Please Describe Yourself

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Please Describe Yourself
Studio album by
Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Released12 July 2004 (2004-07-12)
Recorded2002–2004
GenrePop rock, alternative rock[1]
Length48:50
LabelV2
ProducerClive Langer, Alan Winstanley[2]
Dogs Die in Hot Cars chronology
Man Bites Man

(2004) 		Please Describe Yourself
(2004) 		Pop Nonsense
Singles from Please Describe Yourself[3]
  1. "Godhopping"
    Released: 25 May 2004
  2. "
    I Love You Cause I Have To
    "
    Released: 5 July 2004
  3. "Lounger"
    Released: 28 December 2004
  4. "Celebrity Sanctum"
    Released: 30 May 2005
  5. "Pastimes and Lifestyles"
    Released: 2005
Alternative cover
American album cover

Please Describe Yourself is the debut studio album by the British

Man Bites Man
, the band released the album to critical praise.

The album reached number 44 on the UK Albums Chart, and was preceded by the singles "Godhopping" and "I Love You 'Cause I Have To" and "Lounger".

Background and conception

Dogs Die in Hot Cars were formed when

Man Bites Man was released by the band in 2004,[3]
including the album track "Pastimes & Lifestyles."

The band embarked on an extensive promotional tour, including the British Glastonbury Festival and T in the Park, as well as supporting Eskimo Joe on several dates in Australia.[5]

Macintosh has said of the album title,[2]

"[...] part of the reason why we decided to call the album Please Describe Yourself [is because] it's like those dating channels: everybody goes, 'from London, happy-go-lucky'; nobody says, 'I’m a manic depressive', or 'I think I’m indescribable'. So we’re kind of throwing the question back."

Macintosh has said that they wanted "to write tunes where the song would reach its conclusion and you might even want to play it again" on the record.

rap.[8]

Music

Style

"Variously hailed as the new Dexy’s, XTC, Joe Jackson or Talking Heads, the band ... found themselves bracketed with Franz Ferdinand as leaders of art-rock’s 'new Jock revolution'."

Dan Cairns, The Times[2]

Please Describe Yourself takes influence from a wide variety of genres. One article in

Allmusic stated that "Instead of just beating one style into the ground, on Please Describe Yourself Dogs Die in Hot Cars mine the past of British pop but find relatively fresh ways of rediscovering it."[1]

Australian newspaper The Age called Craig Mactintosh's vocal delivery "biting social observations in a BBC-friendly accent."[5] Macintosh responded by noting that he was "frustrated with singers who slurred their words and made it hard to make out what they were saying. I've got things I want to say", adding that he wanted people to understand the lyrics that mean something to him.[5]

Songs and singles

Lyrically, "

midweek
, so we were like, 'Wow, we could be on Top of the Pops!' But obviously, later on in the week all the kids get their pocket money and go out and buy Britney Spears or whatever. So 24 was great. See if we can better it with the next one."

According to The Independent, the second song on the album, "

Pitchfork Media,[12] whilst Stylus said that it "fizzes along like no-one’s business, guitar on super-jangle and piano set to hyper-jaunty."[13] It was released as the album's third single,[3] and reached a peak of 43 on the UK Singles Chart.[14]
It was the last Dogs Die in Hot Cars single to chart.

The third song and second single from the album is titled "I Love You 'Cause I Have To."

"Celebrity Sanctum", both the fourth track and fourth single from the album,[3] according to Gareth Dobson of Drowned in Sound, is "a song about vicarious love and image obsession." Dobson called the song, which namechecks celebrities such as Lucy Liu and Catherine Zeta-Jones, "a moving sense of ennui rather than attempting to play it for laughs",[15] whilst The Age said that "[Cameron is] losing himself in the thrall of icon obsession."[5]

The final single was "Pastimes and Lifestyles."[3] Described as "the closest the band gets to a fashionably post-punk style."[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork Media
(6.3/10)[12]
StylusC+[13]

Please Describe Yourself was critically well received.

