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Studio Killers (album)

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Studio Killers is the eponymous debut studio album of electropop virtual band Studio Killers, released digitally on 14 June 2013,[1] and physically on 15 July.[2] An instrumental version of the album was released on 16 December.[3] The songs were written, produced and performed by the group, with Chubby Cherry as vocalist and lyricist and Dyna Mink and Goldie Foxx producing the instrumental beats. The album also features mixing and additional production from James F. Reynolds, additional songwriting from Rob Davis and Chris Smith, and mastering from Dick Beetham and Ted Jensen.

Studio Killers barely broke into the top 10 on the Finnish Albums Chart, and also charted on some of the US Billboard album charts. The album fared well critically, with reviewers enjoying both the lyrical and musical content. In 2013, Popmatters listed it number 64 on their list of the "75 Best Albums of 2013". Five singles came from Studio Killers: "Ode to the Bouncer", "Eros and Apollo", "All Men Are Pigs", "Jenny" and "Who Is In Your Heart Now?". "Ode to the Bouncer", the album's lead single, was released in 2011, and was a commercial success in Europe, topping the Dutch Singles Chart and also charting in Belgium, Denmark and Finland. In 2012, the second single from the LP, "Eros and Apollo", was released, and peaked at number four on the Dutch Top 40 tip chart. "Jenny", released in 2013, was popular in Finland, where it reached number two. "All Men Are Pigs" and "Who Is In Your Heart Now?", was also issued in 2013, but were unable to chart.

Background and composition

Studio Killers formed after bandmembers Dyna Mink and Goldie Foxx had a tune to be sent to a girl group in the UK. However, the girl group dropped from their label, and by then the two had nobody to write lyrics for the song or release it. They met up with Chubby Cherry at an international airport, suggesting that she be the track's vocalist and lyricist, thus forming Studio Killers. The tune was used for "Ode to the Bouncer",[4][5] a single which at that time of making and releasing it they didn't start thinking about making an album yet.[6]

Goldie Foxx and Dyna Mink made the instrumental beats for all the tracks, while Chubby Cherry wrote the melodies and lyrics and performed the vocals. Cherry said the group had originally tried writing together in a studio, but later chose to work from a distance "partly because the studio literally disappeared. We also all felt the urge to go to the other room and send each other stuff by email, which means we spend a lot of time getting lost between places."[7] Additional writing was done on "Eros and Apollo" by Chris Smith and "Jenny" by Rob Davis. Mixing was handled by James F. Reynolds,[8] lasting until December 2012,[6] and the songs were later mastered by Dick Beetham at 360 Mastering in New York, with the exception of "Eros and Apollo", which was mastered at Sterling Sound in New York by Ted Jensen.[8]

Singles

Studio Killers spawned five singles. The album's lead single was "Ode to the Bouncer", which was first released in Norway and Sweden on 6 April 2011.[9][10] The track received positive reviews, and was listed in Spin's "20 Best Songs of the Summer".[11] Its accompanying animated music video, which premiered on 7 April, features Chubby Cherry trying to fight a bouncer to get into a club.[12] In the Netherlands, the song reached number one, and was the anthem of the benefit event Serious Request on the Dutch radio station 3FM in 2011.[13] A version of the song played on the station was released as a separate single, with the subtitle "This One's For Mama Version".[14] It also reached the top 20 in Denmark and Finland, and the Top 30 in the Belgian territory of Flanders.[15]

The second single from Studio Killers, "Eros and Apollo", was released on 14 May 2012,[16] the accompanying music video having been released before on 27 April.[17] While did it not enter the Dutch Top 40 chart, it managed to peak at number 4 on the tip chart.[18] On 14 January 2013, "All Men Are Pigs", the album's third single, was issued,[19] and in Belgium, a radio edit was released separately on 22 February.[20] "Jenny" was chosen as the fourth single off the album, released only in Finland on 3 May.[21] It peaked at number two on the Finnish Singles Chart, and was listed number four on Popmatters' "Ten Best Dance Singles of 2013."[22]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
MuuMuse4.5/5[23]

