Unfurnished Rooms is the ninth studio album by English band Blancmange, released in 2017. It was produced by Neil Arthur and Benge, and reached No. 40 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.[2]
| Unfurnished Rooms | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 29 September 2017[1] | |||
| Length | 48:57 | |||
| Label | Blanc Check Records | |||
| Producer | Neil Arthur, Benge | |||
| Blancmange chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album was Blancmange's first release since First Light, a 2017 collaborative album between Arthur and Benge, released under the name Fader.[3] Speaking to MusicOMH in 2017, Arthur commented on Benge's involvement with Unfurnished Rooms: "It was fantastic when he said he was up for getting involved. I'd written the songs and a lot of instrumentation. I put my electronic noises on, and the idea was for Benge to replace the rhythm area."[4]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Louder Than War |    [5] |
| The Quietus | favourable[6] |
| Record Collector |   [7] |
Upon release, Michael Hann of The Quietus described the album as "pleasing", adding: "...as if Blancmange have journeyed back to the early 1980s and taken a different turning".[6] Paul Scott-Bates of Louder Than War summarised the album as "clever". He said: "It sees Neil Arthur on top form and putting together a listening experience that has taken thought, passion and a great deal of bravery."[5] D Foist of Record Collector wrote: "Unfurnished Rooms still has the synthpop undercarriage, but feels more like an assured indie collection than anything else. A hint of glam pokes through here and there, but also a good dose of the stodgier end of Depeche Mode's output."[7]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Neil Arthur
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Unfurnished Rooms" | 4:46 |
| 2. | "We Are the Chemicals" | 5:16 |
| 3. | "Share It Out" | 4:11 |
| 4. | "What's The Time?" | 4:28 |
| 5. | "Wiping the Chair" | 4:34 |
| 6. | "Anna Dine" | 3:46 |
| 7. | "In December" | 4:48 |
| 8. | "Old Friends" | 5:27 |
| 9. | "Gratitude" | 3:37 |
| 10. | "Don't Get Me Wrong" | 8:09 |
Chart performance
edit| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Independent Albums Chart[2] | 40 |
Personnel
edit- Neil Arthur - vocals, synthesiser, guitar, percussion, producer, recording, arrangement, mixing, artwork
- Benge - synthesiser, drum machine, producer, recording, arrangement, mixing
- David Rhodes - additional guitar (track 1–2, 4, 7–9)
- John Grant - piano, backing vocals (track 10)
- Shawn Joseph - mastering
- Other
- Adam Yeldham - layout
- Steve Malins - management
References
edit- ^ "Unfurnished Rooms - Blancmange | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "– Unfurnished Rooms". Blancmange. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Blancmange: "People want wall to wall music. Never mind the chords, feel the width..." - Interview | Interviews". 16 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Blancmange: Unfurnished Rooms - album review". Louder Than War. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Reviews | Blancmange". The Quietus. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Unfurnished Rooms - Record Collector Magazine". Recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved 24 October 2018.