Allmusic's Heather Phares said: "on Please Describe Yourself Dogs Die in Hot Cars mine the past of British pop but find relatively fresh ways of rediscovering it",[1] whilst Gareth Dobson, giving the album nine out of ten, noted that "rarely does a debut record offer such assuredness, consistency and creative quality."[15] Dobson went on to say "Please Introduce Yourself is the best indie record of the year bar none, for no other band has successfully mixed playful and serious, novel and attention grabbing and hip and super uncool as much as this has."[15] David Peinser of Rolling Stone placed the album at number four on his list of the top ten best albums of 2004, saying: "[The] Scottish five-piece makes a buoyant pop album that nods to a bunch of bands you never knew you missed."[18]

William Swygart of Stylus drew attention to the "frustratingly flimsy feel" of the album, calling it "that of a band that think they’re much better than they really are."[13] However, Swygart went on to acknowledge the "genuinely enjoyable moments", noting that it was the band's first album.[13] Andy Gill of The Independent called it "an oddly hollow experience."[11]

Chart performance

Please Describe Yourself debuted and peaked on the UK Albums Chart at number 44 on the week of 24 July 2004. The album dropped to number 71 the following week before exiting the Top 100.[14]

Track listing

All songs written by Craig Macintosh, except where noted.
British version (V2, #1027142)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Godhopping" 2:43
2."Lounger"Macintosh, Gary Smith2:46
3."I Love You 'Cause I Have To" 2:46
4."Celebrity Sanctum" 4:50
5."Somewhat Off the Way" 3:30
6."Apples & Oranges"Macintosh, Smith3:48
7."Modern Woman" 3:41
8."Paul Newman's Eyes" 3:26
9."Pastimes & Lifestyles" 3:41
10."Glimpse at the Good Life"Macintosh, Smith3:22
US edition bonus track (V2, #63881-27204-2)[1]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Who Shot the Baby?" ("Godhopping" B-side)Laurence Davey, Macintosh, Smith, Lee Worrall5:27

Personnel

Release history

Region Release date Format(s) Catalogue Label
United Kingdom 12 July 2004 CD 1027142 V2
Japan[20][21] 22 September 2004 CD, DI 2197
27 September 2004 CD (with bonus tracks) 2194
Russia CD 82876 65161 2
BMG Russia
United States[1] 26 October 2004 63881-27204-2 V2
Australia 2004 1027142 Festival Mushroom

References

  1. ^
    Macrovision
    . Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Cairns, Dan (11 July 2004). "Pop: Hot dogs think outside the box". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Dogs Die in Hot Cars > Discography > Singles & EPs". Allmusic. Macrovision. 14 November 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e Verrico, Lisa (2 July 2004). "Hotter Dogs". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  5. ^
    theage.com.au
    . The Age Company Ltd. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  6. ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Dogs Die in Hot Cars". Allmusic. Macrovision. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  7. ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: Asher D – Dyverse". Zobbel. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  8. ^ a b c Harley, Kevin (9 July 2004). "Dogs Die in Hot Cars: Leaders of the pack and loving it". The Independent. Independent News and Media Limited. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  9. ^ Verrico, Lisa (21 May 2004). "Want to hear them before they are famous?". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  10. ^ Balk, Alex (17 October 2004). "London Calling, Even Louder". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  11. ^ a b c Gill, Andy (16 July 2004). "Album: Dogs Die in Hot Cars". The Independent. Independent News and Media Limited. Retrieved 14 November 2009.[dead link]
  12. ^
    Pitchfork Media
    . Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  13. ^ a b c d Swygart, William B. (26 July 2004). "Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  14. ^ a b "The Official Charts Company - Dogs Die in Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  15. ^ a b c d Dobson, Gareth (6 July 2004). "Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  16. ^ Lynch, Andrew (24 July 2004). "Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself". entertainment.ie. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  17. ^ Murphy, John. "Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself (V2)". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  18. ^ Peinser, David (29 December 2004). "Critics' Top Ten Lists". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 January 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  19. ^ a b "Please Describe Yourself > Credits". Allmusic. Macrovision. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  20. ^ Phares, Heather. "Please DeScribe Yourself (Japan Edition) > Overview". Allmusic. Macrovision. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
  21. ^ Phares, Heather. "Please Describe Yourself (Bonus Tracks) > Overview". Allmusic. Macrovision. Retrieved 14 November 2009.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Please_Describe_Yourself&oldid=1179435869"