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Welcome to the North
An orange sign with the band's name, being reflected through two different mirrors, one on the floor and the other leaning against a wall
Studio album by
The Music
Released20 September 2004
RecordedMarch–April 2004
StudioSouthern Tracks Recording, Atlanta, Georgia
GenreRock
Length55:13
LabelVirgin
ProducerBrendan O'Brien
The Music chronology
The Music
(2002) 		Welcome to the North
(2004) 		Strength in Numbers
(2008)

Welcome to the North is the second studio album by British rock the Music, first released in September 2004 (see 2004 in music).

Background

The Music released their self-titled debut studio album in September 2002, which peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart.[1][2] It was lauded by critics and went on to sell over 500,000 copies worldwide, one fifth of which was sold in the United Kingdom.[3][4] All three of its singles reached the top 30 of the UK Singles Chart, with "Take the Long Road and Walk It" peaking the highest at number 14.[2] This success prompted Capitol Records to issue the album in the United States in early 2003.[4] The Music toured across this territory with Coldplay; by June 2003, they returned to the UK to start writing material for their next album.[5]

The band took a three-month break at the end of 2003. In January 2004, they were recorded their second album at Soundworks in Leeds.[6] They paused recording to perform at the NME Awards on London, during which, they played four new songs; sessions continued into February 2004.[7][8] Following this, they travelled to Atlanta, Georgia in the US, where they recorded at Southern Tracks Recording over the course of eight weeks in March and April 2004.[9][10][11] Brendan O'Brien acted as the producer, with Nick DiDia handling recording. Karl Egsieker and Phil Martin served as second and additional engineer, respectively.[9] The band chose O'Brien for his ability at capturing hard rock acts well in the studio, such as his past work with Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stone Temple Pilots, which was hoped to further the band's success at US radio stations.[12] He mixed the recordings at the studio, before they were mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering in Portlane, Maine.[9]

Composition and lyrics

Welcome to the North is a post-grunge and space rock album, drawing influences from Strays (2003) by Jane's Addiction, Presence (1976) by Led Zeppelin and Second Coming (1994) by the Stone Roses.[13][14] Discussing the album, Harvey said: "[Y]ou're exposed to the harsh realities of the world. [... The album's title] sounds like kind of a small-minded statement in and of itself, but it's really about breaking free. That's basically what the whole album is about - it's about becoming universal".[10] His vocals recall U2 frontman Bono, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and Perry Farrell from Jane's Addiction.[15][16] The electronic nature of their debut had been toned down, as AllMusic reviewer MacKenzie Wilson wrote that the Music's "signature danceable stretch is still there, but it's stripped down for a more thoughtful rock design".[13][17] The members typically wrote songs through jamming; though sometimes one of them would come up with a part and show it to the rest of the band.[11]

Harvey said the opening song "Welcome to the North" served to "bridg[e] the gap really" between their previous album and this one.[18] It starts with a Led Zeppelin-esque guitar riff, continuing with tribal rhythm sections, with the title phrase being repeated over a dozen times.[19] "Freedom Fighters" is centred around a Southern rock guitar riff.[20] "Bleed from Within" features worldbeat grooves and talks about the Iraq War and the futility of existance.[13][19][20] Part of its lyrics draw from "Pride (In the Name of Love)" (1984) by U2.[15] The vocal melody of "Breakin'" recalls the one heard in "In the Shadows" (2003) by the Rasmus, while its last minute sees Harvey beatbox.[20][21] "Cessation" includes separate drum and bass solos, and is followed by "Fight the Feeling", which is a power ballad in 3/4 time.[17][20] "Guide" is a homage to Harvey's parents.[19] "Into the Night" evokes the work of U2 and the Verve.[16][20] "I Need You" follows the indie-dance sound that dominated their debut album.[19] The chorus of "One Way In, No Way Out" toys with power balladry, stadium rock territory.[19] The album's closing track "Open Your Mind", which also cribs U2's sound, deals with being tolerant;[20][22] it is followed by the hidden track "The Walls Get Smaller".

