A Billion Heartbeats
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| A Billion Heartbeats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 3 April 2020 | |||
| Genre | Alternative, Indie Rock | |||
| Length | 48:10 | |||
| Label | Caroline International | |||
| Producer | Blaine Harrison, Matthew Twaites, Mystery Jets | |||
| Mystery Jets chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Billion Heartbeats | ||||
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A Billion Heartbeats is the sixth studio album by English indie rock band Mystery Jets. It was released on 3 April 2020.
Background[edit]
The first single released from the album was "Hospital Radio" on 8 July 2019, and it was first played on Steve Lamacq's BBC Radio 6 Music show.[1] The next single, "Screwdriver", was released on the 5 August 2019, alongside the announcement of the album name, tour dates and release date of 27 September 2019.[2]
On 17 September 2019, the band announced the postponement of the album's release and tour due to the hospitalisation of singer Blaine Harrison. They announced the rescheduled album release date for the 3 April 2020, with the tour following in April–May.[3]
The band were forced to reschedule the tour again to November–December 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, however the album release still went ahead as planned, but only digitally.
As a result of the postponed release, two EPs were released - Petty Drone and A Billion Heartbeats, each having all the released tracks up to that point.
Critical reception[edit]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 87/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Daily Telegraph |  [5] |
| DIY |  [6] |
| The Independent |  [7] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 9/10[8] |
| musicOMH | [9] |
| NME | [10] |
A Billion Heartbeats received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 87, based on seven reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[4]
Most critics were impressed with the rousing sound displayed on the record; Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph praised the anthemic and intention sound of the album, stating that: "This is the sound of a group breaking out of their shell and demanding to be heard."[11] DIY Magazine reviewer Elly Watson agreed, calling the album a "rallying call for change and action", whilst also positing that the record will become an "undoubtedly influential album."[12] Alice Jenner of The Line of Best Fit echoed these calls, suggesting that "it's not a far stretch from their already established sound" but retains a sound which is "slightly heavier and a bit more raw in places".
Track listing[edit]
All tracks are written by Mystery Jets
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Screwdriver" | 5:23 |
| 2. | "Petty Drone" | 4:45 |
| 3. | "History Has Its Eyes on You" | 3:54 |
| 4. | "A Billion Heartbeats" | 4:56 |
| 5. | "Endless City" | 3:56 |
| 6. | "Hospital Radio" | 6:03 |
| 7. | "Cenotaph" | 5:11 |
| 8. | "Campfire Song" | 4:27 |
| 9. | "Watching Yourself Slowly Disappear" | 4:58 |
| 10. | "Wrong Side of the Tracks" | 4:37 |
| Total length: | 48:10 | |
Personnel[edit]
Mystery Jets
- Blaine Harrison – vocals, keyboards, guitar
- Kapil Trivedi – drums
- Jack Flanagan – bass
- William Rees – guitar, vocals
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] | 30 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[14] | 85 |
References[edit]
- ^ Geoghegan, Kev (8 July 2019). "Hospital radio inspires Mystery Jets song". BBC News. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ "Mystery Jets take on the alt-right, announce new album and tour - NME". NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Stickler, Jon. "Mystery Jets Reschedule 'A Billion Heartbeats' Release, Share New Track Petty Drone - Stereoboard". Stereoboard.com. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ a b "A Billion Heartbeats by Mystery Jets – Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
- ^ McCormick, Neil (3 April 2020). "This week's best new albums: Ren Harvieu, Mystery Jets and more". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Watson, Elly (2 April 2020). "Album Review: Mystery Jets – A Billion Heartbeats". DIY. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Bray, Elisa (3 April 2020). "Mystery Jets review, A Billion Heartbeats: An empowering message of positivity". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Jenner, Alice (2 April 2020). "As an ode to the NHS, A Billion Heartbeats finds bittersweet timing, and Mystery Jets at their best". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Hogwood, Ben (5 April 2020). "Mystery Jets – A Billion Heartbeats". musicOMH. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Reilly, Nick (3 April 2020). "Mystery Jets – A Billion Heartbeats review: a timely plea for compassion and kindness". NME. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ McCormick, Neil (3 April 2020). "This week's best new albums: Ren Harvieu, Mystery Jets and more". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ Subscribe (2 April 2020). "Mystery Jets - A Billion Heartbeats". diymag.com. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2020.