Sunsets
Encyclopedia
"Sunsets" is a song released as the third single
from Australian rock
band
Powderfinger
's fifth studio album, Vulture Street
. The single was released on 4 January 2004 in Australia and New Zealand.
"Sunsets" earned a mixed response from reviewers. Some reviewers praised its appeal and aggression, whilst others appreciated the power ballad elements within it. Others, however, described the song negatively as "lumbering". "Sunsets" charted moderately, reaching #11 on the Australian singles chart.
was record
ed and developed over a seven week period in Sydney
, Australia. It was during this time that "Sunsets" was written and produced. Nick DiDia
produced
the album, as he had done on previous Powderfinger albums including Odyssey Number Five
. "Sunsets" was mixed
in Atlanta, Georgia
, by Brendan OBrien, who had previously worked with DiDia. Fanning described the album during production stages as "a much more dry, direct rock", but also noted that "just because I rock, doesn't mean I'm made of stone". In that sense, "Sunsets" (and numerous other songs on Vulture Street) were seen as emotive
, combined with the rock elements Fanning described.
In an interview with Undercover magazine
, Powderfinger guitarist
Darren Middleton
described "Sunsets" as one of (songwriter and lead vocalist) Bernard Fanning
's older songs. He said it was similar to the acoustic
songs on Odyssey Number Five, the band's previous album. Middleton also said the band worked hard to make "Sunsets" heavy, so that it shared the feel of other songs on the album. In an interview with Rove host Rove McManus
, Fanning described Vulture Street as the band wanting to "make a change" and "go back to why [they] started playing". He cited rock and roll
from the 1970s as a major influence on the album, especially the work of Led Zeppelin
and AC/DC
.
The visual theme for the video is the Chinese legend of Houyi
. The video goes on to introduce King Di-Jun, his ten sons (who are also the Celestial Suns), Queen Xi and Warrior Yi. The video shows one of the King's ten sons being strapped to the back of the jade dragon, but breaks free and the sons made life on Earth unbearable, so the King send the warrior who was introduced earlier to kill them. He succeeds in finding them, and kills all but one.
An acoustic video for "Sunsets" is also featured on bonus DVD
s for Vulture Street, and Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, as well as the Sunsets
DVD single and These Days: Live in Concert "low key" DVD. The video features Bernard Fanning
and Darren Middleton
playing the song in a rehearsal room.
" as some of the more "lumbering" moments on Vulture Street
, but still said they contained "a certain earthy appeal". In his review of Vulture Street, Sputnikmusic contributor James Bishop agreed, calling "Sunsets" the "most successful single from the album", and praising its emotional impact.
Meanwhile, Allmusic's Vulture Street reviewer, Jason MacNeil, described "Sunsets" as "adorable", and drew comparisons to The Verve
's "Lucky Man". Sydney Morning Herald's Bernard Zuel agreed, praising "Sunsets" as "the new definition of power ballad", and saying the song contained "open-hearted feeling and well-constructed progression".
Additional musicians
Production
Single (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...
from Australian rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
's fifth studio album, Vulture Street
Vulture Street
Vulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 29 July 2003. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1...
. The single was released on 4 January 2004 in Australia and New Zealand.
"Sunsets" earned a mixed response from reviewers. Some reviewers praised its appeal and aggression, whilst others appreciated the power ballad elements within it. Others, however, described the song negatively as "lumbering". "Sunsets" charted moderately, reaching #11 on the Australian singles chart.
Recording and production
Vulture StreetVulture Street
Vulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 29 July 2003. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1...
was record
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
ed and developed over a seven week period in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia. It was during this time that "Sunsets" was written and produced. Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the album, as he had done on previous Powderfinger albums including Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five
Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by Australian rock band Powderfinger, produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist.The...
. "Sunsets" was mixed
Audio 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...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, by Brendan OBrien, who had previously worked with DiDia. Fanning described the album during production stages as "a much more dry, direct rock", but also noted that "just because I rock, doesn't mean I'm made of stone". In that sense, "Sunsets" (and numerous other songs on Vulture Street) were seen as emotive
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
, combined with the rock elements Fanning described.
In an interview with Undercover magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, Powderfinger guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Darren Middleton
Darren Middleton
Darren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
described "Sunsets" as one of (songwriter and lead vocalist) Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning
Bernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
's older songs. He said it was similar to the acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
songs on Odyssey Number Five, the band's previous album. Middleton also said the band worked hard to make "Sunsets" heavy, so that it shared the feel of other songs on the album. In an interview with Rove host Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, Fanning described Vulture Street as the band wanting to "make a change" and "go back to why [they] started playing". He cited rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
from the 1970s as a major influence on the album, especially the work of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
.
