Skying

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Skying
File:Thehorrors-skying.jpg
Studio album by The Horrors
Released 11 July 2011
Recorded 2011
Studio Offerclass Ltd., London; Miloco Garden, Shoreditch, London, England
Genre
Length 54:36
Language English
Label XL
Producer
  • The Horrors
  • Craig Silvey
The Horrors chronology
Primary Colours
(2009)Primary Colours2009		 Skying
(2011)		 Higher
(2012)Higher2012
Singles from Skying
  1. "Still Life"
    Released: 11 July 2011
  2. "I Can See Through You"
    Released: 3 October 2011
  3. "Changing the Rain"
    Released: 12 March 2012

Skying is the third studio album by British band The Horrors. The album was released on 11 July 2011 in the UK and on 9 August 2011[1] in the US on XL recordings.

Background and recording

Recorded by the band in their self-built London studio, it is the first album the band produced themselves. Two months prior to its release, the song "Still Life" was premiered on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show where it was played in its entirety and named as his "Hottest Record in the World".[2] This was the first track to be released from the album and the first indicator to fans of the direction the album would take.

Style

The album's sound was noted as including elements of post-punk revival,[3] neo-psychedelia[4] and shoegazing.[citation needed]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 83/100[5]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 4/5 stars[6]
The A.V. Club B+[7]
The Guardian 4/5 stars[8]
The Independent 4/5 stars[9]
Los Angeles Times 3.5/4 stars[10]
NME 8/10[11]
Pitchfork Media 7.5/10[12]
Q 4/5 stars[13]
Slant Magazine 4/5 stars[14]
Spin 7/10[15]

Skying received considerable attention from the music press before its release, following the overwhelming positive response to Primary Colours. Numerous music publications confirmed it would be their album of the month in upcoming issues including Mojo and Q. The single "Still Life" gained far more media exposure and mainstream radio airplay than previous releases, reaching the Radio 1 A list.

Reviewing the album for BBC Music, Mike Diver wrote, "There's no fault to be found with Skying – truly, every song here hits its mark... From the most incongruous of beginnings, The Horrors have become national treasures in waiting, and now possess the ability to realise any ambitions". Likewise, Clash ran the review as a lead album feature, with writer Joe Zadeh declaring The Horrors "an intellectually collective five-piece, fully immersed in the confidence of their own astonishing abilities".

Mojo placed the album at No. 2 on its list of "Top 50 albums of 2011"[16] while Uncut placed the album at No. 6.[17] Q placed it at 11. Skying won the Best Album prize at the 2012 NME Awards.

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Changing the Rain"   4:36
2. "You Said"   4:51
3. "I Can See Through You"   4:22
4. "Endless Blue"   5:15
5. "Dive In"   4:56
6. "Still Life"   5:26
7. "Wild Eyed"   4:09
8. "Moving Further Away"   8:39
9. "Monica Gems"   4:33
10. "Oceans Burning"   7:54

Personnel

The Horrors
  • Faris Badwan – vocals
  • Joshua Third – guitar
  • Tom Furse – keyboards
  • Rhys Webb – bass guitar, keyboards
  • Joe Spurgeon – drums
Additional personnel
  • Derek Watkins, John Barclay, Mark Nightingale, Martin Owen, Richard Edwards, Richard Watkins – horns (tracks 4 and 6)

Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Scottish Albums Chart[18] 7
UK Albums Chart[19] 5
U.S. Billboard 200 97
U.S. Billboard Rock Albums 18
U.S. Billboard Independent Albums 11
U.S. Billboard Alternative Albums 12
U.S. Billboard Tastemaker Albums 3

Certification

Country Certification
United Kingdom (BPI) Silver[20]

Release history

Region Date Distributing label Format Catalog
Australia[21] 8 July 2011 XL 2LP, CD, digital download 2LP: XLLP539
CD: XLCD539
United Kingdom[22] 11 July 2011
United States[23] 9 August 2011

References

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  20. ↑ http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/Search.aspx
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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