is the seventh studio album by Scottish rock band Teenage Fanclub, released on 23 October 2000 through Columbia Records.
With the addition of keyboardist Finlay MacDonald, the band wrote new material, eventually debuting some of it live in early 1999.
[1] By the end of the year, former BMX Bandits keyboardist Finlay MacDonald formally joined Teenage Fanclub, having spent the previous six months on tour with them.
[8] The recordings were mixed at Rockfield, before being edited by Steve Falone and mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in New York City.
[9] Neumu writer Ryan DeGama said it showcased the "well-polished guitar jangle and three-part harmonies" which were hallmarks of the band's sound".
[10] Ben Sisario of Rolling Stone wrote that the album's most prevalent theme was "an earnest quest to find love and a place to call one's own".
[15][16] "Happiness" is centred around Hammond organ and a harmonica; "The Town and the City" incorporates bells, horns and keyboards.
[18][19] With "The Sun Shines from You", which had a guitar riff reminiscent of the one heard in "Flame" (1999) by Sebadoh, McGinley compares the enjoyment of the weather to a relationship.
[24] On 28 March 2000, drummer Paul Quinn left the band, with their manager Chris Banks saying the decision was to focus on his family.
[26] On 11 July 2000, the band announced they had signed to Sony imprint Columbia Records and that their forthcoming album would see release later in the year.
[27][28] The CD version featured "I Lied" and a cover of "Here Comes Your Man" (1989) by Pixies, while the seven-inch vinyl record edition included "On This Good Night".
[7][41] By the end of the year, the album was picked up by independent label Thirsty Ear Recordings, who planned to release it in November 2001, until it was delayed till 22 January 2002.
was re-pressed on vinyl; coinciding with this, the band embarked on multi-night residencies where they dedicated a particular night to specific eras of their back catalogue.
[47] AllMusic reviewer Andy Kellman said the majority of the tracks were "light-hearted and cheery", adding that its biggest draws were the "top-drawer craft, lovely three-part harmonies, delicately strummed guitars, and flawless arrangements".
[12] NME writer Jim Wirth said the album "demonstrates that Teenage Fanclub have attained such an imperious mastery of their one musical trick – Beach Boys, Big Star, Beatles, Bacharach, Byrds, Badfinger and Band imitated, assimilated and expanded – that you can't even be bothered to get annoyed with them anymore".
[51] Emma Morgan of Select said the band's distillation of their influences "makes the difference between mere imitation and true immortalisation".
[11] JP of Billboard noted that there was "nothing harsh or grungy from the songwriting style" of the band, "[o]n the contrary, it's pure cotton candy for the ears, and it sounds sublime".
[52] DeGama's minor criticism was directed to the "almost pathological insistence here on consistency of guitar tone", as well as the lack of tempo variation.
[10] Nude as the News co-founder Troy Carpenter said it unfavourably retread "territory the group mapped thoroughly" on Songs from Northern Britain and its predecessor Grand Prix (1995).