Studio Killers was released digitally on 14 June 2013 and physically on 15 July. On 16 December, an instrumental version of the album was issued to digital stores.[3] Upon the album's initial release, music critics gave it positive reviews, with praise going towards the often-humorous lyrics and influential musical content. A MuuMuse writer awarded the LP a rating of 4.5 out of 5, calling it a "solid, cleverly crafted dance-pop with punchy personality and an unusually confident swagger for a debut."[23] In 2013, it was ranked number 64 on Popmatters' "75 Best Albums of 2013", writing that it "dispels the notion that the pop album is a dying breed."[24]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Chubby Cherry; all music is composed by Goldie Foxx, Dyna Mink

No.TitleLength
1."Ode to the Bouncer"3:27
2."Eros and Apollo" (Additional writing by Chris Smith)3:28
3."All Men Are Pigs"3:47
4."Who Is in Your Heart Now?"4:17
5."Friday Night Gurus"3:41
6."Flawless"3:27
7."Jenny" (Additional writing by Ted Jensen)3:36
8."In Tokyo"3:15
9."Funky at Heart"3:30
10."When We Were Lovers"3:44
11."True Colours"3:11
Total length:39:24

Personnel

Credits from liner notes:[8]

  • Studio Killers - songwriting, production, performer
  • Summer Lee - additional vocalist on "In Tokyo"
  • Tokyo Toyboy - additional Japanese vocalist on "In Tokyo"
  • Le Chien de Paris - accordion on "Jenny"
  • Miguel Barradas - steel pans on "Jenny"
  • Chris Smith - songwriting on "Eros And Apollo"
  • Rob Davis - songwriting on "Jenny"
  • James F. Reynolds - mixing
  • Dick Beetham - mastering except for "Eros and Apollo"
  • Ted Jensen - mastering on "Eros and Apollo"

Chart positions

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 10
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[26] 39
US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[27] 183
US Top Heatseeker Albums (Billboard)[26] 9

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Popmatters United States 75 Best Albums of 2013[24] 2013 64

References

  1. ^ "Studio Killers album information on the iTunes web store". iTunes. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  2. ^ "Studio Killers, Album and CD Update". Tumblr. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  3. ^ a b "Studio Killers (Instrumental Album) by Studio Killers". iTunes. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. ^ Meuse, Matt (14 June 2013). Studio Killers are animated, anonymous and unapologetic. CBC Music. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  5. ^ "KKS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Studio Killers". Kick Kick Snare. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  6. ^ a b Shemeikka, Tytti (June 17, 2013). "Virtuaaliyhtye Studio Killersin laulajatar Chubby Cherry haluaisi keikoille" (in Finnish). ylex.fi. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  7. ^ "Interview with Studio Killers". contactmusic. June 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c Studio Killer (Media notes). Studio Killers. Warner Music Finland. 2013. 5053105800322.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Ode To The Bouncer - Single by Studio Killers - Download Ode To The Bouncer - Single on iTunes. iTunes Store Norway. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Ode to the Bouncer - Single by Studio Killers - Download Ode to the Bouncer - Single on iTunes". iTunes Store. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  11. ^ Aaron, Charles (12 September 2011). "SPIN's 20 Best Songs of the Summer". Spin. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  12. ^ Studio Killer (7 April 2011). "Ode To The Bouncer - Studio Killers" on YouTube. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  13. ^ Ode to the Bouncer voert hitlijst aan (in Dutch). nieuws.nl. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  14. ^ "Studio Killers - Ode To The Bouncer (3FM Serious Request This One's For Mama Version)". iTunes. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  15. ^ "Studio Killers – Ode To The Bouncer". Tracklisten. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  16. ^ "'Eros and Apollo' by Studio Killers" (in Dutch). iTunes (NL). Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  17. ^ "Eros and Apollo - Studio Killers" on YouTube. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  18. ^ "Studio Killers search results" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  19. ^ "All Men Are Pigs - Single by Studio Killers". iTunes (US). Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  20. ^ "All Men Are Pigs (Radio Edit) - Single by Studio Killers" (in Dutch). iTunes (BE). Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  21. ^ "Jenny (2013)". 7digital (FI). Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  22. ^ Lathan, Ryan (25 December 2013). "The Best Dance Singles of 2013". Popmatters. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  23. ^ a b "Studio Killers, An Animated Band, Deliver Surprise Electro-Pop Debut of the Year". MuuMuse. June 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  24. ^ a b The 75 Best Albums of 2013: 65 - 56. Popmatters. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  25. ^ "Studio Killers: Studio Killers" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  26. ^ a b Studio Killers - Studio Killers Awards. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  27. ^ "Top Current Albums : June 29, 2013". Billboard biz. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
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