Beneath the Skin (Of Monsters and Men album)
Beneath the Skin | ||||
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Studio album by Of Monsters and Men | ||||
Released | 8 June 2015 9 June 2015 (International release) |
(Icelandic release)|||
Recorded | 2014-2015 | |||
Genre | Indie folk, indie pop | |||
Length | 48:33 | |||
Label | Republic | |||
Producer | Of Monsters and Men, Rich Costey | |||
Of Monsters and Men chronology | ||||
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Icelandic release | ||||
Icelandic release | ||||
Singles from Beneath the Skin | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 63/100[1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
aNewRisingMusic | [2] |
Billboard | [3] |
Consequence of Sound | C[4] |
Entertainment Weekly | B[5] |
Q | |
Sputnikmusic | [6] |
Beneath the Skin is the second studio album by Icelandic folk-pop band Of Monsters and Men released on 8 June 2015 in Iceland,[7] and a day later in the rest of the world.[8] The album artwork and design has been created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky.[9] It debuted at number three on US Billboard 200, selling 61,000 copies in its first week, became the band's highest-charting album. The album was released to generally positive reviews.
The album title is derived from a lyric in the song "Human": Plants awoke and they slowly grow beneath the skin.
The album had a nomination for the 58th Grammys for Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package.
Contents
Commercial performance
On the chart dated 27 June 2015, Beneath the Skin debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart with 61,000 copies in the first week of its release (including 57,000 pure albums sales), became the highest-charting album of the band. Also, its sales in the first week made it the best sales week of the band.[10]
The album also made it entry at number 10 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 8,437 copies.[11] It dropped to number 40 with 2,749 units in the second week on chart.[12]
Track listing
All songs are credited to Of Monsters and Men, but were actually written by the band's individuals and/or others. The actual writers are listed alongside the tracks.[13]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Crystals" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 4:02 |
2. | "Human" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson | 3:58 |
3. | "Hunger" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson | 4:50 |
4. | "Wolves Without Teeth" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 3:58 |
5. | "Empire" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 4:22 |
6. | "Slow Life" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 5:43 |
7. | "Organs" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson | 4:31 |
8. | "Black Water" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 4:13 |
9. | "Thousand Eyes" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson | 4:02 |
10. | "I of the Storm" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 4:36 |
11. | "We Sink" | Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson | 4:23 |
Total length:
|
48:33 |
Deluxe edition[14] | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
12. | "Backyard" | 4:19 |
13. | "Winter Sound" | 3:42 |
14. | "Black Water" (Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear Remix) | 4:27 |
15. | "I of the Storm" (Alex Somers Remix) | 4:32 |
Total length:
|
65:33 |
Singles
Crystals, I of the Storm, Empire, and Hunger and Wolves Without Teeth were released as the album's singles.
Music & Lyric videos
There are currently three music videos, each for "Crystals," "Empire," and "Wolves without Teeth."
In addition, There are currently nine lyric videos:
- "Crystals" lyric video features actor Siggi Sigurjóns lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "I of the Storm" lyric video features actor Atli Freyr Demantur lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Empire" lyric video features actress Guðrún Bjarnadóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Hunger" lyric video features actress Natalie G. Gunnarsdóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Human" lyric video features actor Björn Stefánsson lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Organs" lyric video features one of the band's lead vocalists Nanna lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Thousand Eyes" lyric video features actor Ingvar E. Sigurðsson lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Wolves Without Teeth" lyric video features actresses Erna Jónasdóttir and Hrefna Jónasdóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
- "Black Water" lyric video features actress Guðrún Gísladóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
All the videos start with their title cards.
The music videos:
- "Crystals" features the band dressed as construction workers in a warehouse, creating a girlish creature with crystal eyes out of her shame.
- "Empire" is filmed in black and white and features a young woman who has a very close relationship with another woman. The two of them hang out and it is implied that the young woman looks up to the other woman as a mentor figure in life. Time passes and it is revealed that it was just flashbacks as the young woman - now old - reflects on her life and wonders if she has really changed.
- "Wolves Without Teeth" features a man and a woman performing cha-cha dancing for judges in a gym.
Charts
Chart (2015) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] | 4 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[16] | 20 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[17] | 23 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[18] | 50 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] | 1 |
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[20] | 17 |
French Albums (SNEP)[21] | 62 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 10 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[23] | 28 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] | 10 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[25] | 40 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[26] | 27 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] | 6 |
UK Albums (OCC)[28] | 10 |
US Billboard 200[29] | 3 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[30] | Gold | 40,000 |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
References
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://leifpodhajsky.com/Of-Monsters-And-Men-Beneath-The-Skin
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ BMI Entry
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Of Monsters and Men – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Of Monsters and Men. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ↑ "Of Monsters and Men – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Of Monsters and Men. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.