Checkmate Savage
Checkmate Savage is the debut studio album by Scottish indie rock band The Phantom Band, released on 26 January 2009 through Chemikal Underground Records to critical acclaim.[12]
Checkmate Savage | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 26 January 2009 | |||
Recorded | Chem 19, Blantyre | |||
Genre | Indie,[1] folk,[1] pop,[1] blues,[1] post-rock[1] folktronica,[2] krautrock[2] | |||
Length | 55:01 | |||
Label | Chemikal Underground | |||
Producer | Paul Savage | |||
The Phantom Band chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
Drowned in Sound | (7/10)[4] |
The Guardian | |
The List | |
Mojo | |
NME | (8/10)[7] |
Pitchfork | (7.3/10)[8] |
Q | |
Scotland on Sunday | |
The Times |
The album was produced by Paul Savage, formerly of The Delgados.
On 25 January 2019 Chemikal Underground released a deluxe double vinyl gatefold edition of the album to celebrate its 10th anniversary.[13]
Title
According to the band, the album's title refers to: "over-population, dwindling natural resources and the yawning void within every one of us caused by society's unnatural social contracts, and mass sexual repression, means one thing: it's checkmate for the human animal."[14]
Accolades
In December 2009, Checkmate Savage entered The Skinny's "Scottish Albums of the Decade" list at #28.[15]
Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Skinny | Scotland | Scottish Albums of the Decade | 2009 | 28[15] |
The album placed at number 17 in MOJO magazine's top 50 albums of 2009.[16]
In January 2010 the album was given the inaugural "Soundcheck Award" for album of 2009 by Radioeins and Der Tagesspiegel in Berlin.[17]
Track listing
- "The Howling" - 6:35
- "Burial Sounds" - 4:47
- "Folk Song Oblivion - 4:14
- "Crocodile" - 7:42
- "Halfhound" - 4:11
- "Left Hand Wave" - 5:40
- "Island" - 8:51
- "Throwing Bones" - 5:01
- "The Whole is on My Side" - 7:53
Personnel
- Duncan Marquiss - guitar, vocals, percussion, fx, artwork
- Gerry Hart - bass, vocals, percussion, fx, artwork
- Andy Wake - synthesizers, vocals, samples, percussion, fx, artwork
- Rick Anthony - guitar, vocals, percussion, fx, artwork
- Damien Tonner - drums, percussion, fx, artwork
- James SK Wān - bamboo flute
- Greg Sinclair - guitar, pedals/fx, percussion, artwork
- Paul Savage - producer
- Jamie Savage - engineer
- Kenny MacLeod - mastering
- Christopher O'Donnell - flexatone ("Throwing Bones")
- Aztext - design
References
- The List review
- Chris McCall, Chris (21 April 2016). "Emma Pollock on Record Labels and Solo Careers". The Skinny. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- Raggett, Ned. "Review: Checkmate Savage". Allmusic. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
- Drowned in Sound review
- The Guardian review
- [Feb. Mojo review]
- [24 NME review]
- Pitchfork Media review
- [Feb. Q review]
- Scotland on Sunday review
- The Times review
- "Chemikal Underground Records - Glasgow, Scotland". Chemikal.co.uk. 2011-05-12. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
- Chemikal Underground. "Checkmate Savage". Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- The Skinny, Dec 2009, pg 10
- "MOJO's Top 50 Albums of 2009". Albumoftheyear.org. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
- "Musikpreis: The Phantom Band gewinnt Soundcheck Award - Pop - Kultur - Tagesspiegel" (in German). Tagesspiegel.de. 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2012-02-09.