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Ashes Grammar

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Ashes Grammar
Studio album by
A Sunny Day in Glasgow
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2009 (2009-09-15)
RecordedSeptember – December 2008
StudioDowntown Performing Arts Center (Lambertville, New Jersey)
Genre
Length63:08
LabelMis Ojos Discos
A Sunny Day in Glasgow chronology
Tout New Age
(2007) 		Ashes Grammar
(2009) 		Nitetime Rainbows
(2010)
Singles from Ashes Grammar
  1. "Shy"
    Released: November 10, 2009[3]

Ashes Grammar is the second studio album by American indie rock band A Sunny Day in Glasgow. It was released on September 15, 2009, by Mis Ojos Discos.[4]

Background and recording

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Following a successful European tour, A Sunny Day in Glasgow's Ben Daniels began preparations for the recording of the band's next album.[5] He rented a large dance studio space within the Downtown Performing Arts Center in Lambertville, which became the primary location for recording.[5][6] He and bandmate Josh Meakim then began experimenting with sounds and setting up microphones in the space.[5] Prior to the start of formal work on the album, however, three members of A Sunny Day in Glasgow departed the band under varying circumstances: Brice Hickey, who had "very seriously" broken his legs in an accident while loading equipment into his car on the day that recording was set to begin; Lauren Daniels, who left in order to care for Hickey, her then-boyfriend; and Robin Daniels, who wished to pursue her graduate studies.[7] The band was subsequently reduced to Ben Daniels and Josh Meakim.[7] Annie Fredrickson was later invited to join A Sunny Day in Glasgow on the recommendation of a fan of the band who was familiar to Ben Daniels "from shows", after Daniels asked the fan whether he knew any vocalists.[8] The trio of Daniels, Meakim and Fredrickson helmed the album's recording.[9]

Ashes Grammar was recorded from September to December 2008.[6] The expansiveness of the dance studio space allowed Ben Daniels the freedom to experiment with different acoustics.[8] He has cited Alvin Lucier's I Am Sitting in a Room as an influence on the recording process.[7][8] As Lauren and Robin Daniels, the lead singers on earlier A Sunny Day in Glasgow recordings, had left the band, vocal duties on Ashes Grammar were shared by Fredrickson and Meakim.[5] Fredrickson's friend Beverly Science performed additional vocals on the album.[5] Mich White, who was previously a touring bassist for A Sunny Day in Glasgow, also "contributed ideas" from his home in Austin.[5]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.9/10[10]
Metacritic77/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Drowned in Sound8/10[13]
NME5/10[14]
Pitchfork8.3/10[15]
PopMatters6/10[16]
The Skinny[17]
Tiny Mix Tapes4.5/5[18]

In 2016, Pitchfork ranked Ashes Grammar at number 35 on its list of the best shoegaze albums of all time.[2]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Ben Daniels, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Magna for Annie, Josh, and Robin" 0:10
2."Secrets at the Prom" 0:42
3."Slaughter Killing Carnage (The Meaning of Words)" 2:12
4."Failure"
  • Daniels
  • Josh Meakim
3:30
5."Curse Words"
  • Daniels
  • Annie Fredrickson
  • Meakim
1:43
6."Close Chorus" 6:24
7."Shy" 5:43
8."Lights" 0:22
9."Passionate Introverts (Dinosaurs)"
  • Daniels
  • Fredrickson
4:31
10."West Philly Vocoder" 2:05
11."Evil, with Evil, Against Evil" 2:30
12."The White Witch"
  • Daniels
  • Meakim
3:51
13."Nitetime Rainbows"
  • Daniels
  • Meakim
5:31
14."Canalfish"
  • Daniels
  • Fredrickson
1:30
15."Loudly"
  • Daniels
  • Fredrickson
1:51
16."Blood White" 4:20
17."Ashes Grammar" 1:11
18."Ashes Maths" 3:23
19."Miss My Friends" 1:30
20."Starting at a Disadvantage" 4:41
21."Life's Great" 0:41
22."Headphone Space" 4:47
Total length:63:08

Notes

  • The track order for the LP edition repositions "Blood White" between "Passionate Introverts (Dinosaurs)" and "West Philly Vocoder".

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[6]

A Sunny Day in Glasgow

  • Ben Daniels
  • Robin Daniels
  • Annie Fredrickson
  • Brice Hickey
  • Josh Meakim
  • Beverly Science
  • Mich White

Additional musicians

  • Jody Hamilton – horns on "Failure" and "Close Chorus"
  • Ryan Mitchell – theremin on "Curse Words"
  • Chuck Nicholson – vibraphone on "Nitetime Rainbows"

Production

Design

References

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  1. ^ Fischer, Jonathan L. (December 10, 2009). "On Rabid Dogs and Other Crises: A Chat with a Sunny Day in Glasgow". Washington City Paper. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "The 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. October 24, 2016. p. 2. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  3. ^ "Shy by A Sunny Day In Glasgow". United States: Apple Music. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  4. ^ Breihan, Tom (June 22, 2009). "A Sunny Day in Glasgow Announce Second Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "A Sunny Day in Glasgow share first MP3 from Ashes Grammar" (Press release). Force Field PR. July 27, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Ashes Grammar (liner notes). A Sunny Day in Glasgow. Mis Ojos Discos. 2009. OJO004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ a b c Schube, Will (June 16, 2017). "A Sunny Day In Glasgow Interview". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c Tincknell, Devon; Gordon, Scott (November 19, 2009). "A Sunny Day In Glasgow: 'We don't have a career!'". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  9. ^ Clayman, Andrew (November 26, 2009). "Change is good for Philly dream-popsters A Sunny Day in Glasgow". Nashville Scene. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  10. ^ "Ashes Grammar by A Sunny Day In Glasgow reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  11. ^ "Ashes Grammar by A Sunny Day in Glasgow Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  12. ^ Reges, Margaret. "Ashes Grammar – A Sunny Day in Glasgow". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  13. ^ Takru, Radhika (September 29, 2009). "Album Review: A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Ashes Grammar". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  14. ^ Dosanjh, Ash (September 27, 2009). "Album review: A Sunny Day In Glasgow – 'Ashes Grammar' (Mis Ojos Discos)". NME. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  15. ^ Gaerig, Andrew (September 15, 2009). "A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Ashes Grammar". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  16. ^ Schumer, Ben (September 15, 2009). "A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Ashes Grammar". PopMatters. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  17. ^ Crichton, Ian (September 4, 2009). "A Sunny Day in Glasgow – Ashes Grammar". The Skinny. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  18. ^ Embling (November 19, 2009). "A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Ashes Grammar". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
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