Music video
The music video for "Sunsets" was created by the animation studio Liquid Animation. It begins with the following dialogue in yellow:The visual theme for the video is the Chinese legend of Houyi
Houyi
Houyi , also called Yiyi or simply Yi, was a mythological Chinese archer and the leader of Dongyi. He is sometimes portrayed as a god of archery descended from heaven to aid mankind, and sometimes as the chief of the Youqiong Tribe during the reign of King Tai Kang of Xia Dynasty...
. The video goes on to introduce King Di-Jun, his ten sons (who are also the Celestial Suns), Queen Xi and Warrior Yi. The video shows one of the King's ten sons being strapped to the back of the jade dragon, but breaks free and the sons made life on Earth unbearable, so the King send the warrior who was introduced earlier to kill them. He succeeds in finding them, and kills all but one.
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s for Vulture Street, and Dream Days at the Hotel Existence, as well as the Sunsets
Sunsets (DVD)
Sunsets is a DVD single released by Australian rock group Powderfinger. It was the band's first DVD release. For their career, the song "Sunsets" was the band's seventeenth single...
DVD single and These Days: Live in Concert "low key" DVD. The video features Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning
Bernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
and Darren Middleton
Darren Middleton
Darren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
playing the song in a rehearsal room.
Response
"Sunsets" was received with varying levels of enthusiasm from reviewers. MusicOMH reviewer Simon Evans described "Sunsets" and "Stumblin'Stumblin'
"Stumblin" is a song released as a promotional single from Australian rock group Powderfinger's first live album These Days: Live in Concert...
" as some of the more "lumbering" moments on Vulture Street
Vulture Street
Vulture Street is the fifth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger, released by Universal Music on 29 July 2003. Produced by Nick DiDia, Vulture Street was certified platinum, and spent 47 weeks on the ARIA Charts and peaked at #1...
, but still said they contained "a certain earthy appeal". In his review of Vulture Street, Sputnikmusic contributor James Bishop agreed, calling "Sunsets" the "most successful single from the album", and praising its emotional impact.
Meanwhile, Allmusic's Vulture Street reviewer, Jason MacNeil, described "Sunsets" as "adorable", and drew comparisons to The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
's "Lucky Man". Sydney Morning Herald's Bernard Zuel agreed, praising "Sunsets" as "the new definition of power ballad", and saying the song contained "open-hearted feeling and well-constructed progression".
Charts
| Year (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Singles Chart |
11 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Singles Chart |
38 |
Awards
| Year | Organisation | Ceremony | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Triple J Triple J triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation... |
Hottest 100 Triple J Hottest 100, 2003 The 2003 Triple J Hottest 100, announced on 26 January 2004, was the eleventh such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. As in previous years, a CD featuring 40 songs was released. A DVD, containing film clips of songs... |
N/A | #7 |
| 2004 | ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
ARIA Music Awards ARIA Music Awards of 2004 The 18th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 17 October 2004 at the Sydney Superdome within the Sydney Olympic Complex... |
Best Group | Nominated |
Track listing
- "Sunsets"
- "Sunsets" (acoustic)
- "Rita" (Audio Airlock Demos)
- "Not the Only One" (Studio outtake)
Personnel
Powderfinger- Bernard FanningBernard FanningBernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
— Guitar and vocals - John CollinsJohn Collins (Australian musician)John Andrew Collins is the mainstay bass guitarst for Australian rock band Powderfinger since 1989. He is one of the founding members of the band, along with guitarist Ian Haug, forming at their high school, Brisbane Grammar School as a three piece. Powderfinger has released seven studio albums, a...
— Bass guitar - Ian HaugIan HaugIan David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
— Guitars - Darren MiddletonDarren MiddletonDarren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
— Guitars - Jon CoghillJon CoghillJon Coghill is an Australian drummer best known for his work with Australian rock band, Powderfinger, although he has also toured with Regurgitator. Coghill replaced Powderfinger's original drummer Steven Bishop in 1991 when Bishop wanted to pursue further studies...
— Drums
Additional musicians
- Tony Reyes - Keyboards, guitar and backing vocals
- Shauna Jensen and Maggie McKinney - Backing vocals
- Lachlan Doley - Hammond organ and piano
- Nick DiDiaNick DiDiaNick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
- Tambourine and anüsaphone
Production
- Nick DiDia - Producer, engineer
- Tony Reyes - Producer
- Brendan O'Brien - Mixer
- Anton Hagop - Additional engineer
- Catherine Claire - Assistant engineer
- Paul PiticcoPaul PiticcoPaul Piticco is the founder of Secret Service Artist Management, a musician management company and live music organiser, as well as the director of Dew Process, an independent record label...
, Brian Quinn, Annette Perkins, Janne Scott and Jean Reid - Managers - Steven Gorrow - Art and direction
- Christopher Morris - Photographer
See also
Powderfinger songs- Full discographyPowderfinger discographyThe discography of Powderfinger, an Australian rock group, consists of seven studio albums, twenty-four singles, four extended plays, three live albums, one "best of" album and four video releases....