Heavy Rocks (2011 album)

Heavy Rocks, also known as Heavy Rocks 2 or Heavy Rocks 2011, is the sixteenth studio album by the Japanese experimental band Boris. The album was released on May 24, 2011, through the label Sargent House. Its original release date was April 26, but this was pushed back.[11] This album has the same name and cover style as their album released in 2002 called Heavy Rocks, although the cover is purple instead of orange. The band brought back these elements because they "seek to redefine 'heavy' music in a culmination of the band's tireless efforts over the past two decades".[12]

Heavy Rocks
Studio album by Boris
Released	May 24, 2011 (2011-05-24)
Recorded	2009 - 2011 at Sound Square
Genre	Heavy metal[1] stoner rock[2]
Length	53:00 (Sargent House CD) 52:07 (Daymare CD)
Label	Sargent House, Daymare Recordings
Producer	Boris
Boris chronology
New Album (2011) Heavy Rocks (2011) Attention Please (2011)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	70/100[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]
The A.V. Club	B+[5]
Consequence of Sound	C-[6]
Drowned in Sound	7/10[7]
Pitchfork Media	5.2/10[8]
Popmatters	[9]
Rock Sound	8/10[2]
Spin	7/10[10]
Sputnikmusic	4/5[1]

The album was released on the same day as Attention Please, with which it shares the track "Aileron."[13] It also shares different mixes of the songs "Jackson Head" and "Tu, La La" with New Album.

Background

Initial track list information had the song "8" (previously available on Japanese Heavy Rock Hits) listed as the second track, but the final release replaced it with "Leak -Truth, yesnoyesnoyes."[14]

On March 29, 2011, Pitchfork Media released the song "Riot Sugar" in promotion for the album.[15]

The vinyl edition features extended versions of "Missing Pieces" and "Czechoslovakia."[16] An additional full length mix of "Czechoslovakia" with vocals by Tomáš Zakopal was released on a split 7" with his band, Saade.[17]

On May 16, Heavy Rocks in its entirety was made available in full for streaming on NPR Music.[18]

Track listing

All songs and words by Boris with the exception of Track 2 by Boris and Keisuke Suzuki.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Riot Sugar" ("甘い暴動", lit. "Sweet Riot")	3:56
2.	"Leak-Truth,yesnoyesnoyes-" ("Leak-本当の反対の反対の反対の反対-", "Leak (The Opposite of the Opposite of the Opposite of a Real Opposition)")	4:11
3.	"Galaxians"	4:09
4.	"Jackson Head" ("ジャクソンヘッド")	3:00
5.	"Missing Pieces"	CD:12:22 LP:14:27
6.	"Key" ("扉", lit. "A Door")	1:46
7.	"Window Shopping"	3:57
8.	"Tu, la la"	4:21
9.	"Aileron" ("エルロン")	12:45
10.	"Czechoslovakia" ("チェコスロバキア")	CD:1:35 LP:5:46

Credits

• Takeshi – vocals, bass, and guitar
• Wata – guitar, echo, and keyboard
• Atsuo – vocals, drums, and percussion
• Michio Kurihara – guitar on tracks 2, 5, and 7
• Ian Astbury – vocals on track 1
• Kensuke Saito – analog synth on track 3
• Yoshiko Kawakita – vocals on track 7
• Faith Coloccia – piano on track 9
• Aaron Turner – voices, guitars, and loops on track 9
• Design by Fangsanalsatan and SOMA
• Recording by fangsanalsatan at Sound Square 2009–2011
• Mix and Mastering by Soichiro Nakamura at Peace Music 2011
• Translation by Yoshiko Ikeda
• Production by Boris
• Photos by Miki Matsushima
• Logotype by Futuyong

References

1. Andrew, Elijah (May 20, 2011). "Review: Boris – Heavy Rocks II". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
2. Kemp, Mike (May 19, 2011). "Boris – Attention Please / Heavy Rocks". Rock Sound. Freeway Press Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
3. "Heavy Rocks – Boris". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
4. Jurek, Thom. "Heavy Rocks – Boris". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
5. Heller, Jason (May 24, 2011). "Boris: Heavy Rocks / Attention Please". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
6. Young, Alex (May 27, 201). "Boris – Heavy Rocks". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
7. Gardner, Noel (<ay 26, 2011). "Album Review: Boris – Attention Please/Heavy Rocks". Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Retrieved February 18, 2015. Check date values in: |date= (help)
8. Currin, Grayson. Attention Please / Heavy Rocks review pitchfork.com. 2011-05-20. Retrieved on 2011-05-28.
9. Branson, Scott (May 25, 2011). "Boris: Attention Please / Heavy Rocks". Popmatters. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
10. Schultz, Christopher (May 24, 2011). "Boris, 'Heavy Rocks' (Sargent House)". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
11. Boris Store Is Now Open borisheavyrocks.tumblr.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-26.
12. Press release of the album on Sargent House Records
13. Announcement of Heavy Rocks and Attention Please
14. Official Heavy Rocks preorder Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
15. New Boris: "Riot Sugar"
16. "Preorder for Heavy Rocks vinyl release". Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2011-03-25.
17. Split with Saade
18. NPR Music streams Heavy Rocks