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Welfare Jazz

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Welfare Jazz
Studio album by
Viagra Boys
Released8 January 2021 (2021-01-08)
Recorded2019–2020[1]
Studio
Genre
Length40:14
LabelYEAR0001
Producer
Viagra Boys chronology
Street Worms
(2018) 		Welfare Jazz
(2021) 		Cave World
(2022)
Singles from Welfare Jazz
  1. "Ain't Nice"
    Released: 14 October 2020
  2. "Creatures"
    Released: 2 December 2020
  3. "In Spite of Ourselves"
    Released: 16 December 2020
  4. "Girls & Boys"
    Released: 6 January 2021
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.8/10[5]
Metacritic78/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute77%[7]
Clash8/10[8]
Consequence of SoundB[9]
DIY[10]
Exclaim!8/10[11]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[12]
MusicOMH[13]
NME[14]
Pitchfork7.2/10[15]
Under the Radar8/10[16]

Welfare Jazz is the second studio album by Swedish post-punk band Viagra Boys. It was released on 8 January 2021, through YEAR0001.[17]

Background

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The album was produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt (The Hives, Refused), Daniel Fagerström (Kite, Provoker), Matt Sweeney (Iggy Pop, Queens of the Stone Age), Justin Raisen (Yves Tumor, Charli XCX), Fabian Berglund aka DJ Haydn (Stella Explorer, Deki Alem), and Patrik Berger (Robyn, Lana Del Rey).[18][19][20][21][22]

Release

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On 15 October 2020, Viagra Boys announced the release of their second studio album.[23] In a press release, lead vocalist Sebastian Murphy said of the album: "We wrote these songs at a time when I had been in a long-term relationship, taking drugs every day, and being an asshole. I didn’t really realise what an asshole I was until it was too late, and a lot of the record has to do with coming to terms with the fact that I'd set the wrong goals for myself."[18]

"Girls & Boys" appears in Grand Theft Auto Online on the radio station Kult FM, curated by Julian Casablancas.

Singles

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The first single "Ain't Nice" was released on 14 October 2020.[18]

On 2 December 2020, "Creatures", the second single from the album, was released.[24]

The third single "In Spite of Ourselves" was released on 16 December 2020. The single is a cover of American country folk musician John Prine's song of the same name, and features Australian musician Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers.[25]

The fourth single "Girls & Boys" was released on 6 January 2021.[26]

Critical reception

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Welfare Jazz was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 78 based on 16 reviews.[6] At AnyDecentMusic?, the album received a 7.8 out of 10 based on 22 reviews.[5]

Writing for Clash, Josh Gray said: "Much like their 2018 debut 'Street Worms', 'Welfare Jazz' concerns itself with the internal lives of the scuzziest dregs of humanity: no-good drifters who lug their vintage calculator collections from couch to couch, self-deceiving junkies who regale hallucinatory conversations they have with their dogs with the listener, alcoholics who scream and ramble on about their problems and other assorted bottom feeders."[8] In a review for Exclaim!, Sarah Morrison gave the album an 8 out of 10, saying "The album occasionally takes the foot off the gas, to great effect. As Viagra Boys have done on previous releases, Welfare Jazz also features a handful of interludes, a breath of fresh air from the smoky, heavy din of its basement mosh pits." She also went on to say the album is "a massive shift from previous releases, both musically and lyrically,[11]

