Pocket Symphony

Pocket Symphony is the fourth studio album by French electronic music duo Air. It was released on 5 March 2007 by Virgin Records and features collaborations with Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon.[12] Pocket Symphony incorporates some of the Japanese instruments Godin had recently learned to play from an Okinawan master musician: the koto (also referred to as a Japanese floor harp) and the three-string, banjo-like shamisen. However, a press release claims that "conventional instruments continue to play a great role" in the duo's music.[13] The album features art by Xavier Veilhan.

For the type of composition, see Pocket symphony.

Pocket Symphony
Studio album by Air
Released	5 March 2007 (2007-03-05)
Studio	Revolvair, Paris Gang, Paris
Length	47:47
Label	Virgin
Producer	Nigel Godrich Air
Air chronology
Talkie Walkie (2004) Pocket Symphony (2007) Love 2 (2009)
Singles from Pocket Symphony
"Once Upon a Time" Released: 29 January 2007 "Mer du Japon" Released: 11 June 2007

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	63/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The A.V. Club	A−[3]
Entertainment Weekly	C+[4]
The Guardian	[5]
The Irish Times	[6]
Mojo	[7]
NME	2/10[8]
Pitchfork	6.6/10[9]
Spin	[10]
Uncut	[11]

Pocket Symphony debuted at number 40 on the US Billboard 200, with 17,000 copies sold in its first week.[14] As of February 2012, it had sold 77,000 copies in the United States.[15]

The term "pocket symphony" was popularised by English journalist Derek Taylor, who used it to describe the Beach Boys' 1966 single "Good Vibrations".

Track listing

All tracks are written by JB Dunckel and Nicolas Godin, except "One Hell of a Party", lyrics by Jarvis Cocker, and "Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping", lyrics by Neil Hannon and Cocker.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Space Maker"	4:01
2.	"Once Upon a Time"	5:01
3.	"One Hell of a Party"	4:02
4.	"Napalm Love"	3:27
5.	"Mayfair Song"	4:19
6.	"Left Bank"	4:06
7.	"Photograph"	3:51
8.	"Mer du Japon"	3:04
9.	"Lost Message"	3:32
10.	"Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping"	3:36
11.	"Redhead Girl"	4:31
12.	"Night Sight"	4:17

Opendisc bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Time Capsule"	4:19
14.	"The Duelist" (featuring Jarvis Cocker and Charlotte Gainsbourg)	4:40

Japanese edition bonus track[16]

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Time Capsule"	4:19

iTunes Store bonus tracks[17]

No.	Title	Length
13.	"The Duelist" (featuring Jarvis Cocker and Charlotte Gainsbourg)	4:40
14.	"Crickets" (originally not available in the United States[18])	3:32

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Pocket Symphony.[19]

Air

• Nicolas Godin – bass (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7–9, 11); solina (track 1); guitars (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6–11); synth bass (track 2); drum machine (tracks 2, 4, 5, 9); shamisen (tracks 2, 3); piano (track 3); koto (tracks 3, 8–11); synthesizers (track 5); vocals (track 6); glockenspiel (tracks 7, 11); tambourine (tracks 7, 8); drums (track 8); Memorymoog (tracks 9, 11); wind chimes (track 11)
• JB Dunckel – piano (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7–11); synthesizers (tracks 1–9, 11, 12); vibraphone (tracks 1, 10); vocals (tracks 2, 4, 6–8, 11); glockenspiel (track 2); samples (track 3); ARP percussions, xylophone (track 5); voice pad (tracks 5, 11); drum machine (tracks 6); Rhodes (tracks 7, 11, 12); synth bass (track 10)

Additional musicians

• Joey Waronker – drums, percussion (tracks 1, 3, 7)
• Magic Malik – flute (tracks 2, 7)
• Tony Allen – drums (track 2)
• Jarvis Cocker – vocals (track 3)
• Neil Hannon – vocals (track 10)
• Joby Talbot – string arrangements, string conducting (tracks 1, 12)
• David Richard Campbell – string arrangements (track 10)

Technical

• Nigel Godrich – production, engineering
• Air – production
• Darrell Thorp – engineering
• Florian Lagatta – engineering
• Simon Hayes – engineering assistance
• Andrew Rugg – engineering assistance
• Bob Ludwig – mastering (at Gateway Mastering, Portland, Maine)

Artwork

• Xavier Veilhan – artwork
• Lili Fleury – artwork
• Laurent Pinon – artwork

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 33 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] 31 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 4 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] 19 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[24] 32 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[25] 30 European Albums (Billboard)[26] 7 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 9 French Albums (SNEP)[28] 8 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] 8 Irish Albums (IRMA)[30] 12 Italian Albums (FIMI)[31] 13 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] 156 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[33] 32 Portuguese Albums (AFP)[34] 9 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[35] 81 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 30 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 7 UK Albums (OCC)[38] 22 US Billboard 200[39] 40 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[40] 3 US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[41] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position French Albums (SNEP)[42] 108 US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[43] 15

References

1. "Reviews for Pocket Symphony by Air". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
2. Phares, Heather. "Pocket Symphony – Air". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
3. Matos, Michaelangelo (6 March 2007). "Air: Pocket Symphony". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
4. Howe, Sean (2 March 2007). "Pocket Symphony". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
5. Simpson, Dave (9 March 2007). "Air, Pocket Symphony". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
6. Courtney, Kevin (2 March 2007). "Air: Pocket Symphony (Astralwerks)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
7. "Air: Pocket Symphony". Mojo. No. 161. April 2007. p. 108. ISSN 1351-0193.
8. Elan, Priya (2 March 2007). "Air: Pocket Symphony". NME. Archived from the original on 18 January 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
9. Richardson, Mark (7 March 2007). "Air: Pocket Symphony". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
10. Walters, Barry (March 2007). "Air: Pocket Symphony". Spin. Vol. 23 no. 3. p. 86. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved 13 June 2018 – via Google Books.
11. "Air: Pocket Symphony". Uncut. No. 119. April 2007. p. 92. ISSN 1368-0722.
12. "Air and Jarvis team up". NME. 17 November 2006. Retrieved 19 November 2006.
13. "Pocket Symphony press release" (Press release). Archived from the original (doc) on 24 January 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2007.
14. Hasty, Katie (14 March 2007). "Notorious B.I.G. Scores Another 'Great' On The Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
15. Mapes, Jillian (4 February 2012). "Air Over 'The Moon' About Film Score Turned Full Album". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
16. "Pocket Symphony : Air". HMV Japan. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
17. "Pocket Symphony by Air". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
18. "Pocket Symphony by Air". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on 29 November 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
19. Pocket Symphony (liner notes). Air. Virgin Records. 2007. 094638548126.CS1 maint: others (link)
20. "Australiancharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
21. "Austriancharts.at – Air – Pocket Symphony" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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23. "Ultratop.be – Air – Pocket Symphony" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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25. "Dutchcharts.nl – Air – Pocket Symphony" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
26. "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 119 no. 12. 24 March 2007. p. 75. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 19 August 2019 – via Google Books.
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29. "Offiziellecharts.de – Air – Pocket Symphony" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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31. "Italiancharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
32. ポケット・シンフォニー | エール [Pocket Symphony | Air] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
33. "Norwegiancharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
34. "Portuguesecharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
35. "Spanishcharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
36. "Swedishcharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
37. "Swisscharts.com – Air – Pocket Symphony". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
38. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
39. "Air Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
40. "Air Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
41. "Air Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
42. "Classement Albums – année 2007" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
43. "2007 Year End Charts – Top Electronic Albums". Billboard.biz. Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2012.