Unwritten Law is the third album by the San Diego–based punk rock band Unwritten Law, released in 1998 by Interscope Records. It was their first album to chart, reaching No. 16 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.[2] Music videos were filmed for the songs "Teenage Suicide", "California Sky", "Holiday", "Cailin", and "Lonesome".[3][4][5][6] "Cailin" and "Lonesome" were released as singles, the former being Unwritten Law's first song to chart, reaching No. 28 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.[7]
| Unwritten Law | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 2, 1998 | |||
| Recorded | July–August 1997 at London Bridge Studios, Seattle September 1997 at Studio West, San Diego | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:37 | |||
| Label | Interscope | |||
| Producer | Rick Parashar | |||
| Unwritten Law chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Production
editPivit bassist Micah Albao performed as a session bassist on the album, as the band's bassist John Bell had left prior to them going into the studio.[8] Following the recording sessions, Pat "PK" Kim of Sprung Monkey joined Unwritten Law as their new permanent bass player.[9] The album includes guest appearances by Brandon Boyd and Mike Einziger of Incubus on the hidden track "418". An outtake from these sessions, "Take Me Away"[10] later appeared as a b-side on the Seein' Red single.
While the band was in the studio, they were dropped by Epic, and were signed by Interscope Records after Tom Whalley heard the album,[11] as the band recalled:
When we were in Seattle making the record, Epic Records decided to drop us while we were in the studio. They never even heard the new record. After that, we didn't know if we wanted to go back to an independent label or just try to find another major. Interscope Records came in right away and genuinely showed a love for the record. It made sense to go with them.[12]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Scott Russo except where noted; all music is composed by Unwritten Law (Scott Russo, Steve Morris, Rob Brewer, and Wade Youman)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Harmonic" (Russo, Brewer) | 3:42 |
| 2. | "Teenage Suicide" | 2:50 |
| 3. | "Sorry" | 2:58 |
| 4. | "California Sky" (Russo, Youman) | 3:00 |
| 5. | "Cailin" | 3:56 |
| 6. | "Lonesome" | 3:24 |
| 7. | "Coffin Text" | 2:59 |
| 8. | "Holiday" | 2:56 |
| 9. | "Underground" (Russo, Youman, Brewer) | 3:10 |
| 10. | "Close Your Eyes" | 2:41 |
| 11. | "Before I Go" (Russo, Youman, Morris) | 4:25 |
| 12. | "Genocide" "418" (Russo, Brandon Boyd; hidden track) | 9:11 |
| Total length: | 44:37 | |
Appearances in Media
edit- "Teenage Suicide" appeared in the 1998 thriller film Dead Man's Curve, and the 1998 surf film The Show.
- "Cailin" appeared in the 1999 horror comedy film Idle Hands, and the 2000 comedy-drama film Coyote Ugly.
- "California Sky" appeared on the 2001 PlayStation video game T.J. Lavin's Ultimate BMX.
Personnel
editBand
edit- Scott Russo – lead vocals
- Steve Morris – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Rob Brewer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Wade Youman – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
edit- Micah Albao – bass guitar
- Rick Parashar – piano, keyboards, tambura, percussion
- Geoff Turner – DJ
- Erik Aho – additional guitar on "Cailin"
- Brandon Boyd – spoken vocals and didgeridoo on "418"
- Mike Einziger – additional guitar on "418"
- Craig Yarnold – additional backing vocals on "Holiday"
Production
edit- Rick Parashar – producer, engineer, mixing
- Andy Wallace – mixing of "Sorry"
- Jon Plum – assistant producer, engineer, and mixing
- Geoff Ott – second engineer
- Kelly Gray – additional mixing on "Underground" and "418"
- Jon Mathias – engineer of "Holiday"
- George Marino – mastering
Artwork
edit- Lorna Turner – graphic design
- Craig Tomkinson and Dave Morris – photography
Charts
edit| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] | 62 |
References
edit- ^ a b Allmusic review
- ^ "Unwritten Law: Charts & Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "Video". unwrittenlaw.com. Unwritten Law. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "Unwritten Law - 'California Sky'". Universal Music Group. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "Unwritten Law - 'Holiday'". Universal Music Group. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "Unwritten Law - 'Lonesome'". Universal Music Group. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "Unwritten Law Album & Song Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard charts. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ "News for July 1997..." Archived from the original on July 17, 1997. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
- ^ "UL News for December". Archived from the original on January 27, 1998. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
- ^ "UL News for February". Archived from the original on February 11, 1998. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
- ^ "Unwritten Law". www.rebelnoise.com. January 3, 2005. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Unwritten Law Interview". www.inmusicwetrust.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 289.