Half Way There
| Half Way There | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1 February 2019 | |||
| Recorded | 2017–2018 | |||
| Genre | Pop punk | |||
| Length | 36:29 | |||
| Label | East West | |||
| Producer | Gil Norton | |||
| Busted chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Half Way There | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| AltCorner | Positive[2] |
| Clash | 5/10[3] |
| Dead Press! |   [4] |
| The Edge | [5] |
| Entertainment Focus | [6] |
| Spalding Today | Positive[7] |
Half Way There is the fourth studio album by English pop punk band Busted. It was released on 1 February 2019[8] and it received positive reviews from critics.
Background and composition
In June 2017, Busted flew to Los Angeles to perform their first American gig as a reformed band at the Troubadour. During this trip, they also continued writing and began recording for their planned fourth studio album.[9][10] In April 2018, it was confirmed the album would release in Q1 2019, and the band would return to their original sound.[11] In May that year, Cobus Potgieter, who had previously stood in as drummer on Busted's 2016 tour, announced that he would be the studio drummer for the upcoming fourth album.[12]
On 26 October 2018, Busted announced that the album would be called Half Way There.[13] The album's title is a reference to a lyric in Busted's 2003 single "Year 3000": "Everybody bought our seventh album / It had outsold Michael Jackson".[14] James Bourne said in an interview, "Once you get halfway through the album, you're officially half way there".[15]
According to the press release, the album is a return to the early pop-punk sound that the band originally became known for, after their previous album, Night Driver (2016), had a heavy electronic sound.
"A rush of melody and effervescent riffs that see the band blend huge arena-filling choruses with the classic pop-punk sound of Blink-182 and New Found Glory. Lyrically it's often reflective and nostalgic ('Reunion', 'All My Friends' and a mini Busted autobiography in the shape of 'It Happens'), but there are some fantastical flights of fancy too in the shape of 'Shipwrecked In Atlantis' and a tribute to Elon Musk in 'Race To Mars'."[16]
The track "Shipwrecked in Atlantis" is a continuation of the band's 2004 single "Air Hostess".[17][18] It is also sonically similar to Blink-182's song "The Rock Show".
The track "What Happened to Your Band" was previously performed live by one of James Bourne's other bands, Son of Dork, back in 2007, and it was first recorded for the McBusted album back in 2014. The band recorded a new version featuring Simpson and without McFly for the album, as the band believed that it fit the album's themes of nostalgia, reflection, and their hearkening back to their earlier pop-punk sound due to the lyrics dealing with James Bourne's life after Busted initially broke up in 2005.
Of the return to the band's roots, Charlie Simpson said, "We couldn't have made this album 10 years ago. [...] I don't think the record label would have stood for it. It's a proper pop-punk record, so I always feel like this album is the band that Busted could have been. [...] It's like a rejuvenation of the old sound. [...] Night Driver was awesome, but I think it confused a lot of people. We loved it, but I think for a fan wanting to hear Busted again, people had to readjust their mind as to what they were hearing."[15]
Singles
Busted released the album's lead promo track, "Nineties", on 2 November 2018.
"Reunion" was released on 14 December 2018 as an instant download. "All My Friends" was released a day after for those who pre-ordered the album from the official website.
The first proper single, "Radio", was released on 9 January 2019, exclusively on BBC Radio 2.[19] Bassist Matt Willis said of the single:
This is our first official single off the record, the other stuff was kind of given out to [the] fan base to kind of entice them, but this is the first 'big boy' single, so enjoy it. It's called 'Radio".
— Matt Willis[20]
The second single was "Shipwrecked in Atlantis".
Track listing
Adapted from the band's store.[21]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nineties" | Gil Norton | 3:02 | |
| 2. | "Reunion" |
| Norton | 3:26 |
| 3. | "What Happened to Your Band" |
|
| 4:03 |
| 4. | "Shipwrecked in Atlantis" |
| Norton | 3:21 |
| 5. | "Race to Mars" |
| Norton | 3:21 |
| 6. | "All My Friends" |
|
| 3:51 |
| 7. | "MIA" |
| Norton | 3:25 |
| 8. | "Radio" |
| Norton | 4:03 |
| 9. | "Nostalgia" |
| Norton | 3:32 |
| 10. | "It Happens" |
| Norton | 4:25 |
| Total length: | 36:29 | |||
Personnel
Busted
- Charlie Simpson – vocals, Lead guitar, programming, percussion
- James Bourne – vocals, Rhythm guitar, keyboards,
- Matt Willis – vocals, bass
Additional musicians[22]
- Cobus Potgieter – drums
- Josh Wilkinson – programming (track 5), piano (track 8)
- Chris Bourne – guitar (track 5)
Charts
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[23] | 45 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[24] | 3 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[25] | 2 |
References
- ^ Matt Collar. "Half Way There – Busted". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
- ^ "BUSTED – Half Way There | Album Review". AltCorner. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "Busted - Half Way There". Clash. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: Busted – Half Way There". Dead Press. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "Review: Busted – Half Way There". The Edge. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ "Busted – Half Way There album review". Entertainment Focus. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: Half Way There - Busted". Spalding Today. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (26 October 2018). "Busted to release new album Half Way There in February". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
- ^ "Busted - Tickets - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA - June 2nd, 2017". Troubadour. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ BBC Radio 2 (16 May 2017). ""We're currently working on our fourth album in Los Angeles". @Busted talk summer festivals and a sold out US gig". @BBCRadio2. Twitter. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Hanley, James (20 April 2018). "Busted sign with Coda for live representation". Music Week. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ Cobus (10 May 2018), RECORDING WITH BUSTED, retrieved 10 May 2018
- ^ Mapstone, Lucy (26 October 2018). "Busted announce new album and UK arena tour". independent.ie. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ Geoghegan, Kev (30 January 2019). "Busted was 'the walking band of clichés'". BBC News. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Busted Halfway There Interview". Wonderland Magazine. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- ^ "Busted Announce New Album". chorus.fm.
- ^ Bourne, James (31 January 2019). "Shipwrecked in Atlantis". Twitter. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Busted are Half Way There - Album scoop and review". CelebMix. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ BBC Radio 2 (8 January 2019). "@Busted are back and @realkenbruce is hitting play on their new single tomorrow morning!Make sure you're listening from 11am (GMT) when @mattjwillis will be joining us on the phone to introduce 'Radio'". Twitter. BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Ken Bruce, Matt Willis (9 January 2019). Zoe Ball and Matt Willis. BBC Radio 2. Event occurs at 1:44:55. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ "Half Way There Signed CD". busted.tmstor.es.
- ^ Half Way There (CD liner notes). Juno Music. 2019. p. 9.
- ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 8 February 2019". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
