Aim and Ignite

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Aim and Ignite
Funaimandignite.jpg
Studio album by Fun
Released August 25, 2009
Genre Baroque pop, indie pop
Length 42:20
Label Nettwerk Music Group
Producer Steven McDonald
Fun chronology
Aim and Ignite
(2009)		 Some Nights
(2012)Some Nights2012
Singles from Aim and Ignite
  1. "At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)"
    Released: May 5, 2009
  2. "All the Pretty Girls"
    Released: November 4, 2009
  3. "Walking the Dog"
    Released: August 16, 2010
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AbsolutePunk.net (89%)[1]
Allmusic 4/5 stars[2]
The Aquarian Weekly B+[3]
Music Emissions 5/5 stars[4]
PopMatters (5/10)[5]
Redefine (magazine) A−[6]
Rock Sound (8/10)[7]
Sputnikmusic 3.5/5 stars[8]

Aim and Ignite is the debut studio album from the indie pop band Fun (stylized as "fun."). It was released on August 25, 2009, through Nettwerk.[9] Two of the bonus tracks are re-imagined versions of songs on the CD, and two are remixes.[10] The title of the album comes from a line of the lyrics on the track "Light a Roman Candle with Me". It was recorded at Appletree Studios.

Background

On February 4th 2008, Nate Ruess's old band The Format broke up.[11] Soon after, Ruess had called up Jack Antonoff, and Andrew Dost from the bands Steel Train and Anathallo,[12] They created the band Fun. and headed into the studio with producer Steve McDonald.

Composition

The album was described as "what a pop album should sound like" and "the most essential pop album of 2009" by AbsolutePunk.[13] AllMusic compared the trio to Queen and the Electric Light Orchestra.[14] It was said" it used previous Format tricks like using bright horns and sophisticated harmonies".[15]

Reception

Aim and Ignite was released to positive reviews. AbsolutePunk.net's Drew Beringer praised the album, calling it "what a pop album should sound like" and "the most essential pop album of 2009".[1] Allmusic called the album "progressive, but in the best possible way" and admired Ruess's lyrics for "investigating the larger truths of life...with a witty approach that keeps the songs bubbling merrily along on a positive note".[2] Dave de Sylvia of Sputnikmusic wrote, "Aim and Ignite isn’t the most consistent pop album around," but he ultimately commended the album as "a superbly mixed and arranged album made by musicians who clearly understand the limits and potential of pop music".[8] Estella Hung of PopMatters was less impressed with the album, praising songs "Be Calm" and "The Gambler", but criticizing the lyrics and production of the album's early tracks. Hung concluded that while Aim and Ignite is "pretty original to say the least", it "fails to live up to the Format’s last outing".[5] Popdose's Ken Shane called the album "an interesting and unusual listen". Shane applauded the album's songwriting and said "many of the songs are really good", but he objected to the "cute" production, desiring to hear the band "in a more stripped-down form. He ended his review with: "I have a similar problem with Dr. Dog, a band that was recommended to me by a number of people. I think much of their recorded work is too fussed over, but when I saw them live and their sound was more stripped down out of necessity, emphasizing their powerful songwriting, I thought they were wonderful. Perhaps the same fate awaits me with Fun."[16]

The album reached number 26 on Sputnikmusic's top 50 albums of 2009.

Track listing

All songs written by Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff and Sam Means except as indicated.[17]

No. Title Length
1. "Be Calm"   4:10
2. "Benson Hedges"   4:00
3. "All the Pretty Girls"   3:23
4. "I Wanna Be the One"   3:36
5. "At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)"   4:07
6. "Light a Roman Candle With Me"   3:05
7. "Walking the Dog"   3:40
8. "Barlights"   4:17
9. "The Gambler"   4:11
10. "Take Your Time (Coming Home)"   7:51

iTunes Bonus tracks:

  1. "Stitch Me Up" (Ruess/Dost/Antonoff)– 4:05
  2. "Walking the Dog II" – 4:31
  3. "Take Your Time (Acoustic)" – 3:57
  4. "Walking the Dog (RAC Mix)" – 4:30
  5. "All the Pretty Girls (RAC Mix)" – 4:25

Unreleased tracks:

  1. "Jumping the Shark"[18]

Musicians

fun.

Band member Related note(s)
Jack Antonoff vocals, guitars, drums, percussion
Andrew Dost guitar, piano, theremin, percussion, keyboards, flugelhorn, trumpet, synthesizers, glockenspiel, vocals
Nate Ruess lead vocalist, background vocals

Additional Musicians:

  • Jason Thor - trombone on 4, 6, 8
  • Double G - saxophones on 5, 8
  • Lara Wickes - oboe on 4
  • Phil Parlapiano - accordion on 1
  • Mike Whitson - viola on 5, 6, 9
  • Ina Whitson - violin on 5, 6, 9
  • Timothy Loo - cello on 5, 6, 9
  • Vanessa Freebairn-Smith - cello on 1, 2, 4, 6
  • Neel Hammond - violin and viola on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
  • John O'Reilly - drums on all except 7, 9
  • Steven McDonald - bass on all except 2, 9
  • Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. - calliope on 1
  • Christopher Bautista - trumpet on 1, 8
  • Connie Corn - vocals on 2, 8, 10
  • Karen Mills - vocals on 2, 8, 10
  • Ida Relhm - vocals on 2, 8, 10
  • Anna Waronker - vocals on 1, 5
  • Rachel Antonoff - vocals on 1, 4, 5
  • Steve McDonald - vocals on 4, 10

Chart performance

Chart (2009) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[19] 71
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)[19] 20
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[19] 24
US Rock Albums (Billboard)[19] 23
US Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[19] 3

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Aim and Ignite at AllMusic
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ http://theformat.com/post/45170210440/important
  12. ↑ http://theairspace.net/music/nate-ruess-interview-fun-truth-words-rhymes-notes/
  13. ↑ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1215392
  14. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/aim-and-ignite-mw0000827061
  15. ↑ http://www.theaquarian.com/2009/08/18/fun-aim-and-ignite/
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Parts of this song are used in Eminem's song "Headlights"
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Aim and Ignite - Fun. | Billboard.com
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Aim_and_Ignite&oldid=720321134"