Release

In May 2004, the band performed at the We Love Homelands festival, which was preceded by warm-up shows in Glasgow and Liverpool.[23][24] On 13 July 2004, Welcome to the North was announced for release in two months' time; alongside this, its track listing was posted online.[18] Six days later, "Welcome to the North" was posted on NME's website.[25] "Freedom Fighters" was released as the album's lead single on 6 September 2004; the seven-inch vinyl version included a slow version of "Getaway" as its B-side.[18][26] Two versions were released on CD: the first with "Come What May", while the second included "So Low", a Nick McCabe remix of "The People" and the music video for "Freedom Fighters".[27][28] Following this, the band performed at BBC Radio 1's One Big Weekend.[29] Welcome to the North was released on 20 September 2004, which was promoted with a UK tour through to early October 2004 with support from the Engineers.[18][30][31] The CD version came with multiple Copy Control logos on the front and back of the sleeve, while the booklet spread included an essay on how to pirate music.[17] The band went on a brief break prior to a tour of the US with .[32][33] They closed out the year with a three-date tour in December 2004 at London, Manchester and Glasgow.[34]

The Bleed from Within EP was released in Japan on 22 December 2004, which consisted "Bleed from Within", "Come What May", a demo of "Middle of Nowhere" and a remixes of "Bleed from Within" and "Freedom Fighters".[35] "Bleed from Within" was planned for release as a single on 10 January 2005; however, because of issues with its music video, "Breakin'" was chosen as the next single instead.[33][36] The seven-inch vinyl version included a radio session version of "Freedom Fighters" as its B-side.[37] Two versions were released on CD: the first with the "Middle of Nowhere" demo, while the second included live and remix versions of "Bleed from Within".[38][39] In February and March 2005, the band went on a headlining North American tour, with support from Kasabian, leading up to an appearance at that year's South by Southwest music conference. The trek also included a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on 14 March 2005.[40][41] In April and May 2005, the band went on a smaller scale tour of the UK.[42] A video album, which was filmed in Japan, was released under the title Welcome to Japan – Live. It included a 15-song set from Japan, with a six-song set from Liverpool and music videos as bonus material.[43]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic57/100[44]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
Cokemachineglow60%[20]
Drowned in Sound6/10[19]
E! OnlineC[14]
The Guardian[15]
NME9/10[16]
Pitchfork5/10[45]
Stylus Magazine7/10[46]
Tiny Mix Tapes[17]
Yahoo! Launch[22]

Welcome to the North was met with mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 57, based on 20 reviews.[44]

Wilson said the album's direction was "much hungrier and angrier than its predecessor", calling it more "cohesive and direct compared to older dance numbers". She added that the "style and passion remain the same -- it's just a bit more uniform".[13] Drowned in Sound writer Martin Leay found it to be "more varied record [...] with some evidence of a shifting musical direction".[19] Steve Sutherland of NME the album "sounds colossal and is unafraid to take on the three giants of epic rock - Led Zep, U2 and [the] Music".[16] Now writer Elizabeth Bromstein also pointed out that it "grows out of the same swirling, Zeppelinesque roots," calling it "more focused, eschewing dancey meandering in favour of a more homogenous rock discipline".[47] Pitchfork contributor Joe Tangari wrote that it "actually narrows the band's scope, morphing the Leeds quartet into a nu-Zeppelin pop Dream Theater with a vocalist that sounds a lot like [...] a cartoon of Geddy Lee".[45] The staff at E! Online was dismissive, viewing it "all bombast and no substance".[14]

Leay said it was full of "well-structured 'proper' songs," with a "cleaner and tighter sound [... that] makes for a much more enjoyable listening experience".[19] Tangari said O'Brien's production was "hopelessly cluttered and flat given the relatively basic setup".[45] Stylus Magazine's Nick Southall, however, complimented O'Brien's work for providing them a "more expensive, professional sound, just as massive and frenetic as the wilful teenage strafing they used to create".[46] musicOMH contributor Jamie Harper referred to the album as a "contender for album of the year, every single song has something to love".[21] David M. Goldstein of Cokemachineglow noted that while it "does offer some evidence of improved songwriting" over the band's first album, "it’s hardly going to convert any non-believers".[20] Yahoo! Launch writer Chris Nye Browne said it "struggle[d] to mark [the band] out as anything more than average".[22]

Welcome to the North peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart.[2] "Freedom Fighters" charted at number 15 in the UK.[2] "Breakin'" charted at number 20 in the UK.[2]

Track listing

Track listing per booklet.[48]

