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Schlagenheim

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Schlagenheim
Studio album by
Black Midi
Released21 June 2019
RecordedNovember 2018[a]
StudioMr. Dan's Studio in London
Genre
Length43:10
LabelRough Trade
ProducerDan Carey
Black Midi chronology
Schlagenheim
(2019) 		Black Midi Live in the USA
(2020)
Black Midi studio chronology
Schlagenheim
(2019) 		Cavalcade
(2021)
Singles from Schlagenheim
  1. "bmbmbm"
    Released: 8 June 2018
  2. "Speedway"
    Released: 31 January 2019
  3. "Ducter"
    Released: 20 June 2019

Schlagenheim is the debut studio album by English rock band Black Midi, released on 21 June 2019 through Rough Trade Records.[3] The band recorded the majority of the album over a five-day period with producer Dan Carey at his studio in South London.[3] Throughout its recording, the band made the conscious decision not to replicate their live set, embellishing their four-piece setup with synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines, banjos and organs.

Schlagenheim received praise from music critics, being nominated for the 2019 Mercury Prize[4] and appearing inside the top-ten of several year-end lists. It also peaked at number 43 on the UK Albums Chart.

Composition

[edit]

On Schlagenheim, Black Midi craft "cathartic" experimental rock,[5] yielding a "surprising amalgam" of jazz fusion, math rock, noise rock and post-punk.[6]

In 2022, drummer Morgan Simpson debunked an often-repeated rumour that the album's songs stemmed from spontaneous jam sessions: "I think there was this idea in people's heads when we came to record the first record that it took us the same amount of time to write the actual song itself that it did to record it. That just was never true."[7]

Before settling on the title Schlagenheim, vocalist and guitarist Geordie Greep wanted to call the album Hellfire, which ultimately became the name of their third studio album.[7]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.8/10[8]
Metacritic82/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
And It Don't StopA−[11]
Financial Times[12]
The Guardian[13]
Mojo[14]
NME[15]
Pitchfork8.2/10[16]
Q[17]
Rolling Stone[5]
Uncut8/10[18]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Schlagenheim received a score of 82, based on 20 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[9] Paul Glynn of the BBC claimed that the album "has been described by critics as everything from thrilling to frustrating."[19] Schlagenheim was praised for the technical proficiency of the musicianship, with Paste, Pitchfork, Tiny Mix Tapes and The Guardian singling out Simpson's drumming as especially good.[20][16][21]

In a positive review for Paste, Steven Edelstone says that Greep and Kwasniewski-Kelvin are "two of our most inventive contemporary guitarists" but that one of the few faults of Schlagenheim is that it doesn't "showcase Morgan Simpson’s frenzied drumming to its fullest extent." Edelstone praises Schlagenheim's unpredictability stating "Schlagenheim surprises at every turn, never settling into a predictable flow" later comparing it to Trout Mask Replica opining that like that album "it doesn’t always sound aurally pleasing, and it’s often tough to keep up, but it rewards those who try." Edelstone says that Schlagenheim is "one of the best albums [he had] ever heard" and "a masterpiece".[20]

In a mixed review for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis praises moments of technical virtuosity in which the band "lock into a groove that manages to be hypnotically repetitious while constantly shifting and changing" but also said of the band "at their least appealing, there’s no doubt that Black Midi can sound pretty pleased with themselves [...] it’s hard to avoid a sensation of po-faced seriousness, of music that exists largely in order to make its authors and fans feel superior". Petridis concludes "Schlagenheim is an imperfect, intriguing debut: behind the overheated prose lurks a young, self-conscious band who clearly aren’t as fully formed as the hype suggests [...] for all its flaws, Schlagenheim is promising enough to suggest that watching them develop could be fascinating."[13] Joshua Copperman of PopMatters says that although "on talent alone, Black Midi exceeds the hype" they are "technically proficient but emotionally shallow". Copperman cites "Of Schlagenheim" as an example of this stating that the track "bounces between atmospheric interludes and unhinged screeching but does both extremes no favors. There are so many ideas [...] that they cancel each other out." He calls Schlagenheim "both the most promising and exasperating record of 2019."[22]

