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Untitled

Attica! is Wussy's fifth studio album. It was released on May 5, 2014 on Damnably in the United Kingdom, making it their first studio album to be released there, and the following day on Shake It Records in the United States.[1]

Background and recording

The 11 songs on Attica! were recorded at Ultrasuede Studios in Cincinnati, which is owned by former Afghan Whigs bassist John Curley. The album also saw the return of a member of one of Wussy frontman Chuck Cleaver's former bands--Ass Ponys guitarist John Erhardt performed on Attica! as Wussy's fifth member.[1]

Influences

Attica!'s opening track, "Teenage Wasteland", describes singer Lisa Walker's memories of listening to the Who, especially the song "Baba O'Riley", and includes shoutouts to several of its members. The song also contains a guitar part that closely resembles that on Baba O'Riley.[2] The album's title track also references Dog Day Afternoon, portraying it as a tale of romantic desperation.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Robert ChristgauA+[5]
The Skinny[6]
Pitchfork Media(7.8/10)[7]
Spin[3]
PopMatters[8]
No Depression(favorable)[9]

Attica! received generally favorable reviews from critics, with Pitchfork Media's Joel Oliphint writing that "At Wussy’s best—and Attica! is pretty close to that—they’re capable of doing for us what Pete and Roger and Keith and John [referring to the members of the Who] did for them."[7] Robert Christgau wrote in Cincinnati magazine, "In America—and Wussy are very American—only Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend show as much will and ability to make every album both different and superb." He also said that "[Wussy's other lead singer, Lisa Walker's] ability to project empathy and dispassion simultaneously is an ongoing wonder."[10] Another favorable review came from Charles Taylor, who wrote in the Los Angeles Review of Books that its music "...owes a debt to country-infused rock, to punk, to the sonic space and breadth Neil Young creates in his work with Crazy Horse, and, increasingly, to what might be called the erotics of noise — fuzztones, distortion, feedback."[11]

Accolades

Attica! was named the 25th best album of 2014 so far (tied with four other albums) by Newsday on June 27, 2014,[12] and was also named the 48th out of 50 best albums of 2014 so far by Spin around the same time.[13] Christgau named it the best album of the year in his list for The Barnes & Noble Review.[14]

Track listing

  1. Teenage Wasteland (Lisa Walker; Wussy)
  2. Rainbows and Butterflies (Chuck Cleaver; Wussy)
  3. Bug (Lisa Walker, Chuck Cleaver; Wussy)
  4. North Sea Girls (Wussy)
  5. Acetylene (Chuck Cleaver; Wussy)
  6. To the Lightning (Chuck Cleaver, Lisa Walker; Wussy)
  7. Halloween (Lisa Walker; Wussy)
  8. Gene, I Dream (Chuck Cleaver; Wussy)
  9. Attica! (Lisa Walker; Wussy)
  10. Home (Chuck Cleaver; Wussy)
  11. Beautiful (Chuck Cleaver; Wussy)[15]

References

  1. ^ a b Attica, Bandcamp
  2. ^ Wheeler, Vicky (4 April 2014). "A Little-Known Band With a Big Sound". New York Observer. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b Gubbels, Jason (5 May 2014). "Unsung Guitar Heroes Wussy Nail Rust-Belt Americana on 'Attica!'". Spin. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  4. ^ Deming, Mark. "Attica!". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (12 December 2014). "Wussy / Miranda Lambert / Withered Hand / Drive-By Truckers". Medium. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  6. ^ Fitzpatrick, Will (29 April 2014). "Wussy – Attica!". The Skinny. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b Oliphint, Joel (5 May 2014). "Attica!". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. ^ Haag, Stephen (2 June 2014). "Attica! Review". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  9. ^ Wrench, Peter (6 June 2014). "Wussy's Attica, Track by Track". No Depression. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  10. ^ Christgau, Robert (6 May 2014). "Wussy: Battle Cries & Butterflies". Cincinnati Magazine. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  11. ^ Taylor, Charles (20 May 2014). "Support Your Local Wussy". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  12. ^ Gamboa, Glenn (27 June 2014). "Best albums of 2014 so far". Newsday. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  13. ^ Spin Staff. "The 50 Best Albums of 2014 So Far". Spin. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  14. ^ Christgau, Robert (March 10, 2015). "Excuses, Excuses: The 2014 Dean's List". The Barnes & Noble Review. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  15. ^ Shake It CD insert
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