English Oceans
English Oceans | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 4, 2014 | |||
Genre | Southern rock | |||
Length | 60:27 | |||
Label | ATO | |||
Producer | David Barbe | |||
Drive-By Truckers chronology | ||||
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Singles from English Oceans | ||||
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English Oceans is the tenth
The cover art for this album is from a painting by Wes Freed based on a photograph of Abby, Sylvie, and Grace Weissman. The girls' father, Barr Weissman, made the 2009 documentary about the Truckers and the family has remained close with the band. The original painting hangs in the family's living room.
Music and lyrics
While previous Drive-By Truckers records are largely dominated by guitarist Patterson Hood's songs, fellow guitarist Mike Cooley split songwriting duties with Hood for English Oceans.[1] It also marks the first time Cooley took singing duties on a song written by Hood.
According to Chris Conaton of PopMatters, their songs are character studies set to Southern rock music like on the band's previous albums,[2] while The Guardian journalist Dave Simpson wrote that English Oceans is "full of their familiar southern rock: soul and brass occasionally adorn storytelling songs which attempt to right wrongs and champion the worker against The Man."[3]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Cuepoint (Expert Witness) | A[7] |
The Guardian | [3] |
The Independent | [8] |
Los Angeles Times | [9] |
Mojo | [10] |
Pitchfork | 6.7/10[11] |
Q | [12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
Spin | 6/10[14] |
English Oceans received generally positive reviews from
At the end of the year, Christgau named English Oceans the fifth-best album of 2014 in his list for
Commercial performance
The album debuted at No. 16 on Billboard 200.[17] and No. 4 on Top Rock Albums for chart dated March 22, 2014,[18] selling 18,000 copies in the first week. The album has sold 51,000 copies in the United States as of September 2015.[19]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Shit Shots Count" | Mike Cooley | 4:10 |
2. | "When He's Gone" | Patterson Hood | 3:41 |
3. | "Primer Coat" | Mike Cooley | 4:25 |
4. | "Pauline Hawkins" | Patterson Hood | 6:39 |
5. | "Made Up English Oceans" | Mike Cooley | 3:27 |
6. | "The Part of Him" | Patterson Hood | 4:29 |
7. | "Hearing Jimmy Loud" | Mike Cooley | 4:45 |
8. | "Til He's Dead or Rises" | Patterson Hood | 4:25 |
9. | "Hanging On" | Patterson Hood | 4:01 |
10. | "Natural Light" | Mike Cooley | 5:16 |
11. | "When Walter Went Crazy" | Patterson Hood | 3:48 |
12. | "First Air of Autumn" | Mike Cooley | 3:31 |
13. | "Grand Canyon" | Patterson Hood | 7:50 |
Personnel
- Patterson Hood - lead and backing vocals, rhythm electric and acoustic guitars, Kay/Baxendale mandocello
- Mike Cooley- lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm electric and acoustic guitars, banjo
- Brad Morgan - drums, percussion
- Matt Patton - bass, backing vocals
- Jay Gonzalez - Hammond B-3, piano, Wurlitzer, lead and rhythm electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Charts
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] | 75 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 93 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[22] | 22 |
UK Albums (OCC)[23] | 34 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[24] | 3 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[25] | 1 |
US Billboard 200[26] | 16 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[27] | 2 |
US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[28] | 16 |
US | 4 |
References
- ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (December 3, 2013). "Drive-By Truckers Return to Simplicity on English Oceans". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
- Popmatters. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ a b Simpson, Dave (February 27, 2014). "Drive-By Truckers: English Oceans review – 'masters of southern rock'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "English Oceans by Drive-By Truckers reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
- ^ a b "Reviews for English Oceans by Drive-By Truckers". Metacritic. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "English Oceans – Drive-By Truckers". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- Cuepoint. Archived from the originalon December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
- ^ Gill, Andy (March 1, 2014). "Album reviews: Pharrell Williams, Paloma Faith, Elbow, Drive-by Truckers, Robert Ellis, Nick Waterhouse". The Independent. London. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Brown, August (March 3, 2014). "Album review: Drive-By Truckers' 'English Oceans' a fresh take". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Drive-By Truckers: English Oceans". Mojo (245). London: 91. April 2014.
- ^ a b Cohen, Ian (March 5, 2014). "Drive-By Truckers: English Oceans". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Drive-By Truckers: English Oceans". Q (333). London: 106. April 2014.
- ^ Gross, Joe (March 4, 2014). "English Oceans". Rolling Stone. New York. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Soto, Alfred (March 4, 2014). "The Drive-By Truckers' 'English Oceans' Gets Stuck Between a Groove and a Rut". Spin. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (March 6, 2014). "Album Review: 'English Oceans,' By Drive-By Truckers". NPR. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- The Barnes & Noble Review. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ "Billboard 200". Billboard. March 22, 2014.
- ^ "Top Rock Albums". Billboard. March 22, 2014.
- ^ "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Drive-By Truckers – English Oceans" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Drive By Truckers | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "15-03-2014 Top 40 Rock & Metal Albums Archive | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Drive-By Truckers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Drive-By Truckers Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Top Current Albums: Mar 22, 2014". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Drive-By Truckers Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2014.