Track listing

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Welfare Jazz track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ain't Nice"Sebastian Murphy, Oskar Carls, Henrik Höckert, Tor Sjödén3:32
2."Cold Play"Carls0:31
3."Toad"Murphy, Carls, Höckert, Sjödén, Daniel Fagerström3:35
4."This Old Dog"Murphy, Sjödén, Fagerström0:37
5."Into the Sun"Murphy, Carls, Pelle Gunnerfeldt3:58
6."Creatures"Murphy, Carls, Höckert, Benjamin Vallé, Fagerström3:32
7."6 Shooter"Carls, Höckert, Sjödén, Vallé, Elias Jungqvist, Fagerström, Gunnerfeldt4:50
8."Best in Show II"Murphy, Carls, Fagerström0:46
9."Secret Canine Agent"Murphy, Carls, Höckert, Sjödén, Jungqvist, Fagerström1:45
10."I Feel Alive"Murphy, Carls, Höckert, Sjödén, Vallé, Jungqvist4:29
11."Girls and Boys"Murphy, Carls, Höckert, Sjödén, Vallé, Martin Vogel4:39
12."To the Country"Murphy, Carls, Höckert, Sjödén, Vallé, Jungqvist, Fagerström, Gunnerfeldt2:57
13."In Spite of Ourselves" (featuring Amy Taylor)John Prine5:03
Total length:40:14

Personnel

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Charts

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Chart performance for Welfare Jazz
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[27] 90
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] 28
French Albums (SNEP)[29] 179
Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] 5
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 11
UK Albums (OCC)[32] 41
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[33] 2

References

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  1. ^ Bhandari, Ashwin (6 January 2021). "Viagra Boys, sobriety, sleaze and shrimptech". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  2. ^ Fontano, Anthony (14 January 2021). "Viagra Boys - Welfare Jazz". The Needle Drop. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  3. ^ Lewis, Makayla (14 January 2021). "Listen: Viagra Boys 'Welfare Jazz'". Alt Citizen. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  4. ^ Rogers, Becky (5 January 2021). "Viagra Boys – 'Welfare Jazz' review: satirical post-punk bangers with a 'yeehaw!' spirit". NME. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  5. ^ a b "AnyDecentMusic? Review". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  7. ^ Sentz, Tim (8 January 2021). "Beats Per Minute Review". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  8. ^ a b Gray, Josh (8 January 2021). "Clash Magazine". Clash. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  9. ^ Clark, Tyler (7 January 2021). "Viagra Boys Churn Out More Scuzzy Salvos on Sophomore Welfare Jazz". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  10. ^ Wright, Lisa. "DIY Magazine Review". DIY. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  11. ^ a b Morrison, Sarah (6 January 2021). "Viagra Boys Tear Themselves Open on Cathartic 'Welfare Jazz'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  12. ^ Horton, Ross (5 January 2021). "Viagra Boys remain a determined and confidently riotous force on Welfare Jazz". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  13. ^ Cotsell, Matt (5 January 2021). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  14. ^ Rogers, Becky (5 January 2021). "'Welfare Jazz' review: satirical post-punk bangers with a 'yeehaw!' spirit". NME. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  15. ^ Rytlewski, Evan (12 January 2021). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  16. ^ Campbell, Caleb (11 January 2021). "Under the Radar Review". Under the Radar. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Viagra Boys Announce New Album". DIY. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Moore, Sam (14 October 2020). "Listen to Viagra Boys' new single 'Ain't Nice' from upcoming album 'Welfare Jazz'". NME. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Pelle Gunnerfeldt - Produzent, Mixer". goldengatemanagement.com. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  20. ^ Ekbladh, Magnus (9 September 2024). "#003: Viagra Boys & Kite producer Daniel Fagge Fagerström: "I love freaks"". Aux Haus. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  21. ^ Murray, Robin (14 December 2022). "Yikes Returns With Garage Rock Blaster 'Not That Bad'". Clash. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Patrik Berger - Producer / Songwriter". Advanced Alternative Media. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  23. ^ Corcoran, Nina (15 October 2020). "Viagra Boys Announce New Album Welfare Jazz, Share "Ain't Nice"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  24. ^ Enis, Eli (2 December 2020). "Viagra Boys Release New Song "Creatures"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  25. ^ Graves, Wren (16 December 2020). "Viagra Boys Cover John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves" with Amy Taylor". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Viagra Boys Release New Track 'Girls & Boys'". DIY. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Ultratop.be – Viagra Boys – Welfare Jazz" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  28. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Viagra Boys – Welfare Jazz" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  29. ^ "Lescharts.com – Viagra Boys – Welfare Jazz". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Viagra Boys – Welfare Jazz". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  32. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  33. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
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