (tracks 1, 3)
- Matthew Young – additional programming (tracks 1, 3)
- Chris ZaneChris ZaneChris Zane is a music producer, engineer and mixer based in New York City.-2011:*Heartsrevolution - "Ride or Die" *Friendly Fires - "Pala" *Holy Ghost! - "Holy Ghost!" *Asobi Seksu - "Fluorescence"...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, mixing (all tracks); engineer (tracks 12–14); drums, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(track 14)
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
19 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Wallonia) |
98 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
123 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
30 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
55 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
51 |
| US Independent Albums Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
8 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | May 15, 2009 | Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation.... |
| France | May 18, 2009 | |
| United Kingdom | Columbia Records Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |
|
| United States | May 19, 2009 | Frenchkiss Records Frenchkiss Records Frenchkiss Records is an independent record label based in New York, New York. The label was started in 1999 by Syd Butler, bassist and founder of Les Savy Fav... , Columbia Records |
| Germany | July 3, 2009 | Sony Music |