By Default is the fourth studio album by British rock band Band of Skulls, released on 27 May 2016 through BMG as the band's first release by a major label.[4] The album was the last album to feature drummer Matt Hayward before his departure in 2017.
| By Default | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 27 May 2016 | |||
| Studio | Rockfield Studios, Wales[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 66:16 | |||
| Label | BMG | |||
| Producer | Gil Norton | |||
| Band of Skulls chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from By Default | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 57/100[5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Classic Rock |   [6] |
| Drowned in Sound |   [7] |
| Exclaim! | [3] |
| The Independent | [8] |
| musicOMH |  [9] |
By Default has received mixed to negative reviews from critics with many criticising the album of being forgettable and lacking excitement. Drowned in Sound were especially critical of the album's lyrics, which were described as "misogynistic" and making "fuck all sense".[7] However, in a positive review, Classic Rock Magazine praised the album's use of synthesizers and wide variety of influences including Iggy Pop and T Rex.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Black Magic" | 2:49 |
| 2. | "Back of Beyond" | 3:09 |
| 3. | "Killer" | 3:28 |
| 4. | "Bodies" | 3:13 |
| 5. | "Tropical Disease" | 3:18 |
| 6. | "So Good" | 3:23 |
| 7. | "This is My Fix" | 3:47 |
| 8. | "Little Mamma" | 3:19 |
| 9. | "Embers" | 4:09 |
| 10. | "In Love by Default" | 3:43 |
| 11. | "Erounds" | 3:47 |
| 12. | "Something" | 3:01 |
Personnel
edit- Russell Marsden – vocals, guitar[10]
- Emma Richardson – bass guitar, vocals
- Matt Hayward – drums
- Tom Coyne – mastering
- Gil Norton – production, mixing
Charts
edit| Chart (2016) | PeaK position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[11] | 54 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[12] | 120 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[13] | 41 |
References
edit- ^ R O' Connor (25 May 2016). "Band of Skulls unveil new album By Default - premiere". The Independent. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ Rock, Mark Beaumont 2016-05-13T10:00:00 133Z Classic (13 May 2016). "Band Of Skulls – By Default album review". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Band of Skulls By Default". Exclaim!. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ J Hendicott (10 March 2016). "Band of Skulls announce new album 'By Default' and launch single 'Killer'". NME. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "By Default by Band of Skulls Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Band of Skulls - By Default album review". Classic Rock. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Album Review: Band Of Skulls - By Default". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Album reviews: Mark Kozelek, Band Of Skulls, Tony Joe White and more". The Independent. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Band of Skulls - By Default". musicOMH. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ "Band Of Skulls - By Default (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (4 June 2016). "ARIA Albums: Flume Has Australia's No 1 Album". Noise11. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Band of Skulls – By Default" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2021.