The Obliterati is the third album by the American post-punk

Post-punk

Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...

 band Mission of Burma

Mission of Burma

Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...

. In September 2005, Mission of Burma

Mission of Burma

Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...

 began recording their third studio album, the second since their 2002 reunion. Produced by Bob Weston

Bob Weston

Bob Weston is an American musician, producer, recording engineer, and record mastering engineer. Critic Jason Ankeny declares that "Weston's name and fingerprints are all over the American underground rock of the post-punk era, producing and engineering dates for a seemingly endless number of...

 and originally titled "Aluminum Washcloth", The Obliterati was released on May 23, 2006 on Matador Records

Matador Records

Matador Records is an independent record label, with a roster of indie rock artists and bands.-History:Matador was started by Chris Lombardi in 1989 in his New York City apartment. The following year, Lombardi was joined by former Homestead Records manager Gerard Cosloy, and the two of them have...

 to positive reviews, and was named the 33rd best album of 2006 by 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...

.

In February 2006, 500 fans signed up for a Mission of Burma singles club, which was intended to deliver, on a weekly basis, eight one-sided 12" vinyl singles and CD singles, with the vinyl singles coming out first and their CD counterparts arriving a couple of weeks afterward. Various manufacturing delays, however, forced Matador to release all eight CD singles simultaneously as a set, with the vinyl versions delivered to subscribers around the time The Obliterati arrived in stores. The "blank" sides of the vinyl singles, and the front cover and screenprinted sides of the CDs, feature etched artwork from artist Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey

Frank Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary graphic designer, and illustrator who emerged from the skateboarding scene. He first became known for his "André the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign, in which he appropriated images from the comedic supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. His...

 (of "André the Giant Has a Posse

André the Giant Has a Posse

Andre the Giant Has a Posse is a street art and viral marketing campaign based on a design by Shepard Fairey created in 1989 in Providence, Rhode Island. Distributed by the skater community, the stickers featuring an image of André the Giant began showing up in many cities across the U.S.A...

" infamy). These have become much sought-after items by collectors.

Track listing

1. "2wice" – 3:36
2. "Spider's Web" – 3:25
3. "Donna Sumeria" – 5:37
4. "Let Yourself Go" – 3:31
5. "1001 Pleasant Dreams" – 3:49
6. "Good, Not Great" – 2:07
7. "13" – 4:16
8. "Man in Decline" – 3:22
9. "Careening With Conviction" – 3:48
10. "Birthday" – 3:10
11. "The Mute Speaks Out" – 3:23
12. "Is This Where?" – 3:35
13. "Period" – 3:27
14. "Nancy Reagan's Head" – 4:35