Tracklist
album info:
Verified yes
Discs1
Rank−
Released2003-10-21
Record labelDrive Thru, Geffen
Charts
Added
Last updatedSeptember 14th, 2017
AboutNorth is the third studio album by American rock band Something Corporate. Near the beginning of the writing process for the album, vocalist/pianist Andrew McMahon and guitarist Josh Partington wanted it to "sound like a winter album", in contrast to their debut album Leaving Through the Window (2002) which they viewed as a "summer album". After losing focus through constant touring, the group decided to record an album in Seattle, Washington. Recording took place at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle with producer Jim Wirt in May 2003. After relocating to Los Angeles, California, further tracking was done at 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica, California.
Following North's announcement in July 2003, the band went on tour supporting 311 and Good Charlotte. Preceded by the single "Space" in September, the album was released on October 21 through Geffen and Drive-Thru Records. The band subsequently went on a headlining US tour from October to December. In January 2004, "Ruthless" was released as a single. The following month, guitarist William Tell left the band and was replaced by Bobby Anderson of the band River City High. In March and April, the group co-headlined a US tour with Yellowcard.
North received a positive response from music critics, several reviewers noted the band's musical growth since their debut album. The album charted number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 154 in the UK. "Space" peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. North sold 41,000 copies in the first week and would go on to sell 339,000 copies by June 2005. The album was released on vinyl for the first time in November 2013 to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
After finalizing their line-up, Something Corporate began performing at local venues, eventually gaining support slots for groups such as Better Than Ezra and Sugar Ray. Shortly afterwards, the band signed to independent label Drive-Thru Records. Drive-Thru Records had a distribution deal with major label MCA Records, which allowed the latter to upstream bands from the former. The band's debut album Leaving Through the Window, released in early 2002, was a joint release between Drive-Thru and MCA Records. In mid-2003, MCA Records was absorbed by UMG label Geffen Records, which resulted in MCA's staff and roster being moved to Geffen. At the time, guitarist Josh Partington said: "You can't worry about things that are out of your control ... I can't do anything about it so you just keep doing what you're doing."
Early in the writing process, vocalist/pianist Andrew McMahon and Partington had discussions on what they wanted the album to sound like. They decided they wanted it to "sound like a winter album", in contrast to Leaving Through the Window which they felt sounded like a "summer album". Partington elaborated: "We really wanted it to feel, not sad and somber really but just kind of have a broody feeling." McMahon and Partington wrote songs separately. Partington had written six songs on the album before entering the studio. While touring Europe, the US went to war in Iraq. According to Partington, the group did not "want to be playing a show when there's something so much more important going on." As a result, the band cancelled the remainder of the tour, and returned to the US. Partington recalled that he and McMahon did "a lot of writing" together, and were "really happy with the songs we had" going into the studio.
"As You Sleep", "Down", "Me and the Moon", "Ruthless", "She Paints Me Blue", "Break Myself", "21 and Invincible", "Miss America" and "Watch the Sky" were credited to McMahon. "Space", "Only Ashes", "The Runaway" and "I Won't Make You" were credited to Partington. Paul Buckmaster arranged and played the cello, alongside Larry Corbett on "Me and the Moon" and "The Runaway". Alternative Addiction wrote that the group mixed "piano melodies with rocking guitars creating the 'melodic punk' sound" that was also on their debut.
North received a positive reception from critics. AllMusic reviewer Andrew Leahey wrote that McMahon traded "shunning the drunk high school girls and classroom bullies" on their debut for "thoughtful ruminations on love, celebrity, and the steady approach of adulthood." Leahey noted that while the album contained "some filler ... probably more than the band's debut," North showed that the group had the "maturity to move past the majority of their Warped Tour brethren." Alternative Addiction wrote that upon hearing the first chord, fans would "immediately recognize" McMahon's growth as a songwriter. IGN writer Jesse Lord noted that while second albums often fall into a sophomore slump, North leaves fan with "purely good music to enjoy." He mentioned that McMahon's piano "blends in with the band so much better" compared to Leaving Through the Window, coming across as "feeling natural, and not contrived." He also said that the album was "mature" and displayed "signs that the band has aged; yet they are not pretentious about it, and are still in touch with their emotions."
Kaj Roth of Melodic wrote that, despite a year passing since the group's previous album, it was "enough to grow at least 10 years in life experience," noting that the album featured "smart/intelligent" Third Eye Blind-esque rock songs. Roth pondered if McMahon listened to Vanessa Carlton, since he pushed the songs "one step further into an adorable trip of melodic euphoria." The Phoenix writer Sean Richardson wrote that with North, the band "continue to prove themselves one of the most tuneful outfits in modern rock." Richardson noted that halfway into the album, when the songs' "middling tempos start to bleed together," the group sounds "as if they were striving for a level of maturity that's not quite within reach." Punknews.org reviewer Adam White called it "a more solemn and paced record," compared to their debut. White noted that it featured "lots of contemplative ballads," all of which "showcase Andrew MacMahon's characteristic piano and smooth vocals." Kristin Roth of Rolling Stone wrote that album "delves into an entirely different world" with its lyrics "exploring a darker place, but just what that place is, it's hard to say."
North charted at number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 41,000 copies in its first week of release. It also charted at number 152 in the UK. "Space" charted at number 37 on the Alternative Songs chart. By March 2004, the album had sold 222,000 copies. By March 2005, the album had sold 330,000 copies in the US, and by June, album sales stood at 339,000 copies. Looking back in 2010, Partington said the group were "frustrated" with the album's lack of success: "We had put in all this hard work and we were doing everything we could, but it felt like certain parts of the whole machine weren't necessarily working in our favor." To celebrate the album's 10th anniversary, it was released on vinyl for the first time in November 2013 through independent label Enjoy the Ride Records. What Culture ranked it at number 13 in their 15 Greatest Pop Punk Albums of the 2000s list.
