What Happened (album)
| What Happened | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 19, 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2007–2008 | |||
| Studio | Home studio | |||
| Length | 57:20 | |||
| Label | No Fun Productions Editions Mego (2010 reissue) | |||
| Emeralds chronology | ||||
| ||||
What Happened is a studio album by the American drone trio Emeralds. The album was released through No Fun Productions on January 19, 2009.
Recording and music
[edit]The album's tracks were recorded between 2007 and 2008.[1] All tracks were recorded in Cleveland, Ohio, except for "Up in the Air", which was recorded in Delaware, Ohio.[1]
Critics have described the album as drone[2][3] and harsh ambient,[3] with influence from krautrock,[2] electroacoustic music,[2] and minimalism.[2] The album uses a sounds rooted in electronic music of the 1970s and 80s.[3] There is a focus on melody instead of excessive experimentation.[3]
Release
[edit]The album was released as a limited edition CD via No Fun Productions on January 19, 2009.[1][4] In October 2010, it was reissued by Editions Mego as a double LP record,[1] due to the success of 2010's Does It Look Like I'm Here?.[4]
Reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [5] |
| PopMatters | 7 / 10[6] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | [3] |
The album was given an honorable mention by Pitchfork for its list of "The Top 50 Albums of 2009".[2] Writing for the site, Philip Sherburne said the album sounded like "nothing else" with a "sound that's always in motion and impossible to pin down".[2] Jspicer of Tiny Mix Tapes gave a favorable review, praising the album's composition and the band's "desire for a new direction".[3]
Track listing
[edit]- "Alive in the Sea of Information" – 8:01
- "Damaged Kids" – 15:01
- "Up in the Air" – 04:02
- "Living Room" – 16:43
- "Disappearing Ink" – 13:31
Personnel
[edit]Adapted from the album's liner notes, which do not list specific instruments.[1][5]
- Mark McGuire – music
- John Elliot – music
- Steve Hauschildt – music
- Emeralds – artwork
- James Plotkin – mastering
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "What Happened, by Emeralds". Bandcamp (liner notes). Retrieved December 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Pitchfork staff (December 16, 2009). "Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Jspicer. "Music Review: Emeralds - What Happened". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Hughes, Josiah (September 28, 2010). "Emeralds' What Happened Gets Vinyl Reissue via Editions Mego". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Couture, François. "What Happened - Emeralds". AllMusic. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
- ^ Carson, Craig (April 20, 2009). "Emeralds: What Happened". PopMatters. Retrieved December 25, 2024.