Year-end rankings

[edit]
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Afisha Daily (Russia) The Best Foreign Albums of 2019
19
[23]
Clash Albums of the Year 2019
5
[24]
The Guardian The 50 Best Albums of 2019
38
[25]
Mojo 75 Best Albums of 2019
8
[26]
musicOMH Top 50 Albums of 2019
8
[27]
The New York Times Best Albums of 2019
9
[28]
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2019
11
[29]
PopMatters 70 Best Albums of 2019
64
[30]
The Quietus Albums of the Year 2019
7
[31]
Spin 10 Best Albums of 2019
9
[32]
Sputnikmusic Top 50 Albums of 2019
36
[6]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2019
11
[33]
Under the Radar Top 100 Albums of 2019
30
[34]

Track listing

[edit]
Schlagenheim – standard edition
No.TitleLength
1."953"5:20
2."Speedway"3:18
3."Reggae"3:30
4."Near DT, MI"2:20
5."Western"8:08
6."Of Schlagenheim"6:26
7."bmbmbm"4:56
8."Years Ago"2:35
9."Ducter"6:42
Total length:43:10
YouTube release bonus track
No.TitleLength
10."7-Eleven"4:54
Total length:48:04
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Talking Heads"3:05
11."Crow's Perch"4:04
Total length:50:19

Personnel

[edit]

Sourced from the Albums Liner Notes and AllMusic.[10]

Black Midi

  • Geordie Greep – vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9), Reverend Descent Baritone guitar (1–4, 5 (ending), 6–9), Gretsch Spectrasonic Baritone guitar (5, 7)
  • Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin – vocals (8), 1996 Fender Mustang guitar (1), Fender Telecaster guitar (2, 5–7, 9), Fender Thinline Telecaster guitar (3), Supro Val Trol guitar (4, 8), Gretsch Falcon guitar (5 ending)
  • Cameron Picton – vocals (2, 4), Gretsch White Falcon bass (1, 2, 4), Eastwood Sidejack Bass 32 (2, 7, 9), Fender Jazz bass (3, 8), Gibson EB 2 bass (5), Rickenbacker 4003 bass (5 ending) Fender Mustang bass (6)
  • Morgan Simpson – Rogers drum set (1–9), Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum (1, 5, 6, 8), Craviotto Timeless Timber snare drum (2–4, 7, 9), Meinl cymbals (1–9)
  • Katie Sherrard – additional vocals (7)
  • "Overdubs" (not credited to the Band Members) – Rickenbacker 4003 Bass 50p (1, 2), Fender Telecaster (1), Fender Mustang (1), nylon acoustic guitar (1, 8), modular synth (1, 6–9), Swarmatron (1, 7), Nashville Strung Electric Guitar (1–3), bells (2), tambourine (2, 6), finger cymbals (2), guiro (2), bongos (2), Kawai Upright Piano (2–5, 8), Russian guitar (2, 4), wah-wah guitar (2), Fender Mustang Bass (3), Buchla Music Easel (3), Dave Smith Prophet 2 (3, 9), Gibson Kalamazoo (3, 6), Deckard's Dream (3, 4, 6), Mellotron (3, 4, 9), Roland Jupiter 8 (3, 4, 6), tack tom (3), MPC X (4), clavioline (4) Simon & Patrick Acoustic Guitar (5), Fratelli Crosio Chromatic Accordion (5, 6), flute (5), pedal steel (5, 6), guitarron bass (5), banjo (5), bin lid (5), cowbell (5), block (5), spring (5), shaker (5), tambo (5), triangle (5), Nashville Strung Acoustic Guitar (5), Nashville Springing (6), Gretsch Black Falcon (6), claps (6), giant spring (6), Fender Rhodes (6), MPC X with Buchla samples (8), Rickenbacker 360 (8), shouts (8), Supro Val Trol (9), rain stick (9), castanets (9), Roland System 100 (9), Roland SP 404 (9)

