| Downward Is Heavenward | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 27, 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Studio | Pogo Studio, Champaign, Illinois | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 52:04 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Producer | Mark Rubel, Hum | |||
| Hum chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Downward Is Heavenward | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The A.V. Club | (positive)[2] |
| The Boston Phoenix |  [3] |
| Chicago Tribune | [4] |
| Pitchfork | 8.3/10[5] |
| MusicHound Rock | [6] |
| Punknews.org | [7] |
Downward Is Heavenward is the fourth studio album by the Champaign, Illinois alternative rock band Hum.
YouTube Encyclopedic
-
1/3Views:91 2672 24349 872
-
Isle of the Cheetah
-
Hum Downward is Heavenward Earth Analog remaster Vinyl rip Side 1
-
The Scientists
Transcription
Release
Downward Is Heavenward was recorded in 1997, and first released on January 27, 1998, by RCA Records. Some websites such as AllMusic list it as being a 1997 album rather than a 1998 album,[1] presumably because all versions of the album bear a 1997 copyright date.
The title of the album appears as a lyric in "Afternoon with the Axolotls".
Reception
Despite selling fewer copies than its predecessor You'd Prefer an Astronaut, the album was critically acclaimed. Brent DiCrescenzo from Pitchfork Media praised the abrasive but graceful nature of the album, writing, "A listen to Downward Is Heavenward actually scrubs off a layer of skin, yet Hum still manage to infuse grace and control into their skyward swirl."[5] Ned Raggett from Allmusic wrote, "Having scored their fluke hit with 'Stars', Hum hunkered down and created a follow-up album that went nowhere, leading to the band's splintering. An unfortunate result all around, because, arguably, Downward Is Heavenward isn't merely the group's best album, but a lost classic of '90s rock, period."[1] In 1999, Pitchfork Media placed the album at #81 on their top 100 albums of the 1990s.[8]
Track listing
- "Isle of the Cheetah" – 6:38
- "Comin' Home" – 2:45
- "If You Are to Bloom" – 5:11
- "Ms. Lazarus" – 3:38
- "Afternoon with the Axolotls" – 6:27
- "Green to Me" – 3:56
- "Dreamboat" – 6:07
- "The Inuit Promise" – 6:07
- "Apollo" – 5:47
- "The Scientists" – 5:26
Bonus single (received by fans who pre-ordered the album)
- "Puppets" – 4:11
- "Aphids" – 6:08
2018 vinyl release bonus tracks
- "Puppets" – 4:11
- "Aphids" – 6:08
- "Boy with Stick" – 5:42
Personnel
- Hum
- Jeff Dimpsey – bass guitar
- Tim Lash – guitar
- Bryan St. Pere – drums
- Matt Talbott – guitar, vocals
- Additional personnel
- Mark Rubel – production
References
- ^ a b c Raggett, Ned. "Downward is Heavenward — Hum". Allmusic. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ Thompson, Stephen (29 March 2002). "Hum: Downward Is Heavenward". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ Randall, Mac (March 13, 1998). "Off The Record". The Boston Phoenix. Vol. 27, no. 11. p. 45. Retrieved February 2, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Caro, Mark (February 27, 1998). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. F50. ProQuest 2288267840.
- ^ a b DiCrescenzo, Brent (1 February 1998). "Hum: Downward Is Heavenward". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 6 March 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 566.
- ^ Williams, Mark (28 April 2001). "Hum - Downward Is Heavenward". Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ "Pitchfork's Top 100". Archived from the original on 2006-08-06. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
This page was last edited on 8 February 2024, at 14:09