From Here to Infirmary
| From Here to Infirmary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Alkaline Trio | ||||
| Released | April 3, 2001 | |||
| Studio | Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, Minnesota | |||
| Genre | Punk rock,[1] pop punk[2] | |||
| Length | 38:13 | |||
| Label | Vagrant | |||
| Producer | Matt Allison, Alkaline Trio | |||
| Alkaline Trio chronology | ||||
| ||||
From Here to Infirmary is the third album by the Chicago-based punk rock band Alkaline Trio. It was their first album for Vagrant and their only album with the drummer Mike Felumlee, who replaced the previous drummer Glenn Porter. When Felumlee left the band shortly after the album's release, drummer Adam Willard filled in with the group on tour and appeared in the music video for "Private Eye", before the band found a permanent replacement in Derek Grant.
Production
Recording took place at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, with Matt Allison and Alkaline Trio acting as producers, with assistance from Neil Weir. The recordings were mixed by Jerry Finn, with assistance from Laurent Bichara, at Engine Studios in Chicago, Illinois.[3]
Release
It was released on April 3, 2001, by Vagrant. The UK version of the album, which included "Standard Break" and "Hell Yes" as bonus tracks, was co-released by B-Unique and Vagrant.[3]
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AbsolutePunk | Favorable[4] |
| Allmusic |    [5] |
| Pitchfork Media | (6.5/10)[1] |
| Rolling Stone | [2] |
Critical response
Critical reaction to the album was mixed. Ari Wiznitzer of Allmusic called it a slump for the band and "a definite low point in Alkaline Trio's catalog", criticizing its "lighter, more mainstream sound" which "really doesn't complement Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano's foul-mouthed poetry as well as their earlier abrasive sound. Adding to the disappointment is that this is the first Alkaline Trio release to have any filler, as many of the songs seem painfully tossed off (and probably were, as the band has been so prolific)."[5] Matt Hendrickson of Rolling Stone was more praising of the album's qualities, remarking that the band "deliver[s] catchy punk pop with sharp elbows and a wry sense of humor" and that "What saves them from the gutter are some effortless hooks and Skiba's hysterical lyrics".[2]
John Dark of Pitchfork Media remarked, "There's quite a bit that Alkaline Trio's music is not. It's not challenging, ambitious, or visionary. It's not clever or self-aware. It's not even terribly skillful. But what it is, is tasty. Pure musical junk food: fast, greasy, and crafted for a general palate."[1] He criticized some of the music as "a tad too derivative for your average rock snob", but praised the band's lyricism and ability to turn a phrase, though noting that they would occasionally "jar you back to reality with bonehead moves like spelling out the very, very thinly-disguised metaphor in one song [("Mr. Chainsaw")] for the listener".[1] Ultimately, though, he concluded, "for all its flaws, From Here to Infirmary remains nothing more than simply what it is: tuneful, consumable, and guiltily satisfying."[1] NME listed the album as one of "20 Pop Punk Albums Which Will Make You Nostalgic".[6]
Commercial performance and legacy
It was also their first album to chart, reaching #199 on the Billboard 200 and #9 amongst independent albums.[7][8] Its two singles, "Stupid Kid" and "Private Eye", both charted on the UK Singles Chart, reaching #53 and #51 respectively.[9]
Reflecting on the album in a 2008 interview, the singer and bass guitarist Dan Andriano considered it a turning point for the band musically:
I would have to say From Here to Infirmary definitely started to shape things up with more of a straight up rock kind of sound. I think the previous two albums [(1998's Goddamnit and 2000's Maybe I'll Catch Fire)] are really great, but are a bit meandering. I think [From Here to Infirmary] is when Matt [Skiba] and I both realized that we wanted to tighten the screws a bit, simplify things a little and focus more on punching you in the nuts with our rock; Metaphorically speaking of course.[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Private Eye" | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Mr. Chainsaw" | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Take Lots with Alcohol" | 3:13 |
| 4. | "Stupid Kid" | 2:23 |
| 5. | "Another Innocent Girl" | 3:37 |
| 6. | "Steamer Trunk" | 2:49 |
| 7. | "You're Dead" | 3:50 |
| 8. | "Armageddon" | 2:49 |
| 9. | "I'm Dying Tomorrow" | 2:20 |
| 10. | "Bloodied Up" | 2:51 |
| 11. | "Trucks and Trains" | 3:16 |
| 12. | "Crawl" | 4:25 |
Total length: |
38:13 | |
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.[3]
|
|
Charts
- Album
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 199 |
| Top Heatseekers | 14 |
| Top Independent Albums | 9 |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Dark, John (December 31, 2000). "From Here to Infirmary Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
- 1 2 3 Hendrickson, Matt (June 7, 2001). "From Here to Infirmary Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
- 1 2 3 From Here to Infirmary (Booklet). Alkaline Trio. B-Unique/Vagrant. 2001. bun008.
- ↑ Tate, Jason. "AbsolutePunk - Alkaline Trio / From Here to Infirmary". AbsolutePunk.net. Archived from the original on June 22, 2003. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- 1 2 Wiznitzer, Ari. "From Here to Infirmary Review". Allmusic. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
- ↑ "20 Pop Punk Albums Which Will Make You Nostalgic". NME.com. June 9, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ↑ "Alkaline Trio Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard charts. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
- ↑ "Alkaline Trio Album & Song Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard charts. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
- ↑ "Chart stats - Alkaline Trio". Chart Stats. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
- ↑ Ramirez, Carlos (August 21, 2008). "Agony and Irony of Alkaline Trio". Ultimateguitar.com. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
External links
- From Here to Infirmary at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)