Production

  • Dan Carey – production
  • Alexis Smith – engineering
  • Christian Wright – mastering
  • David Rudnick – artwork[3]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[35] 113
Scottish Albums (OCC)[36] 40
UK Albums (OCC)[37] 43
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[38]
41

References

[edit]
Notes
  1. ^ Except "bmbmbm", recorded prior to June 2018
References
  1. ^ "Review: Black Midi :: Schlagenheim". 21 June 2019.
  2. ^ Petridis, Alexis (20 June 2019). "Black Midi: Schlagenheim review – the weirdest buzz band of the year". The Guardian.
  3. ^ a b c Fernando, Christine (14 May 2019). "Black Midi Announce Debut Album Schlagenheim". Paste. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  4. ^ Bloom, Madison; Monroe, Jazz (25 July 2019). "Mercury Prize 2019 Shortlist: The 1975, slowthai, Black Midi, More". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  5. ^ a b Dolan, Jon (24 June 2019). "Black Midi Create Cathartic Experimental Rock on their Debut 'Schlagenheim'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Staff's Top 50 Albums of 2019: 50 – 31". Sputnikmusic. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  7. ^ a b Mitchell, Matt (15 July 2022). "black midi Rage on as Hellfire Rises". Paste. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Schlagenheim by Black Midi reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Schlagenheim by Black Midi Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  10. ^ a b Thomas, Fred. "Schlagenheim – Black Midi". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  11. ^ Christgau, Robert (9 October 2019). "Consuemr Guide: October, 2019". And It Don't Stop. Substack. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  12. ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (21 June 2019). "Black Midi: Schlagenheim — impressive musical imagination". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  13. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (20 June 2019). "Black Midi: Schlagenheim review – the weirdest buzz band of the year". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  14. ^ Myers, Ben (August 2019). "black midi: Schlagenheim". Mojo (309): 90.
  15. ^ Balram, Dhruva (20 June 2019). "Black Midi – 'Schlagenheim' review". NME. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  16. ^ a b Larson, Jeremy D. (25 June 2019). "black midi: Schlagenheim". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  17. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (Summer 2019). "Black Midi: Schlagenheim". Q (400): 108.
  18. ^ Wray, Daniel Dylan (August 2019). "Black Midi: Schlagenheim". Uncut (267): 26.
  19. ^ Glynn, Paul (19 September 2019). "Black Midi: 'We'd rather be terrible than middle-of-the-road'". BBC. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  20. ^ a b Edelstone, Steven (21 June 2019). "black midi: Schlagenheim". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Music Review: black midi - Schlagenheim". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  22. ^ "Black Midi's 'Schlagenheim' Is Technically Proficient But Emotionally Shallow". PopMatters. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  23. ^ "Лучшие зарубежные альбомы 2019 года" [The Best Foreign Albums of 2019]. Afisha Daily. 26 December 2019.
  24. ^ "Clash Albums of the Year 2019". Clash. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  25. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben; et al. (20 December 2019). "The 50 best albums of 2019: the full list". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  26. ^ "75 Best Albums of 2019". Mojo. 14 November 2019.
  27. ^ Hubbard, Michael (21 December 2019). "musicOMH's Top 50 Albums of 2019". musicOMH. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  28. ^ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon (5 December 2019). "Best Albums of 2019". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  29. ^ Edelstone, Steven; et al. (2 December 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Paste. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  30. ^ Kim, Hans (9 December 2019). "The 70 Best Albums of 2019". PopMatters. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  31. ^ Cashin, Cal; et al. (18 December 2019). "Quietus Albums of the Year 2019 (In Association with Norman Records)". The Quietus. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  32. ^ Gottsegen, Will; et al. (17 December 2019). "The 10 Best Albums of 2019". Spin. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  33. ^ DeVille, Chris; et al. (3 December 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  34. ^ Duncan, Conrad; et al. (31 December 2019). "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2019 (Part 1)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  35. ^ "Ultratop.be – Black Midi – Schlagenheim" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  36. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  37. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  38. ^ "Independent Albums". Billboard. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
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