Japanese bonus tracks
13. This Broken Heart
14. Unravel
UK bonus tracks
13. Watch the Sky
14. Unravel
Following North's announcement in July 2003, the band went on tour supporting 311 and Good Charlotte. Preceded by the single "Space" in September, the album was released on October 21 through Geffen and Drive-Thru Records. The band subsequently went on a headlining US tour from October to December. In January 2004, "Ruthless" was released as a single. The following month, guitarist William Tell left the band and was replaced by Bobby Anderson of the band River City High. In March and April, the group co-headlined a US tour with Yellowcard.
North received a positive response from music critics, several reviewers noted the band's musical growth since their debut album. The album charted number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as number 154 in the UK. "Space" peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. North sold 41,000 copies in the first week and would go on to sell 339,000 copies by June 2005. The album was released on vinyl for the first time in November 2013 to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
After finalizing their line-up, Something Corporate began performing at local venues, eventually gaining support slots for groups such as Better Than Ezra and Sugar Ray. Shortly afterwards, the band signed to independent label Drive-Thru Records. Drive-Thru Records had a distribution deal with major label MCA Records, which allowed the latter to upstream bands from the former. The band's debut album Leaving Through the Window, released in early 2002, was a joint release between Drive-Thru and MCA Records. In mid-2003, MCA Records was absorbed by UMG label Geffen Records, which resulted in MCA's staff and roster being moved to Geffen. At the time, guitarist Josh Partington said: "You can't worry about things that are out of your control ... I can't do anything about it so you just keep doing what you're doing."
Early in the writing process, vocalist/pianist Andrew McMahon and Partington had discussions on what they wanted the album to sound like. They decided they wanted it to "sound like a winter album", in contrast to Leaving Through the Window which they felt sounded like a "summer album". Partington elaborated: "We really wanted it to feel, not sad and somber really but just kind of have a broody feeling." McMahon and Partington wrote songs separately. Partington had written six songs on the album before entering the studio. While touring Europe, the US went to war in Iraq. According to Partington, the group did not "want to be playing a show when there's something so much more important going on." As a result, the band cancelled the remainder of the tour, and returned to the US. Partington recalled that he and McMahon did "a lot of writing" together, and were "really happy with the songs we had" going into the studio.
"As You Sleep", "Down", "Me and the Moon", "Ruthless", "She Paints Me Blue", "Break Myself", "21 and Invincible", "Miss America" and "Watch the Sky" were credited to McMahon. "Space", "Only Ashes", "The Runaway" and "I Won't Make You" were credited to Partington. Paul Buckmaster arranged and played the cello, alongside Larry Corbett on "Me and the Moon" and "The Runaway". Alternative Addiction wrote that the group mixed "piano melodies with rocking guitars creating the 'melodic punk' sound" that was also on their debut.
North received a positive reception from critics. AllMusic reviewer Andrew Leahey wrote that McMahon traded "shunning the drunk high school girls and classroom bullies" on their debut for "thoughtful ruminations on love, celebrity, and the steady approach of adulthood." Leahey noted that while the album contained "some filler ... probably more than the band's debut," North showed that the group had the "maturity to move past the majority of their Warped Tour brethren." Alternative Addiction wrote that upon hearing the first chord, fans would "immediately recognize" McMahon's growth as a songwriter. IGN writer Jesse Lord noted that while second albums often fall into a sophomore slump, North leaves fan with "purely good music to enjoy." He mentioned that McMahon's piano "blends in with the band so much better" compared to Leaving Through the Window, coming across as "feeling natural, and not contrived." He also said that the album was "mature" and displayed "signs that the band has aged; yet they are not pretentious about it, and are still in touch with their emotions."
Kaj Roth of Melodic wrote that, despite a year passing since the group's previous album, it was "enough to grow at least 10 years in life experience," noting that the album featured "smart/intelligent" Third Eye Blind-esque rock songs. Roth pondered if McMahon listened to Vanessa Carlton, since he pushed the songs "one step further into an adorable trip of melodic euphoria." The Phoenix writer Sean Richardson wrote that with North, the band "continue to prove themselves one of the most tuneful outfits in modern rock." Richardson noted that halfway into the album, when the songs' "middling tempos start to bleed together," the group sounds "as if they were striving for a level of maturity that's not quite within reach." Punknews.org reviewer Adam White called it "a more solemn and paced record," compared to their debut. White noted that it featured "lots of contemplative ballads," all of which "showcase Andrew MacMahon's characteristic piano and smooth vocals." Kristin Roth of Rolling Stone wrote that album "delves into an entirely different world" with its lyrics "exploring a darker place, but just what that place is, it's hard to say."
North charted at number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 41,000 copies in its first week of release. It also charted at number 152 in the UK. "Space" charted at number 37 on the Alternative Songs chart. By March 2004, the album had sold 222,000 copies. By March 2005, the album had sold 330,000 copies in the US, and by June, album sales stood at 339,000 copies. Looking back in 2010, Partington said the group were "frustrated" with the album's lack of success: "We had put in all this hard work and we were doing everything we could, but it felt like certain parts of the whole machine weren't necessarily working in our favor." To celebrate the album's 10th anniversary, it was released on vinyl for the first time in November 2013 through independent label Enjoy the Ride Records. What Culture ranked it at number 13 in their 15 Greatest Pop Punk Albums of the 2000s list.
Japanese bonus tracks
13. This Broken Heart
14. Unravel
UK bonus tracks
13. Watch the Sky
14. Unravel