The Remote Part
Encyclopedia
The Remote Part is the third full-length studio album by Scottish
rock band Idlewild
, released on 15 July 2002 to widespread critical acclaim. The album is Idlewild's most commercially successful to date, and is the last to feature bassist Bob Fairfoull
. Vocalist Roddy Woomble
notes that the band felt like "a collective of songwriters" during the writing process.
Woomble credits guitarist Rod Jones
with influencing the album's musical direction, stating that Jones: "really started to take steps forward in terms of his guitar playing, and also his harmonies. I think he pulled the record in a more poppy way, as that’s the sort of musician he is – he loves bands like Teenage Fanclub
and Yes
and ELO
and The Police
."
Touring guitarists Jeremy Mills and Allan Stewart
stayed with the band during recording, and appear on the final track "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction". They are also credited with writing "I Never Wanted" alongside the band. Following the album's release, Stewart would later join Idlewild as a permanent member.
Upon release, the album entered the UK album chart at #3, behind Red Hot Chili Peppers
and Oasis
. Within a month, the album had sold 100,000 copies, and is currently certified as Gold within the U.K.
At the end of the final song, "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction", Scottish
poet
Edwin Morgan recites a poem entitled Scottish Fiction which was written especially for this album.
The album was performed in full on 19 December 2008 at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
in Glasgow
as part of a series of retrospective shows. Roddy Woomble noted that the band had not previously played the track "I Never Wanted" live.
score of 83, based on 20 reviews.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rock band Idlewild
Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
, released on 15 July 2002 to widespread critical acclaim. The album is Idlewild's most commercially successful to date, and is the last to feature bassist Bob Fairfoull
Bob Fairfoull
Bob Fairfoull is a Scottish musician. He was the bass guitarist for the Scottish rock band Idlewild. Roddy Woomble - a friend of Fairfoull and Idlewild's lead singer - asked Fairfoull to join in February 1997 following the departure of Phil Scanlon...
. Vocalist Roddy Woomble
Roddy Woomble
Roderick "Roddy" Woomble is the lead singer of Scottish rock band, Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs...
notes that the band felt like "a collective of songwriters" during the writing process.
Woomble credits guitarist Rod Jones
Rod Jones (musician)
Rodric "Rod" Iwan Pryce Jones is the guitarist and backing vocalist for indie rock band Idlewild.Son of classical musician, John Pryce-Jones, Jones is an energetic live performer, and his guitar playing has been described as "gritty yet melodic."In 2000 Jones played second guitar for Graham Coxon...
with influencing the album's musical direction, stating that Jones: "really started to take steps forward in terms of his guitar playing, and also his harmonies. I think he pulled the record in a more poppy way, as that’s the sort of musician he is – he loves bands like Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
and Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and ELO
ELO
- Music :* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group** The Electric Light Orchestra , the group's debut album** ELO 2, the group's second album* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light Orchestra- Sports and games :...
and The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
."
Touring guitarists Jeremy Mills and Allan Stewart
Allan Stewart
Allan Stewart is a Scottish comic and impressionist born 11 December 1950.-Career:His career began in the 1960s when he performed as a cabaret pop singer and musician....
stayed with the band during recording, and appear on the final track "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction". They are also credited with writing "I Never Wanted" alongside the band. Following the album's release, Stewart would later join Idlewild as a permanent member.
Upon release, the album entered the UK album chart at #3, behind Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
and Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
. Within a month, the album had sold 100,000 copies, and is currently certified as Gold within the U.K.
At the end of the final song, "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction", Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Edwin Morgan recites a poem entitled Scottish Fiction which was written especially for this album.
The album was performed in full on 19 December 2008 at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, also known as King Tut's, is a live music venue and bar in on St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland. It is owned and managed by Glasgow-based gig promoters DF Concerts...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
as part of a series of retrospective shows. Roddy Woomble noted that the band had not previously played the track "I Never Wanted" live.