  1. "Welcome to the North" – 5:10
  2. "Freedom Fighters" – 3:44
  3. "Bleed from Within" – 6:27
  4. "Breakin'" – 3:58
  5. "Cessation" – 3:51
  6. "Fight the Feeling" – 4:12
  7. "Guide" – 4:13
  8. "Into the Night" – 3:59
  9. "I Need Love" – 3:46
  10. "One Way In, No Way Out" – 3:50
  11. "Open Your Mind" – 11:58 (includes the hidden track "The Walls Get Smaller")

Personnel

Personnel per 2016 edition booklet.[9]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "The Music - The Music". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Music / full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  3. ^ Meadley, Phil (30 September 2004). "The Music, Academy, Bristol". The Independent. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b Robinson 2016, p. 2
  5. ^ "New Music!". NME. 4 June 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  6. ^ "The Music – The Daviours of Music!". NME. 6 January 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  7. ^ "More Names for NME Gigs". NME. 9 December 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. ^ "New Music!". NME. 5 February 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d Robinson 2016, pp. 9–10
  10. ^ a b "The Music Bleed From Within". IGN. 3 September 2004. Archived from the original on 13 February 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b Spencer D. (10 January 2005). "The Music Interview". IGN. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  12. ^ Robinson 2016, p. 3
  13. ^ a b c d e Wilson, MacKenzie. "Welcome to the North - The Music". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b c "Music - The Music 'Welcome to the North'". E! Online. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  15. ^ a b c Sullivan, Caroline (17 September 2004). "The Music, Welcome to the North". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 September 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  16. ^ a b c d "Album Reviews - The Music : Welcome To The North". NME. 12 October 2004. Archived from the original on 25 March 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d Ranta, Alan (December 14, 2006). "Welcome To The North". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d "All the New Music!". NME. 13 July 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h Leay, Martin (11 October 2004). "Album Review: The Music - Welcome To The North / Releases". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h Goldstein, David M. (10 November 2004). "The Music: Welcome to the North". Cokemachineglow. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 4 December 2004 suggested (help)
  21. ^ a b Harper, Jamie (20 September 2004). "The Music – Welcome To The North". musicOMH. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  22. ^ a b c Browne, Chris Nye (1 October 2004). "The Music - 'Welcome To The North'". Yahoo! Launch. Archived from the original on 11 December 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  23. ^ "The Love Parade!". NME. 6 February 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  24. ^ "Hear the Music's New Singles on NME.com!". NME. 16 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  25. ^ "Hit the 'North'!". NME. 19 July 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Freedom Fighters" (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. 07243 8 61742 7 7/VS 1883.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ "Freedom Fighters" (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. VSCDT1883/07243 8 61855 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ "Freedom Fighters" (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. VSCDX1883/07243 8 61855 0 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ Roberts, Vicky (1 September 2004). "One Big Weekend Line-up". Gigwise. Archived from the original on 18 February 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  30. ^ "Live Music!". NME. 29 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  31. ^ Fielding, Mark (6 October 2004). "The Music @ Academy, Birmingham". musicOMH. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  32. ^ "The Music Take the Long Road". NME. 8 October 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  33. ^ a b "Red Heaven!". NME. 15 November 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  34. ^ "Rock'N'Roll Christmas Carols". NME. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  35. ^ Bleed from Within (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. VJCP 61098.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  36. ^ "'Breakin' News from the Music". NME. 23 November 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  37. ^ "Breakn'" (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. VS1894/0724387055872.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ^ "Breakn'" (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. VSCDT1894/0724387055827.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  39. ^ "Breakn'" (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2004. VSCDX1894.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ^ "Welcome to the North!". NME. 11 January 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  41. ^ "The Music To Tour North America". IGN. 7 January 2005. Archived from the original on 7 February 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  42. ^ "Low-Key Music". NME. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  43. ^ Welcome to Japan – Live (sleeve). The Music. Virgin Records. 2005. VDVD10/0094633100190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  44. ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Welcome to the North". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  45. ^ a b c Tangari, Joe (1 December 2004). "The Music: Welcome to the North Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  46. ^ a b Southall, Nick (28 September 2004). "The Music Welcome To The North". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 October 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  47. ^ Bromstein, Elizabeth (28 October 2004). "Welcome to the North". Now. Archived from the original on 18 February 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  48. ^ Robinson 2016, p. 11

Sources

  • Robinson, Alan (2016). Welcome to the North (booklet). The Music. Edsel Records. EDSK 7108.
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