Reception
The album received positive reviews, with a 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,...
score of 83, based on 20 reviews.
Track listing
All songs by Idlewild unless otherwise stated.- "You Held the World in Your Arms" – 3:21
- "A Modern Way of Letting GoA Modern Way of Letting Go"A Modern Way of Letting Go" is a song by Scottish rock band Idlewild, from their 2002 album The Remote Part. It was the fourth and last single taken from the album and charted at #28 in the UK Singles Chart ....
" – 2:23 - "American English" – 4:34
- "I Never Wanted" (Idlewild/Jeremy Mills/Allan StewartAllan Stewart (musician)Allan Stewart is a guitarist in the band Idlewild and also DeSalvo. He comes from Farnborough, England. Stewart joined the band as a touring guitarist in 2001 and became a full member in 2003...
) – 3:55 - "(I Am) What I Am Not" – 2:43
- "Live in a Hiding Place" – 3:16
- "Out of Routine" – 3:09
- "Century After Century" – 4:01
- "Tell Me Ten Words" – 3:46
- "Stay the Same" – 3:11
- "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction" (Idlewild/Edwin Morgan) – 3:55
Personnel
- Roddy WoombleRoddy WoombleRoderick "Roddy" Woomble is the lead singer of Scottish rock band, Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs...
- vocals, artwork concept - Rod JonesRod Jones (musician)Rodric "Rod" Iwan Pryce Jones is the guitarist and backing vocalist for indie rock band Idlewild.Son of classical musician, John Pryce-Jones, Jones is an energetic live performer, and his guitar playing has been described as "gritty yet melodic."In 2000 Jones played second guitar for Graham Coxon...
- guitar, vocals - Bob FairfoullBob FairfoullBob Fairfoull is a Scottish musician. He was the bass guitarist for the Scottish rock band Idlewild. Roddy Woomble - a friend of Fairfoull and Idlewild's lead singer - asked Fairfoull to join in February 1997 following the departure of Phil Scanlon...
- bass - Colin NewtonColin NewtonColin Newton is the Scottish drummer for the Scottish indie rock band, Idlewild....
- drums - Jeremy Mills - piano ("In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction")
- Allan StewartAllan StewartAllan Stewart is a Scottish comic and impressionist born 11 December 1950.-Career:His career began in the 1960s when he performed as a cabaret pop singer and musician....
- guitar ("In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction") - Edwin Morgan -
- Dave EringaDave EringaDave Eringa is an English record producer from Essex who has engineered, mixed, produced, and played on albums by such bands as Manic Street Preachers, Ocean Colour Scene, Idlewild, 3 Colours Red, South and Johnny Boy...
- producer, mixing - Guy Massey - engineer, producer ("Live in a Hiding Place")
- Stephen Street - producer ("Tell Me Ten Words")
- Cenzo Townsend - engineer ("Tell Me Ten Words")
- Sally Herbert - string arrangement ("You Held the World in Your Arms")
- Traffic - art direction/design
- Danny ClinchDanny ClinchDanny Clinch is a photographer and film director who was born in Toms River, New Jersey in 1964. He graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982 and after attending Ocean County College, he attended the New England School of Photography, a two-year institution located in Boston, MA.Clinch...
- band photography - Howie WeinbergHowie WeinbergHowie Weinberg is a music mastering engineer who has worked with numerous bands.- Career :He has worked at Masterdisk, New York City, since 1977...
- Mastering - Dan Grech-Marguerat - Mixing Assistant, Mixing Assistant, Assistant
Song Appearances
- "You Held the World in Your Arms" was used in the soundtrack to video game FIFA 2003
- "A Modern Way of Letting Go" was in the video game Midnight Club 3: DUB EditionMidnight Club 3: DUB EditionMidnight Club 3: DUB Edition is a racing game, developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games, and is the third game in the Midnight Club series. Like previous installments in the series, the game is an arcade-style racer and focuses on wild, high-speed racing, rather than...
.